by Amazing 37 Replies latest jw friends
Hi all,
Another big change in the JW culture over the decades is in their message, which has evolved from a chronology-based ``end is near'' emphasis on God and Christ that doesn't play so well topday, given the passage of time. Instead they've gone to a ``look at us'' message stressing how well reputed JWs are at their assemblies, JW life experiences, and how they stood up to the Nazis. They are basically preaching themselves.
Howdy y'all,
I've been in a medium sized city in South Carolina for 20 years. The articulation & ability of the vast majority of speakers is sorely lacking, sometimes it was all any of us could do was to just understand his pronunciation (or lack thereof) and the stupid point of the word wandering.
Some of these men had educations, some didn't. Some made the most stupid, damndest dumbest statements you ever heard - or wanted to argue about afterwards.
Frankly, a lot of us valued the speakers who followed their outlines (and yes, we did have elders who moderated the visiting speakers - one of the visitors was a friend of mine who got "called" into the backroom.) At least, when outlines were followed....we could follow the points, look up scriptures that actually applied, and finish on time.
And the examples given!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man, when left to their own imagination - men will come up with some of the worse fitting examples imaginable -- we would just sit there squinting our eyes saying "whaaaaaatttt????"
Of course, we had some good speakers too - but they were few and far apart.
waiting
Actually, the monitoring was done in a more "official" capacity on the circuit and district levels. If you were a brother trying to climb the "ladder" you best believe you needed to stick to the script...especially on the district levels. If you didn't you could expect to be "clowned" and not used for awhile.
I remember this one brother who was a dynamic speaker and strayed a little from the manuscript on the district and as a result he sat for awhile. Brothers in the Chairman's office chastised him and he didn't have a part on the DA for many years. He was black-balled for awhile. Monitoring was mos-def more rigid on the district level. Circuit level afforded SOME leeway unless you got up there an cracked one too many jokes or deviated extremely from the manuscript or outline.
Of course if you were a GB, Bethel heavy, or DO you'd be exempt from most of the monitoring BS.
Interesting points. Speaking from the northern part of Europe I see things a little different. I do see the development in the written material from the service department about how to handles the meetings and stick to the manuscript.
Meanwhile we have a common agreement of doing things our own way. Not all the way. I’m able to do public speaks talking about almost what a want and the brothers loves it. It’s a little different at district and area assembles. I remember speaking at a district assemble about a WT article talking about living with the future. I mention a story about Peter and the wolf. Some thought that was too critical against the Borg. The problems was that I never really knew who that “some” was. But its easy to image it came from the “District Assemble Talk Coordinator”
But anyway in the congregations in Europe I think it’s a little different to USA. But maybe it’s only a matter of times.
Beroea
I'm just reading along here enjoying this thread immensely, because as a little ol' spiritually widowed sister, I never knew the EXTRA pressures the brothers were under to conform, conform, conform...
Topics like this are highly educational.
Thanks, guys!
outnfree
Par dessus toutes choses, soyez bons. La bonte est ce qui ressemble le plus a Dieu et ce qui desarme le plus les hommes -- Lacordaire
this is a great thread thanks....
My comments related strictly to the public speakers in the congregations. The only thing I've seen monitored at Circuit Assemblies is time. I suppose if you dropped a real clanger the CO or DO might say something about it. Certainly the DO would recognize significant deviation from the outline since he has to set through the things 20 plus times. District Conventions are completely different. Every talk is closely monitored, and every speaker or the head of every part is supposed to report in immediately after the part to see if everything was OK. They get a little testy if you don't show up. And if something's wrong and they have to come find you, then they get real testy.
Regarding the Public talks being monitored to make certain that the speakers stay with the outline. I think it is a congregational thing. I grew up in a predominately Black congregation in a city, and the majority of speakers we had at the hall were Black brothers. I belive that the congregations during that time were different in the different areas you were in. For example the congregations in the deep south were warm and the talks were more personal and people even spoke up and said 'Amen' in some instances. The singing also was much more choir-like.
Now there were two instances of monitoring of talks etc:
1. My bookstudy conductor gave up his afternoon bookstudy to an older brother in the hall and privately disclosed that it was because he got to excited over the material and strayed sometimes from the information being considered. He simply would smile and say "it is Jehovah's direction and we have to go along with it." He would still read at bookstudy with his booming voice. I think it was his way of getting back at the brothers for having him switch from conductor.
2. The KH also had certain brothers who they did not invite back because they came accross as to much like a Preacher and would go overtime or do their own research. Of course this was nowhere in writing but was discussed as an elder body.
