Benefit of Theocratic School for women?

mostlydead

I'm taking a portfolio development class as this is my final term before graduation. I've had a few opportunities in the last 3 years to speak in front of groups of students and found it not too difficult since I was able to present my digital graphic work via the computer projection system and it was dark in the room and I didn't have to make too much audience contact. But yesterday was the first time I had to speak in front of about 30 people with just me and a little physical portfolio, and I felt like a dope. Here I spent nearly 40 years giving 'talks' in the ministry school, and listening to all the speech counsel and whatnot. I know good and well what somebody is supposed to do when speaking to an audience, but as a woman, I got absolutely no practice in doing so. Consequently, I got up there and felt like a blithering idiot. There were a lot of women there younger than my own daughters who were poised, had excellent audience contact and spoke extemporaneously like they'd been Toastmaster members for years…

Anyway, I just want to say, all you guys out there who've spent years ‘teaching’ from the platform, I have new respect for what goes into that. And I would NEVER brag to someone that I've been in a public speaking course for over 3 decades. No one would believe that. Not even me!

Have any of the rest of you ladies had an experience like this?

Kudra

I am totally with you.

It is so demeaning to women to get "up on stage" and practice talking to another sister... and call that a "talk".

Good for you for finally getting up on stage to talk!! I have been so fortunate to be able to give talks on my research- it is absolutely different than the canned crap that the "brothers" spew out that is termed "research" on bible subjects. Please.

It will get better- I have given absolute crap talks to audiences and have also given talks that have been very well received by audiences of my peers.

To call the TMS a "public speaking course" is ridiculous. Especially for women!

-K

loosie

The last "talk" I had I was the householder. I was always aware of the audience. Felt like I was being judged. On this talk I read a scripture and my voice just started breaking up horribly ( like I was losing it). I felt like I was having a panic attack. I was so embarrassed. Afterward an elder/friend teased me about it. I decided to never give another talk again.

Kudra

My mom won't be the other (which is the other female speaker-- householder and *what*?). She will only be householder. Despite the fact that she is smarter than most of the sisters that she gives talks with (AND than the semi-literate brothers that stumble through talks from the platform). She is just so self concious. It is unfortunate.

Seriously. 19-year olds that can barely pronounce any word that is multi-syllabic get to "teach" before the congregation but these brilliant women are forced to be in this subservient position. Well- I guess that they are there voluntarily.. but still.

Is it just me or have you noticed that the "sisters" in the congregation are always much more intelligent than the "brothers"?

mostlydead

Well, I'm not sure about them always being more intelligent, I've known some awfully mealy-mouthed, super-subservient sisters in my time which to me is not a great sign of intelligence. But I do think that many sisters have a tremendous amount to offer that they aren't allowed to do, for seemingly scriptural reasons. To me there's something extremely human about making such gender distinctions...much more human than a sexless god would come up with.

WTWizard

There is little to no benefit for anyone. All you learn is to use the Unholy Bible, at that the Not Well Translated version, in ways that are going to do more harm than good in the community. Nothing else is of any good that you couldn't learn in basic speech school.

yknot

I had indulgent Elders when I was younger....

I loved my podium time, those 4 1/2 years made the difference in my confidence.

And I am the only one who had to do oral bookreports? What about debate class?

ziddina

I'm with YKnot; I learned to give good speeches by giving book reports, "Show and Tell", and other school projects in secular school classes. The Theocratic Ministry School was more a humiliation than a learning experience. No offense to anyone of Middle Eastern extraction here, but the misogyny that one sees in the WTBTS comes from following the words of a Middle Eastern holy book written by Middle Eastern men approx 3,300 years to 1,500 years ago...

The god of the bible isn't sexless - check Exodus 15:3, "Jehovah is a manly person of war. Jehovah is his name." BTW, I remember that NewWorldTranslation scripture reading "Jehovah is a manly GOD of war...." years ago. Seems the WTBTS may have made yet more changes in the more recent versions of their bible. Anyway, "he" is constantly referred to as HE... not SHE

mostlydead

Very true, we can scarcely talk about god without saying, "he" as that is how he chooses to present himself to humans. I only meant that the witness viewpoint of spirits is that they are neither male nor female. Although they all do seem to present as males don't they.

And you're right, oral book reports and debate class would have been great, but my witness family decided to home school my sisters and I so, I guess I forgot about those opportunities.

Benefit of Theocratic School for women?

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