by Quarterback 20 Replies latest jw experiences
We just had the visit of the BR, Winston Payne from down under Australia. He was a good old mate, and he commended the Brits accent over the Australian.
No mention of the Metero Sexual suits, Bright colored socks, Spandex, no association with DF relatives. He just spoke about the matter of depression.
I would rank this one as the best that I have attended. It was non-judgemental, positive, and upbeat
I spoke with a brother from the Canadian Bethel that was one of the most balanced and humble men I have ever met.
Unfortunately neither he nor Winston Payne has any real power over decisions that get made.
This religion is able to draw good people (after all we were part once!) but there are not good people running the show.
Exactly why that is - I do not know.
The further away from the corridors of power you are, the less caught up you will be in the 'power and control' tripping. You are also likely to be as influential on policy as a mosquitoe hovering over juicy flesh. Splat. You're dead, nice or not.
I should imagine that kingdom halls at the extremities of the earth are likely very cool places that have no conception of the hostile heat at the top.
@Quarterback: I agree with you on it being one of the better zone talks. The other ones were always rants, this old guy was pretty funny with his rambling stories and yes the talk was actually more upbuilding than most.
John MacEwan of the branch committee was the chairman. Warren Shewfelt (I think also of the branch commitee) did the Watchtower summary, Rod Jung gave an update on Canada's work (12,000+ reg pioneers, 50,000+ bible studies, 180,000+ attended last year's memorial, they are focusing a lot on translating to First Nations languages). Rod Jung is now on the branch committee and seems like he is the branch coordinator now, since Ken Little is 80 and had to step down.
Winston Payne was the speaker from Australia Bethel. His theme was "Find Happiness in the Peace of God" and was basically just "remember Jehovah knows your limitations so don't feel bad about shortcomings". He had funny, long, dry rambling stories and kept saying there's a point to the story. Payne looked pretty old, I thought late 70's, but he was still kind of on the ball because he had to admit a number of times there was a point to his long stories so he realized he was rambling, but his points were short compared to how long he had to what he talked about (he'd talk for like a solid 10 minutes and his point would be a sentence or two long).
I know Winston Payne personally, and I can tell you that he is one to watch out for!
He pretends to be all friendly and approachable, yet he has acted like a venomous viper to many, many I know!
He has perpetuated problems in the Australian field that you would squirm over... Think abuse cases, and unfair df ings....
Prologos, Rod Jung is an idiot!! He truly is the definition of being a label licker. One day he will board with you and be your best friend and as soon as he gets his calling into bethel, he doesn't know you. I should have known better than to go to him for help and listened to the advise of some of our friends who said climbing the corporate ladder is all he knows best.
I had called him and told him what these elders had done to us and it was him that told me that I couldn't be reproved for discouraging the young ones six years ago from pioneering. That that was not a disfellowshipping act. He told me to bring in my transcript of my judicial meeting and they would take a look at it. I did. Four months went by and I had called the service department and they said it would be at least a couple of years before they could look at it due to the stack of complaints that were sitting on their desk So I told them to put Rod on.. Then Mike in service department goes and knocks on the door which I think was the wall and told me Rod was too busy to talk to me so I called Rod's room and got him. I asked him what he was going to do with what the elders did to us and reminded him how it was him that told me to bring in my transcript and they would look at it. He then asked me my name and I told him and he had hung up on me. I couldn't even call out for twenty minutes on my phone after he had hung up.
Next thing I did was put my story on Cedars blog and Rod Jungs name was on there. Three days later I received a letter in the mail from bethel stating that because there weren't many scriptures quoted in my manuscript they couldn't use my alleged transcript as proof. They didn't have my tape recording of my jc but felt my transcript was alleged because of too few scriptures. Sadly, out of six hours of my jc meeting I counted no more than five scriptures that were read to me that evening. They didn't want to get involved. Shortly after there were talks at the hall and how the elders were sorry for any inconveniences they may have caused and how they should have done things differently. Yet, just recently we find out from one of our neighbours that these goons came to our neighbours doors telling them how aggressive, violent and abusive my husband is. Our neighbours told them to never come to their door ever again.
No one over here has anything nice to say about him and what we experienced with him is he truly only cares about his and the watchtower's good name. But what do you expect from someone who has a reputation that is linked with loving his booze.That's it! So I was right about him taking over Ken Little's job and that he's head of the branch committee here in Georgetown. The ones who told me that just got the boot out of bethel recently due to their old age. They were the ones that told me to go to Rod and then were shocked at what he did to us also.
Rod Jung gave an update on Canada's work (12,000+ reg pioneers, 50,000+ bible studies, 180,000+ attended last year's memorial, they are focusing a lot on translating to First Nations languages)
The first nations people here have had enough, when the wbts are focusing on first nations languages it just goes to show how desperate they are. Most of the first nation people I know are focused on getting their kids educated and learning english. The last thing they need is a family destroying cult.
I personally checked out a couple of jw books from an inuit library. The books are now over due and not likely to return LOL.
