by Witness 007 102 Replies latest jw experiences
E.T. - yep, that clumsy, goofy looking alien had many a JW shaking in their service shoes.
The Society even branded it evil, something about E.T. being Christ like or some such nonsense. They just didn't like anything that had popular appeal and might influence dubs to go to the movies instead of studying a Watchtower.
But I remember one family walked out, not for the heresy of it all, but because Elliott called his big brother "penis breath".
About a year or so ago while we were still in, an arrangement had been made where the whole congregation and their kids were invited to go along to the I-MAX to see KUNG FU PANDA in 3-D. We all went and spent an hour in the science museum first then made our way to the I-MAX. My uber elder brother in law and his wife, gathered up their two children and took them home saying that they wouldn't be going in to see the film because it was about 'Kung Fu' and they would end up re-enacting the violence when they came out. All other elders and Min serv. and pioneers and joe publishers all went in to see the film. Seems like even U rated films can be off limits to some. Poor kids !
Funny, they spend so much effort telling us which movies are too violent or too sexual to watch, but they have no problem talking about oral sex and anal sex on the platform in front of my 5 year old? Also, I defy anyone to name me 10 stories from My Book of Bible Stories where someone is getting brutally killed, raped, or is sleeping with her father. That book should be rated R!!
A friend of mine, with whom I had watched Dawn of the Dead, did not want to see Life of Brian. This was because a friend of his was watching it but walked out of the theater when the spoof of Jehovah's name came on.
villabolo
I was told you could not be df'd for going to R-rated movies. I was told by several elders that a CO went through the circuit and told the elders that any found watching R-rated movies could be removed as elders.
I knew JW`s that would only watch G rated movies..
And..
Were afraid of many TV shows.
They are children..
Trapped in an adults body..
........................
I was told by several elders that a CO went through the circuit and told the elders that any found watching R-rated movies could be removed as elders.
Brothers in "positions" i.e. MS, elder or pioneer would be privately counseled for watching R-rated movies and removed if not showing the proper attitude and repentance.
R-rated movies were not allowed at Bethel and that was the basic philosphy in the congregation. Banned at Bethel, banned at the hall.
It was harder to counsel non-appointed brothers...nothing they could really threaten to take away, so they used talks to demonize the movies, trying to get everyone on board with avoiding R-rate movies. But they could be counseled about "hating what is bad" and how it will keep Jehovah's spirit away.
Back when I was in, a friend of mine, on the cusp of being recommended/appointed as an MS was counseled. His wife rented some movies, one of which was R-rated. He didn't watch, it just happened to be in his house. Another JW spotted it and instead of applying Matthew whatever,about going to your brother to lay bare his fault, went running to the elders and reported what they saw. He had two elders give him a good little "what for" talk. He denied it, not even knowing his wife had rented the movie, but the elders took the word of the snitch over his.
They are children ... trapped in adults body
So true. When you think about it, what does the R restriction mean? For mature audiences. It means adult subject matter, whether sex, violence or even just a subject that is above a child's experience or maturity level.
I understand restricting children from seeing certain movies. I can understand people, of their own free will and conscience, choosing to not go see a movie.
It's quite another though when a governing group dictates to its followers what is acceptable or not acceptable based on something meant to protect children. They've actually handicapped these adults from thinking for themselves and deciding what is acceptable or not acceptable for their own consciense. JWs preach about training your conscience, but then dictate how and what you can watch, read, listen to, etc. etc. That's not training, that's indoctrinating.
In the long run, they end up with adults who have not matured past a child's mentality when it comes to making simple decisions like whether to see a movie or buy a music album.
LOL I remember one pioneer brother (many years ago when I was still living with my folks) having a cow because he mentioned how much he loved Kevin Costner's movie, "Dances with Wolves" after a book study at his house and I said, "It's an R rated movie, I'm shocked you've seen it!" just to give him a hard time. He couldn't believe it was rated R until I showed him on the VCR's cover that it was, then he got very upset and threw it in the trash!
and my mom threw a fit when I was watching a made for tv movie about Gary Gilmore, (can't remember the title, bt it starred Tommy Lee Jones).
The movie was called The Executioner's Song, and was based on the Norman Mailer book of the same name.
