Ex -JWs ASL Congragations

by Scott77 43 Replies latest jw experiences

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  B_Deserter

  Geez I didn't think I'd get attacked on this. Why is it that when someone mentions something that happens, everybody always ASSUMES they're saying it's the case EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME? There are maybe two, three deaf people in the ASL congregation in my old hall. The rest are hearing people who learned ASL. I honestly don't think that justifies an ASL congregation, and knowing those people I think a lot of them aren't learning ASL to help anyone, they're learning it because they get to be part of an elite group of "need-greaters" without really having to do much at all (not saying it isn't work, but they don't really have to disrupt their lives very much). I know this because it's happened with other foreign languages as well. Spanish I remember fondly. All the teenagers were learning spanish to go "work" in the tropical paradise of the Dominican Republic (or, as they called it, "the D.R.") and everybody would treat them like absolute GODS when they got home. You can't tell me that this isn't a huge draw for at least some witnesses to learn ASL. But not once did I say Lady Lee that this was YOUR motivation for this or that it's everybody's motivation. There are those in the group who genuinely want to help. But foreign languages are becoming a fad in Witness culture, and I do question the motives of a lot of them. It would be great if everyone in my old hall learned ASL to talk to the handful of those among them who use it as a primary language. But I think a lot of them are doing it to display as I said before their "spiritual plumage."

  Now when I said that I don't like the idea of ASL congregations, the reasons for that were due to my ignorance of the subject, and I apologize for that. I didn't think it really made a difference to the deaf person anyway but when you brought up the interpreter issue I realized that I hadn't thought of it that way. I can imagine being able to just "say" your answer without having someone repeating it in another language would be quite a relief! I know if I were in a room where everyone spoke spanish and I had to say everything through an interpreter for any decent length of time, I'd be happy to find a group that spoke english.
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  bluecanary

  STOP THE INTERNET! Someone just admitted to being wrong on it!

  B_Deserter, you are one cool dude.
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  Lady Lee

  B_D

  The problem with your initial post was that you did not specify that there were only 2 people in your congregation. You said "congregation". NO WHERE would that warrant a congregation. It requires at least 2 but preferably 3 elders. Even if the two deaf are both elders it would be absurd to ever call that into a congregation. It isn't even a "group"

  I have only been to one hall where there were only 2 deaf people. They had an interpreter for the husband and his wife.

  The group I was with had had at least 15 people and 2 elders. Some Sundays they had as many as 30 people THIS warrants a congregation. And, even then, there was no way just 2 elders could or would want to carry the load for the entire group so they only had their own Sunday meeting once a month. I do recall before I left they started having their own Ministry School as well which probably was a good thing for them.

  Thanks for the apology and the explanation
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  White Dove

  Lady Lee,

  The word "Deafies" is used by Deafies with Deafies like Nigga is used by some Black people with other Black people. I probably should have explained that the first time I used it here on a predominantly Hearies board
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  Scott77

  Hi B_Deserter

  I like it when you stated: "foreign languages are becoming a fad in Witness culture".

  Hi White Dove : "The word "Deafies" is used by Deafies with Deafies like Nigga is used by some Black people with other Black people" I too liked that.

  Lady Lee to B_Deserter : "Thanks for the apology and the explanation" Great point.

  CyberJesus: "Yes they have the right to be brainwashed as well. Equal Opportunity Brainwashing" You bad
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  Scott77

  Iam not starting a new thread but rather, want to use this one to announce to the forum that Iam Deaf with a capital letter D not d. I used to associate with ASL congregations and asseblies for much of the times. Iam also an ASL user and hopefully, this marks a new revealation as to my identity. I have gone a long way since joining this site last year on April 03, 2009. While on this JWN site, I have matured and grown in a way never expected. Thank you all for your patient and support.

  Scott77
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  White Dove

  WOO-HOO, Scott77! YAY!!! I use D for late Deafened adult because I embrace the language and culture, even though I have bi-lateral CI's. Big deal, that was my choice as I did become deaf later in life (note the small d to denote my struggle with it in the beginning). For others: Small d is for those who are clinically deaf, who identify themselves as disabled because their ears don't work right.

  Oh, this is so cool! I wonder who else is out there. And to you who have more experience with it than I do (Deafies), please don't hesitate to let me know when I've said something that is not quite true anymore with Deaf culture. I want to stay updated.

  The term Deafy/ies is used as a term of endearment within the group

  Now a question: How many Deaf people just hate it when Hearies ask you, "How did you become deaf?" I cringe when asked that. Hate it much. I'd rather be asked how I play my djembe (African drum). I'm much more interested in Mathilda, my drum, than my "condition."

  SEE sign is really hard for me to follow if it is done at speed. If I skip words, I miss the meaning of the entire sentence. I hate SEE sign. PSE is almost as bad for me. I prefer ASL as it is a complete language geared to vision.
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  Lady Lee

  well I am losing my hearing but I'm not deaf yet lol

  After working for 10 years with the deaf and another 3 with people who were deaf or had other disabilities I never thought I would be one of them.

  But here I sit using a wheelchair to get out and sometimes a walker to get around the house and might need to get hearing aids instead of asking people to repeat themselves all the time. All that sign language might come in handy.

  Lee
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  truthseeker

  I volunteered to learn ASL at a nearby congregation. The course was about 12 weeks long. Homework was set.

  In the first class we learned some basic phrases and the alaphabet and there were class introductions.

  The point was hammered home that the class was not for our enjoyment and self-interest but to further the preaching work among the death community. It was expected that we would eventually move to a sign language congregation.

  After class was over, we were immediately assigned to car groups and went out preaching or looking for those "Stop deaf children" signs. We would ask householders who lived within the vicinity of these signs if they knew where those who were deaf lived.

  Some in the class were very aggressive about looking for deaf persons - even deaf children.
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  JWoods

  Geez I didn't think I'd get attacked on this. Why is it that when someone mentions something that happens, everybody always ASSUMES they're saying it's the case EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME? There are maybe two, three deaf people in the ASL congregation in my old hall. The rest are hearing people who learned ASL.

  I didn't get that either, B_Deserter.

  One thing I wondered about (in this day and age) - since all the talks are pretty much spelled out for the speaker anyway, why didn't they put a screen text banner up of the information like they do on TV programming?