Oh the weirdness: Observations from a study

by howdidtihappen 34 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  NewChapter

  Wow have you been lurking for a while? My first meeting was a blur of love bombing and being guided around. But you saw and recognized the significance of--the unwritten rule about not sitting with someone of the opposite sex, an elder steering a brother away from talking to you, MS walking around at the back of the hall with no business to do so, and a duplicity between dress at the KH and outside the KH. Even how skillfully you used the term "stumble" when it comes to that dress.

  And you were dead on with each observation. That's like, amazing. Well it looks like you know the answer. Run away.

  NC
• 

  Quandry

  Welcome.

  You are very perceptive. JWs are many times one way at the Kingdom Hall, and another outside of it. The clothing styles inside sometimes really don't match what they are willing to wear at their "gatherings." Yes, it is wrong for an unmarried couple to sit together. Looks bad.

  Some of the ones leaving the Hall may be going outside to walk the parking lot to make sure it's safe. Other than that, some are "very important" and have "very important things to do" even though the speaker is supposed to be imparting "life saving information from Jehovah." Some of the elders even get into little groups and talk at the back, or go to another room. You, of course, or all of the plain congregation members, should never do this, or you'd be accused of not appreciating spiritual food. You'll never figure this one out...I know I couldn't and I was "in" for over thirty years.

  You are also right about not having much to say except drill you about your intentions.

  First of all, they are not encouraged to get an education, so many don't know a whole lot about the world around them.

  Second, you are not supposed to discuss much else except "spiritual things" at the KHall. For instance, not sports, and some could be "stumbled" because the may be thought of as violent, or taking time away from Jehovah.

  Jws are not really supposed to participate in school sports, nor extracurricular activities.

  Not politics, as JWs don't vote, and the only thing they are interested in politically is God destroying all the governments at Armageddon.

  Can't talk about the latest fossil discovery of a dinosaur....the JWs taught for years that the earth has only had life on it for a bit over 49,000 years...they are unsure how the dinosaurs fit in. Some even believe Satan put the bones there to confuse people. At best they will say that T-Rex didn't eat meat because he died out before the flood of Noah's day when meat was O.K'd to eat. If you do want to start a discussion on this...it should be interesting.

  They don't know too much about medicine, although they will start talking as if they do....they don't take blood (except recently they've been allowed to take fractions of it-the WT decides which fractions, or parts) but then they may not be averse to using a new treatment with cow's blood-yes, it's weird....don't know where that conversation would go)

  Doesn't leave a whole lot to converse about.......

  The JW you are "friends" with really can't get too close to you yet...right now you are considered "wordly" and if Armageddon comes tomorrow you and all your family who are not JWs will die by fire, earthquake, or some boulders from the sky, the birds will peck out your eyes, and your bodies will lie on the surface of the earth as manure.

  Please ask the JW if this is why you are still at "arm's length."

  Next, please really take the time to research the history of this religion. I wish I had. I wish I had my thirty+ years back. I noticed some of the same things you did when I was new. There were no personal computers at the time, and no one to tell me these things.

  Please get back with us after you've done more research.
• 

  NomadSoul

  I just have to point out that if this was your first time in the KH, how did you know that guy was a MS?
• 

  Haulin Oats

  love the avatar ;)
• 

  Kudra

  Pretty savvy for a first timer...
• 

  howdidtihappen

  Mr. Overzealous was tell you two to quit talking, subtley isn't their strong point. Being a raging bowl full of dicks is.

  Hahaha thanks for confirming my suspicions. He was just so rude. He didn't even put out his hand to meet me when he interrupted. I already knew the guy speaking to me because he had called at my house to start studying with my young brother, who had had enough of him not taking No for an answer, so one day i opened the door to him and thats how we met. So he was just saying the "Oh it's so good you're here!" and 100 questions about who i study with, how i'm getting along, crap. His cousin waited OVER THERE forever but ended up having to come to us. Hehe.

  I'm way more sensitive to this stuff because I've had social phobia and still suffer with the paranoia, delusion, and overanalyzing so i wasn't sure if i was imagining it or not. I didn't think someone could be so ridiculous.

  By "howdidithappen," do you mean how did it happen that you ended up involved with JW's, or do you mean how did it happen that the JW's exist?

  Hahahahaha well it could go either way now that you say it. But i meant howdidithappen to me. The JWs happened because of men taking advantage of people's stupidity.

  Yeah... I don't have the heart to tell my Dad (a JW with dementia who insists on wearing suits) that they represent 'The Man'...ie, someone with an agenda that doesn't include anything in your best interests.Agreed. My friend explained its to "look respectable." Also since when does God care what people wear and what about people who can't afford suits? I actually couldn't believe how dressed up people were. Don't even get me started on women's footwear and makeup.

  Howdidithappen, you're a pretty cluey person finding your way to this website after just one meeting, and changing the pic on your avatar and all. Nice work.

  Actually, I've been here for awhile, reading. Because my friend was stupid enough to say "Don't read the internet." As for the avatar: I got the shock of my life when my face came up! That was my old avatar. I have a wordpress blog and the avatar (gravatar) i uploaded on there became my avatar on here. I thought i was screwed because i couldn't find any change avatar options on here then i made the connection that it was gravatar.com. Freaked me out.

  It is so out of the ordinary that sincere converts quickly start adopting the lingo "in the truth", "brother", "that comment was so encouraging!" in order to fit in.

  Yeah, just from studying I'm already saying "the truth." Ugh.

  My first meeting was a blur of love bombing and being guided around

  Wow, i barely even got a hello. I don't know if people even knew i was a study, a visiting JW, or what. And my friend left me after the meeting to talk to her real friends. That's why i was grateful that guy came over because it was someone to talk to. Then i felt horrible when that overzealous prick came over and made it very obvious that we were doing something against the rules.

  And you were dead on with each observation. That's like, amazing.

  As i said earlier i'm already paranoid and will overanalyze everything. I didn't know if i was right about my observations thats why i asked. It didn't help that i had already read the internet and heard things about JWs so i was on the look out. As for "stumble" my friend says it constantly during the study.

  The JW you are "friends" with really can't get too close to you yet...right now you are considered "wordly"

  She has actually started calling me to have lunch with her which never happened before. I thought that was nice until she said in the next sentence "No one has a problem with it." Then it gets weird again. Also, at the gathering afterwards, someone who had been on my study, came up to me and called me by the wrong name. When i corrected her she said "I don't remember people's names until you're on the battlefield." I had no idea what the hell she was talking about, and my friend laughed and said "She's talking about witnessing door to door." I couldn't believe it.

  I just have to point out that if this was your first time in the KH, how did you know that guy was a MS?

  He's the husband of my friend's friend and she told me after i asked if he was an elder. I had already learned the term "elder" because my friends father is one. I should add i've studied for a while too and shes been bugging me for that long to go to the hall because of my social phobia. She said "But it's the absolute best place you could be, people are so helpful and loving." That sounded too good to be true, but I went for her and because i'm sick of the hinting that i've studied long enough now and should be moving on. Big mistake because now i just find the whole thing weird and controlling. An hour in my living room with the What Does the Bible Really Teach book a week, wasn't enough to see the insanity.

  Thanks everyone :) Sorry if my replies to the different things people said are hard to follow, i don't know how to properly do quotes on here.
• 

  MrFreeze

  You are very perceptive. Most people would not pick up on those little details. They would just notice a nice gathering of decently dressed people. Do yourself a favor and don't ever go back.
• 

  howdidtihappen

  I think i notice things too much for own good, actually. I thought i was being too cynical at first. Had I felt the love i probably would have said "how nice" about their dress, but then again, I used to go to a church that was just Christian and they'd have a live band to play hymns, plays, interesting ways of telling bible stories, and it was fun. And anyone wore any old thing so dress doesn't impress me, nor does it mean much. I felt God more there than i did at the kingdom hall, yet according to my friend, god is nowhere else. But it's hard to argue that with someone who has never been anywhere else to know the difference.
  
  
  One positive thing i noticed was very well behaved kids. It's astounding how they'd just sit there without a word. Unless this is actually a negative thing, i dunno.
• 

  EntirelyPossible

  Those kids were afraid of a beating.
• 

  dgp

  Howdidithappen, the one thing I would commend you for is your having perceived you were being manipulated. I sort of was in your shoes once.

  I surmise you're interested in this girl. She may not be interested in you, but might not share that information just so you jump ship.

  Everyone else here has a lot more moral authority than myself to speak about these things, but my recommendation is that you stop going to the Kingdom Hall, stop studying and all that. Just don't stop checking this site, to find information.