JW directives you thought were downright stupid

by fallen_princess 98 Replies latest jw experiences

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  undercover

  Yea, I've heard the "euphemism" talk a few times over the years. One time a former Bethel elder gave the talk and he really laid it on thick. He shared with us the origins of "gee", "golly", "dang" and even "crikey". He stressed that no true servant of Jehovah would use such words...or any kind of slang, no matter its root or origin.

  He was so over the top that my M-I-L, not one to cuss or even use slang said after the meeting, "Well, shit. Might as well use the real thing, if we can't substitute".
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  Found Sheep

  That a 12 year old boy that is baptied is more qualified to do just about everything then a Woman.
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  james_woods

  Yea, I've heard the "euphemism" talk a few times over the years. One time a former Bethel elder gave the talk and he really laid it on thick. He shared with us the origins of "gee", "golly", "dang" and even "crikey". He stressed that no true servant of Jehovah would use such words...or any kind of slang, no matter its root or origin.

  I knew a pioneer guy (same time I was a pioneer) who was absolutely addicted to saying "Judas Priest" about every half dozen sentences.

  He was counseled for it numerous times, but it was so habitual that he could not stop doing it even if he had wanted to.
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  Found Sheep

  I heard a brother say "shit" on the convention stage, not into the microphone... he triped a little and it just came out!!! made me laugh! now thinking why would something so silly make me laugh? oh that's right I was perfect back then...
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  undercover

  The WT magazine states that "some couples choose to have" a chaperone. However, there is not rule making it necessary.

  While there may not be a "written" rule in any publication, it is oral counsel that is expected to be "obeyed". While some silly "rules" are isolated instances, the chaperone rule is one that has become part of JW dating standards. Ignore that counsel and there will be trouble.

  Not "commencing argument" here. Just using this as an example of how unwritten "counsel" actually do become "rules"... rules that are enforcible and apt to repirmand and punishment if not followed.
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  Darkside Blues

  I remember from the platform there was some "counsel" against watching R-rated movies, though this was never mentioned in any of the literature, AFAIK. Nevertheless, when I go to JW houses, they have DVDs lying around in plain view, or sometimes even talk about movies they've see in the theatre (and there's no way they could not know what the rating was if they went to see it.)

  ...but I get Scarlet Letter-ed for watching anime.
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  Band on the Run

  Viola,

  Thank you so much for your comment. My mom's great grandfather and his brothers were active in Rusell's time. The family split seriuosouly over Rutherford's control. Brother never acknowledge brother again. My father was at Bethel as a bodyguard and working in the favtory and fascinated by the history. The very large collection of literature ended up with my father. I was desperate to have something to read during boredom and stumbled upon the trove. It terrified me. In fact, I could not understand the cross and the occult. Thank God my Mom was home. I felt demons were going to leap on me for seeing that spooky stuff.

  She said things had changed a lot and told me of false Armageddons and friends losing all. Close friends going to prison for the draft who said silly things to the judge at sentencing and served even more time. She told me Witnesses celebrted Christmas.

  Long before the Internet, ssome Columbia prof of religious studies said on a local NY talk show that literature was being burned on a grand scale and as a consequence, they were having trouble obtaining the older material for historical study. I attended Columbia and wanted to see if we could locate the hated mess to contribute. We gave the trove to the KH. I wrote to a high raniking Bethelite friend of the family to see if he could persuade the KH to give them to me back. They certainly were not using them. Giving the literature to Columbia would have given me much closure. This older brother brought along a completely clueless 16 year old girl as a shield against my loose ways. She did not know a single name. - Not Knorr, not Franz.

  He said he checked and could not locate the materials. Prob. already burned. My suspicion was that this gung ho overseer took them home for his personal use. I felt he started a splinter group. I reported this here and was reprimanded that Witness material was abundantly available. People should recall what life was like before the Internet and the ability to scan documents. I have never been delusional and clearly recall the TV show. The religious history at Columbia was telephoned before I wrote to the Bethel friend. They were wanted.

  Post Interent, they probably are available to anyone with an interest. Anyway, the ever changeable written word of God. Obey or die and die horribly. The vast majority of the anointed believed what was in those old magazines.
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  undercover

  R-rated movies is another great example of "is it a rule?"

  There is counsel to avoid what is bad constantly, and R-rated movies get lumped in with that counsel. But is it really a rule that could cause you to be punished if caught breaking?

  A lot, if not most, congregations use the Bethel rules as a guideline. In Bethel, R-rated movies were forbidden.

  Every congregation I was a part of, if a pioneer or servant were caught watching R-rated movies, they faced the possibility of being removed. For the R&F publishers, it was a "talking to".

  A buddy of mine, not a servant but trying to be appointed, got busted when someone saw some R-rated tapes (this was a while ago) in his house. Leaving aside that the snitch should have confronted him personally about it instead of running to elders, once it was reported, the elders requested his presence in a little meeting at the hall. Two hours of counsel on avoiding the badness of the world and stressing on him that this was not the way to get appointed.

  Tell him it's not a rule and I think he'll disagree with you.
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  Found Sheep

  Bethel rules! I guess anyone that also lived in a "bethel" congregation can atest that the Bethel rules did become congregation rules!!! If a boy and girl are in a car alone one needs to be in the back seat, no shorts to gatherings, oh I can't think of them right now...
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  Violia

  Yes BOTR, you have seen the progression of the Org. and you and ones like you are the ones they really fear and want to silence. I also recall a lot , as i was active as a child in the 50's. I have seen and heard so much, it just boggles the mind. I threw away all my books save a few when I left , and now wish I hadn't . However, my era of books are easily available on-line. Also most of Russel's work can be found if you look by the Bible Students, as they still exist. I looked on one of their web pages and they have the " the studies in scriptures.

  I knew when they said to get rid of or burn the older books that they were all out of their minds. ( This was around 1986-88) You do not burn /Ban books. They are so afraid of their own history , pathetic they would need to destroy the writings of the beginnings of this religion. I lost all respect for them when I saw what they were doing. My elderly relative did too , really, she was so shocked she could not believe they were asking her to get rid of her fathers books. I had to step in to stop them as they came to my relatives home to try and frighten her into getting rid of the books. Fortunately she still knew crazy when she saw it and did not. I am so happy to have the books, even in the bad condition they are in. My oldest book is 1923 .I am sure she had older ones but through the years they were lost.