by man in black 20 Replies latest jw experiences
I was always under the impression it was bad manners for a man to offer to shake hands with a lady, he should always wait until she proffered her hand first. Maybe I'm just old and English.
I know a brother who always shakes everyones hand at the meeting and I got a bit fed up with it so I gave him a Masonic handshake in return once. (I worked with several Masons). He has never offered to shake my hand since.
George
Faking Pinkeye is the solution to so many jw-related problems!
I was always under the impression it was bad manners for a man to offer to shake hands with a lady, he should always wait until she proffered her hand first. Maybe I'm just old and English.
I think that's pretty much true. I shake hands in business all the time and I am the one to offer my hand first usually. People are taken aback at first but then tend to like it (as far as I can tell).
George, what is a Masonic handshake?
Well, around here handshaking has gone by the wayside, the elders are too busy to shake hands with the R&F. At the memorial and the CO visit they try to make a big show. But this are is full of supposedly cold scandinavian and germanic types. I remember a brother years ago would warmly greet everyone that came in the front door. Like that song "welcome one another like Christ Jesus welcomed you." He sincerely lived it but he was told that he blocked the door and some had complained (nameless people as ususal) but he persisted. When he died many jws remembered him with fondness, a truly lovely man.
George, what is a Masonic handshake?
It depends on the situation but involves special placement of the thumb etc.
It can be used to identify youself as a fellow Mason without speaking.
George
I wouldn't shake everyone's hand. Especially since I could see who did or did not wash their hands in the bathroom. Also, to me, shaking ones hand was a way of acjknowledging a person. But I need to know the person or their purpose. Some brothers would appraoch me and I wouldn't necessarily extend out my hand. Some took offense.
I only shake hands with somebody I haven't seen in a long time and then possibly move in for a bro-hug depending upon the length of time in between seeing the person.
A hand extended out toward you is a gesture of trust really.
Originally it was probably to show, more or less, that a weapon was not being concealed.
To reject or crush that hand, is a sign of aggression, that tells much about the person doing it.
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Personally, I love shaking hands, and feel that it is a professional, friendly and straight forward
gesture of acceptance.
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Not much worse thing, than to be on the recieving end of a limp handshake
clarity
George, thanks.
Where I'm from (Bavaria/Southern Germany) it is considered to be rude not to shake hands. Male or female, you are expected to shake hands with everyone in the congregation. It is also common "outside". Especially among people who perceive themselves to belong to one community, like from the same village, working for the same company, being in the same sports club/team, etc.
However, people don't hug as often as people in the US seem to do. Only at very special occasions, and only if you know someone very well. When I first came to the US, in the congregation where I was back then, people always wanted to hug (I'm a girl), even though they barely knew me. One sister told me, seeing that I was not comfortable with this: if I stayed here, I will have to get used to it.
