Use of first names at the KH (page 2)

InquiryMan

A cultural phenomena as well. I have noticed this in the US and in Germany. In Norway, we always referred to each other with first names in the congregation most of the time. And skipped there brother and sister thing. Does not sound "natural" in our language, albeit in official congregational settings.

disposable hero of hypocrisy

Cultural thing I think, it's not the case in my city, except maybe among uber-dubs that are trying to make a point by everything they do..

Still Totally ADD

As a child raised in the cult I was told by my parents to call everyone in the hall brother or sister so and so. If I did not I was in big trouble. It was the old hair brush on my back side for me. So it was out of love, I mean fear that remember to do it. Still totally ADD

Billy ex Blaze

When i was a growing up I called a elder Mr. So'n'so. Didn't go very well. Got pulled in the back room and when i ask them to where in the bible did it give them permission to use titles I lost all my "privileges". Lol

AFRIKANMAN

I was counselled from the platform by a CO for addressing the people by their first name when I was doing the old Weekly Bible Reading review -

Seemed rather odd as before and after the meeting we use first names.

Also that a non-JW was to be addressed as MR / MRS xyz

Rulz Rulz and we love Rulz

TheListener

I used brother/sister and last name in formal congregation settings or with people I didn't know very well. If it was someone I knew well I used their first name and dropped the brother/sister crap.

whathehadas

The use of Brother/Sister always felt weird to me. We don't address real family like that. It was funny a few times when I had people in the congregation tell me to address them by their first name. One Sister in her late 20's who was married, wanted me to use her first name instead because she "felt old" with being called Sister SoandSo. LOL

Alligator Wisdom

Whoa! A very significant topic for me ~

I would call the members of the congregation Brother/Sister "First Name" (e.g. Brother Jason, Sister Karen...etc) when I conducted question and answer parts at the meeting. Some of the members of the congregation came up to me and told be that they liked to be called in such a way and that it felt warm and family-like.

Well, one elder in particular (former Bethelite and missionary) couldn't contain himself and would have none of that. He call me in the back and counseled me with the same Watchtower article as Blondie quoted above. He even accused me that I didn't love Christ's brothers because I wouldn't follow their directions.

I had him read Hebrews 13:23 and told him that was my Scriptural basis for using the first name after saying "brother/sister".

He grimaced and sat there silently. He never liked me again.

This form of legalism was the start for me to fade and leave the WT.

tim3l0rd

Exact opposite in ASL congregations. We only use first names. I have a hard time remembering anyone's last name.

Finkelstein

They use both actually the first name when talking on a personal level, then when conducting services or introducing people for talks or matters involving the congregation activities, they mostly use Brother or Sister first before the surname.

This by the way isn't unusual, the Mormons do the same and many other religious organizations.

Use of first names at the KH

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