Did you ever get put on the spot?

by Soledad 27 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Soledad

  by that I mean from the platform at the kingdumb hall? I remember some study conductors who had the habit of calling on people in the audience that seemed distracted or unprepared--on purpose so as to embarass them. some were so out of it when the mic was handed to them they had to ask what was the question, why did you call on me I didnt have my hand up, etc

  another time I remember at a circuit assembly the CO gave his talk and basically shouted at people from the stage--"there were so many people walking around during the program this morning I THOUGHT I WAS AT A ZOO!!" He actually pointed to one sister from the stage--"sister in the purple dress--why aren't you ever in your seat?" I was infuriated by this. My mom applauded those actions though. She said "he's right, we must control ourselves, we came here to receive spiritual food, not to walk around and make noise,blah blah. I just thought to myself "these people walk around or do other things during the WT study cause they are BORED!" Too bad I never spoke out that way, imagine if I did!!!

  So did any of you here have experiences like that?
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  willdabeerman

  oh yeah. i was put on the spot a few times. one that stands out was after i gave a #4 talk.i went about 30 seconds over and when i was done the overseer asked did i know what my time was?. i of course said no and he went on to say well a true mark of any good speaker/teacher is to be considerate of others and to keep a timeline...(blagh!). now keep in mind this is in front of about 70 ppl.that was one time. and another time is when this self rightous holier than though p/o put me on the spot in front of the c/o,his wife, and some pioneers by saying something along the lines of well bro. so and so,will here is doing alot of good work up at the assembly hall but he is not doing much out in service or commenting as much, now will do you think this is appropriate?. what would you say bro. so and so?...makes me sick!.BLAGH! i am so glad im outta that whole bullsh*t org.
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  Mac

  Once, when I was but a mere lad, I was conversing and laughing with my friends in the back row during a public discourse at our hall. (imagine that!) The brother who was giving the talk, an elder at our congregation, had just asked everyone to look up a particular scripture in their bibles and decided to ask me to kindly read it in order to humiliate me and teach a lesson. "Brother McMllan, would you read that for us?" I looked up at him and answered; "No". He immediately turned red with anger, knowing he couldn't pursue this from the stage at that moment and read it himself. LOL

  I did hear about it later, though!!!

  mac
• 

  Skeptic

  would you read that for us?" I looked up at him and answered; "No".

  Perfect answer, mac!

  He actually pointed to one sister from the stage--"sister in the purple dress--why aren't you ever in your seat?"

  This shows how arrogant CO's can be. It also shows how much the org wants to control everyone. They don't want adults to make adult decisions. Now JWs have to ask permission to go potty??

  Richard
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  Scully

  When I was in my teens, we had a visiting speaker from another congregation. They had 2 children, and the younger one was a bit of a handful.

  Anyway, in the middle of the talk, this brother stopped and said to his wife "Sister H*****, would you please do something with your disruptive child?"

  She glared at her husband, took both children with her and exited the auditorium. A few minutes later, we heard a car door slam, and a car peeling out of the parking lot.

  Guess who ended up looking for a ride home after the meeting?

  Love, Scully
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  Swan

  Scully wrote:

  Guess who ended up looking for a ride home after the meeting?

  I love it!

  And yes, I have been put on the spot too. I gave a talk and the assigned counsel was for one thing, but this asshole Elder Hoyt says that I did okay with that so he decided to pick something else for me to work on. I had all Gs on my slip before this bloody wanker changed my counsel on me AFTER my talk.

  I was furious and my mother kept telling me I had to get the right attitude. That just made me angry with her.

  Well I finally did get the right attitude. Instead of being an uptight perfectionist all the time, I no longer cared what the hell they put on that damned slip. I would just throw a talk together and practice it just once or twice, or I canceled some talks at the last minute and not go to the meeting. I never volunteered for any impromptus. Eventually I dropped the school all together.

  Tammy
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  ESTEE

  There was a rule in our congregation that "no one was supposed to sit in the last four rows of the KH, unless they were families with small children".

  So, one evening when the meeting was about to start, the brother on the platform said, "I see that there are quite a few people in the last four rows without children. . .Would you please pick up your books and move to the front . . . here! Then we will start the meeting. . ."

  No kidding. . . this control freak waited until everyone with no children had relocated themselves well away from the last four rows. I could not believe what I was seeing. Of course I was a ver-r-r-ry good j-dub at the time. Already was in the second row from the front!

  After that, there were printed sheets of paper placed on the seats that said, "RESERVED SEATING FOR FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN".

  Sure got me thinking!

  ESTEE
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  TresHappy

  Only people with small families could sit on the back rows? I thought that area was reserved for the people they disfellowshipped. What a control freak elder. I knew an elder who used to correct everyone who said "Revelations" instead of "Revelation" during the WT study. I made sure I only used the singular!
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  happysunshine

  ya, my firends' dad stopped his sunday talk in the middle, said "excuse me brothers", walked off the stage and slapped his two boys in the face (for talking), then got back up and resumed the hour talk.
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  Trauma_Hound

  Ya, everytime I had to give a talk.