Cliquey,,self centered, back biting people
Life in a spiritual (UN)-paradise
by Reasonfirst 32 Replies latest jw friends
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Rivergang
Hey! J, is your mate M. still %&#king the XXXX girl???
And back in the day, I used to actually believe that "Our church don't do that sort of thing" - and that it was only hypocrites such as Catholic priests who got up to those sorts of capers.
(Bloody hell, little did I know!)
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Reasonfirst
And, paradises, even the dumb heavenly ones, also need some arrangements for living. But my home for the next year or so, was even a bit less than I expected. As any sort of pioneer worker, you knew you were not going to afford a mansion. But .... I didn't expect what I got in this assignment.
As previously described, after the night train trip, we arrived at the station. I had a suitcase, (my worldly belongings, plus of course, the obligatory 'theocratic' library. J said we needed to take a taxi, because it was just outside the town border. OK. When the taxi arrived, we got out and I asked J, where's our accommodation, and he said, "There," pointing to a small one room building on the edge of an old quarry.
I began to wonder what I'd gotten myself into. Later, I heard that building's history. It had once been the kitchen for a homestead. When the quarry work began, the homestead was demolished, leaving only the kitchen for the use of the quarry workers. What was it like inside? Well, it had an old fuel stove, a bunk bed (i.e.2 levels) and that was it? There was no electricity and no water. I asked J, where's the bathroom and the toilet? He pointed up a hill opposite to a cattle trough and said, "we wash up there in that, and get our drinking water there, too !" and then pointed to the quarry, and explained, "Just go down into the quarry and dig a hole - just like the ancient Israelite soldiers."
A pile of WT and Awake magazines (packed in rolls as the WTS packed them for mailing) that they hadn't placed sat on a small table. The next day we collected even more from the Post Office.* So that's my start, as a SP. PIO.
Month's later, my father, passing through this town on the way too somewhere else, stayed with me for the night. In the morning, as he left, he said to me, "You're living a bit rough, son!" He was not a believer, in spite of his sister becoming a nun.
* I finished up with over 1500 unplaced mags. When the Circuit Servant came for his 6 monthly visit, I asked him what should I do with the old ones. He looked at them and snapped at me, "Place them, of course." Yeah! That would've tested even Jesus' miraculous powers.
As more and more rolls accumulated, and my conscience was more and more tested, I thought I'd get rid of them by burying them in in a dry creek bed. So I did. The dirt was hard, and I couldn't make the holes too deep. So I did what I could. It hadn't rained much for a whole year, but a few days later a downpour. When it stopped, I hurried to the creek, to make sure they were still buried. But, they weren't - they were floating, most face up, looking reproachfully up to Jehovah.
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Reasonfirst
Rivergang, I don't think that the situation between young brother, and the girl was similar to a priest (or, any other holy joe) taking advantage of a young girl. J would never explain to me, how that young man had got to know that girl, or how the relationship had developed, but I have never imagined that he had any position of responsibility to the girl. So, to me, it was just two young people losing control of their feelings and going all the way.
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Rivergang
It wasn’t the JWs who invented the idea of a “spiritual paradise” (if not it’s actual wording). Some of the more austere of the “mainstream” churches are quick to cite the “spiritual” benefits - particularly when the material (and other) “blessings” become rather scarce!(This matter is well described by the New Zealand author John A Lee, in his autobiography Children of the Poor. In the southern city of Dunedin, which was established by puritanical Scottish settlers, the Presbyterian Church provided at best miserly material aid to the poor. However, they were always quick to emphasise the “spiritual” benefits that their church provided.) -
WokenfromJWcult
I finished up with over 1500 unplaced mags. When the Circuit Servant came for his 6 monthly visit, I asked him what should I do with the old ones. He looked at them and snapped at me, "Place them, of course." Yeah! That would've tested even Jesus' miraculous power
should have used them for firewood and created a lot more “new” light
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Balaamsass2
50 + years in the Borg.... ah hemm the "Spiritual Paradise". 3 US States. 10+ Congregations.
Redneck rural ones, Big City hispanic and black ones, and Silicon Valley wealthy ones. I have yet to experience one that was a "Spiritual Paradise".
Hard to fit in most halls if you are not related to one of the dominant families, or "Too" Theocratic, TOO rich, Too poor, not Theocratic enough, etc., etc., 1/3 of the hall will not approve of you if you are a high hour publisher, low hour publisher, Ministerial servant, Elder, Pioneer, Publisher, working stiff, white collar, or blue collar. lol. :)
IMO most halls are "Clicky" and most JWs are judgemental...it flows downhill from headquarters in my opinion.
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MissDaSilva
I’ve also noticed that. There’s more cliques in the Kingdom Halls than any workplace I’ve ever been in.
The last meeting I attended in person was the memorial and the talk was pretty banal. Everyone was raving about it afterwards, which was quite weird. They all seemed to be speaking a different language to me. They’re like another species to me now. 😆
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Beth Sarim
KHs are a toxic environment.
Worse than any cliquey workplace
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Beth Sarim
Place the magazines of course the co says.
Use them to light your fireplace instead. The ink in them would really help getting it lit.