There were at least 4 or 5 smokers in the congregation I was in back in 1973; I don't think that any were disfellowshipped, they all quit smoking. One of them was the congregation's Bible Study Servant. He kept it hidden, and nobody knew about it, until one day when he was caught in the act by another JW who worked for the same company he did. He ended up being privately reproved and removed from his position. No great loss, he was a judgmental jerk. I had been in his book study up until he was removed - he was the conductor and I was his assistant. Just before the book study, I got a call from the Cong. Servant, who asked me to conduct the study that night and do not call on Brother R--- for prayer or reading. Well, Brother R--- and his family did show up for the book study, and when I called the meeting to order with him sitting there saying nothing, there were a lot of double-takes, as you can imagine! A couple of the other brothers in the group had been the ones affected by the smoking policy, and after the meeting, one off them walked up to Brother R---, clapped him on the back, shook his hand, and said, "Welcome to the bottom of the heap!"
Smoking as an DF'n offence, since when?
by Haereticus 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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gumby
I remember in the 60's when there was a 15 min. break between the talk and Watchtower study. I remember brothers out by the backdoor smoking. There were usually only a few.....but it stunk.
Gumby
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Haereticus
Blondie
Now I am astonished how general smoking has been among dubs. Either I have been blind or there has been a clear difference in attitude between countries. We finns did/do drink ok, but still I cannot recall but this one smoker during my 20 yrs of dubdom. Still learning new aspects about past.
Mark
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blondie
Mark, the smokers hid it well. I can remember one sister who only smoked at home in a back room and swore her family to secrecy. She blamed any residual smoke smell on her clothes on her worldly husband who smoked. I can remember one sister sending out her child to buy cigarettes at the store (they would do that back then) rather than be caught by the brothers and sisters. One sister shopped for her cigarettes in a neighboring city where no one knew she was a JW. One brother smoked at work until a brother was hired. Instead he would go for a walk no matter how cold and wet it was so he could smoke. I was surprised too at who and how many smoked in 1973.
Blondie