by silentbuddha 47 Replies latest jw experiences
Being a rude & ignorant 19-year-old who doesn't know enough not to laugh at a guy with dementia is understandable and forgiveable.
Being older, and presumably wiser, but vigorously defending your own past crudeness, suggesting that you might well do the same thing now, is markedly less so.
How did I insinuate I would do so now? I like you guys. Why would a 19 year old even think that gods organization would have a person with dementia on the governing body? As well as giving hour long discourses as well as conducting the family watchtower study?
Wakanda, I imagine for one second what would have happened if I would have suggested that a governing body member was suffering from dementia while speaking to an overseer. That would have been a bad and move.
Think that shit is funny?
Hold me beer..........
I once read an experience from a visiting Artist who volunteered to help critique and guide the Art Dept in Bethel in the early 1980's. Guy was there for like 2 weeks or something. It was and incredible read. The most astonishing part? Reading about how Fred Franz (The Oracle of the WT, and President!) would roam about in a flannel shirt, shuffling between the buildings talking to his old brown shoes! Like he was holding a conversation with them!!! This was the EARLY 1980's mind you!! Also, this was the man responsible for the 1975 fiasco, Generation teaching, and much more! This guy shaped just about everything. But he was shuffling around talking to his old brown shoes. Of course, he had such rank, seniority, etc that no one dared to call out this absolutely crazy-ass behavior. He didn't step off the "Launch Pad" until 1992!!!!
Moses had the burning bush. Fred Franz had a pair of old brown shoes. So much for divine inspiration!
Wakanda, you are right. This highlights how ill prepared the Wt org is when dealing with common ordinary problems.
From silent Buddha's account, there was a lack of understanding at all levels. In an ideal situation, the newbie bethelite would have been educated about what was really going on with Old Man Swingle. But no. All he got was a reprimand and nothing else. Facing the reality of it was beyond anyone's ability
Like I said before, JWs are conditioned to think that the effects of old age will magically be diverted for them. They will never grow old.
Forever 19.
How did I insinuate I would do so now?
How to give the impression that you have matured beyond adolescence:
"I saw this guy exhibiting signs of dementia. I was a jerk and laughed at him. Even though I was an idiot back then, and would not do so now, the incident still impacted me, and in hindsight it should have made me think more deeply about exactly how 'spirit-directed' this organization is."
How to give the impression that you are still, essentially, a rude teenager:
I gave and currently give no fucks about whether or not my laughing was politically correct.
WingCommander, I have another... it may may top that but it was extremely funny.
Dan Sydlik was my favorite because he seemed down to earth. We played basketball at the gym every Friday and big-belly Sydlik would stand at the entrance and watch us I shit you not wearing a beret and a paint stained white t-shirt.
He said watching the young brothers run and jump reminded him of gazelles and inspired his painting.
Well shit, who knew he was an accomplished painter. One day as we were leaving he invited us to his office to see some of them. It looked like the painting of a 3 year old who was missing a thumb...
He spent the next 10 minutes convincing us how wonderful they were and which painters by he took cues from. It had to be the most epic troll ever... or he was completely delusional.
Sir82... you failed miserably... I like the attempt but you came up short :(
But Orphancrow isn't this one of the guys who decided my sister and sister in law couldn't have IVF and would remain childless? My mother would have to stay with my dad because she couldn't have a scriptural divorce. The seventeen-year-old boy in my old congregation had to die after a car crash because he couldn't have blood.
Wasn't that demented old man part of the group that sat around a table and decided those things? I think I would have laughed, cried and left. Perhaps the op writer was too shocked and just laughed like a lot of young people do when shocked.
Silent Budda: "Wakanda, I imagine for one second what would have happened if I would have suggested that a governing body member was suffering from dementia while speaking to an overseer. That would have been a bad and move."
I didn't suggest that. I KNOW that would have been a bad move. I was not saying what you should have done, just commenting on Bethel's lack of professionalism when it comes to the elderly, actually no professionalism. They might have thrown you out if you said he had dementia? I wouldn't doubt it.
Wakanda I was agreeing with what you were saying, I knew being an ex-bethelite you would understand that no one would except these men were fallible... let alone mentally unstable.
The shock of seeing that after seeing the same man deliver hour long discourses was insane. I remember afterward my assistant overseer Carlos West was like, Bro. Swingell has always done things his own way. So we are use to it.
Like everything else in this org... swept under the rug
Thanks much. I'm not an ex-bethelite, btw. I've just known too many, mostly asleep and worse off for having gone.
Also, thanks OC.
I think when we reminisce we can get back into the mindset we had at the time, i.e. being 19. Silent could have been thinking about the situation from a non-indoctrinated 19 year old point of view, but still 19. Also, drag comedy is seen a lot in society, and we are sort of indoctrinated to laugh at it. ???
