Why do people think it's weird to have to remove your shoes? It's only polite - unless you're going to stay afterwards to clean the carpet and rugs and eventually chip in to buy new ones! Their carpet is cleaner (hopefully!) than the soles of your shoes when you've just been outside walking through puddles and mud and goodness knows what else.
I always take my shoes off in people's hallways when I visit, it's not a JW thing.
/rant
Weirdest thing I remember was a study we attended a few times when we were starting to get even more irregular as a family (early 1998). The sister had a collection of chiming and cuckoo clocks and they weren't all set to exactly the right time and she didn't (remember to?) turn them all off, so from about 7:59pm to 8:01pm (and at *roughly* quarter-past, half-past and quarter-to to a lesser degree) there'd be a cacophony (sp?) of chiming, tunes and cuckoos!
Congregation Book Studies in a brothers home-What weirdness did you endure?
by Thechickennest 29 Replies latest jw friends
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glitter
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Mulan
You stated that "now the whole congregation gathers at the hall for the book study."
I think she meant they do this when the CO visits.
I always take my shoes off in people's hallways when I visit, it's not a JW thing.
Absolutely. Me too. In Asian countries, and in Hawaii, everyone does it and it is definitely expected. Even if the house is not well kept, shoes are not worn inside. Dave went to a KH in Japan when he was there working before we left the WTS, and he said shoes were optional. Many had taken them off and there was a long row of shoes at the KH entrance.
We had book study at our house all the time I was growing up and then after I had been married and had 3 children, we had it in our home for about 15 years I think, maybe more. I loved having it because it was the one night we could stay home. The only thing I didn't like was people thinking it was open house after the meeting was over, and they wanted to stay half the night. Go home already!!!
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ozziepost
Absolutely. Me too. In Asian countries, and in Hawaii, everyone does it and it is definitely expected. Even if the house is not well kept, shoes are not worn inside. Dave went to a KH in Japan when he was there working before we left the WTS, and he said shoes were optional.
Quite so. The removing of shoes can be a cultural thing: in the far east it's considered an affront to the host to wear shoes indoors, whereas in a country like Italy with tiled floors it's the opposite.
Perhaps it's because Mrs Ozzie and I spend so much time with asian folk and in asian countries that we would never enter a home with our shoes on, and we expect the same from our visitors. Just think of where those shoes have been!!! Doggy poo etc coming into your home. Yuk!!
The poms don't seem to mind, but then they have a queen who keeps a horde of dogs in the house!!!!
Cheers, Ozzie
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blondie
You stated that "now the whole congregation gathers at the hall for the book study." Am I to understand you correctly that the JWs no longer meet in small groups for study? What about for field serviceTM?
Sorry, I wasn't clear. During the CO visit, the congregation servant/PO would select a book study for the CO and his wife to attend. It was fun to have them all to yourself for that one meeting. But we would still all meet at the KH for field service.
Now when the CO visits, all the book study groups assemble at the KH together, have an abbreviated study (45 minutes) then 15 minutes for the CO to give a talk. Adding in the prayers and songs, the book study is longer than 1 hour during the CO visit.
There was a time too when the material to be studied was not preassigned. Each group would start at the beginning of the book and the book study conductor controlled how much material was studied. Some conductors had to cover 3 chapters the last week because of poor planning. It also meant that every book study group was at a different point in the book. It made it difficult for the COs and wives. They could be at chapter 3 paragraph 17 in one congregation and chapter 4 paragraph 5 in another then chapter 2 paragraph 23 in the next.
In one book study, there was never any toilet paper or hand soap or a handtowel. I always had kleenex and hand cleaner with me. I loved KH book studies.
Blondie
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ozziepost
Each group would start at the beginning of the book and the book study conductor controlled how much material was studied. Some conductors had to cover 3 chapters the last week because of poor planning.
Oh yes! That brings back memories!! Many years ago one group in our congregation covered just one paragraph in the evening!!!!!!!!!!
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minimus
everyone being made to take off their shoes and having to endure smelly feet every Tuesday.
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acsot
Why do people think it's weird to have to remove your shoes? It's only polite - unless you're going to stay afterwards to clean the carpet and rugs and eventually chip in to buy new ones! Their carpet is cleaner (hopefully!) than the soles of your shoes when you've just been outside walking through puddles and mud and goodness knows what else.
I agree! and if you come to my house now you will remove your shoes, I'm not cleaning up after you! Most people, JW or not, don't seem to have enough sense to wipe the grime/dirt/mud whatever of their shoes before tramping all over your house so - off with the shoes!
This is definitely not a JW quirk. Where on earth do you guys live?
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blondie
Shoes off in my house. But I have slippers for those with smelly feet. I have no pets either.
Not a JW quirk, but a cultural thing I grew up with. Especially if you live in winter wonderland.
Blondie
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4JWY
When I was young, I dreaded going to the bookstudy - living in snow country and knowing when I got there I had to take my snowboots off. I mean, of course I knew I wasn't going to sit in their living room with those boots on, but... my feet sweated so bad in those boots that I really felt like I needed to go in their bathroom and wash my feet. Usually I brought an extra pair of socks with me to put on over top of the others when I removed my boots, thinking that the LAYERS of socks might contain the odor of my sweaty feet! Lo and behold, somewhere along the line, we discovered the cause of my feet's problems -- I was allergic to ORLON and that is what all of my knee socks were made of.
Next, we moved to a HOT state ... and at the study, of course, shoes were parked at the door - wearing sandals and removing them, there I now stood with absolutely BARE FEET. I was so self conscious to sit in this crowded room with my feet exposed to all - actually, my feet are my greatest asset as I have been told by many that I have great looking feet, toes - but all I could think of was, these brothers were checking out my feet! I know, sounds wierd but............
I WAS THRILLED WHEN MY KIDS WERE COLICKY AND I COULD GO HIDE IN THE BEDROOM FOR THE HOUR!
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BluesBrother
Tuesday groups could be the best meetings and certainly bring back some memories
At one time a sister had a grown up son, John, who was mentally retarded. Her husband would not take care of him Tuesdays so John had to come to the group. We did not mind, except that he kept up a muttering monalogue all the time that was liberally spiced with F words, B words and any other cussing you may imagine. We all crowded into a dear old lady's bedsit but I managed to get him to sit at the back next to a brother who worked on the dust cart and was well used to such language . He cheerfully kept John amused without Too much disruption.
then there was dear old sister N who was definately sixpence short of a shilling . Every Christmas she would loudly announce "Compliments of the Season Bother!" and proceed to give every one a little gift. We tried to explain but she just did not grasp it (Or maybe she did really?). Incidentally, my wife got sweets, ,,, mine was usually soap.. was she trying to tell me something ?
And there were plenty more loveable eccentrics and wayward pets to talk about . Seemed more fun in those days.
At another old couples home that I went to for years had a fur covered toilet seat! It was worn and stained on top of it all!
LoL