The wife and I just got back from the Kingdom Hall this afternoon. Some of you may recall that said we would be going back today for a memorial of a close friend of the family. So I thought I would share the experience.
I have to start out by saying just getting ready to go was interesting. I had deja vu all over again. I felt all that was missing was my briefcase..
Anyway, the wife started getting really irritated while we were getting ready and being pissy, and AT THAT POINT I said to her.."this is EXACTLY how you acted in the months leading up to our exit from JWville whenever we would get ready for meeting". I just didn't realize at the time how much she hated going. So we kinda laughed about it, but at the same time, we realized how much anxiety we felt when we had to go to meeting. We both hated that feeling. At least it only lasted one afternoon!
So we get to the hall, and we both immediately saw people we knew. (And some we wish we didn't) But most everyone was friendly for the most part. Just some quaint hello's, how ya doing....very basic chit chat. I think everyone knew our stand, so nobody asked us anything JW related. I didn't expect any shunning, especially since we went with my mother, and I knew they wouldn't shun us in front of her. There were a couple of dubs that I did give the cold shoulder to, in part because they were a**holes back when we were in the org. One of them cheated on his wife and was df'd, but since he was in the "club", he was reinstated within six months. My wife said she noticed he was still checkin' out the sisters in the hall. Basically a loser. I know some people here on this board may feel like I should've been nice, but many of these people were and still are a**holes as far as I'm concerned, and I don't have to talk to anyone I don't feel like talking to. It was actually kinda empowering in a way. I wasn't rude, just quick and abrupt and ready to go.
The memorial talk made me feel like I was at Sunday meeting. There were a few nice things said about the person that died, but then they go into their sermon and give a "witness" so everyone can know what she believed. I don't agree with that, and have been to other funerals for non-witnesses, and they always give a nice eulogy for the person who died, sometimes even having different people come up and speak. That's what a memorial should be about...not a forum to preach.
I wish I could have more exciting things to tell, but we left shortly after it was over. I did notice how boring the inside of the hall was. No windows...nothing on the walls. I can't ever imagine how anyone can sit in there week after week and listen to the same ol' crap....do more, do more....and do more! While it was nice to pay our respects, the best part about it was being able to leave and not having to go back.