What were your reasons for not liking the ministry school?

by LongHairGal 54 Replies latest jw experiences

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  doogie

  i remember times when i'd be preparing a part and using something as an example/illustration of whatever inane point i was trying to make, but the object of my illustration didn't quite fit, so i'd just make up stuff until it did.

  i can't remember what my theme was but one time, i used the statue of liberty as an illustration. i said that it was a gift from france but they were sort of mocking the new country of america and the statue was supposed to be kind of a billboard for how good things were back in the old country. as far as i know, that's complete crap, but i said it anyway. as i was giving the part i looked around at individual faces to see if anyone caught it. they were all just smiling and nodding. they didn't have a clue that i was just pulling stuff out of my butt. i realized how easy it is to manipulate the truth to fit your own aims. kind of got me thinking...

  so anyway, i wasn't a huge fan of the school, but i did think it was kind of funny that no one really pays any attention to what you say up there. after that, i took a little more liberty with my parts. everyone said i was really turning into a fine teacher.
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  Swan

  That it wasn't my choice to join or not join. It was decided by my mom and the PO that I was old enough to start giving talks. And then, when we changed congs., I was automatically added to their list. They just assumed I would want to do it.

  Also, gimmicks, humor, and visual aids were never encouraged, and at times, it almost felt like they were silently discouraged. It always felt like everyone was delivering a eulogy. No wonder other talks and assembly presentations dragged on and were so dry.

  I actually learned a lot about public speaking from the Ministry School. However, when I took a college course on public speaking, I actually learned more. I hear Toastmasters is good too, and much more fun than the Ministry School.

  Tammy
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  Soledad

  I can't say that I really enjoyed it but me and my mom were quite creative. She would often pair up with another sister (3 altogether on the stage) and create a little soap opera. sometimes the sister playing a householder would start a little argument with my mom and the other sister, pretend to slam the door, walk away, diss the JWs, etc. one time we used a taped recording of a phone conversation as we pretended to do phone witnessing. the school was like a little challenge for us to create something totally new and previously unused. at one point it became a competitive sport--to see each sister come up with a different theme and setting drama each week!!
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  scotsman

  Soledad,

  When I was School overseer I was always trying to get the sisters to think imaginatively like you and your mum. It was rare anyone tried. I'm glad some sisters tried to make the most of a misogynistic arrangement, good for you.

  When on the school I used to try and incorporate lyrics from music that I liked, usually from the Smiths or Prince. It kept me and my other disrespectful friends amused. I also remember that while my big brother took the school I'd always use an illustration that took the piss out of him - it was nice slagging him off to a large group of people.
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  zaphod

  one nicish memory from the school

  i had done a talk on friendship based on the relationship between david and jonathon.

  an old elder came up to me after that talk and said that it had moved him to tears.

  aw sweet.

  zaphod
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  Dismembered

  Some reasons I did not like it was:

  I was a lousy public speaker, with a captive audience

  The restrictive "Craptower only" subject matter. Most of it was incredibly boring! It could put a sloth to sleep.

  No use of visual aids. blah, blah, blah........

  Dismembered

  Cripes!
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  Honesty

  I liked it until... my last assignment. It was about da sistas and how they are moody at certain times of the month. The CO was visiting and loved it. I thought the whole bit was a bunch of bunk just to put da sistas in their proper place by the bastards on the GB. I never gave another talk while I was a dub.
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  zaphod

  how mortfying.

  i would've refused that one.

  zaphod
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  Freedom Fighter

  I have to say - most of the sisters 'talks' were very cringeworthy. In our hall sisters were paired at random which could be stressful due to personality clashes or lack of time to practice. I remember having to step in at the last minute to be a 'householder/rebellious teen'. This was a part I relished...

  I also got frustrated at the blatant sexism. I would have much rather given a talk from the platform on my own and sisters' talks were so limited. In fact, whenever we had 'Hall Cleaning' I would make a beeline for the podium and pretend to give a talk.

  It was very irritating watching Brother Fretful stumble through the mystical underpinnings of Revelation followed by Brother Loveshimself use the platform as a recruiting ground for his own personal fan club. Sales training at its very best masquerading as spirtual enlightenment - who'd a thunk it?

  FF
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  GentlyFeral

  Hiya zaphod,

  although i now know that what i was saying was a load of cr*p, i do feel that the actual experience of getting up in front of an audience and speaking stood me in good stead when i left the truth and went to university.

  I took to public speaking (or pretending to have a private conversation on stage ) like a duck to water; I'd been in drama classes since 6th grade.

  GentlyFeral