Insensitive talk assignments

by Steve Lowry 38 Replies latest jw friends

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  Steve Lowry

  
  I once was assigned a talk on masturbation when I was about fifteen or so. The theme of the talk was to discourage masturbating (actually to forbid the practice), as it was considered by the Society a no no. Looking back on it, it offends me to this day that they would give a kid such a sensitive and embarrassing talk assignment like that. Bastards. But I was taught to play by the rules so I gave the talk. When I got to the podium and announced the topic I was to discuss you could have heard a pin drop. Oh, my delivery was WBTS textbook! It all sounded so good and moral. Problem was I was 'doing it' about three times a day myself. But I gave that talk like I was clean as the virgin snow. I guess this is how JW's learn to be hypocrites. You're given unrealistic "principles" to live by and you had better for appearance sake follow through.

  Anyone else ever have to go through anything like this as a JW?
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  cyberdyne systems 101

  You make a good point - I remember a few topics we were 'asigned' to give a talk on, and quite a few made me cringe. Subjects to do with marriage and family life annoyed me as you had to spout out the official line whilst knowing it didnt happen in your own household and there was F*** all you could do about it!

  CS 101
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  unique1

  I always felt sorry for the brothers that got those parts.
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  La Capra

  When I was a senior in high school, we had a "special needs" demonstration in the service meeting. A single mom (whose sister was married to an elder, so she was an ''eldress by proxy") and her daughter (a junior in high school) gave it. The setting was a "mother-daughter chat." Daughter goes to mom to talk about how all the kids are going to prom, and how she knows she's not going to be going. There wasn't even any conflict about the daughter wanting to go and the mother/society saying no. All the right references to scriptures and articles were made.

  What was so hypocrtical was that just a few months before, I had danced with the daughter, and daughter's boyfriend (and my onw boyfriend too) at a high school dance in the gym after a football game...

  I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. Later, I muttered to her about what a hypocrite she was, but I never did sell her out. I didn't even tell my mom that I had seen her at a dance (my mom knew I was at the dance, but her mom didn't know we were there).

  Shoshana
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  Justice-One

  You're given unrealistic "principles" to live by and you had better for appearance sake follow through.

  Welcome to "The Orwellian World Of Jehovah's Witnesses." BTW, I do highy recommend the book by that tittle, as well as the book 1984. They both hold much meaning for the JW's.

  By the time they finally kicked me off the school, I had brought the art of dodging talks up to all new levels. I remember one memorable time when I was to give a talk on gluttony. I called up and told the brother that I just could not give the talk that night. When he asked why, I told him it was because I had gone out to dinner at an all you could eat Chinese place, and was just to full and uncomfortable to make it to the meeting...much less give a talk.
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  Finally-Free

  There was one guy from Ghana who was always assigned talks like "Is the bible a white man's book" or "Is the black race cursed". I'm sure the elders did it on purpose, but he seemed to take it well enough, and always managed to inject some humour into the talks. His funniest talk was the one on masturbation. I had to get out of the hall fast, as I was laughing uncontrollably within the first minute of the talk.

  W
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  Bstndance

  They assigned the masturbation talk to a young guy in our cong as well. Poor guy. Everyone felt so bad for him.
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  anewme

  Masturbation is not a sin.
  
  It is not a dirty thing.
  
  In fact, if practiced wisely a man can learn how to please and delight his future mate better by learning to prolong his orgasm.
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  anewme

  In other words, natural as rain.
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  QueenBee

  I had to give that talk. Never once did I actually mention the word "masturbation". God, it was MORTIFYING. I think I was 16. And I had to give the talk with my best friend.