If you go to an assembly or convention, you are made to feel that EVERYTHING is joyful, wonderful, "happifying", paradisaic, unified. Going to 5 meetings, never missing them, preparing for meetings and doing regular personal and family study and pioneering, if at all possible, raising your kids to be perfect little ministers, etc.......all these types of things are supposed to make you feel wonderful!--------Did YOU feel like this when you were "doing more"???
Were "Theocratic Activities" A Burden To You???
by minimus 18 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
XBEHERE
At my peak of JWness....regular pioneer, newly appointed elder these things were not a burden at all. Now I cant stand doing any of these things. I feign illness, lie about working late... anything to get out of going to the meeting or out in service. These activities are a complete waste of time.
-
fullofdoubtnow
I did everything on your list apart from raising kids, and didn't find them too burdensome at first, but they got that way over the course of time. I am glad I don't have to do any of them anymore.
-
Woofer
No matter what you did it was never enough.
I found it nausiating when at the assemblys and the speaker would say something like "Are we not thankful for this rich spiritual abundance blah blah blah" and everyone would start clapping like they were so happy.
God how annoying!
-
minimus
Ah, "a complete waste of time"......Ain't that the truth! The whole preaching "work" is statistically stupid. Almost never, do you see someone who becomes a JW because of door to door work. It's the children of Witnesses that give the numbers a positive vs. negative rating. All bullsh*t is what it is.
-
daystar
I think it depends pretty much entirely upon the attitude of the person at the time.
I can recall that for most of my early life, from birth to probably my early teens, it was just what we did. It was no more a burden than going to public school was, for me.
Going out in service, however, was stressful. I was never an overly outgoing child, so a certain amount of social anxiety was certainly a part of that.
There was one period of time in my mid-late teens where I became super active and no, it was no burden at all. I was fairly committed.
-
jambon1
When I pioneered I felt as worn out as I do now. Only now I have 2 kids and a full time job to deal with. I never felt refreshed, ever.
Trying to do more, more, more is such a miserable way of life & Im glad I turned my back on it. I am now tired each day, but it is for a good and honourable reason.
-
JH
Too much of anything is bad, and the Watchtower wouldn't agree that too many meetings can be harmful to a person's spirituality.
We aren't all made the same, and don't all think the same way, but in my case, I would have been happy to go to 1 meeting a week. And make that a 1 hour meeting.
So, yes, it was a burdon.
-
minimus
JH, I think you should make up a thread with the thought of "too many meetings can be harmful to a person's spirituality". I like the idea!!
-
daystar
The concept of trying to fill up pretty much all your free time with JW-stuff comes from, IMO, the prevalent Christian concept that material existence is fundamentally sinful rather than holy and joyful as many other religions do (certain European pagan religions come to mind).
The JWs take it to a bit of an extreme certainly. And my intention is not to paint all Christians with such a broad brush.