OK,I've been sick for 2 days (sore throat, feeling run-down) so I could use some good laughs. Something just made me think of how absurdly lame JW "get-togethers" always were. There were several that we went to (when we were still being love-bombed as newbies) where we ate dinner, then played BIBLE PICTIONARY. At others, we played BIBLE TRIVIA games. At a baby shower once, we each had to write down our favorite scripture and other things about ourselves, then the host read them and we had to guess who it was. At a going away "get together" for one couple, we all had to sing a kingdom melody of the couples' choice. One particular elder (who was about as "play-by-the-rules" an elder as anyone I've ever known) always brought the board game "Tribond" to every get together. Woo; exciting; yay-Tribond again. Any good stories from you "get-together" animals out there? (We wouldn't want to call it a party, after all. Too worldly sounding.)
LAME (or funny) JW "Get together" stories, please...
by exwitless 16 Replies latest jw friends
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fullofdoubtnow
Hi exwitless, I hope you are feeling better now.
I went to a few where we played bible trivia, which was boring, it was like being in the meetings, Being single, a few well - meaning ones used to arrange singles parties, which were ok, but the general idea was to encourage us singles to find a partner, as if we didn't all know each other anyway lol.
The best one I went to was at my now boyfriends, where he played his favourite rock music, and he's a Led Zeppelin fan! Some there weren't too happy, but he'd only done it for a joke, so he took it off and put something quieter on, but the faces of some of the guests when "Stairway to Heaven" came on were priceless!
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Mulan
We used to do Bible charades. We really had fun doing it, and all the kids loved it.
My 43 year old son was telling me about two weeks ago, that those evenings with our JW friends, in his childhood, are some of his best memories of his young life. Those evenings always included dinner, usually the WT study for an hour preparing for Sunday, really good food, dessert, and kids were included. I can't remember us drinking much. No one could afford anything other than cheap wine, about one glass per adult as I recall.
At one wedding shower the hostess asked my daughter and myself to do the games. We made up and wrote a Marriage Trivia game, using the Insight Books. Multiple choice questions. That was great. It was amazing how little they knew and how easy it was to trick them into the wrong answer.
One question I remember was: When a young woman was married she wore what?
A: A clean white robe
B: something suitable from the clothing she already had
C: a new, very expensive, elaborate gown, possibly more than the family could afford to spend.Almost everyone said "A" or "B". The answer was "C".
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Kudra
At one I went to as a ~12 year old or so they all made me cry because my dad (worldly) was going to die at armageddon.
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SirNose586
At one couple's suprise anniversary party, this one sister (unmarried, in her late 40's pioneer, never worked a day at a job in her life but took care of old people and so got part of their inheritance) took out a ukelele and tried to get people to sing along to kingdumb melodies. I knew I should've left earlier.
To this day, "bust out the ukelele" is code for a [lamer than average] get-together that is going to be filled with uppity dubs.
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Mysterious
We had a bible clue based scavenger hunt once. I don't know it was a lot of fun when I was a kid, the clues weren't lame and neither were the prizes but that was an exception.
I remember sitting around a table playing go fish when I was about 16 while we had pop and chips that was the "get together" model of my teen years. We got yelled at for making too much noise running around outside and trespassing on a neighbors grass so that was all we were allowed to do after that. Or they would tell service stories about how encouraging a certain RV was. Or talk about all the movies they piously would never watch because such and such an actor had done something or other they didn't approve of or was gay or something.
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exwitless
I didn't think of it at the time, but NONE of the get togethers actually involved just "hanging out" and talking like real people. They were just like going to a meeting, where everyone says, "Hi, sister, how are you?" with a cheesy smile on their faces but they aren't really asking how you are. The gatherings that I went to were eerily like the pictures out of the WT, where there's a Bible on the coffee table (and of course WT magazines) and the women in dresses and men in suits or polo shirts. Except one time we gathered at a park, and one brother who obviously didn't own "casual wear" came with shorts, a button down shirt, and BLACK KNEE-HIGH SOCKS AND BLACK DRESS SHOES. Poor guy. It was also interesting that as soon as my husband and I began to miss meetings (to care for his elderly parents), the invites to the shindigs came to a screeching halt. It's kinda sad when you're no longer considered worthy to even be invited to a lame JW gathering.
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SirNose586
I didn't think of it at the time, but NONE of the get togethers actually involved just "hanging out" and talking like real people. They were just like going to a meeting, where everyone says, "Hi, sister, how are you?" with a cheesy smile on their faces but they aren't really asking how you are. The gatherings that I went to were eerily like the pictures out of the WT, where there's a Bible on the coffee table (and of course WT magazines) and the women in dresses and men in suits or polo shirts. Except one time we gathered at a park, and one brother who obviously didn't own "casual wear" came with shorts, a button down shirt, and BLACK KNEE-HIGH SOCKS AND BLACK DRESS SHOES. Poor guy.
I always got a kick out of those cats who weren't socially adept and wore the same thing. Poor things--no one in real life goes to a park in a dress shirt and slacks! But what can you say, the WT is their whole life and interacting with average people is just something they don't get to experience.
The lack of relaxed atmosphere at the gatherings also got to me, too. Every conversation with people I didn't really know (or with people I considered spiritually "stronger" than me) I just hoped to conclude without offending them or saying something that would start rumors. Unease, I suppose, is the best word to describe it. Not the same feeling with close friends. Every conversation was like a minefield--don't step there, proceed this way, okay you're almost out of the minefield...don't blow it....
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exwitless
I just hoped to conclude without offending them or saying something that would start rumors. Unease, I suppose, is the best word to describe it. Not the same feeling with close friends. Every conversation was like a minefield-- don't step there, proceed this way, okay you're almost out of the minefield...don't blow it....
SirNose-Well put. That's just what it was like. There was no real conversation going on. It was all about how spiritually strong and happy you could pass yourself off to be. I can't imagine going to a gathering of non-JWs and someone pulling out the Bible Sharades game!!! Or starting a conversation like, "Wasn't the latest Watchtower great? I just never get tired of reading about how this Wicked System of Things is so very Wicked!" ... Puke!
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parlay
If the gathering was boring, we would suddenly "have to go to the car for something" and never return. But there were some "gatherings" that were fun, fun, fun!!
Like one in Brooklyn NY. We could hear the music a block away. Once we went inside there were 2 floors of intense partying, kegs of beer, and snacks.
The back room was lit by a lone red light.It was packed and you could only see who was in front of you by getting up close. All you could see was a mass of people packed like sardines, moving to the music.
We saw a goddy two shoes pioneer sister come out of the "red light" room all sweaty. When we called out her name, she acted like she didn't hear us and dissappeared back into the room. We went in after her, but it was too dark and crowed.
When the people at these "gatherings" would see at assemblies, we would grin with the look like, yeaaah man, whaaaaasup and wheres the next "gathering". MAN DID WE HAVE FUN!!