by Gill 41 Replies latest jw friends
OnTheWayOut - Perhaps it was something that happened at congs where answering was a problem, as it was in ours.
I remember to this day elders being called on and their 'bright' answers, read out of the paragraph.
I bet they all thought that the wacko PO would never dare.....but he dared all right!
I wanted to ask, does anyone remember the directives from the 'Mother Ship' that is no one raised their hands during the Wacktower study to answer, the conductor of the study was a liberty to ask any of the elders present to answer!
Gill, there was something defintely along those lines - I remember my husband mentioning it on more than one occasion - it must have been brought out at an elders' meeting. My poor hubby puts his hand up (just in case) at practically every para Q.
I remember that - my dad was w/t elder and i remember when he asked and no one answered then he would say "if no answers, i am allowed to pick an elder to comment, does anyone want to comment or do I have to do that?"
Bernadette - Poor Mr B!! I remember the elders being terribly ashamed when they were 'picked' on. It was worth the brothers not answering just to get a laugh at the embarrassed elders. Perhaps that's why they tried not to answer.
I dont have any specifics, but would say that the comment has been made as a general directive.
When I used to take the WT, it would get quite frustrating when no one would answer a simple question, or someone would answer the wrong thing for an obvious question. I said once "its not that hard, do I have to answer it myself!"
What an A-hole! [me that is]
You think that you are helping people to reason and grow. But you are only helping to dumb them down. Then the GB started setting questions to the articles in the KM's......that was really dumbing down the flock. I said to my brother, and I was still an elder: "They must think that we are stupid and cant work out what the main points are!"
He thought i was being disrespectful.
Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhh
I was much younger (in the 1960's) when a WT conductor independently announced that he would be doing that the next Sunday. Attendance went down dramatically the next Sunday.
I have had book study conductors (overseers) try that tactic with similar results.
But it was never official policy from the WTS during my lifetime.
Blondie
It happened in our congregation too. I remember one guy, I actually felt bad for him......asks the question, nobody raised their hand. Looking back and forth his face started turning red, and after the second "anyone?" and elder raisied their hand.
One time at a book study, I was only 17, nobody raised their hand......so the elder says."butt, would you like to give it a try?" I said, "I didnt raise my hand", He says "I know, I just thought maybe you would like to answer!" I simply said nope! (I didnt know the answer...i didnt study)lol
With now 4800 posts under your belt, I'd wager you had your hand up all the time.
Thanks for pointin' that out Dismembered! And yes I did have my hand up all the time...i won';t say up what tho! LOL!
Yeah, some parts you are really at the mercy of the audience, because people will not have anything for you. Especially if it's one of those "share your experience" type of part. What if no one has any experiences? I could always count on the welfare pioneers to help me out, but without them we'd all be in big trouble...
My memory is similar to OTWOs. I recall a CO mentioning it in an elders meeting but it was more like a suggestion to the WT conductor that if he gets desperate, one of the rest of us should bail him out. Actually, this particular CO was one that I liked and he said that we've probably all have been there and will be there again. Honestly, there isn't a much worse feeling than asking a simple question to 100 or so folks in a Q&A part like the WT and getting no hands. I would look around and if I didn't see a hand, would raise mine.
I agree with Crumpet, no sense in dragging the meeting any longer than necessary.
Buttlight, great comment. That's priceless.
