Did you enjoy being a JW meetings,field service ect?? (page 3)

Tired of the Hypocrisy

To be painfully honest, yes I was. That is when I had a crush on some sister and she was there too.

I quite liked giving talks. I also liked the group study esp when we were studying "the meaty stuff" - Daniel, revelation, Isaiah etc. Until I found out about the UN stuff. Then all those cool pix in the climax book kinda lose their meaning. . .

I did enjoy answering esp in my old cong which was way more liberal than the current one. I remember as a child asking questions in the group usually completely unrelated to the study. I remember the look of horror mixed with complete surpirse when I (aged about 8) put my hand up during the study and asked in my most serious voice if Adam and Eve had belly buttons! Maybe that was the beginning of the end!

I never ever like the ministry although I did aux pio a few times. I found it so difficult and completely unnatural and really struggled with it. I talked myself in to believing that the reason it felt this way is because we weren't created to preach and wouldn't have had to if Eve hadn't messed it all up. Isn't it amazing the mental gymnastics we do to talk ourselves around things?! And I totally agree with the poster who talked about the "do more" mantra. Leads to feelings of low self worth coz nothing we do/did was ever good enough. Not very "refreshing" to feel like that.

Am

LouBelle

It had it's good and bad times, plus I didn't know better at the time. I was required to do all those things.

Dorktacular

I hated every minute. The only good thing was the ice cream at the Stanley Theater assembly hall in Jersey City, NJ.

reneeisorym

I liked the book study when I got to comment and stuff. I liked giving talks. I just never cared for field service because I felt like we were wasting time and didn't really try to find interested people. I also hated listening to speakers who had poor speaking ability.

independent_tre

Field Service - I used to think something was wrong with me. Why didn't I enjoy this wonderful 'privilege' bestowed upon me? And when I would hear others say that they found this activity upbuilding and refreshing, I was wondering what they were smoking, because I definitely needed a hit of that to enjoy one excrutiating minute of field service. I seriously cringed everytime I ever thought about participating, and therefore I barely put any time in. Like avi8tor, I also thought we were bothering people with normal lives and I wished I could be at home or doing just about anything else.

Book Study - My least favorite meeting. As a child they were boring and it seemed we always had to come in from playing to get ready and it was a real drag in summer. As an adult, I didn't like it either. One book study in particular was at a sister's house who despised me for no particular reason. She was petty & wouldn't speak to me and would speak to everyone else. She made me feel terribly uncomfortable, so this was hardly motivation to keep going. I got sick of her and stopped going just for that reason.

The public talks were really the only part I enjoyed. This is what drew me back as an adult, because I had a lot of life problems and it felt better to chill out and listen to something about the bible, something I found uplifting. I also enjoyed assemblies because I have tons of relatives in and when we would all go, it was like a large family reunion and everyone shared food.

Shawn10538

never much liked any of it. but I sure did lot's of it.

four candles

I did to a certain extent. Enjoyed giving talks,especially public talks where you could really get into them and also find room for a bit........ok alot of humour and visual aids.

Wasn't keen on FS,much preferred accidental witnessing where I could talk on my terms.

Enjoyed the friendship of brothers and sisters,and this kept me going on during the time I was thinking 'is this worth it?'

Would I go back?? Maybe not but might go to an odd meeting where I am now as no one knows me,or to a DC to see my mum.

Cynisister

I can identify with Jack, as I would observe my sister and my mother-in-law gushing about what a wonderful time they had in fs, how they love it so much, etc. I would wonder why I didn't feel that at all. I am almost 60 years old and have been associated with JW's since I was a toddler (my mom studied and became a JW.) I pioneered as all good JW kids right out of high school should, (my mom now revealed to me that I had received an invitiation to attend the Parsons School of fashion Design in NY, but she naturally rejected that offer!) and I hated it so much! I was alone walking the blocks most of the time (did this for almost 5 years.) I would find ways to "fudge" my report and make good use of "rubber back-calls" - any oldtimers will know what that means. I would feel so guilty about hardly ever reaching the 100 hour a month quota, and received the dreaded "pioneer letter" to chasten me and "encourage" me to get my time in or else!! Pioneering gave my mom something to brag about, but she hardly ever joined me or helped me out when I was alone which was most of the time.

The only thing I can think of that was rather fun was when we (as kids) used to be asked to give demos at the service meetings. In those days, props, humor, constumes, etc. were allowed and always used for these skits. We laughed alot, but of course the WTS put an end to that - can't have fun at the expense of serious religious instruction!!

I have been fading for almost 7 years, and a few months ago "came out" to my husband to let him know I will never again go in fs, and will not submit to the meeting schedule demands ever again. He has virtually stopped asking me to go with him to the kh. The elders are now asking to make a "shepherding call" on me. I told my hubby that if they begin to really question me and my position, I will not back down this time. (The WT headquarters called my PO last year after they received a letter from me questioning the "new light on blood", and had him and another elder pay a visit to make sure Imy thinking was adjusted. I believe they just wanted to keep me from talking to others about it.) I sat and smiled and nodded during that last visit to pacify my husband,but I will not do that this time.

Anyway, there wasn't much I loved, but I was a dutiful dub all those years, making every meeting (played the piano accompaniment for the songs all my life) studying everything and making sure I read all the mags, etc. to the point where one time my husband accused me of being a fanatic and caring about other people more than about him (I worked, raised a son with whom I regularly studied, and had four bible studies at that time - no wonder he said what he did!)

I feel so free now1

cynisister

james_woods

I can quite honestly tell you that I was ashamed of being a weirdo witness the entire time. The brainwash was not sufficient to actually make me like one single thing about it - not meetings, not service, not sitting in the sun on some sticky ball park seat at the district assembly, not giving the hour talk, not being an elder, not one bit of it. Especially I disliked having to hide my weird-assed religion from my friends at all times.

You might say that the apostacy was the only thing I liked about it, I was probably a born apostate from day uno.

Did you enjoy being a JW meetings,field service ect??