by sacolton 24 Replies latest jw experiences
It's hot.
Your throat is dry.
You need a ice cold drink to quench your thirst.
During a talk, you make your way to the vending machines and ...
"Sorry, Brother. This machine is out of order. Please return to your seat quietly."
Do they still pop-block at District and Circuit Assemblies?
Yup.
Ask Garybuss to tell his story about that.
I've heard of this happening, but I don't ever remember seeing anyone actually block a vending machine. I've seen them unplugged or an "out of order" sign put on them.
Back when I was in, I didn't give it much mind. We were supposed to be paying attention, not cruising the halls sippin' on a Mountain Dew but looking back on it, it was pretty silly how they tried to treat grown adults as children.
Never heard of something like this. I remember the last district convention (why is it actually called "covention" and not an assembly like the circuit assembly or the special day assembly?) where many - including myself - went to little snack bars and got some coffee because it was too cold or some chips, pizza or crêpe ... No one was hindered ;-) although it was right around the stadium.
I never went to an assembly where the machines were not in one way or another disabled.
I was wise to them so I would still use the machines with “Out of Order”. Surprise! It works!
Yeah! My 3 year old son and I were belly pushed away from a working vending machine in Bismarck, North Dakota by two Witness security guards at a district assembly under orders from Dewayne Matz of Sioux Falls, SD.
What did you do? Pop-blocking a 3-year old? That's just evil!
I called the attendant that told me the machine was "out of order", a liar, and I called Matz out. The two attendants demanded my name and what congregation I attended. I told them and they trotted off to retrieve Matz. Of course Matz wasn't about to face me.
When they came back without Matz I asked them where Matz was. They looked at each other and said he wasn't coming:-) They said Matz told them to tell me I could use the machine but "keep it to a minimum". I gave them a rather profound, if graphic, message to return to Matz. I never heard if he took my suggestion. I rather doubt he tried it.
That was the last district assembly I ever bothered to go to.
The Witnesses kept coming up with ways that made it easy for me to not like them. Belly pushing me and a three year old because I bought the three year old a Rainbow Lifesavers roll of hard candy out of a stocked, working vending machine that they didn't own was just one of many uniquely offensive tactics the Witnesses used on me.
The Jehovah's Witnesses work harder to drive people away than most groups work to attract members. I hope they keep it up.
