by CrazyBlonde 121 Replies latest jw friends
bottom line, this will be ignored like most of the rest of the garbage.
Except for the congregations where the SS elders reside, ever vigilant to prevent such dangerous and disgraceful practices as a 20 year old brother giving a ride home to an 80 year old grandmother without a chaperone, comments which exceed 30 seconds or cite non-WT approved sources, or skirts which show a millimeter of kneecap. This will be one more thing for these guys to sharpen their "counseling" skills on.
What I see happening here is what I've seen happen over and over:
A few people are "over the top" with being touchy feely during prayer. And rather than privately counsel them, the Org now has to make a rule:
No touching or holding hands. Period.
We are told though that a spiritual person cannot be stumbled....so they proberbly mean we wouldnt want to give cause for stumbling. I agree with somethings...but I ALWAYS and always will hold my hubbys hand during prayer. I would kiss during a prayer out of respect but yes I guess single ones could find it upsetting that they arent with a partner...as for beards, nothing wrong with them, nothing atall....I dont mind rules which make us aware of people and not hurting them but beards truly is a daft rule!!
Regarding being in the house with someone of opposite sex...thats a conscience thing too, the individual decides YET many claim that if they were seen in the house with someone of opposite sex they could stumble people..I think its them who have the problem, how can someone think the worse and make an accusation!?!?! They are the ones with the problem and should be counselled, not the ones together. Its up to the individuals, we shouldnt have to take on other people consciences and be worried what others say...Jehovah sees ALL things and at the end of the day we stand before Jah's throne on judgment day not sister or brother so and so. :)
meant i wouldnt kiss....haha
"I am defin[I]tely not a WT apologist, but I think too much is being read into this. I think they are "discouraging" over the top affection during prayers, like say a full frontal hug between husband a wife, or a group of 5 single pioneer sisters linking arms or holding hands (which I used to see ever stinking mtg, didn't offend me, but was very corny)"
I tend to agree with this assessment by Trescedu. I don't see a big problem with this.
I observed some hand-holding by groups, especially at assemblies, and some affection shown by married couples. While I wasn't too bothered by it, I thought it looked kind of strange at times. I can't put my finger exactly on what bugged me about it, it just looked weird. Cameo-d mentioned that it seemed "pretentious", and I think that's what bothered me.
On the other hand, I can see this "counsel" being taken by judgmental types (who abound at every meeting) and run with in the wrong direction. Lots of little Pharisees in those congregations, you know.
And rather than privately counsel them, the Org now has to make a rule
Yep, that's the MO of the Org., top to bottom.
How many "Local Needs" talks have you heard where one person has a "problem", but now all 100+ members of the congregation know about it and are counseled not to do it.
85% of the congregation looks around at each other and says "Huh? Where did all that come from?"
"How many "Local Needs" talks have you heard where one person has a "problem", but now all 100+ members of the congregation know about it and are counseled not to do it."
Said "counsel" often went unheard by the targeted individuals as they usually weren't there that night! And the other 100 people knew it. That was really irritating.
Hubby and I snickered today as we held hands & put our arms around each other during our church service. Then we looked over and seen that the pastor had his arm around his wife! I sure hope no one was stumbled by all that PDA!
Eyes opened during prayer?
A freind of mine nudged me during a DC while Greenlees was giving the concluding prayer. "Check that out!" Leo was being attacked by a man with a knife. Attendents tackled the man and wisked him away. Few knew it even happened.
Don't you think Leo was happy those brothers didn't have their eyes closed during prayer?
Now to Bethel.
I was an attendant during the Memorial at the 107 KH. My assignment was to stand at the back with my eyes open during the prayers to make sure no one was doing anything wrong. (like a security guard against possible disruptions) It was eye opening for me. Watching kids acting goofy, etc....
Now to the present.
I can just picture the Elder police walking the aisles at the KH during prayers, breaking up couples holding hands, like some monitor at school. Or having tattle-tales loooking out for them. "Look! They are holding hands!"
At the end of the meetings I can remember holding hands with the wifey.
But she remembered especially at the end of an assembly day of not only holding hands, but a slight side hug after the prayer. No matter what my assignment was at the DC , I always made sure to be there together as a family for the final prayer. My little girl seeing this would hug us as well.
Who could be stumbled by that?
Any way you percieve that article, what we did was grossly wrong and inconsiderate of others attending.
Wow, who would think that just a simple form off affection, during a period of when we all felt close to JG, would be so wrong?
