What do you know about Scotland & Scottish witness culture (page 2)

wantstoleave

I knew a brother here, whose father is scottish, and wanted to wear a kilt to his KH wedding but the elders flatly refused. It was a big deal to the brother, so he opted to marry outside the KH, and was counselled for it. Petty wasn't it?

lifelong humanist

jambon1

Here in bonnie Scotland, the sun is shining and I've just enjoyed a brisk walk in the hills around my home town of Crieff. On the way home, I could hear a pipe band playing in the distance. The band marched to the town square - the scene was awash with tartan. There were quite a few good-spirited tourists about, enjoying the occasion and the pleasant weather.

My JW wife was at her nearby local KH, no doubt most present were irritated that they could hardly hear the proceedings of their meeting amidst the din of the music! I bet my wife approved of the music, though.

Scottish JWs have had to abandon much of what makes us Scots unique to join the cult - the JWs dislike any member that openly enjoys Scottish pipe music - tapping your feet is seen as approval, so I was always in trouble. WEaring highland dress is seen as a gimick - to draw attention to the wearer. While this may be true of some, who am I to judge the motives of others? One of my son's joined the local school's pipe band, and I was hauled up for it before the elders on several occasions - they thought it was 'too nationalistic', and that I should insist he quit. I didn't follow the party line, and Gordon was glad as it was a big thing in his life then, and even more so, now (he's a skilled musician in the Scots Guards, based in London).

So, some of the comments here don't surprise me at all.

I was sent to primary school wearing a kilt, and did so until I was ready to go into secondary school, aged 12. I thought it was quite fun, and several other boys were dressed likewise. It didn't do me any harm.

I wasn't permitted to wear a kilt to my wedding (in 1971) by the then Congregation Servant, so I had to dress in a fashion that he approved of. I was really pissed of at this ridiculous attitude, but calmed down and tried to forget the lunacy of the man in charge. I remember also being warned that I had to have a 'proper' haircut, or else the KH was 'out of the question'. Being a young, keen to please type, I complied with that as well. Being just 19 years old at the time, I lacked experience of standing up for myself, capitulated, and the wedding went ahead at the KH. Looking back, I should have refused to compromise just to please the local Hitler styled CS - he really was a nasty piece of work. Unfortunately, his deputy assistant CO was to be my father in law, so, being afraid for his 'position', he wasn't in the least bit supportive of my predicament.

Anyway, back to the thread. Scottish JWs are perhaps the most subservient of all the European countries in obeying the 'rules' imposed by the WT. Our culture goes back to the days when Roman Catholicism was largely kicked out of Scotland and replaced by strict Protestantism, a la John Knox's Calvinist version. This culture still prevails among the JWs - many are afraid to speak out in religious matters, preferring the status quo.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of the 5 million Scots now prefer a secular society, and in my opinion, our nation is the better for it.

Last night I started a thread on single malt Scotch whisky - I've enjoyed reading the member's posts. So, I think I'll enjoy another dram of Old Pulteney 12 year old before making tonight's dinner...

lifelong humanist

chicken little

Memories flooding back here. I have an unfinished love affair with Scotland. My father was stationed at Durness, way up north during World War II, he loved the area and anything scottish. He actually taught himself to play the chanter and moved on to the highland pipes in his 40s. He joined the Teeside Caladonian Pipeband and we went to many events with him. He had a heart attack while playing in one of the border towns and that put a stop to the highland pipes...he built his own northumbrian pipe with the bellows afterwards.

I love Oldshoremore and Kinlochbervie...anybody been there? The most fantastic scenery you can imagine. Still hope to go back one day...I live in Scandanavia now. We were assigned to Edinburgh conventions for many years even though we lived in the north of England. I loved going to Murrayfield Rugby grounds because we got to go to dance in the gardens on an evening. The scots are lovely people, the Jws are strict there...calvinists really. I have memories of rain, wind and floods at the camping site we used for the convention. One evening the whole tent came down on our heads, we were soaked through. Those were the days.

I still get emotional if I hear the pipes played. We were in Sweden in the summer and the Gothenburg Pipeband were playing...tears were rolling down my cheeks. My kids just laugh, they haven't experienced the stuff I have (thank goodness!). Some one on the whisky thread mentioned first footing, my father used to play in the New Year and was all dressed in his regalia and the whole street would follow him around while he went to each door. (Wierd because we were not allowed to do it really as witnesses, but my Dad was never really IN, he did his own thing, we tried to keep away, but secretly I loved to watch and see him).

Number 6

I grew up in the west of Scotland just south of Glasgow and from the nearly 10 years of reading experiences on here from the world over, I can tell you that Witness Culture in Scotland is pretty much the same as the rest of the western world.

I haven't been in the Watchtower since 1990, but I well remember being dragged to meetings as a child, the interminable boredom, feeling and looking different in front of school mates. Yep it was pretty much the same as any place else!

I honestly have no memories of kilts at the KH other than weddings, but like my fellow countryman above, there was always the odd person at conventions who could be seen.

Scotland itself is a beautiful and wonderful country, far better than the stereotype images you all see on television and the movies. The scenery is stunning, the people friendly and sociable, and after working for four years in England I found I missed it far more terribly than i thought i would.

I never regretted moving back in 2002 and will NEVER move away again.

Craig

Edited to add: Yes I have very fond memories of the Murrayfield conventions which i attended as a child from 1974 - 1990, and despite my complete loathing for all things JW, strangely I still find myself nostalgic when i pass the stadium on the train.

cantleave

The few people who know my name on here will know that I from good Scottish Stock. Saying that I don't like Haggis, Find Bagpipe music annoying, Have never worn a Kilt and can't stand SNP.

besty

great things about Scotland:

scenery, culture, history, rock bands, trade union leaders, education system

crap things about Scotland:

weather, small country means small opportunities, medieval antipathy to all things English - move on from that perleeeese

I'm sure Scottish JW culture has much in common with any similar part of Britain - congregations dominated by village Napoleons, teenage marriages in the rural communities and young JW's in the cities doing their best to have more fun than they are allowed.

boyzone

Matt Barrie and his wife Lorraine were 2 Witnesses from Scotland and recently disfellowshipped for apostasy. If you listen to the podcasts of Matt's shepherding calls and judicial hearings, you might get a flavour of what the Witness culture is like in Scotland.

http://deathorobedience.blogspot.com/2009/03/death-or-obedience-podcast.html

iknowall558

Hi Lorraine here.......yes, please do listen to the podcasts ! ! ! Anyone who has not heard them ......do so today!

We are still being spoken about, along with others who left .....we obviously caused quite a stir. Am going to be out this week distributing 'apostate' leaflets that I only got delivered to my house last night. They think weve all gone quiet.....BUT WE HAVENT. I am going to be getting help in this from a 'lurker' friend of mine who is in the org. under the radar. I will be taking pictures, and if I can get them up, then I will. We will no doubt be the talk of the steamie... again !........but bring it on!

I will update on result of my ''ministry''...lol. I will post attitude and reaction of the Scottish witnesses here in Glasgow!

yellow

Great news with distributing apostate lit let me know how you get on. Would like to do the same in the part of Scotland where I live.

Scottish culture - irn bru drunk in copious amounts when recovering from a hangover, haggis neeps and tatties taken with a wee nip (whisky, also known as scotch) on Rabbie Burns day where loads of poetry is read, including Tam O Shanter ( a poem with ref to the Devil) the haggis is addressed i.e spoken to and after loads of whiskey is drunk irn bru is greatly needed the day after to help you recover from your hangover.

acolytes

I read Oor Wullie and the Broons to my kid beföre bed

Acolytes

What do you know about Scotland & Scottish witness culture

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