The Spirit of The Congregation

by minimus 27 Replies latest jw friends

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  minimus

  Each Hall has their own "spirit'. Some congregations are very strict. Others more liberal and still others, a little in between.

  They say the elders dictate how each congregation will turn out. If the body of elders and especially the PO or whatever you call him now, lean in a certain direction, typically that is how the congregation will be.

  In the last Hall I was an elder, the body of elders were lax. The PO was weak. The elders would easily shoot off their mouths and say things they'd have to apologize for later. The congregation generally viewed these men as good guys but didn't take them too too seriously.

  How was your Hall? Was it a happy spirit or tense? Were you known for your spirituality?
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  Newborn

  I've been in several congs but the last one had a very envious and materialistic spirit...like, who's the nicest car, nicest wife/husband, nicest clothes, nicest house, nicest children, who's thinnest etc etc

  OMG I was so tired of that competing spirit...not very spiritual

  However, I was known for my spirituality...whatever that is???

  /Newborn
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  WTWizard

  The spirit was one of being manipulated. If you did 10 hours of field circus in a month, they would want 20. You do 20, they want 30 or 40. You give them that, they expect you to pio-sneer. You pio-sneer once, they expect it all the time. Donate one week, they will expect it all the time. And they were never satisfied.
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  minimus

  My first Hall was a city congregation. A lot of people were single, divorced, on welfare, fatherless, poor and generally struggling.

  My (ex) wife had a couple of mink coats, matching hats, jewelry (a lot), and wore makeup, got her nails done every week as well as hair. Needless to say, she was attacked for being materialistic. We owned our own home, had nice cars and so forth and were percieved to be too well to do. Eventually, I moved to another city and the Hall had more middle class families like us and no one raised an eyebrow if someone went on vacations or bought new cars.
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  minimus

  Wiz, you're so right about them never being satisfied. If you made the effort to aux. pioneer one month, you'd have the CO asking you if you could "simplify" your life and be a regular pioneer. Screw that! I stopped aux. pioneering.
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  Casper

  I would have to say our congregation was rather tense, given to the fact that our PO was Hitler re-incarnated.

  I tried to be spiritual, I really did, but I just couldn't keep my real feelings about certain things from showing in my facial expressions or attitude. Did a lot of eye rolling.

  Cas
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  QuestioningEverything

  The first congregation I went to was very friendly, the elders were helpful and appeared to be caring. They weren't too 'strict" but neither were they too 'lenient'. I enjoyed the people at that hall .

  The second congregation I went too(unwillingly, they changed the KH boundaries and I was forced to move) was horrible.!! It was very cliqueish(sp?). Many of the members had been at that hall since it was created and the body of Elders had been there just as long. and if you weren't part of the original members family, then you were nothing, despite how 'theocratic' you were. They were very unfriendly, snobby and very judgmental. The elders were overly strict in interpreting the WTBS.

  One circuit overseer told them that if they didn't get it together as far as unity and extending themselves to new ones and those less fortunate that they would continue to sit at the table of the demons! I absolutely hated that congregation! I disliked most of the members who attended it, they represented everything that I disliked in a person.
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  mouthy

  In the last Hall I was an elder,

  Min I can see why they were lax if YOu were an elder
  your what I call a s..t disturber....Good job you left
  now you disturb me. NOT CHILD ABUSE
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  dozy

  " Each Hall has their own "spirit'. " Usually in the locked cupboard for the elders after their meetings!

  I have to say that generally the congs that I have been in have usually been quite friendly , but all it takes it 2 or 3 self-righteous individuals to completely change the atmosphere , which has happened on occasions. I agree that the elders usually set the tone for the congregation.

  As far as my own status , always regarded as too liberal to be truly "spiritual" , I guess.
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  minimus

  "Hitler re-incarnated"...I like that!