by 3Mozzies 62 Replies latest jw experiences
My sister Jay got counseled for wearing a shirt with an anchor on the front of it to the TMS. The sis told her that her shirt looked patriotic. Really? My sister Jay was about 12 years old at the time.
also, another sister told my mom she shouldn't buy Lucky Charms cereal.
My sister Jay got counseled for wearing a shirt with an anchor on the front of it to the TMS. The sis told her that her shirt looked patriotic.
Thanks for the memory jog. I got counseled for wearing a navy blue sport jacket that had anchor buttons. To the elder that busted me, it was too militaristic. Anchors and navy blue and all that...
Soldier77:
I once got a "talking to" for playing poker with a bunch of my friends on the KH steps
You had to learn their secret, play at home with 3 trusted brothers, making sure no one sees you (except God that is)
Just heard of a new one:
A JW sister had to rush from work to make a JW funeral, she had no time to go home and change. She was dressed well, only thing was that she had slacks on (no skirt/dress). An elder after the service had to come up to her and tell her that her attire was not acceptable in the KH!
Such loving counsel during someones funeral Can't we all feel the love....
3Mozzies
Here is a ridiculous one. I saw that the Ministry School was scrambling to find someone to fill in for a talk at the last minute. I have no fear of public speaking, so I volunteered. It was a number 3 talk. So I asked a sister to be my householder, and went for it. The talk went well, but the other elders got their panties in a bunch because a BROTHER cannot do a number 3 talk with a householder!
I asked why not? "Just because."
JK
Oh boy, I just thought of another one. Or two or three or four or five.
Which one first?
Okay, I will spell out a few that happened when I applied to Auxiliary Pioneer once. A pioneer Elder in my congregation encouraged me to pioneer with him one month. The A-holes that had to decide if I was worthy ambushed me halfway into the month.
They drug me to the basement of the KH for a meeting. I went willingly.
The first thing I was accused of was being slovenly. I said, (not in these words), WTF? The elder in charge, basically accused me of being slovenly. I countered as the smart ass that I am, that my tie cost more than his suit, so where is this coming from. (I had on an Armani at the time). Then he deflected, and said my hair was inappropriate. My hair was groomed to normal levels, but is naturally spiky. I showed them a recent, at the time WT, that showed a JW family, with the father's hair just like mine. His response was, "Oh, you mean the Latino brother." I asked, because he is Latino, his hair is okay, and mine is not?
His response was, that I should style my hair as the elders do in my hall. My response was, "Do you want me to get a reverse mohawk? I am not bald."
He said I should not have my hair spiky, as it normally is at that length. I said whatever!
Then the big Dick on the committee said that there was one other complaint against me. That I was heard using the "F" word. Not the one you are thinking of. It was the word FART.
I asked him if he had ever used that word in the privacy of his own home. He admitted that he had.
At this point I said I really didn't want to pioneer any more. They encouraged me that I could still get in the hours anyway.
I took the rest of the month off.
Not only that, the next meeting I went to, I gelled my hair with the equivalent of axle grease to be a smart ass. I got complemented by the Dick. He is the same asshole that groped me as a child. Uber elder run amok!
JK
I once wore a looney tunes neck tie on stage while giving a talk. It had Foghorn Leghorn in the middle, and I buttoned my coat so nobody really knew I was wearing it. It was only after the meeting when I unbuttoned my coat and an elder saw that I had worn it on stage that I got pulled into a back room. It didn't matter that it looked like a normal black tie when my coat was buttoned, and that nobody knew I was wearing it. It was the principle of it I guess... the sheer idea of wearing a looney tunes tie on stage made it counsel-worthy...
I have been counseled at least three times about not wearing my convention badge and "meeting clothes" out to local restaurants after district convention sessions...
When I was single I bought stamps at the grocery store. The local grocery store offered little variety, so I just took whatever stamp they had. I didn't care, I just needed to pay my bills. I honestly didn't pay any attention. I had purchased a Christmas themed stamp book once. I received a shepherding visit (elder and an MS). The MS saw the book of stamps and told the elder that I must be sending Christmas cards. The next meeting, I had to explain why I had Christmas stamps. One hour of my life I will never get back...
the sheer idea of wearing a looney tunes tie on stage made it counsel-worthy...
Now.... wearing a looney tunes tie on a KH stage makes perfect sense.
Think About It
I adore the Beatles to this very day. There were gigantic fights around them. My vinyl albums were confiscated. Precious posters from an English pen pal were torn off the wall. In the end, my father in his under shorts lectured me so sternly about John Lennon. He never realized there were three other Beatles. He looked a bit like Lennon in his facial structure. I was a junior in high school and could not help myself. My father, the Witness idiot in his undershorts without a robe talking to his scapegoat vs. John Lennon, now the beloved of all age groups. The giggles started despite fear of a severe beating. I kept biting my lips but I just howled with laughter.
Sticky Fingers by the Stones was a challenge. I adored the WHO. Visiting their albums in the record store, I was sorely iintrigued by the pop art. How do I explain baked beans pouring forth to my mom? How do I explain a mammoth deoderant stick Daltrey used on his arm pit? We lived in Newark, NJ, not Andy Warhol's Factory (I would later live very near the spot). Tommy was the first WHO album I could bring home and pass inspection. She never asked what Tommy was about, even after hearing 1,000s of times.
Bobby Dylan was in a special category of worship. Near the Beatles but on a different plane. Lines like "someday the president of the United States must stand naked" which always led to huge cheers of approval in antiwar crowds caused embarassment. Later, when I was very ill, my mom, liberated, fought and arranged comp concert tickets from Paul McCartney and the WHO.
As an adult, I collect Beatles memoribilia. A rock concert is a spiritual encounter. It does not fail that I fear missing the performance. I go through mind games that I am entitled to what other people claim with no problem. Just being present I get a high from thumbing my nose at the WTS. When I miss a concert, I always feel some cosmic battle is ongoing. Living well is the best revenge. All the honors recently for my aging idols. Feature film documentaries. Putin receiving Paul and expressing his love of Beatle music. McCartney at the White House. Barack and Michelle smitten, knowing every little lyric. My father in his undershorts. Yea, life can be good.
I forgot minidresses during the Mary Quant stage. Outside of Manhattan's Greenwich Village, I was one of the first to wear bell bottoms and finely honed jeans. Dress signalled your musical taste and your stance on Viet Nam. Lovebeads. My grandmother seethed but my mom supported me. Strangely, my JW aunt, my mom's older sister, was a genuine Christian who followed every comma in the publications. She secretly met with my mom at this high level meeting and cried for me to have freedoms. The last person I expected begged for me to date, to go to dances, finish school. She saw it as compatible with the Witnesses. My mom had to do all sorts of transactions for her, particularly when she could have her husband do it. Teenage me just dismissed it at the time. It was very loving of her.
Now.... wearing a looney tunes tie on a KH stage makes perfect sense.
I actually had a daffy duck one as well. My Grandmother gave them to me. She was always getting me stuff I could wear at the meeting and service. I never got caught with the daffy duck tie on stage, but I wore it up there. I wore those out in service as well ...
I found a picture of the daffy one:
