when i was a kid i liked all the attention I got when I had a talk or something. I tried as many have said to make myself feel refreshed but I always left feeling like i was worthless
Did you ever find the meetings refreshing?
by highdose 44 Replies latest jw friends
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Giordano
It gets really bad when you realize that most of what you are hearing and reading is not the truth......it's just another religion. The JW's have to be the most boring cult out there.
IF you become a non believer and your stuck in for a while, trying to get your family out first etc. then the meetings makes your skin crawl.
The worst thing; the time lost sitting there accomplishing nothing surrounded by people who can only relate to you as a dues paying JW.
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crapola
Maybe I did many years ago but the last few years I dreaded them so bad. Had to go because I was the piano player when they still allowed it. But toward the end the only refreshing part was the trip home.
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mamalove
Refreshing? I feel refreshed after a shower, or a swim on a hot day. If I have to think of something positive I would be happy to see some of my friends I guess. The meetings themselves were very boring to me, unless the talk was something very attention getting. But refreshing no. I think at the time I felt good once I got home, thinking I did the right thing, and happy that I made others happy from being there. But deep down I resented the putting on of panty hose to the hauling in bookbags of stuff.
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journey-on
No, except when the music was sung just right and everyone knew the melody AND the words. I felt uplifted then.
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laverite
No. They were very, very draining.
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Juan Viejo2
I found them fun and refreshing for the first few times when I was 8-years old and the whole thing was new to me.
I found them fun and refreshing the first few times that I was on a ministry school program or giving my first couple of public talks.
Other than that, I remember them as boring, overly long, excercises in futility and a total waste of time. You'd almost hope that some kid would get dragged down the aisle on his way to a spanking outside or in one of the restrooms - not for his sake - but just for the momentary excitement.
You'd hope Sister Flatulenski would rip a good one - just to see everyone giggle and squirm in their seats for five minutes.
Once in a while a drunk would wander in and sit down in the back and then, in a momentary outburst, yell, "Hey you people. What the hell are you talking about?" Having him escorted out by a couple of brothers was always fun - and it usually brought the WT study to a halt for a few minutes.
We had windows in our Kingdom Hall, and during the summer they would be opened to let fresh air in and cool the hall down a bit. I'd always find a seat along that aisle so that I could keep myself occupied watching people and cars go by.
JV
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watersprout
Sorry about the blank post...I have no idea how i managed to do that!
The meetings were very draining for me...I hated every one...Horrible things!
The only exciting bit was fish and chips on a thursday night after the meeting! lol
Peace Bec xxx
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NewChapter
This thread has made me giggle since it was posted. They spent so much time telling us how happy and refreshed the meetings made us, I guess I really didn't realize that no one was enjoying them. There were enjoyable things, and I suppose I held onto those things as proof that I loved the meetings. Only, I didn't.
I tried to sit in the back row, and they became more and more aggressive about people sitting in the back. They did everything, short of forbidding it, to prevent us from sitting in the back. That really bothered me, because my understanding of things is that you should sit where your heart moves you and not do things under compulsion. My heart moved me to sit as close to the door as possible. Plus I could check out everyone's hair and clothes, and judge by body language who was fighting. It gave me something to think about other than that droning sound from the stage.
For a while, a Christian radio station started interfering with our speaker system. That made for fun. Once, a brother dropped a live microphone into his jacket pocket and went to the bathroom. That was especially fun. A bible study showed up drunk, and was totally inappropriate. That was great. I always thought it was funny when a "worldly" person would walk past me and I'd catch a whiff of marijuana. Cracked me up, and I knew how they were getting through the meeting.
Or, I would sit in the bathroom, or in the entranceway. Or I would sit in the library or the kitchenette. If no one else was there, I could turn out the light, close my eyes and rest. Anything I could think of to make it more bearable, I did.
But I did enjoy stopping at a restaraunt with friends afterward. That didn't tire me out--proof that I just wasn't a "spiritual" enough person. Sometimes,when I was in the bathroom or wherever, another friend would come in to hide out with me. Then we'd talk about other things, and the meeting would go faster, and I enjoyed that time.
Sometimes, between the public talk and the WT study, I just couldn't stand it anymore and would leave. Of course, I'd have to lie and say I just didn't feel good. Only, it wasn't really a lie, because I did feel a bit sick.
After it was all over, I'd feel good because I had fulfilled my duty and my conscience was clear, and I wouldn't have to answer probing questions about why I missed the meeting. I had a co worker that went to another hall, and she liked to talk about what happened at the meeting the night before, but I suspected she was really trying to judge by my responses if I had gone to my own meeting.
I liked the highlighters. I had a rainbow of colors, and enjoyed making the study material look pretty. Sometimes I would use different colored ink to write notes in the margins. I'm artisitc, and this was a way to break up the boredom, and also, an excuse to buy really cool markers. LOL They were also handy for poor bored children, I always shared my little treasures with them. Of course, they would return the favor and pop stickers all over my arm. Children are great.
Then I had bible students, so I had to set a good example. Oh, how I hated it, but I'd paste on the plastic grin and encourage them to come along and pretend they too loved it.
But I loved the ministry, sometimes, because I loved to help people. I didn't mind listening to people unburden themselves, and then encouraging them, not necessarily with scriptures. I was aware that when I stopped in on the elderly, I was more company than anything else. I didn't mind that. We should care about the elderly in our community. I could listen to their stories for hours and sometimes did.
The nice thing is, I don't need the ministry to do all those good things. There were things I hated about the ministry, but I loved the people. And now I don't have to worry that they are going to be destroyed before my very eyes. THAT'S the real good news.