Reasons Sir Cliff Richard never became a JW

by alliwannadoislive 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  alliwannadoislive

  Sir Cliff Richard is one of the singers universally loved by the 40+ generation (certainly here in the UK) … that is unless that 40+er is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  Doubtless there are some JWs who do enjoy Cliff’s music, but I have always been surprised by the widespread dislike of him within the JW community.

  This is in stark contrast to the widespread love for his former band - The Shadows - the presence of one of their CDs being a feature in a very high percentage of British JW homes.

  Reason quoted to me

  When I first came into ‘The Truth™’ in the early 80s, It was explained to me that Cliff had connections with JWs (If I remember right - his mother and sister were baptised).

  Cliff had shown an interest in ‘The Truth™’, had a bible study with Hank and had been to many meetings.

  He had allegedly been spotted at one of our district’s conventions at Twickenham, walking around in a bright pink suit. Apparently, nobody was star-struck, he was treated as a regular guy and no fuss was made of him.

  The narrative went on about how Cliff was allegedly peeved by this and stormed off out of ‘The Truth™’ in protest.

  Because of his rejection of ‘The Truth™’ and him allegedly ‘thinking too much of himself’, he was considered an object of scorn by ‘true christians’.

  Load of nonsense ?

  Anyway - to my questions:

  1 - Is this just a local thing to Hampshire or are you aware of similar rumours and reasons ?

  2 - Am I right in thinking that Cliff has in fact been ‘marked’ ?

  Ok - I know this post is fluff, but we can’t all be heavily serious …

  (alliwannadoislive is a freshly disassociated and now X-JW, he lives in a veritable spiritual paradise without the personality pollution of dubs around him)
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  nytelecom1

  i would ignore anyone wearing a bright pink suit
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  BluesBrother

  Perhaps its got more to do with the fact that Cliff. is a pompous self righteous purveyor of mindless forgetable pop songs .

  O K . i apologise to whoever on this board is his biggest fan..

  Whereas Hank Marvin is a wonderful guitar player who inspired a legion of guitarists ,eg Mark Knopfler, and The Beatles. Were not the Shadows the first to popularise the 3 guitar and drum line up?
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  Englishman

  The story I heard is that Cliff went to an assembly, was duly mobbed and remarked that JW's were just like any other religion, ie they got groupies too.

  I bought one Cliff record, "The Young One's, when I was 15.

  Anyway, how can anyone take a 60 year old re-instated virgin seriously?

  Englishman.

  Bring on the dancing girls!
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  LittleToe

  Try, also, that he became a born again Christian.
  That's kinda guaranteed to stop one becoming a JW.

  As for his songs, they are no worse than much of the drivel that's purveyed as pop songs, these days.

  As for being ignored, the facts speak differantly, as they were mobbed by the young sisters. Maybe the revisionist history also extends to details about those that don't join, for reasons best known to themselves. That would hardly be new, now, would it.
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  ISP

  Cliff......always wanted to get an Xmas No.1...again not a good JW thing.

  ISP
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  ozziepost

  G'day alliwannado,

  You know what happens when people don't know? They fill in the gaps! That's what's happened with Cliff. There's a lot of rumours and urban legends. Don't believe them.

  With the help of Mrs Ozzie I do know much of his background since the two families were very close but she would not want me to give details here. Suffice to say, don't believe everything you hear!

  BTW Hank's in Oz, not too far away from us.

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

  
  - Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress
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  alliwannadoislive

  hmm ... so is the pattern here something along the lines of traditional JW thinking - hate Cliff - love Shadows ... (with exceptions ozzie ;)

  i have to say i hate the music of both Cliff and the Shadows ...
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  Max Divergent

  Hi Ozzipost - Guess you might be from Perth or WA then? Me too, NofR. Lived in the North West for the last couple of years though. We might know some of the same people!

  Cheers
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  Thirdson

  I was told (in the 70's) that Cliff had a problem with a religion with a faceless leadership. I don't know what was meant by that I guess it implied he didn't like the low-key approach of the GB. I think it is more like he didn't like the almighty, don't ever question us attitude of the Watchtower Society...if what was supposedly said is true.

  Come to think of it, I had the same problem.

  Thirdson

  P.S. What about Hank (a real guitar hero to many guitar heroes)? In the 80's I saw him play at a New Years celebration on TV. I thought he was a JW! Of course seeing-in the New Year with a few drinks while watching the revelry on TV was OK as a JW, 'cause no one saw me.