Loaded Language Word of the day : SPIRITUALITY

BU2B

This is really becoming one of my biggest pet peeves. JWs use the word spiritual to describe anyone who goes out in service weekly, holds a congregation position, has privledges, in good standing etc, meanwhile this person can be rude, manipulating, or just plain evil and JWs will gush about how spiritual they are.

On the other hand you can have someone sincerely trying to be Christlike, manifesting good qualities and kind, helping others out, but if they dont have privleges, pioneer, MS, Elder, or dosent comment at the KH, or does not attend enough, that person is not "spiritual" to a JW!

This like the term the "truth" is truly Orwellian, the opposite of what they say it is. Spirituality should come from within, and be seen by how you treat others around you, yet JWs only look at WT unique works, and if you dont meet the eye test, you fail.

The WT conductor today said you can measure a persons spirituality by looking at the PRC! Sickening.

scotoma

"The WT conductor today said you can measure a persons spirituality by looking at the Publisher's Record Card!"

We really really love this teaching.

All those who put in a lot of hours don't need any help. Right. Ignore them. And start helping the ones with 1 or 2 hours field service.

Meanwhile the zealous ones are drifting into all kinds of crap because they are self righteous bastards.

Service time is the currency of the Watchtower organization. Pile it up and you can cash it in on stage time, assembly parts, pioneer club meetings, international assembly attendance. All great opportunities for the status worshiping very ordinary non-spiritual publishers.

DATA-DOG

I agree with your post. I have spoken with Elders about this very subject. Many will say that a person's entire life course must be factored in. Sadly, the correct answer would be, " I am not qualified to judge another's spirituality." I think deep down they know this to be true, but their loyalty to the Organization/Corporation takes over. When they are judging others, they are really using organizational/corporate standards as their guide. We know this is true because behind closed doors they will admit that if a Brother meets the scriptural qualifications, he still may not be used. Why? He may not get enough service time. Just 1/2 hour of service time too little, despite everything else, and you will not qualify from an organization standpoint.

So, spirituality really means towing the company line by carrying out prescribed works approved by the WTBT$. Watch porn at home, cheat on your taxes, even abuse others if you want. As long as it remains hidden and your " visible service " is good, you are considered spiritual. This method of choosing men for positions will ultimately fail. The good ones will not reach out, or they will burn-out, or step down. Corporate thinking is a major factor in all the problems within the WTBT$ INC. The " INC " has replaced the " Bible."

Julia Orwell

All those works they point to as evidence of spirituality are evidence of religiousness instead. Doing a whole bunch of things like that doesn't make you spiritual, it makes you religious. Spirituality is about bettering yourself and helping others and being in touch with the divine, whether it's thru Jesus or Buddha or just that feeling you get from seeing a truly beautiful work of nature like a quiet beach. It means doing good in the world. Being religious means you do things that can be quantified like hours or comments or meeting attendances.

Fernando

What Julia said.

FadeToBlack

Other signs of WT-approved spirituality:

1. Regular commenting at meetings. But only WT-approved type comments - stick to the script!

2. Massively highlighted WT study article. The more colors the better (one for each time you studied the material)

3. A clean car.

4. All get togethers must involve singing KM songs.

I was pondering his very issue BU2B last Friday as I was riding my bike thru the forest just before sunset listening to the birds sing. I compared how I felt at that moment with how I would feel if I was at the Service Meeting with my wife like a good dub. Of course, if a branch from an old tree had fallen on me and killed me, the dubs would say: see if he was more spiritual (at the meeting) that would not have happened!

punkofnice

I was told by an elder that because I had decided never to return to the meetings that I was ''Spiritually weak.''

Yes. Loaded language.

There are so many words the JWs assign new meanings to, 'the Truth(R)' being the most manipulative and potent.