How Does An EX-JW Go To Church For The Fun of The Experience?

by LoisLane looking for Superman 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  Ding

  I don't usually recommend XJWs attending a church service right away on leaving the WT because the culture shock is often too great.

  If you do go, here are some thoughts:

  -- Churches with large numbers of attenders are easier to start out with, I think -- more anonymity.

  -- If they pass a collection plate, feel free to pass it along without putting anything in.

  -- If they have a communion service, it's up to you whether you partake or not.

  -- Photography wouldn't be allowed during a service; at other times, it would be fine.
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  NeverKnew

  Hi, Lois!

  It's EXPECTED! And it's OKAY! *grin*
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  LoisLane looking for Superman

  Gma-Tired2...I am a Lady...Character. I like to have fun.

  What could make the day more fun while visiting with my old friends the Circuit Overseer and dear wife, then telling them about my latest adventures?

  As I finished the conversation, I mentioned, I had only gone into each one once...I am thinking right now, maybe they thought Sis LoisLane Elder's wife, was funin' them around? Anyway, I made them laugh and that made me happy.

  As a child, I thought it was close to the "unforgiveable sin" if I walked into a church. I knew the Big "A" would start immediately...the earth would open up and swallow me, like in the old pinkish Paradise book.

  I was on a Society's Tour to Rome. They encourage you to go to the Vatican. I did, thank you very much. Did you know you have to pay extra, to go down the stairs to a section where they show you some of the Vatican's treasures? I thought I had seen big precious stone jewelry before, but nothing as big as the Vatican has. You see the men's, Pope's, Bishop's jewelry and their dresses and hats, and their pretty little hand made leather shoes too. Oh, and the handmade lace, on silk drawers. Gold and silver thread things galore. They know how to dress large and shine. They are kind of like religious drag queens, just no make-up.

  I have also seen the Cathedrals in Mexico and Central America, encouraged by The Society.

  I have been with a GB member in a Sikh Temple, private tour.

  I have taken my shoes off in Old Jerusalem and gone into the Muslim's Dome of The Rock.

  They were all beautiful to look at.

  The Governing Body and their Legal Departments are thrifty. You give them money, they already hold the deed to your KHall and Assembly Halls, and they invest in who knows exactly what...but it is all for their benefit, protection, cushy vacations and retirement.

  Sorry if it is too long.

  Just Lois
• 

  Band on the Run

  I started attending the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York b/c my regular subway was down. As I walked past the structure, I did not pay it much mind. It is not so imposing from the outside. I passed a display stating that Cesar Chavex, of grape worker fame, and Geraldo Rivera, who just started reporting, were giving the sermon. I always wanted to meet Cesar Chavez. It was so Catholic with a WASPy take that I loved. Adjusting was not easy. First, it is the largest cathedral in the world. I would linger in the ladies' room b/c I had no idea what to say to the clergy who were saying goodbye to people. My second problem was the crossing of oneself. The Catholic communion kids talked about very strict rules. Since I was in a chair, I could not see what people were doing at the altar. So I wanted to receive communion but waited years to partake. Third, I did not know many individuals b/c it was not a parish. When I took confirmation lessons, I learned nothing about the Church. He focused on Eastern Christianity. A crazy lady said she would be my sponsor. She was a legend in her own time. I had no idea. My split second decision was to NOT be confirmed if she were my sponsor. The problem was solved when the instructor signed his name as a sponsor.

  Later, I volunteered at there when I became ill. They kept me alive with their support and time. Now I hug the priests. Sometimes I just sit in a chapel and reflect on how far I traveled. With time passing, I learned the crazy lady annoyed everyone. We sat talking about her for hours. I made the friend of seminarians when I noticed the priest screeching at the male students but not the female ones. I asked a woman, how they were getting screwed by his correctness? They were. She told me the details.

  Most of the stuff that struck me as weird was weird. The New Yorker ran a long piece on the Cathedral staff. It captured the essence of the place.

  I was able to a big entertainment production for free. The KH does not come close.
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  barry

  My son has an ambition to be an Anglican Priest but only is famiiar with Anglican services. He asked to go to other services at other denominations we have been to the catholic church but he wants to further his experience at the kingdom hall .
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  jgnat

  Here's a Kingdom Hall worth visiting - Stanley Theatre in Jersey City.

  http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/stanleytheatre/interesting/
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  gma-tired2

  My JW friends was so afraid of going into a church that we had an old church, just for show not used, at a pioneer Village but we were told we couldnt go inside. We did not go inside, I guess we thought it would start Armegeddon. I think our brothers were so straight laced we were afraid of being df'd immediately.
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  jgnat

  Hubby got counselled for dropping me off at church. The elders saw his vehicle out front.

  After that he dropped me off at the back door.
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  blondie

  When I married my hubby, we went to a KH near our hotel. No one came up to us before or after.

  Next year, same hotel, same KH, a mentally challenged young man came up to us but disappeared when he found out we weren't non-jws.

  Next year, same hotel, same KH, I finally decided to challenge them to ignore us. During the WT study, I raised my hand, conductor looked at me and called on someone else, Raised my hand again and this time he called on me, I gave my name and the congregation we were from, then answered. Afterwards, the only person who came up to me was a divorced mothe and her teenage son. We had a nice chat, found out her family were the Gobitas family. She asked if this was our first time there. I told her it was the third but she was the first one to really talk to us.

  Imagine if I had been a "sheep" looking for a shepherds.

  We do the mystery route when we travel. We do Sundays and have hit some potlucks and some very friendly people but not at a KH.

  It reminds me of a new CO and his wife who went to a congregation incognito to a congregation before they started their assignment...no one knew them, could not know they were jws, let alone CO, and they were totally ignored. That was the first congregation on their route, and he gave a talk a bout greeting new ones and revealed he had been there last week but not greeted!!!!
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  Phizzy

  Mrs Phizzy loves music, especially Choir music, so we have been to a number of services where the singing is good, including in large Cathedrals, Canterbury a number of times, and Winchester a couple.

  We also attended a couple of services in a local independant Christian church that has taken over an old C of E Church building. They have a wonderful set of musicians who sing all kinds of music including Christian Rock etc

  The congregation there joins in, standing and singing their hearts out and really making a joyful sound, what a difference with a K Hall !!!

  It consists of all age groups, the teenagers come in their fashionable but semi-casual street clothes, no special dressing up, and they all sit together and whisper and laugh, but join in the singing, adding almost dance movements as space permits.

  If the "Happy God" existed He would be there, and avoid Kingdom Halls as decidedly as I do.

  Go visit some churches, go to the odd service, unless you think you may be sucked in, for me and Mrs Phizzy it is the same as going to the Cinema or similar, any religious nonsense we heart is not going to affect us.