JW Grammar is... (page 2)

laverite

Cofty wrote: " There just seems to be no self-awareness when it comes to making really dumb assertions."

That is the truest thing I have read so far today!

I cannot embrace this is as a fault. The Witnesses in my KH murdered all English language rules. Part of it was that their native language was Ebonics, which I used to term "housing project." I read a wikipedia article concerning Ebonics and discovered that what I termed lazy and the lowest of the low was Gullah. ESL may have been helpful. Now I feel ashamed. My immediate family murdered the English language. When I would repeat speech and grammatical patterns from home, my entire class would laugh at me. I was not so eager to volunteer.

I became speech phobic. We did not learn much in English class b/c a large segment of the class was hopeless. My public schools would pass a dead body. My closest friends were middle class. I tried to match their speech. With a part-time job, I purchased all sorts of books and still do relating to writing and speaking.

Even if I knew the anwer in college or had a hard question, I was reluctant to volunteer. Some nice people gently corrected my remaining mistakes. Others screamed at me. Rather than focus on content, I censor myself before I speak. Often I reword a statement to be certain of its correctness. I sign up for every writing course available to me. Private school grads do not seem to have the problem I face. Yet I know I am just as bright.

A turning point for me was when I attended a forum as a lawyer led by the NYU Law School Dean. I caught several mistakes. Not a single one was an egregious mistake. He spoke from the heart. No one can doubt his brain power. The dean became president of a major university and has an international reputation. I vowed not to be so perfectionist.

The Witnesses merely reflect their lack of education. When we all have equal access to Choate, Andover, etc. , our grammar should reflect that education. My parents worked hard.

Also, I doubt the Witnesses are aware that they fail on most standard English criteria. My JW relatives used poor grammar and their lack of any worldly know how terrified me. I respected them.

Does it limit your social and business endeavors? Absolutely. I can't begin to articulate what it was like for me to go from school to KH. The brothers were functionally illiterate. They could not do WT properly. Yet they had the balls to dominate me. Beethoven was once called evil when the JW songbook was first released. Beet-hO-ven as in the vegetable. I slid down on my seat. Are educated people going to become Witnesses and defer to someone with a minimal education? I doubt it.

Oubliette

One of the most common grammatical errors I've noticed is Elders using "you and I" the object of a sentence. They should say either "you and me" or simply "us." This is a elementary school error indicative of the general lack of education among JWs.

But what should we expect from a bunch of undereducated folks. It's so ironic that they think are the elite of the world! What a joke!!!

That being said, I have to agree with Cofty that their illogical "arguments" are far worse sins than bad grammar. But they are related problems which are attributable to a lack of education, particularly in the areas of how to think clearly and how to express those thoughts effectively.

JWs have neither.

Some Worldwide Bible Education Program. Not!

new hope and happiness

Some people can read music and have played the same bloody tune for twenty years. Some people cant read music and have never learnt to play a musical instrument, but the tune they make is always origional.So ii like to think theres no such thing as a bad post only a badly read post.

I also guess theres a lot of posters on this board who use English as a second language..

Band on the Run

These are people who are barred from any self-improvement through fear of Jehoover striking them dead. Ignorance is bliss. The brothers would make such ridiculous statements in KH. Statements that would cause a regular crowd to walk out or eyeballs would pop out in shock. All I heard was applause and sisters swooning over the brothers.

I try so hard to provide legal information and tips on managing lawyers to people. My own family had little power. It was my dream to make law accessible to people like my family. Now I am ready to join the vast crowd of lawyers who believe payment is important. Middle class people are very appreciative. I give poor people the perspective of a top lawyer for free. No legal advice but pragmatic suggestions. I briefly explain the problem. My conclusion is that people can't access it. Law is complex. I can't sum it up in three words. They lack the skills to follow up. It is very sad to see. Most Witnesses attended public schools. They are not uneducated. This is a class probllem, not a JW problem.

If the public schools socialized students better and taught basic skills, the JWs would not find fertile grounds among those lacking savvy. JWs remind me of tumbleweeds. I could write books about this issue. Somehow I knew as a young child that education was my escape. I was the minority. As a young child, I fretted about good people being murdered by Jehoover. I did not feel superior. My parents took us to museums, child plays, etc. Perhaps that was a difference.

The one thing that impressed me when I first arrived here was all the stories of people leaving the Witnesses and starting school. We are probably more education focused than regular people. I cry when I read the accounts. The Witness isolation is purposeful.

Decades later I still want to punch a hole in the wall when I think of those brothers telling me what to do. Middle class kids are not subjected to such ignorance. Why me? I deserved better. Throughout school, I always had to block out the Witness ambiance to complete my work. When I started college at an Ivy League school, certain family members were making fun of me. i was evil. Walking across campus, I saw all these clusters of family so excited at the adventure their children were starting. There were tears of joy at graduation. Many alums were so proud their children were following in their footsteps. I faced obscene gestures from a neighbor and faced the conflict between my upbringing and the true me.

MrFreeze

When the borg tells you not to pursue an education, it is only natural that poor grammar would follow.

HarryMac

Elders and Ministerial Servants that are barely able to read were always a cause of discomfort for me. I was embarrassed for them and especially for their wives. Funny example though: Revelation book study - mid 90s. The phrase 'wily serpent Satan' was in the paragraph. The elder asked after the question in the book his own question... 'Can anybody tell my what "willy serpent Satan" is?'. I always repeat the story as wishing I'd piped up and yelled 'Tell him Claire!' Also, he wasn't a nice person, dumb and a jerk.

AndDontCallMeShirley

I waz a dub four manee yearz an my spech and riting r know problemm. I getted the best edumacashen that canned be founded anywheres- in god'z organ- ization. Its tha puree theo-crack-addict languij, after all.

Y r u guys being so kritikal?

Kollej is not nesessary to spoke and right well. The wachtowerr edumacates me jist fin.

Piece out

HarryMac

Or this comment by an MS wife in her forties...

'Why do these worldly scientists and "experts" have to complicate everything. The only thing we really need math for is to let us know how much ingredients are needed when we make a batch of cookie for our children.'

omg, she was pretty, but I still wanted to punch her in the face.

exwhyzee

I have to chuckle all these posts about poor grammer that contain gramatical, punctuation, typing and spelling errors.

(Including some of my own. LOL) On another note, I once heard a brother give a talk where he referred to the arrogant religious leaders of Jesus day as having a certain self sat-is-fa-cation about themselves. This totally blew his credibility.

JW Grammar is...

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