by Band on the Run 14 Replies latest social humour
I don't recall self depracation or witty remarks within the Witnesses. Everything was always so heavy. I suspect that a person with wit, despecially dry wit, would find themselve in trouble. Humor away from the KH concerning the KH kept us from going crazy. I am curious what others experienced.
I adore the WT parodies posted here. It is something I could not do well. The parodies tell the truth so powerfully and succintly.
When I was 21 I was told that I was recommended for appointment to MS, but it was rejected by the BOE becuase I was too sarcastic and laughed during the meetings.
BAND on the RUN- In congregations I attended humor was totally lost on many JW's I knew. I have kind of a twisted, dark sense of humor ( so does my wife i.e, movies like Borat and Wedding Crashers type stuff ) - so I received lots of double take looks by elders or others in the congregation when I'd use my wit and humor. I was looked at as a " rebel rouser " an independent thinker who was considered " dangerous " due to thinking on my own.
I usually hung out with only a very few close friends ( I can think of two or three over 40 + years in the JW cult ) who were REAL people with honest , no holds barred sense of humor and open, honest communication skills. Everybody else was plastic and fake - if you get my drift. Just my experience from birth until age 44 when I exited 10 years ago
Actually,the halls I attended were pretty relaxed and some speakers even made a few jokes here and there on the platform.
I remember one "brother" did a pretty hilarious Watchtower summary at a Circuit Assembly. Of course,he was talked to about this later.
I know growing up, my brothers would crack up during the meetings,since there was always something crazy going on in the audience or on the platform. My mother would start laughing with them. One elder told my father to get better control of his kids.
I find most Witness humor to be rather corny. And I do have a dry,sarcastic humor that most don't get. I know I offended a couple pioneer sisters with my double meaning humor,lol. I just couldn't help myself at the time.
It's the biggest curse I have. I find that comic relief is not wanted by everybody. I have to consciously shut my mouth in serious situations. When I had platform parts my nervous energy was channelled and quieted by my not taking myself too seriously. I was counseled by the stuffiness, stodginess, most self-righteous brothers to stick to the outlined material. But the rest of the congregation always said how much they enjoyed my talks
I remember watching the movie "Friday" with some of my friends and when the JW scene at the start of the movie was played laughing my ass off while everyone else chuckled nervously.
on the door with an elder talking with a house holder. The householder said football was his religon, which explained him wearing our local teams football shirt and having the club flag flying from the window. So. I replied " You do realise that the club manager is a very religouse man"
He laughed and said " bullshit" or some such profunity. and i said " well i can tell you for a fact his a seventh day adventist and his converted half the team to his religon" householder laughing " absolute bullshit" my reply " then tell me why the team never perform on saturday" householder laughs and we leave with a bit of dignity.. After we left the door i was told by the elder how unimpressed he was by my presentation. I thought i had created a good return call.
My humor was already suspiscious to the cult members. A CO and i had lunch one day and he asked when I was baptized. i said Feb. of 74. I asked him the same. He said 1975. So I asked, "Before Oct. or after?". He laughed and said after. That was my humor. He knew exactly what I was talking about. So it was stuff like that that some took to heart. Ok so what already? I'm done with it.
I am utterly hated by JW's for my sense of humor. They are so mind numbed humor it an irritant because it makes them think to find the humor
I was told I had an inappropriate sense of humor on occasion. I come from a long line of smartasses.
