@Julia Orwell: oh I absolutely hated the whole masculine voice in the literature thing! Even during my active days, I would cringe in my seat when I had to listen to that being read. And what kills me is that I recall the CO going through great lengths to teach us about how God is neither male nor female, but a spirit, yet, it's 'He, He, He,' in all the literature as though its a disgrace to ever refer to God as a she. I also agree with many of the others in that women are treated like idiots in the org, when many of the brothers can barely read. I remember one service group meeting in particular, this brother probably had a fourth grade education. No lie! Guy starts saying the prayer after leading the group and then he started stuttering, then pauses and says, 'oops! Brain fart!' I was initially disgusted, but then later on, I could not stop laughing!!!! What a moron! I also felt the work disconnect because so many of the sisters had what I call wife jobs. Very few had real careers that required more than 20 hours a week if they even had jobs at all so it was difficult to relate to them and vice versa. I had real dreams and goals for myself and always worked fulltime and overtime to get there. Oh, and I went to college too. Anyways, def don't miss all those politics.
Casual sexism in Watchtower literature
by slimboyfat 57 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Julia Orwell
We're so alike in thi it's not funny, sista! I've got a degree in education and am a teacher. That's two strikes before I even open my mouth!
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blondie
As a single sister I often had MS and elders tell me that had the same authority over me as a husband would.....!
*** g92 7/8 p. 14 Respecting Women in Everyday Life ***
Christian men who serve as foremen or overseers especially need to respect the dignity of their female fellow workers and recall that a married woman has only one man as her “head” in the Biblical sense, her husband. Others may be in positions of oversight and are respected for that; but again in the strict Biblical sense, no man except her husband is that woman’s “head.”—Ephesians 5:22-24.
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*** it-2 p. 285 Lydia ***
Lydia sold purple, either the dye or garments and fabrics colored therewith. It appears that she was the head of her household (this could include slaves and servants), and therefore, she was possibly widowed or single.—Ac 16:14, 15.
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grumblecakes
Blondie, Ive heard this a few times too. I would get enraged!
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DilloTrace
Sometimes even when you're married they still try to tell you what to do. They don't know their place at all. (I'm currently separated btw) But, back when I was active with hubby, one night it was our service group's turn to clean the hall (and my hubby was there mind you). Well, this MS had the nerve to walk up to me and say, 'you know we have the kingdom hall cleaning tonight right? The floors need sweeping in the lady's room.' I looked at him, rolled my eyes, and walked out the front door. So much for his perceived authority. Fortunately, for him, he didn't say anything else to me outside. Ha! (I so wish he would've)
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rebel8
We used to have a boy go out in fs with us (he's now an ex-jw too). Because there was a penis in the room, we weren't allowed to offend jehoopla by praying without a headcovering, so we had to put something on to say the service prayer. We used scarves or whatever was lying around--sometimes even McDonald's napkins.
Think about how ridiculous that is, and demeaning at the same time. The napkin is a physical manifestation of the fact that we are not in charge of our own bodies or brains--that men are.
These doctrines were pervasive in the 70s and 80s when I was in. You should have listened to the gag-a-licious wedding talks. The elder would go on about how the woman needs headship and must learn to accept it, and how she wasn't her best when she had her periods and would need the man's guidance.
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Julia Orwell
OMG I remember those wedding talks. I specifically requested our JW celebrant not to use words like 'obedient' or 'submission' or any of that stuff. He actually gave a really nice talk about love and friendship. My wedding was the best JW one I ever went to, not least because I was the happy bride, but because I didn't let macho sexism get in the way, and my rich non-JW mum paid for the best reception ever!!! And the dress! car!! Honeymoon!! Cake!!
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sosoconfused
@Julia - I am envious. My dead broke JW mother paid for nothing and never got me a gift LOL.
I asked for the 15 minute version of the talk because I wanted to get the heck outta there and have some sex... I was tired of the loose / brazen conduct we engaged end and promised every night that we would not do it again.
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HarryMac
"It's possible that we may all become brothers together"?
Wow... that is woman hate at it's finest.
I know 'homophobia is gay' but this new system they envisioned is really, really one big unappealing hot dog party!
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Julia Orwell
@ soso,
Your mum didn't even buy you a gift!? Flippin heck, the more I hear about this woman the more maladjusted she seems. What mum doesn't even buy a gift or make a big deal out of a wedding? I've been following your story and this is a new low!