Are there any ex-missionaries here?? (page 4)

ozziepost

In contrast at the Kingdom Hal, once the closing prayer is finished, the last thing JWs want to talk about is what they've just sat through. The talk reverts immediately to mundance interests of house, car, sports, vacations, etc.

I'd like to 'pick up' on Roomie's comment. I've had the pleasure of attending Christian gatherings of various denominations/groupings and I've been 'struck' by the contrast to what takes place at the Kingdom Halls. Much like Room215 has commented, the talk at the "Babylonish" gatherings I've attended are in STARK CONTRAST to what I experienced at a multitude of Kingdom Halls around the world.

One contrasting feature is the humble recognition that the attenders are ALL sinners and so no-one can elevate him/herself above the other.

The other contrasting feature, (which has surprised me, I must admit!) is that there is little or no talk of "organisation". People attending may refer to themselves as 'Christian", but definitely do not speak in terms of belonging to an organisation, or even a denomination.

How different this is from what we were taught at the meetings and conventions! How different to what I myself taught those at Kingdom Halls and conventions!!

Cheers, Ozzie (of the learning the truth about 'the Troof' class)

LDH

Zenpunk,

I think I know you!!!!!! Please email me.

One, i was never a missionary.

Lisa

wasasister

LDH, I think I know her, too.

Zen: did you ever live in Washington State?

You don't have to say if you'd rather not, but if you are the person I'm thinking of, I know someone who'd love to hear from you.

Wasa

fulano

@ IW

I wanted to mail you but I found out it is restricted. Please mail me I have something interesting to tel you about the video! [email protected].

Kjell Hedblom

Hi again Fulano!

Well your description fitted in 100 % on that C.O. from Canada.I remember now that she had some illness of some kind.Its so sad what happend to them and it brings me pain in my heart to hear that bad news.If u ever have any contact with them again please give them my varm regards to them,Maybe he remembers me and my friend from Sweden.

Thx again for telling me.

Your Friend Kjell Hedblom

Lovingkindness

Hello, I was wondering if you have any information regarding John May in Ireland? Also Martin (Atwater? or someting like that)
John May left the WTS very shortly after Ray Franz was DF by the WTS for nothing. John May made a tape and Randy Watters offers it at Free Minds website.

I have been trying to contact John May for the past two years.

LovingKindness

fulano

@Lovingkindness..

Were you addressing to me? If so, sorry I can't help you, I served in the 90es.

singsongboi

spirituality is a dam hard thing to maintain, in dub city or rome city for that matter!!! but somehow,jws manage to have veri little.

Maybe it's all hovah'ed out of them -- 5 hours of "organised" meetings each week +++ the other things, doesn't give much time for the thoughtfullness that spirituality needs here's a missionary story 4 u....(sad) -- it happened maybe 30 years ago..... an acquaintance, in oz, came from a prominent Adelaide (South Australia) family and "got" the truth... for his pains he got dis-inherited by the family and being "zealous" for the truth went pioneering, and was then invited to gilead... after graduation he was assigned with a partner to cambodia (kampuchea) -- no branch etc.... so no support. after some time, his partner fell ill and died. Then (and maybe even now) there is little support structure in that country. He had to keep his partners body at home, and made enquiries as to how he could bury the body. Well! no cemeteries. He was told everyone disposes by burning, you will have to do the same.. Well, their allowance wasn't very high anyway, and they had spent a lot on medical treatment(?) so was'nt much money left.... he went and bought the wood he could afford, got a cycle carrier to take the body to the burning area, and set the fire and placed his partners body on top. he lit the fire, but in his inexperience, (you sort of don't get much practice in this technique in Adelaide, especially, when you have a wealthy family)... did not place the body securely... so it kept slipping out of the fire. he had to keep pushing it back into the fire.. and he did not have enough wood so there was not complete combustion ( to be delicate) --

somehow, he got through a day that he described as a nightmare.... but into another nightmare -- a breakdown that was about the end of his missionary career....

Mulan

My stepfather was a missionary in The Netherlands (called Holland back then) He came home in the late 40's and had a nervous breakdown and fought alcohol abuse until shortly after he married my mother in 1969. He was a great man, but had a rough time as a missionary.

Makena, from this board, was born in Belgium, when his parents were missionaries there.

jack2

fulano, this is a great thread!

I appreciate the 'insider's view' that you've given us; hearing from a person that has actually been a missionary is very revealing and also substantiates so much of what so many of us have experienced perhaps on a more local level.

As far as jws discussing spiritual matters, yes, they seldom do, for all the reasons mentioned in this thread. Just yesterday, I was out in service and the elder in the group was trying to discuss items from a WT article and all he got was stone-cold silence. The people in the group would much rather discuss other stuff. This is also very true and social gatherings, and after meetings as well.

In fact, at times the WT tells us that what we talk about reveals what we really are, what we really have our hearts and minds set on. Well, then, after being ground down each week by a relentless 'theocratic' routine, I guess it shows that jws are just human beings after all.

Edited by - jack2 on 1 July 2002 13:40:36

Are there any ex-missionaries here??

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