He DIDDUNT BRING his GLASSES?

COMF

I told this story once before, a long time ago--I think, so long ago that it must have been on H2O instead of here--so here it is again, FWIW.

While I was still studying, at the age of 22, the guy who was studying with me told me something he had seen at a convention once. He wanted me to realize how close to God the anointed were, what a love of the bible they had.

He told me about hearing one of the governing body members (I can't recall who) giving the keynote address on Sunday afternoon of the convention, you know, the big one, that was advertised on the handouts all over the city. The brother spoke for however long it is, about an hour and a half or so. He made several references to scriptures, which they all dutifully looked up and read along as he cited them.

When he finished, the chairman came up and announced that he had the attendance report for the talk, and asked the GB guy if he would read them. GB replied that he couldn't. Upon being pressed for a reason, he replied that he had forgotten his glasses, and couldn't see to read without them.

He had given the entire talk from memory, including citing and quoting the scriptires. How wonderful! How awe-inspiring! I was appropriately impressed by the story.

Fast forward five or six years. District convention. GB guy scheduled to give the keynote address on Sunday. He comes up, delivers the speech, cites many scriptures. We dutifully read along.

When he finished, he seemed to fiddle and shuffle about a bit at the podium rather than immediately walking away. The chairman came up with a microphone in his hand, and thanked the brother for coming to visit them and deliver those wonderful words of encouragement from Jehovah. Then he said he had the attendance report for the talk...

At this point, I got an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

...and would the brother please read the report for the audience?

I thought to myself, "Oh, no. No, don't do this... please."

Br. GB replied, haltingly, that he was sorry, but he was unable to read the report. Br. Chairman sputtered his confusion into the mic for all to hear: "What... you can't... I don't..."

Br. GB replied that he had forgotten his glasses, and was unable to read without them.

Br. Chairman, astounded at this revelation and its implication, enunciated his amazement clearly for those of us who hadn't yet made the connection: "you DIDDUNT BRING your GLASSES with you, Br. GB?" And he turned to stare at the audience, eyes wide and jaw slacked open far enough for even those in the grandstand seats to see.

I had to get up and go outside, sick through to my bones.

Windchaser

Talk about a well-rehearsed script...I'm feeling sick, too. A highlight of the program: Making Bro. GB feel special.

Edited by - windchaser on 7 July 2002 12:42:7

blondie

That was probably before manuscript outlines that even the GB are required to follow (Fred Franz never followed the script even when he could see, after all he wrote it).

I have met many fine non-JW speakers that give excellent extemporaneous talks without the holy spirit.

I nodded off during more than one talk by FF. Now Swingle was hard to sleep through.

jst2laws

Comf,

VERY INTERESTING! Let me tell another short story and tell me if this is the same guy.

One Monday night at Bethel Pappy Knorr was out of the country so another GB member was to conduct the family Watchtower study which he often did despite the fact that he was basically blind. The Bethel family was lead to believe the articles were read to him and I memorized them. He gave a short introduction to the study article and on paragraph one the GB member, without looking down, stated the question and called on the brother pre-assigned to comment. After a long pause the brother apologetically corrected the GB member for apparently starting the study in the wrong article.

The Gb member calmly apologized, shifted to the appropriate article with new introductory remarks and the right question to paragraph one. At the time I was in awe. I was only a couple rows back from the front and could see he did not have a WT in front of him.

The GB member was F. Franz. All he had to memorize was the introduction, the questions and the names of the assigned commenters. That is a big enough accomplishment alone, but by this incident we were lead to believe he had memorized at least two weeks worth of WT studies.

Were we SCAMMED??

Jst2laws

Elsewhere

Reminds me of the television commercial with the two little claymation kids:

"What Just happened?"

"We got hosed Tommy... we got hosed."

Incense_and_Peppermints

oog. yet another well crafted charade. it almost sounds infantile...

(what doofuses)

Sunspot

Sometime in the early 80's I was at the convention in Roanoke, VA. Fred Franz was the keynote speaker on Sunday. There was an awful thunderstorm during his talk (I had been unsuccessfully struggling to stay awake ) and the power went out.

Within moments those dim emergency lights kicked on, and gave enough light to see the exit signs and to somewhat navigate the stairways if you were brave------but in no way could you see well enough to read anything.

Franz continued on with his talk barely skipping a beat, and by now was actually shouting because the sound system wasn't working. Afterward, I turned to the Brother and Sister I was sitting with and mentioned how amazed I was that he never once referred to his notes, and seemed to have memorized the entire talk!

The Brother then said that Franz was pretty remarkable, and of course, he had memorized that talk.......and didn't I know he was blind?

Uhhhh.....no, can't say as I'd heard that!

As usual, I was right "on top" of things.....not! <grin>

Hugs,

Annie

eyegirl

i LOVE that commercial!!!

heathen

That's just too cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.I actually heard some that would complain about turning religion into a joke and not being serious all the time[:\/]

He DIDDUNT BRING his GLASSES?

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