THE CONSCIENCE OF THE CONGREGATION

by minimus 22 Replies latest jw friends

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  Matty

  Has anybody noticed that there is a marked change regionally as well?

  Being from London, I was always annoyed at how some congregations in rural areas looked disdainfully at city congregations, considering that they have superior standards to them. This has translated into unjustifiable mistrust of ones moving into their congregations from these areas.

  The "tested as to fitness first" principle is unnecessarily reapplied to those who already have been "tested" in their previous congregation. I have numerous examples of bodies of elders refusing to appoint recommended brothers from London, going against guidelines because their supposed "higher standards".

  Matty, who once attended "Royston Vasey" congregation.
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  Francois

  When my uncle moved to Kingsport, Tennessee in the late 50s, the congo there was one buncha tight-assed people. I mean you couldn't have driven a sewing needle up their asses with a bulldozer. For instance, people drank, but they did it surreptitiously at home. My uncle, who quickly became an Important Man in the congregation (he was college educated and was an organic chemist at Tennessee Eastman Company, thus had a regular and high income), turned that around in a flash. Next you knew, they were having get-togethers in his back yard with case upon case of beer cooling off in #3 washtubs. The Kingsport congregation suddenly grew by leaps and bounds as members from other congregations, hearing that the 20th century had arrived in Kingsport, moved there in droves.

  And this was at a time when Sullivan County, Tennessee was dry as a chip. You could only purchase 3% beer at ONE place in town (unless you went to a bootlegger) and the beer was hot. You hadda take it home and put it in the freezer.

  Ah, the thrill of being a JW.

  Francois
• 

  abbagail

  Interesting Topic for Conversation!

  I never heard the phrase "Conscience of the Congregation." All I remember hearing was that a cong may lose the holy spirit from showering down upon it, if everybody didn't keep their noses clean. And this cong sure FELT like there was no HS there. When I first went to this cong, it felt HORRIBLE inside, the atmosphere, everybody was so sloppy and layed back, half asleep, nobody greeted you, the bros on the platform couldn't even read, stumbled over words, didn't know their punctuation, etc. etc. It felt like THICK SLUDGE engulfing the inside of the KHall. I wanted to run away back to the West where I had originally studied, as they were so much more lively. This new cong, in the South, was, how shall I say, full of HICKS. There was also prejudice problems between the blacks and the whities. That was hard to swallow for me, being a newbie in the truth, 'cuz like, we are JWs and NOT supposed to have THAT kind of problem. Right????

  Also, re: beards, it was okay for the black brothers to have their mustaches, for some reason. Guess mustaches looked better on them than the white bros.

  This cong had those same atmospheric problems for quite a number of years. It wasn't until 7-8-9 years later, when they had a pioneer couple switch to our cong for the specific purpose of livening things up, that things finally DID get better.

  Ah, the memories. Thanks for the topic.

  GRITS
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  minimus

  we used to be in a hall that had 4 congs. total. we were considered the most spiritual because we had the most pioneers. so when everyone else would clean or do some special project at the hall, we would be in our sunday best to go out in service...we figured, let them take care of the hall. we are doing the REAL work.
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  abbagail

  :-) Funny, minimus... I'd rather go in service any day than clean toilets...Grits
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  minimus

  Here's an interesting situation. I know of a Presiding Overseer that counseled a sister that was a nurse and newly baptized that she HAD to quit her job as a nurse working in a "Catholic sponsored" hospital...(It had a Saint name attached to it).....or else she would get DISFELLOWSHIPPED. He felt that working there was a sin. However, there ARE other nurses that work for similar hospital from different congregations that are not threatened with judicial action......btw,she quit that job, took a low paying nursing job elsewhere and struggled. Not long afterward, she realized this situation seemed so wrong. Now, she is no longer associated with the Witnesses.
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  blondie

  I would have changed congregations to one where those other JWs went and were able to work there. But she took the better route.

  Blondie
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  minimus

  This woman was "new" in the "truth". She believed whatever the elders said because she thought they represented God's thinking.Imagine giving up your job for some idiot elder's opinion! I'm sure she's not the first person to make such a dreadful decision.
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  Pork Chop

  There is an enormous difference in congregations. That's why some have trouble believing some of the things they hear. I knew of one congregation in South Dakota where you would be counseled if you were heard to laugh out loud, the coldest place I ever experienced. And yeah, I've been in congregations that had Elders that at least bordered on groovy. Saw one bunch singing pretty decent 60s and 70s rock at a gathering a few years ago, some visiting from neighboring congregations just about fainted when they saw that stuff going on. The PO was a dancing fool as well.
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  minimus

  I know of a family that is considered extremely spiritual and they, along with their brothers and their families, had musical bands. They were considered and still are today, WONDERFUL!!! They use to play all the Witness weddings and now their kids are in a band that includes both JWs and "worldly" kids. In the neighboring congregations, no one could understand how they not only got away with that but also got circuit and district parts all the time.