Assembly memories

by freedom96 35 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Buster

  As teenage boys we thought it was neat to volunteer and work with the higher-ups at the big assemblies. Oooh the exceitement of counting those coupons and wrapping them up into packets. But it felt like we were the in-crowd.

  But I remember a DC in Taunton Mass where we boys decided it was time to take our beer consumption up a notch. We bought the beer, as 16-year-olds, at a liquor store directly across the street from the Dog Track (where the assembly was). One time we decided to drink it in an adjacent field. The field owner's son and his friends objected to the mess we left and that just about erupted into a rumble, including knives, right in the parking lot.

  But mostly we drank it in a neat little place we found - an underground walkway that the tellers use when the track is running. And we ahd a lot. We got caught, but brother Adams decided to let us keep it quiet.
• 

  Country Girl

  And everyone wonders why JWs are not "the happiest people on Earth."

  No one that is unfree is happy. People need to be free to be happy. With the JW's, you are told what to wear, how to act, what to say, what to do, what to believe, what not to believe. You are pestered with fear. Fear is a very detrimental emotion to the human psyche. You fear natural human emotions like passion, laughing, desire, joy... all the good things of life.. because you feel like having these emotions makes you LESS of a Witness. To have these emotions shows that you are enjoying, too entirely, your life in the world as it is. No Witness wants to see you have these emotions, because to do that would show that you are enjoying this world too much, and NO ONE wants to be part of THIS world.. YECK!

  The only good memories I have of the Witnesses is the times that we were free. The times that we went skating, just the kids, and just did kid stuff. The times we had park picnics and we all played volleyball. Wasn't and couldn't that be portrayed as an exercise in serving God? God makes all the animals play and have fun. And rejoice in their lives. They do their stuff like mating, setting up for the winter, gathering food... and still they manage to have fun! All animals i have ever seen LOVE to have fun.. but after they do their main stuff... like finding a mate, mating a mate.. and raising their children.. but in all between it.. they have a blast. Life is joy... God meant for us to live our lives with joy.. and I'll be damned if some religon is gonna put the kibosh on it!

  I truly believe that God has a sense of humour and fun.. else where would we get it? We see all the animals exhibit it.. he didn't mean for us to sit in five hours of meetings a week and talk about philosophy.. he MADE ths life... and he made us to LOVE it, and he made us to LIVE IT.

  CG
• 

  Beans

  Assembly memories

  Yes thats what they are!

  Beans

  http://Quotes.JehovahsWitnesses.com
• 

  Ravyn

  ok time for a lighter post on this subject?

  I was at a DC in Macon GA in about 1979ish and they had homemade frozen yogurt in these little tiny papercups. So I have my strawberry frozen yogurt and I was leaning over the opening on the rail flirting with some brothers who were looking up (and getting a great view) when this sister with huge hair--teased up red hair about a foot off her head-walked under me and just at that time my frozen yogurt fell out of the cup and landed squarely right on top of her hair. She didn't feel it and kept going! I raced down to try to catch her, but when I got there she was long gone. The whole rest of sessions I was scanning the crowd to find her...I never saw her again.

  Just wondering what she must have thought when it started to melt and ran down her neck.....

  Ravyn
• 

  Country Girl

  I only remember the sessions going on until 6 at night. What is the end point these days? They are asking SO MUCH of the R&F these days: support us by buying the literature... going out on your OWN TIME to regain your money back.. and then dropping it into the contribution box for the "worldwide work." What kinda shit is that? The R&F don't know what to believe these days.. one doctrine, ytou get one hundred million versions of it.. nobody knows what to believe. This religion is being supported ONLY by the R&F.

  I hated assemblies. Absolutely HATED them. Sittin there for hours and hours with my four brothers.. having to watch all of them.. because as a good JW wife, my Mother shucked her responsibilities onto her oldest child and I had to watch and babysit all my little brothers.. all four of them.. and I was 9, while she preached the Kingdom. My Mom figured that I could take on the role of SuperMom at this point. She sucked.. But I did what I had to do. I watched all of them. Else, who else was gonna take care of em? Not her. I made sure they all behaved.. I made sure they all had food, clothing, etc. The way I did that was making sure my Dad felt guilty if they didn't have a tie, or suit, or soemthing for the meetings. I made my Dad feel guilty if they didn't have food for the week. I am NOT kidding you, my Mother was the Super Pioneer of the Century and she absolutely felt that the whole family had to revolve around her disgusting role in this cult. My whole life was lost to takin care of HER responsibilities.

  She was so involved with the KINGDOM MINISTRY.. that Screw all the children she made.. she was gonna preach the Kingdom for God's sake! Or ELSE. That's how it was.

  CG
• 

  betweenworlds

  Ok, here's something that would happen at EVERY district assembly.

  It would come time for the drama and the speaker would make the announcement that WHEN TAKING PICTURES, PLEASE DO NOT USE FLASH BULBS! well no sooner would the lights go down and *FLASH*!, *FLASH*!, *FLASH*! I always wondered who the flying fig these idiots were? apparently the no flash rule didn't apply to them

  LOL!

  betweenworlds
• 

  RubaDub

  Country Girl

  Point well taken. Our time is not our own. Way too much is pre-programmed and a good dub has little if any time to do things that one might find enjoyable.

  This topic came up last week. When I hear the "only 5 meetings a week" thing, a reasonable person would look right through it. Here is a part of comments from last week:

  We always hear that it's only 5 hours a week and 2 or 3 hours for service. But that is a complete joke.

  Let's face it, especially if you have one or more children, two nights per week are used for the TMS,SM and Book Study. By the time you begin to get ready, shower, dress, travel, be there 20 minutes or so early to fellowship, etc. etc. the evenings are gone, zap. Another night you typically will have a family study. Ok, no travel, but still, that limits what you can do that night.

  Then if preparation for the meetings is done the way suggested, it will take at least another full evening including the Watchtower, the Isaiah book, the TMS, SM, Bible reading for the week, etc. That's four evenings so far "used." Just maybe, a family has to go to the store, do some things that "normally" people do. And we haven't even mentioned homework if there are kids involved!!!!

  On the weekend, Saturday morning is used for field service. If you have your meeting Sunday afternoon that sort of messes up the morning since you can't get too involved with anything or go anywhere since you have to be back home by noon to get ready.

  Then, we have those special privledges of student talks, service meeting parts, demonstrations, aux. pioneering, assemblies, special assembly days, visits by the CO, special this, special that.

  Now, people do need to go stores, to the mall, take care of jobs around the house, take care of ones car, help children with homework, projects for school, etc. Maybe there are other family responsibilities with other family members.

  At this point we haven't mentioned anything about recreation or really doing anything for anyone else.

  After looking at everything that has been pre-programmed for us to do, it is not surprising that people don't show love to one another because there isn't any time !!!!

  Our lives are too complex today. There is no doubt about it. There is more pressure every day from a variety of sources. Having so much of our time pre-programmed for ANY purpose is just wrong. Just plain wrong.

  *****Rub a Dub
• 

  BluesBrother

  The sad thing is that I can remember a time when I really did enjoy those assemblies. You felt so much a part of a "Special people" . We were different to the world outside. Twickenham Stadium was our world for that time - and I remember one that lasted for eight days. I slept in a communal marquee (tent) within the gounds, lived on awful convention food and lapped up all the talks . When we sang songs it was moving. ... After all, the world outside was doomed THIS is where it was all happening , and Armageddon might come before the next one. .......but it never did.

  You can laugh, it is pathetic

  . As time went by and I got married and had a life to cope with , the assemblies seemed less important and motivating and I began to see the difficulties others had in attending . Eventually- it must have been in the mid 90's I wrote to the Society. I had been assigned the annual Service meeting item on the does and donts at the assembly . By now the food had gone and I told them I could not enthuse the brothers to take a heavy flask of water and believe that it was an improvement , as the item said . I did not want to discourage them going to First Aid , as the item said . I cared amout the elderly arthritic sisters who suffered real pain in attending, and a few other things as well

  They sent me a patronizing letter back ,implying that I did did have appreciation for Jehovah's provisions.

  It was not long after that that I became inactive and now, thank god, my eyes are open to it all.
• 

  jesusstolemyhotrod

  as a teenager i remember most that the best thing about the assemblies was walking around after and during the sessions, checking out all the girls.....i think they called them coridor cuties for awhile......for me it was always about the babes
• 

  cruzanheart

  Dear BluesBrother, don't feel pathetic. I felt the same way and sometimes I miss the feeling very much, that feeling of being special. It's kind of hard to get over! And it wasn't all bad times - I can remember some fun things about the assemblies too, and the excitement of new releases, new dramas, the possibility that a perfectly gorgeous rich pioneer would walk into my life. Hey, I wasn't the only single girl thinking that!

  But I'd rather know the truth than live a lie. Wasn't that a Watchtower quote somewhere?

  Nina