serena williams (page 2)

liam

The lyrics are..............well, not very "Godly"

But How is that Different from all the Child Sexual abuse committed by "Holy Spirit Appointed Elders" that has been covered up since the 50s according to the ARC?

Magnum

But How is that Different from all the Child Sexual abuse committed by "Holy Spirit Appointed Elders" that has been covered up since the 50s according to the ARC?

That's just simply a different subject. It's two different topics.

Also, you mentioned earlier that you don't see anything wrong with the what Serena did; well, you're speaking from your own perspective. This is not about how we view what she did; this is about the JW perspective... how it looks to longtime JWs who have been told for decades that the whole damned world was to about perish any minute and who were constantly - constantly - strongly counseled against everything related to the whole Serena thing - the association, the "worldliness", the look, the feel,... everything. Hell, I caught flak from the platform by an elder for going to damned Disney World. Many JWs would look down on one who simply attended the Super Bowl... much more so getting up on stage with a bunch like she was with.

I'm guessing you are young and just don't get it. Just her being on stage with a bunch of rappers dressed like thugs should be shocking to any JW of my generation. It implies friendship; it implies approval; it implies condoning of their lifestyle and morals (or lack thereof). You weren't a JW in the 70's or 80's or 90's, were you?

liam

You weren't a JW in the 70's or 80's or 90's, were you?

LOL, I wasn't even born. I'm still in my twenties. My family is sort of JWs but not real strong since Covid.

I guess those years were a pretty crazy time to be a Jehovah Witness.

It's not like that anymore. Only the old timers are very strict, but the young ones don't pay any attention to them. Of course there are some young ones that want to be elders but not very many. Even then, those wanna be elders go to night clubs, do Serena stuff, and don't take all the rules seriously.

I don't attend the Kingdom Hall anymore, but once in a while I go to hear a relative's talk and the kingdom Halls are not like most JWs describe them.

Here's a post on reddit who describes exactly what a Kingdom Hall looks like these days. Keep in mind that almost all the men and boys have beards, very few of the women wear dresses, Some of the speakers wear a tie, a coat and tennis shoes. It's not like my dad tells me that they used to all wear suits, ties, dress shoes, and the women were all dressed in nice modest dresses.

Oh, and most don't attend the KH, they ZOOM, Plus, nobody really goes out in service door to door anymore. It's carts and letter writing.

You can read the rest here to get an idea of what a KH looks like now days.He describes it pretty well.

Is it just me or does the atmosphere feel different? Or should I say indifferent?

I wonder if it’s because I am PIMO, but I honestly think there is a lack of enthusiasm and apathy now.

These are things I have noticed:

Yesterday, the attendant minding the front door could barely muster a smile. He just looked put out to be there at all. At least a third of the congregation strolled in late. A lot are openly texting on their phone.

Also, frumpiness and sloppiness seem to be acceptable now. Running shoes with suits. Very casual and sometimes wrinkled pants worn by the boys handling the mics. I personally couldn’t care less what people wear, my point is that these things would not have been acceptable in the past (pre-pandemic and pre-changes to dress and grooming)

It’s interesting that I have seen the wife of an elder at maybe 4 meetings in the past year and their 2 children once. Apparently on Zoom. Good for them, but aren’t they supposed to be “exemplary”? 😏

The same people commenting meeting after meeting and the same small group of sisters who actually give talks.

Am I being hopeful in this gradual decline of enthusiasm? I wonder.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/1imaglr/my_fellow_pimos_does_it_feel_different_at_the/

Anony Mous

@liam: your experience depends strongly on your congregation. Even back in the day, the foreign language congregations were like that, but there are plenty of others that are still very strict.

Also, you are speaking as an inactive youngster, once you get deeper into it, get older, speak against the organization, commit a “sin”, your experience will change quickly.

Magnum

liam, that makes sense. Thanks for the info. So, you reallly won't be able to comprehend, and I understand why; no fault on your part.

Back in those earlier days, any congreagation I'm aware of would have been shocked to see a JW do what Serena did, and it's really not the dancing, but just being there in that situation... and her look which would indicate extreme "worldliness" or friendship with the world to a JW back then.

It is so different now. The religion back then was strict. The endtimes mindset was strong. The separateness from the world mentality was strong. You'd just have to have experienced it.

liam

Magnum Back in those earlier days, any congreagation I'm aware of would have been shocked to see a JW do what Serena did, and it's really not the dancing, but just being there in that situation......The endtimes mindset was strong.

Sounds like I dodged a bullet.

Today, just about everyone 30 years old and below, don't give a hoot about what others do. It's more of a place where all your friends you grew up with go there, and you go there to hang out with them. Once some get married, they basically stop going to the KH, step down from privileges, and stay away from elders.

I guess that's what you call FADING.

Most stay on ZOOM for the sake of parents, but most don't believe in the END TIMES. They all know 607 is wrong.They know about all the child sex abuse in the organization. They know it's just another religion being supported by boomers and gen X.

The next generation of born ins will be even more vocal about not having anything to do with Watchtower. Especially since the parents who are 25-30 years old today are just in for the sake of parents.

Two more generations of born in and it's over for the Watchtower.

DisgruntledFool

Technically, Serena Williams was not a 'cheerleader' at this event, however this is what young people were told back in 1992 in regards to cheering for a school sports team:

"Could a Christian really be "dedicated" to something as vain as promoting school spirit? Hardly; nor would it be appropriate for a Christian youth to urge a crowd to chant slogans or to sing songs that glorify violence or idolize teams and sports heroes. And as mentioned previously, the dangers of "bad associations" is a valid concern. (1 Corinthians 15:33) Too, let us not forget the obvious problems that could result from parading around - and dancing- in the immodest attire cheerleaders are often required to wear! (Timothy 2:9)" g92 2/8 pp 11-13

I'm with Magnum...FUCK EM!

The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses is composed of FAKERS, FOOLS, FRAUDS AND FUCK-UPS! Thus it has always been...thus it shall always be.

Many of the old timers here remember when brothers were counseled if they didn't wear a white shirt, wore multi colored socks and didn't wear a suit (matching pants and coat) and when sisters were hounded to keep their dresses and skirts at exactly the middle of their knees!

Diogenesister

Apart from anything else the length of her skirt would be an issue right there!

As an aside I was thinking yesterday how small the world is now and how American cultural hegemony has multiplied due the internet. For instance my British kids stayed up all night watching the superbowl with their mates - a "watch party"! I don't exaggerate when i say very few of my generation would even know what it was (I'm sure other Brits would back me up here!)

My kids also pronounce things in an American way like the word Dune they say "Doon" like Americans, not the British way "DJune" (a sort of june with a slight D at the front). There's so many words like that Gen Z no longer pronounce in the British way. My grandparent's generation had regional accents from one village to the next nearly....now the world is one cultural village (well the western Anglophone world anyway)

truthlover123

Liam: take it from the members onboard who are older and more experienced.

In no way would Serena be condoned for her actions. you, being in your 20's have indeed dodged a bullet. Years ago, it was mandatory for a man to wear a suit and tie with a white shirt only. No sports jackets, no color shirts. Women to dress modestly. If one was rumored to be having an affair, elders or certain ones in the congregation took to peeping in windows to try and catch them. Large gathering of kids not allowed. Hard to even have a party for kids and young adults- many were cancelled when found out. Meetings three times a week, children and wife in subjection- study for meetings took time and effort. NO such thing as a computer to check things out- everything by the book- their book. Service mandatory. Comments were listened to closely and if you gave an answer that could be taken as a slur against the org. you could be hauled up by a committee of three men. Raked over the coals, and told not to do so again. Total subjection to a massive org that behind closed doors were gaining power and real estate at the expense of the congregations. At the same time, child abuse was going on while org burned all other religions for doing the same thing and that the org was the only true religion. It is a bait and switch program- study and learn about God then obey the organization as God speaks only to the GB. So there is a lot more but gives you an idea of the great time you missed.

Anony Mous

Sounds like Liam is in a spiritually weak congregation. Just needs 1 shakeup from a strict CO and how many people would fall in line? That's what the GB is most concerned about, they don't care you have 200 people in your congregation, they only need the ones that are contributing and those are the strict ones that lay the heavy load on others.

Read some of my and other stories here from the past. Not even that long ago, my two eldest wear the scars and one of them is not even an adult yet, the other just barely. You think that doesn't happen in your congregation? You have blinders.

serena williams

Share this