Hello,
A number of weeks ago I made a comment in one of my posts regarding the WTS desire to control every aspect of its adherents lives including the most spontaneous of human emotions. I drew attention to the fact that JW's are even instructed how and when to smile. Would this be true, it is of course evidence that the grip that the WTS has on the average JW is at the deepest level of a persons psyche and subsequently presents dangers that are often not recognized even to the JW's themselves.
I received no fewer than four messages from JW 'lurkers' who informed me that though they normally enjoy my posts they felt that my comments were extreme and that what I outlined was not their personal experience.
I wish to post a number of comments from WTS literature to illustrate my point :
*** km 9/82 2 Meetings to Help Us Make Disciples ***In field service: Christian manners require that one be presentable when in field service — neat, clean, shoes shined, hair combed, clothing pressed. A sincere and friendly smile and greeting are also part of Christian manners.A person is given no choice, either they smile as they meet people in their Ministry, or they are devoid of 'Christian manners'
*** km 3/84 5 Magazines Point the Way to Life ***Do not stand like a signpost merely holding up the magazines, but walk about the street, offering the magazines to those standing at the curb and to persons in parked cars, also to those walking down the street. Smile, look directly at the person and speak."
Is this presented as an option?
*** km 11/85 5 Meeting the Challenge of Apartment Witnessing *** 24 "I like to stand so that I am clearly visible to the householder peering through his peephole rather than standing off to the side, out of the householder’s sight line," suggests another publisher. "I smile as though I am on camera.
Another 'publisher' deviously demonstrates how he has taken this admonition to heart by admitting that his smile is an act.
*** km 8/93 3 Telephone Witnessing-A Way to Reach Many ***Making the Actual Call: A warm, pleasing voice is needed for effective telephone witnessing. The smile on your face will be reflected in your tone of voice. Speak slowly and clearly, using sufficient volume.
Telephone witnessing? Well, the presumption is that smiling is part of the process.
*** km 9/96 1 Be an Example in Speaking and in Conduct *** 3 Be an Example in Speaking: A friendly smile and a warm greeting are vital elements of our presentation of the good news. When we flavor our introduction with warmth and sincerity, we let the householder know that we are genuinely interested in him.
Smiling is not vital to anything. It is a genuine display of spontaneous emotion, not a useful trick. Just to prove the usefulness of the 'Kingdom Smile', one can see just how powerful it is.
*** w92 12/15 25 Reaching "All Sorts of Men" in Belgium ***
At a bus stop, a Witness initiated a conversation with an African lady simply with a warm smile
I have never been able to master the technique of smiling and talking simultaneously, obviously I lack faith.
HS