Memories of Excessive Laughter

by Sea Breeze 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Sea Breeze

  JW's are not known for laughter. There are the rare exceptions. They are more known for their fear mongering and doomsday scenarios where "the dead shall come to be as manure on the surface of the ground from one end of the earth clear to the other". - Jeremiah 25: 33

  This was my dad's favorite scripture that he paraphrased anytime I wanted to have a father / son talk.

  By contrast, after leaving WT, we had an assistant Baptist pastor at a church we attended from Tennessee. He was hysterical. The main pastor was German, a little reserved by nature, but would giggle on demand when Pastor Mac (Irish) let loose on one of many funny sayings. The Pastors and deacons would sometimes pass a rubber chicken to each other at services.... supposedly for some sort of award I didn't fully understand, but didn't care since it was too, too funny.

  The main pastor, would often quote Proverbs 17: 22 in sermons from time to time:

  "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

  I remember thinking that in 33 years of WT instruction from infancy, I had never heard that scripture quoted. A good laugh is very healthy.... unless you are a JW. Then, it is bad.

  Here the WT seeks to warn against the dangers of excessive laughter:

  "Excessive laughter can at times lead to vomiting. Especially in the case of children, too much laughter can cause the sphincter muscles of the bladder and the rectum to relax suddenly, with embarrassing results". - g72 1/8 pp. 3-4 Can Laughter Benefit Your Health?

  I don't think assistant Pastor Mac would have made a very good JW.
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  nicolaou

  Sea Breeze:

  JW's are not known for laughter. There are the rare exceptions.

  What a ridiculous and sweeping generalisation. JW's are like any other group, some take everything seriously whilst others see the funny side. In fact, since the endless treadmill of in person meeting attendance, reporting field service hours and door to door work has been slashed I've noticed my JW family enjoying life much more.

  You're so keen on Jesus Sea Breeze so how about using him as an example. Show me one instance in the bible where Jesus laughed.

  Just one.
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  Sea Breeze

  What a ridiculous and sweeping generalisation.

  Yes. And warranted in my opinion, especially among the leadership. Typical WT content included doomsday messages, fear tactics, guilting, co-dependency, mind control techniques, scripted retarded messages, speakers terrified of saying something "unapproved", no sports, no "worldly asssociation", how to remain "spotless and without blemish", boring propheitc timelines with types, and anti-types, near zero messsages on grace and mercy, etc., etc. etc. Not exactly comedy material.

  The JW lifestyle, as I remember growing up was like a prisoner loaded down with rules, impossible duties, and drudery that can be summed up as 1. do more 2. run faster, 3. jump higher

  I remember people being on edge, living with a seige mentality where armageddon could break out any minute and UN security forces will likely try to kill us as we watch Jehovah "kill ten thousand at our very side" (remember that Kingdom song?)

  It was a laugh a minute.

  
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  TonusOH

  Most of the JWs I knew were pretty normal. I can remember a couple of people who were sour most of the time, the kind of people who responded to "good morning" with "what's so good about it?" And there were some MS and elders who let the position get to their heads and could suck the fun out of any gathering. But I found most of them to be kind and friendly people.

  Ironically, part of that perception probably comes from my frame of reference. My mother is one of the most dour and bitter people I have ever known. She rarely let her guard down. She could be perfectly nice around other JWs, though you could see where it was forced from time-to-time. But with her family, she was as negative and downtrodden a person as I can ever imagine. Compared to her, even the most contrarian JW was pretty mellow.

  I think the dividing line was that some JWs were anxious for that last day to happen, while most were content to live their lives without worrying about it. To me, it seems as if the more hardcore you were, the more miserable you were. Because the greatest day of your life was so, so close but never, ever arrived.
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  DesirousOfChange

  JW's are not known for laughter.

  I tend to think that JWs are good for lots of laughs these days.

  
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  Biahi

  I agree with Sea Breeze. JWs, as a group, especially the super PIMIs, are sour, serious people.
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  WingCommander

  I dunno; seeing Stephen Lett in action is not only bizarre, but down right hysterical. I mean seriously, he's Bozo the Clown meets Marshall Applewhite. How can you NOT laugh at the absurdity of it all?

  If not for laughter, I'd have to cry at the shitshow this cult has become.

  That, or do what Anthony Moron da Turd does, and lift a glass and exclaim, "Cheers!"
  
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  Ron.W.

  Good thread.

  A good friend once asked the elders why they were holding me back from being appointed.

  Their answer:

  'He's too happy. Always laughing and making others laugh, Also, he's too self contained. Us elders holding him back doesn't bother him, and we elders don't like that..'

  Amazingly, the next co came along - I told him what the elders had said, and he appointed me over their heads!
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  Sea Breeze

  That is funny!

  "Now, Bro. Ron W,

  The Body is concerned that you haven't heeded the warning about the hidden dangers of laughter that the Slave has brought to our attention:
  
  'Excessive laughter can at times lead to vomiting....laughter can cause the sphincter muscles of the... rectum to relax suddenly, with embarrassing results'. - g72 1/8 pp. 3-4 Can Laughter Benefit Your Health?

  Now, you wouldn't want to be guilty of causing sphincter failure in the congregation would you? We are sure that you will make the necessary adjustments to your personality so that all our sphincters will remain tight as a drum".

  The WT makes Dumb and Dumber look like geniuses!
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  AtLeastImNot

  I think it depends on the congregation how much humor and laughter is apparent and acceptable. When I first visited a KH, I was appalled by what I had always felt was disrespectful in a church. There was whispering, note passing, openly sharing candy, snickering sotto voce comments. I was raised Catholic, and woe to me and my siblings if we didn’t kneel up straight god forbid we talked. And candy?

  in the second congregation I attended, there was too much infighting for anyone to be laughing at much of anything.