Observed at the Memorial

by john.prestor 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • john.prestor
    john.prestor

    So i went to the Memorial the other night, there's a kingdom hall on the bus route back from a local college where I was doing some research and admiring the architecture. I'm in my street clothes, I look nice but I stood out like a sore thumb. I went in as it started and got a seat in the back. This lady next to me tried to show me scriptures, I kinda blew her off enough that she stopped and left me to myself. I got the vibe they do that knowingly or not to see if you'll obey them: Look at the scripture, listen to me read or explain it, do as I say. I'd welcome other posters thoughts on that.

    As the speaker starts talking I see these two attendants come up behind me kinda to my right and hover and whisper to one another and then I heard the one say, 'Keep an eye on him.' The second usher went and sat a few rows ahead of me I guess in case I charged the stage or something. It creeped me out.

    When they went to pass out the 'loaf (of bread, what happened to of bread, a loaf of what?)' the attendant turned half-around in his seat and eyed me like crazy, I dunno how he thought I didn't notice... or maybe he wanted to intimidate me, who knows. I got the impression they knew about Kingdom Hall crashes and expected me to stand up shout somethung and then chug the wine that isn't Jesus but I didn't, just passed it along like everybody else, I will never get over what a weird 'celebration that is. Then I just got up and left.

    The whole thing creeped me out. If I wasn't a researcher and I didn't know anything about them and I saw them pull a stunt like that, I would get a bad impression immediately. I did get a bad impression immediately. But it doesn't change my impression of them: just more surveillance at the hands of 'loving shepherds.'

  • stillin
    stillin

    I noticed some of the Witnesses leaning in to share their tablets with visitors during the songs. But the song's lyrics are up there on a large screen!

  • Crazyguy2
    Crazyguy2

    Anyone that looks or is dressed different is looked at with suspicion anymore.

  • Sea Breeze
    Sea Breeze
    This lady next to me tried to show me scriptures, I kinda blew her off enough that she stopped and left me to myself. I got the vibe they do that knowingly or not to see if you'll obey them: Look at the scripture, listen to me read or explain it, do as I say. I'd welcome other posters thoughts on that.

    I think it has to do with roles. Jehovah's Witnesses are not like the former Bible Students that my great-grand mother joined in the early '20s. They are no longer "students" in their mind. They can only be teachers. They only relate to non-JW's in a superior teacher role.

    This was one of the things that really irked me as a kid. Even when members didn't have a clue, they still considered themselves as your teacher.



  • moreconfusedthanever
    moreconfusedthanever

    I think they share their bibles with those who don't have them as a way of trying to make people feel welcome and all warm and fuzzy. I do not think that lady had any sinister motives.

    Too bad the "attendants' were having a "power" feeling and ended up making you feel unwelcome. I am sure others noticed too and they will have less attendees next year because of it.

  • john.prestor
    john.prestor

    Yeah it gave me a bad vibe, they make this big effort to invite the public and somebody walks in who looks like the public and they get all weird. I thought about saying something when I went to leave but I didn't know which attendance watched me and which didn't.

    SeaBreeze, that fits with what I saw. It's like I heard the speaker quote the verse, why do I need to look at it on your tablet? What am I going to see on your tablet except the same words I just heard?

  • APieceOfShitNamedTate
    APieceOfShitNamedTate

    What surprises me as a born in JW is the fact that even when someone claims to be of the anointed, absolutely nobody believes them. Someone partook of the emblems last night at my kingdom hall, and there was a person right next to me (an attendant) that audibly disagreed with it. I mean he actually made a sound of disdain, and he DID NOT try to hide it. The person that partook is well known in our congregation. If they'll do that to their own "brothers and sisters", then you know how they feel about outsiders. Don't feel bad.

  • john.prestor
    john.prestor

    That's rude. It's a ritual about acknowledging the inferiority they assign you.

  • LV101
    LV101

    It's a crazy religion for sure - I give you credit for staying but at least you witnessed the weirdness.

  • zeb
    zeb

    when I was fading I attended a memorial and wine came to me and was nigh snatched out of my hand by the attendant.

    I have no doubts i was being talked about and perhaps were frightened i might partake.

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