What's the most ridiculous thing you were ever counselled on? (page 7)

shotgun

You all missed the obvious relevence of me holding the baby of that disfellowshipped couple...

Can't you see....

It's so obvious.....

I only held that child for 30 minutes and yet here I am, the effects have finally turned me apostate

The council was a loving provision from JEHOVER the God of Abraham, Isaak, Jacob, Chuck and Joey *Hands outstreatched to Heaven*

The council was just too late to help me...

The child had already had a lasting effect on me...

Not to mention the smell of his poopy diaper which took days for me to forget about....

Along a different line, as a teenager I started showing symptoms of anorexia (gee, couldn't have anything to do with being raised in a repressive, controlling religion, could it?) My mom took me to a doctor, who recommended counseling. So what did mom do? She invited a team of elders over to counsel me. I'm sitting there getting diet advice from an elder whose at least 50 pounds overweight, and another one whose about 60 years old and as in touch with this sort of problem as a garden snail.

Obviously, my problem was the result of some spirtual deficiency.

SanFranciscoJim

I was given public reproof for going to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the theater.

A newspaper reporter was interviewing those in attendance at the theater that night, and I agreed to an interview. My name appeared in the Sunday entertainment section of the paper, but nowhere did it mention that I was a JW. Nevertheless, I was taken downstairs that Sunday morning (an elder's wife spotted my name in the paper - what the heck was she doing reading about Rocky Horror in the first place?) and counseled very heavily about seeing movies with a "perverted" theme. The elders told me that I would likely stumble householders from the "truth" because of this. (I never identified myself by name out in field service, and there was no accompanying photo of me in the paper.)

Although announcements of public reproof were usually saved for Thursday nights during the Service Meeting, they couldn't wait for this one. The announcement was made between the public talk & Watchtower study that very Sunday that I had "smeared the good name of Jehovah's congregation".

micheal

Blacksheep: They are so brain dead !!!!! It is so hard to fathom that these stupid, uneducated, idiotic. short-sighted men actually provide advice and counsel to people!!

xjw_b12

The elders told me that I would likely stumble householders from the "truth" because of this. (I never identified myself by name out in field service, and there was no accompanying photo of me in the paper.)
Although announcements of public reproof were usually saved for Thursday nights during the Service Meeting, they couldn't wait for this one. The announcement was made between the public talk & Watchtower study that very Sunday that I had "smeared the good name of Jehovah's congregation".

SFJim. You should have gone to hall that day, dressed up as Frank N. Furter, and stood up and sang your rendition of Tutti Fruitti.

Valis

having skulls on my clothes and skateboard....and I got busted smoking a cig once.

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

blacksheep

"It is so hard to fathom that these stupid, uneducated, idiotic. short-sighted men actually provide advice and counsel to people!!"

Micheal: tell me about it. The highlight of the overweight guy's advice included "there's nothing wrong with having a burger, but just skip the fries if you are concerned about your weight."

I kid you not.

I certainly hope the JW's at least consider counseling with licensed medical/psychological professionals for people with similar problems now...

ballistic

I was counselled for knocking back 5 pints once! Of course I was only practising back then!

wheres caleb?

I knew a brother at Bethel who was counseled for wearing a tee-shirt that was green and had the number '10' on it. It was a Saturday and his day off, he was just going to eat breakfast and then go about his day. We were all smart enough not to wear a jersey that would be recognized as representing a specific team or player because this would suggest idolizing a certain 'sports-figure'. The tee-shirt in question was neutral but the home overseer still talked to him about it. The poor guy took it but lost it after the home overseer walked away. He felt humiliated and I spent much of my time before work, trying to calm him down. It was just petty stuff but he felt that he was judged and viewed as not 'knowing better'.

I was too busy giving counsel to elders. I found it easy to get inside their heads and believe me, it doesn't take much. I understood the 'witness-speak' and would expose their ignorance. A few would actually shake in my presence because I was used to evaluate discrepencies or inaccuracies in their teaching. I'm only writing this to let you know that the only power they had over us was the power we gave them. They are in a position of authority because they were appointed by a club, and they take our desire to please God, and exploit it as something mystical. I used to think that protecting the flock from these Pharisees was something noble, but I was deluded. You can't reason with people who exhibit no heart or ignore the simple message behind Jesus teachings.

Ask any 'spiritually-mature' witness (I use that designation lightly) if they love you? Examine their expression, or hesitation, or body-language. It will speak volumes to you about that person. If you still go to meetings, don't ask an elder if he loves you when he is about to counsel you ... you already know what he is going to say.

sandy

Everyone, your posts are great!

I was always the model JW who never did anything wrong. I was the type who would have agreed with the Elders for counseling all of you. How sad and pathetic is that!

My head wasn't screwed on right back then.

purchasing 500 thead count pillow cases when "the son of man has no place to rest his head".
6of9

sixofnine, that was really funny.

What's the most ridiculous thing you were ever counselled on?

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