Sisters

by truthlover123 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  truthlover123

  During the first talk tonight, the brother giving the talk indicated that now comments were to include sisters! Previously mostly only brothers were mentioned in most prayers or comments - has anyone else heard this tonight?

  The meeting seemed to be positioned directly to and about sisters. I was not there so am not sure if this is a direct comment.

  Thanks

  PS- if so, this is a directive from Head Office.. and it has taken a long time to happen. What burns my a... is that they had to wait until they were told to be kind. and inclusive.. (normally, women are third class, after the male children, after all if a male child of 11 is baptized, women are to listen to him when in a car group when no adult male is present)---if this is the case.
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  carla

  I'm not a jw, never been to a meeting- don't the women usually raise their hand to comment? or was it always only men? Or are you specifically talking about praying for someone, men only? Then again I didn't think jw's prayed for any specific members of the cong. Can you clear this up for me? thanks.
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  alanv

  Both women and men are able to comment at meetings. They just dont allow the women to stand on the platform and directly teach the congregation. No reason why women cant be mentioned in prayers or the men.
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  waton

  directly teach the congregation, fact is, in some western congregations, during audience participation parts the ladies do 90 % of the teaching and ordereng the congregation "to do, to remember.--" etc in the imperative sense, with all the alpha males listening in silence, like good little boys. The wt conductor for all practical purposes presides over the teaching by females in stark contrast to I Cr. 14. the letter of Paul to Timothy.

  right or wrong, teaching was to be the male domaine, childbearing the female.

  If ladies want to teach. let them start that kind of a religion. all power to them.

  Let us see what overlap doctrines/ disfellowshipping shunning they can come up with, they can come up with.
  
  
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  carla

  I always thought it was just plain dumb to say women don't teach in dubland. If the women are commenting they are in essence 'teaching'. What about at the doors or their so called 'bible studies'? They are already teaching.

  How about all those female pioneers running around the country side, they are attempting to teach the masses as well.

  I guess the only place they don't actually teach is at the carts where they do all they can not to make eye contact or speak with anybody.
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  blondie

  carla, the WTS policy is that women cannot teach baptized men in the congregation. There are many rules as to when they can teach others outside the congregation. Bible studies and on return visits or calling on at people's homes, they can teach non-jws. When jw women can pray at meetings held before going out and calling at people's home but with a headcovering because they are representing God in an official capacity (through arrangements by the elders). In some congregations there are not any qualified men, so some jw women, moderate congregation bible studies or discussions of the WT, and pray, all with a proper headcovering (not a napkin or similar) with the direction of a representative of the WT (such as the CO).

  I am not supporting the WT rules/policies, just clarifying what they are officially. If someone were to say to a jw, that women are not allowed to teach anyone at all, it would give the jw an opportunity to point out this misunderstanding, and not address the issue that women are not respected even for the teaching they do calling on people at their homes.

  The most important work, that Jesus said and the WTS highlights officially, is preaching and teaching. But the bulk of that is done by women, while the men concentrate on what they feel is more important, being an elder or ministerial servant, or having "privileges" not offered to women, giving public talks, parts on assemblies/conventions. In some cases, I have never see some elders/ministerial servants going with a group of jws in calling on people in their homes.
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  RubaDub

  and pray, all with a proper headcovering (not a napkin or similar)

  Blondie ...

  Forgive my lack of research on this, but when I was little and went to my grandparents for lunch, my grandmother would put a napkin or paper on her head to pray if my grandfather was not in the room.

  I didn't know there was some sort of official head covering to wear.

  Rub a Dub
  
  
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  careful

  I don't think truthlover123's OP is speaking about the sisters teaching, and I don't want to take his/her OP and send it off in another direction. He/She spoke about comments and prayers including sisters in their subject matter—that's all. I've been inactive for decades so, as to his/her request about anyone else hearing this reputed change, well, I can't comment on that.

  I can, however, relate that when I was in and would speak out giving the PT in congregations not my own, I was, as was the custom, asked to give the closing prayer after the WT study. I usually made it a point to include the sisters in my prayers along with anyone I felt might be neglected in the cong. On many occasions afterward, sisters would come up to me and thank me for giving them even this tiny bit of attention.
  
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  blondie

  RubaDub, if it was a cloth napkin no problem, but a paper napkin, paper towel, kleenex, etc., would be viewed as disrespectful even by non-jws.

  As to the OP, I can remember back in the 60's and 70's, the WTS often said brothers when they meant brothers and sisters. In this more enlightened time, in general, non-jws use gender neutral words more, men and women, he/she, etc., and the WTS has followed suit in their publications. I am not surprised that perhaps some men might not see why it is so important to use words that include women.

  I remember one anointed woman in the congregation, would say "brothers" under her breath whenever a man from the platform said "brothers" when he meant "brothers and sisters." That was in the early 60's. She was ahead of her time. She would have appreciated seeing this addressed officially, especially in regard to prayers.

  For men who don't see why this makes many women feel left out and unimportant, try mentally putting just the word "women" in a sentence when it is obvious that both men and women are meant.
• 

  iwantoutnow

  During the first talk tonight, the brother giving the talk indicated that now comments were to include sisters! Previously mostly only brothers were mentioned in most prayers or comments - has anyone else heard this tonight?

  I really dont understand what you mean? "comments were to include sisters" ????