Did you get " Counseled " about the Music you Listened to While you were a JW ?

by flipper 87 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  flipper

  From the time I was a small boy - I loved rock n' roll music. Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix. You name it . I started getting slighted for the music I listened to as I lay in my bedroom listening on headphones to Led Zeppelin's song " Black Dog " at age 14 with my elder dad looking suspiciously at me as I'm rocking out .

  Then one time coming home from attending a Giants-Dodgers baseball game at age 18 an elder in the car told me in no uncertain terms that the lyric in the group Golden Earring's song " Radar Love " was bad because it said, " when she gets loaded and I'm sure she's had enough " - then I corrected the jerk and told him the lyric went , " when she gets LONELY and I'm sure she's had enough " . Very frustrating. The power mongers just LOOK for negative things to nail us on. On another occasion I had some freakish " brother " come up to me and say to me, " Flipper ! You know the song by the Moody Blues called " Knights in White Satin " ? " I said, ' Yeah, I love that song ! " He continued , " Well it's called KNIGHTS in White Satin because it's promoting homosexuality with Knights becoming intimate with each other in white satin sheets ! "

  I swear to God you can't make this stuff up. I corrected him quickly and stated, " It's " NIGHTS in White Satin " you dolt and it's about a man being lonely for love if you listen to the context of the song ! " These are the types of JW's I had to deal with growing up in this cult. Idiots who thought they knew everything - but actually didn't know squat. Then the icing on the cake was when I was about 30 years old and had stepped aside as a Ministerial Servant a few years earlier - I had another " brother " a MS himself ask my then JW wife , " Do you think Flipper doesn't progress in the " truth " because he listens to rock n' roll music ? Has that prevented him from being a Ministerial Servant again ? "

  The JW's that I was surrounded by- had NO idea whatsoever about " boundaries " or how to mind your own damned business ! One reason I'm so glad to be away from those kinds of intruding people. Now I'm happier writing my own rock n' roll , blues, folk or whatever goddamned songs I want to write - WITHOUT interference ! Life is beautiful !

  I would love to hear about YOUR experiences of the elders or other JW's questioning your music while you were a JW . Anybody have some sordid tales to tell ? Let's hear them ! Take care everybody. Peace & love, Flipper
• 

  juandefiero

  My parents let me listen to Led Zeppelin...but counseled me about listening to Metallica.

  I was able to listen to Hendrix....but not Ozzy.

  I was allowed to listen to Stevie Ray Vaughn....but Velvet Revolver was out of the question.

  My crew leader in Bethel counseled me about listening to The Doors because "Break on Through (to the Other Side)" was supposedly written by the Demons and it was about the flood.
• 

  OUTLAW

  .

  ............................

  ..........................TODAYS...............................IS TOMORROWS ELEVATOR MUSIC..
  

  ..
• 

  JRK

  I had some of the same shit but later.

  I listened to music like you did. In fact we would have Dub kid parties and played it on the loudspeakers, Zep, Black Sabbath, Elton, Jethro Tull, etc. No elders ever went ice skating so no repricussions.

  Later on, I had an eldumb that bought a new car with an 8 track player. He asked if he could borrow an 8 track to play. Figuring he would be a douche nozzle, I loaned him Jeff Beck (an instrumental). He still busted my chops because one of the songs was "Constipated Duck."

  Total assholes they are. By the way, I am going to see Jethro Tull with OTWO in April.

  JK
• 

  144thousand_and_one

  I give the Watchtower credit for introducing me to punk rock. Back in the mid 1970s, a special meeting was held to warn parents about the horrible new phenomenon of punk rock. A film strip was shown with images of the Sex Pistols. I had never heard of them before, but when the JWs advised that they are famous for singing about hate, while spitting, peeing, and puking on their audiences, I had their "Never Mind the Bullocks" album the next day. Of course, like the rest of the JW lies, the Pistols did not pee, spit, or vomit on their audience, so I was a bit disappointed as a rebellious teenager. I loved them and still enjoy their music from time to time.
  
• 

  blondie

  I learned from my older jw male cousin not to leave my music out and not to talk about what I liked to anyone at the KH or at home. I remember a brother telling a teenager that the music he listened to was performed by homosexuals and fornicators.

  This brother loved classical music, including Tschaikovsky and Beethoven and LIszt and Chopin. Tschaikovsky was gay and the latter 3 were fornicators. I brought in an article about their private lives and shared it with him and 2 other elders who felt that classical music was safe. I gave the article to the teenagers in the circuit as well....quiet on that front.
• 

  sir82

  There was a CO, can't remember who now, but at every, yes, EVERY, circuit assembly while he was with us, he had at least one talk condemning "rock and ruin" music.
  
• 

  talesin

  No, because I hid my "demonic" albums inside the covers of "harmless" ones. mwah haha, you canNOT and never COULD take the rock and roll away from me. I was meek and a goody-two-shoes, but music and books? I diligently read secret library books under the covers and listened to my beloved music. That is how I survived childhood and adolescence. And that's no joke. xx tal Regards to Mrs. Flipper.

  PS. to JK - that is awesome! You two boys be good now, y'hear? xx
• 

  Finkelstein

  Sure the elders back when I was a teen, were men from the Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra era.

  When rock and roll came onto the scene, the elders were appalled of what they heard.

  Rock and Roll still has a tone of rebellion within itself , but that's partially the reason why teens are attracted to it, they are at an age of rebellion and Independence..
  
• 

  talesin

  I hope I never get past that age because that would mean I am complacent. I will always rebel against an unjust system (even if only by raising my cane) and maintain my independence (health permitting). xx tal /