This one really freaked me out. I was so brainwashed at the time I found a way to justify it. I think I?ve been repressing my anger about this and now I need to vent.
Basically, a brother, a really nice guy, had a heart attack and began to die during the ministry school. A brother ran off to the fire station as they had some lifesaving skills whilst we waited for the ambulance.
Would you believe it, the PO got up and said words to the effect that nothing is to stop us feeding at Jehovah?s table! Yep ? the show must go on! And it did. Everyone sat there listening to the talk trying to ignore what was happening. It was a total parody of what spirituality is supposed to be about. Rules first, people third (rules second too).
The fire brigade arrives. The talk continues. I?m mortified at the unfolding sickening spectacle. I looked at the faces of the firemen and it said it all, ?These Witnesses are totally heartless bastards. One of there own is dieing, and they just carry on, business as usual.?
Then the paramedics arrived. And still the talk about some bullshit went on. The paramedics began the electric shock therapy to try and re-start his heart. Poor guy is lying there with his shirt ripped open, face gone blue.
And still the talk went on, and on, and on. Just about all the sisters, all the children and half the brothers were openly weeping. Eventually the whole situation got so upsetting that the elder giving the talk just couldn?t continue.
Up got the PO again. ?Under the circumstances the women and children should go home. The brothers should remain.? Of course, almost no-one left as the families came together in the same car. I liked the PO but I could have knocked him out cold that day. Eventually, human compassion just, and I tell you only just, won the day and the meeting was cancelled. It took a brother dying on the floor to put the rules second, and I tell you that if the ?worldly? people (you know, the ?evil? ones) had not been present that meeting would have continued right to the end.
I was utterly ashamed and felt at the time that a great reproach had been heaped upon Jehovah?s name. I was disgusted.
But this episode only comes second in my WitchTower shame archives. I?ll relate that another day.
Did I mention how glad I am to be out?