Assemblified, Apostophobic & Lubby-Dubby.

by Englishman 4 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Englishman

  Well, tonight’s the night that all good dubs from this part of the UK will soon start the trek home from the Cardiff assembly. With a bit of luck, I will shortly be having a few beers with the only non-relative JW that I will even acknowledge, my old mate, the Dub in the pub. He's an elder, so the rules about not speaking with DF'd people don't apply to him.

  I’ve noticed that most JW’s fall into 2 distinct categories of post assembly trauma following the bounteous feast of light.

  On the one hand there is the exhausted, hungry, thank-God-that’s-over-for-another-year dub who is just longing to dump the kids at school, get back to work and mix with some real people for Christ’s sake.

  On the other hand there is the loved-up dub, eyes shining, aren’t –the-brothers-wonderful types, some of whom will have vowed never again to participate on forums such as this.

  Until the magic wears off!

  Personally, I have always found attending events at football stadiums is a lot more fun when actually watching football being played. Maybe some of the loved-up brigade should try attending a few lively soccer matches to see if what they experience isn’t profoundly more fun that what they experience from Brooklyn!

  Englishman.

  ..... fanaticism masquerading beneath a cloak of reasoned logic.
• 

  Gopher

  Englishman,

  I confess as having been in the 2nd category, the "loved up" dub. The conventions made us feel so much holier and more fortunate than the world that was about to perish. And of course THIS year's convention was the best ever (didn't we hear that every year??).

  And this was the year we were going to actually apply what was said. We were going to review the notes, read extra literature, whatever it took to be better "dubs".

  Like you said, "Until the magic wears off". This is similar to new year's resolutions many people make but forget within the first 10 days of the new year. After that, it's the same old same old.

  GopherNever bolt your door with a boiled carrot.
  Irish Proverb
• 

  Prisca

  Great post, Englishman.

  I remember coming back from the conventions, all holier-than-thou, thanks to a few days of non-stop association with my wonderful brothers and sisters.....

  Then over the years it became more of a "thank goodness it's over for another year". No more 7.30am starts for volunteering. No more making pre-packed lunches that bake in the sun during the sessions. And no more "isn't this evidence of Jehooovah's loooove" rubbish.

  Sigh.... I really enjoyed last year, as it was the first convention I didn't go to. Don't think I'll go this year's either!
• 

  TR

  The only fun I had during convention time was when a single friend of mine and I went to the Victoria B.C. convention in 1990. Being from the U.S., we wondered why the Canadians still charged for their literature at the door.

  Anyway, the fun part. We went to a pub and drank more than a few beers after the program. The next day my friend, a single JW, had his eyes on a beautiful JW girl. He asked her if they could get together, and she went and complained to the JW security! My friend got a theocratic dressing down from some local elders.

  On Saturday night, we went to Buschart Gardens. What a beautiful place, and a fantastic fireworks show!

  On the last night, we camped in an rv resort in tents. We drank until the wee hours forgetting about having to get up at 5 am for the ferry boat ride back to Port Angeles. We woke up just in time because I had to piss like a JW at an 8 day assembly. While I was pissing in a nearby bush, my buddy had to take the tent down and get everything packed. We made the ferry just as they were closing the gate.

  Those were the highest highlights of any convention I ever attended.

  TR

  "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every
  form of tyranny over the mind of man." --Thomas Jefferson*
• 

  Sincere

  Hi Englishman

  I think the reality of it is that you will find most of the Witnesses returning, feeling hugely relieved that it is over, but inwardly trying to convince themsleves that it was all worth it and made perfect, upbuilding sense.

  But since half the talks were only a semi-hypnotic murmur (as they pondered what work would be like, how to get that new project off the groundm the kids' education etc.), and those symposiums on the miraculous application of Hezekiah or Habbakuk to the modern-day people of Jah didn't really add up, they will quickly forget the meeting and hope that sometime the holy spirit will bring it all to the fore in the time of need .

  But truthfully, the one aspect they will remember, is the pleasant association. Now there's the real merit (if you can still do all the aforementioned things) of attending assemblies - a nice hello to old friends, and then a gentle turning off of the brain for a few days.

  Regards
  Sincere