We went to a college football game tonight. I thoroughly enjoyed the singing of the national anthem. Stood up, without a 2nd thought that there should ever be a reason why I shouldnt. And thought back to all those times as a JW the nervous stomach I would experiece as anything patriotic was about to be done. My son stood up, all excited, and then I heard the father behind me tell his son to take his hat off, so I quickly followed suit and told my son to do the same, and then realized, I would have never known to tell him to do this, had I not heard the father behind me. What a dork. I wonder how many other things out there, are just givens, but we have no idea to do them, thanks to our upbringing. Anyone else out there ever feel like this?
The National Anthem, and JW related social dorkiness
by Netty 16 Replies latest jw friends
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Joyzabel
I wonder how many other things out there, are just givens, but we have no idea to do them, thanks to our upbringing
Good question, Netty.
I've noticed it is the little nuances of situations that I need to catch up on. But having a sense of humor and being able to laugh at myself helps. People haven't quite figured out how to respond when I blame it on "just getting out of a cult"! lol But it gives me an oppertunity to explain how JW's are a mind-control group.
Joy
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minimus
Many JWs don't know what to do when someone sneezes or says "MERRY CHRISTMAS". They have to train themselves to practice what to say in response.
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Undaunted Danny
I started school as a JW in 1963.The USA was in patriotic hysteria when President John Kennedy was murdered.
I had a BRUTAL time in school,all because control freak Nathan Knorr sez:"i will die at armageddon if i stand for the National Anthem".
Anyone hear about what country music legend John Denver did to Jdubs at one of his concerts?
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ozziepost
g'day netty,
You may be interested in this thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/69959/1.ashx
Cheers, Ozzie
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Country Girl
I still don't know all the words to Xmas songs.. hehehe.
CG
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Jim_TX
Hey Netty,
Like many others, I am also working through some of those 'dorkiness' issues. hahahahaha
I still am learning the 'Bless you!' after a sneeze. It's funny - we were deprogrammed to respond to this simple act as a JW.
I am getting better though, and will say "Bless you" to the gal at work when she sneezes, and then say, "I'm getting better at it, eh?"
I have already told her that I have trouble remembering to say that phrase... and will just laugh it off.
People can be very understanding - or perhaps they just like watching a train wreck. hahahaha
Jim TX
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DanTheMan
Danny, there have been a number of threads here discussing the John Denver thing, but when I Google search the site for John Denver, I get nothing - Simon??
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NeonMadman
I've heard the John Denver story told of Don Ho and Frank Sinatra as well, so I'm inclined to think that it's apocryphal.
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lisavegas420
That reminds me ....
Last year was the first time I ever went to a company Christmas Party. My boss knew this was my first company Christmas Party and told me that every year that they have a Christmas Hat Contest and I should wear a fancy Christmas Hat.
My husband is one of those people that wears the Red Santa Hat from the first day of December until Christmas day.
So he wore that hat to the company Christmas party because it fell during that time period.
Anyway my boss a dozen or more was in on it even talking about what kind of hats they were going to wear before the party. It didn't make any difference to me because I wasn't going to wear a hat anyway. But when my husband came in wearing the Santa hat they thought HE fell for the joke. Made an anouncement about the joke and the fake Christmas Hat Contest to the rest of the company 100+ people and gave my husband a Christmas CD for playing along.
Lisa