And This Afternoons Speaker Is: (Drum Roll).....

by Englishman 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  Englishman

  Come on, you extrovert guys, be honest now.

  Wasn't giving a public talk a heady experience?

  Didn't you get a real buzz just from being able to keep your audiences eyes riveted on your every gesture?

  Did you get a high from suddenly pausing and making your listeners wait in breathless anticiption for your next word?

  In short my dear brothers, Ha Ha, wasn't being an elder or ministerial servant or public speaker just one great big ego trip? Wasn't there more than just a touch of power there? Weren't these ego flattering roles regarded as "privileges" that could be removed when you were naughty?

  I bet the likes of Amazing, Seeker, Farkel & Uncle Bruce were brilliant speakers. I would love to hear You Know performing on stage! Brrr!

  Englishman.

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

  NameWithheld

  Yup, I got a big kick out of Public talks - some from regular Thursday parts, but those 45 min talks were like a total power trip, then you got to hear all the 'nice talk' compliments after. It was a kick in the backside to 'lose' such 'privileges' <shudder> Wouldn't want to do it now though ...

  Funny thing is, we were basically reading manuscripts even though they were 'outline' based.
• 

  Seeker

  I enjoyed speaking, but it wasn't that much of an ego trip to me. I am my own best (worst) critic, and if I did a good job, I knew it, and if I did a bad job, I knew it. What others told me had little effect on me. Most of the comments were insincere anyway, and made me uncomfortable:

  "Brother, that was the best talk I ever heard!" [No, it wasn't]

  My favorite comments came from the little kids. They were the ones who had specific comments to make:

  "I really liked when you talked about such-and-so. That was funny."

  or

  "I'm going to try to improve in such-and-so. Thanks."

  Those were great comments because they came from their little hearts with no notion of buttering up the visiting speaker.

  Did I get a high from pausing and making my listeners wait in breathless anticipation? No. Did I get a high when I could see them intelligently following along the natural rhythm of the talk? Yes. When I saw appropriate facial expressions, and could see some were getting it, I enjoyed that.

  Was being an elder a great big ego trip? Not really. Didn't care for prominence.

  Was there a touch of power? Of course. Did I like that power? No. Did I use it? Not usually.

  In summary, I enjoyed public speaking, and tried to do a great job, and an innovate job, and there are a few times looking back when the stars aligned and everything came together perfectly so that I gave the best talk I could possibly give that day. I look back fondly on those days, for those were the days when I knew I did my best.
• 

  philo

  E,

  Yes I did enjoy the MS position. However, my talks tended to be a little too careful and earnest (read boring) like my posts nowerdays!!!

  I'm a champagne SFC supporter, no more. When they are doing well, I'll strut about IN YOUR FACE. The rest of the time I don't care to be reminded. Why Soton? Coz I went to assemblies at the Dell. LOL!

  philo
• 

  Yerusalyim

  Often times while deployed to various locations throughout the world I've had opportunities to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist (EME)when no Catholic priest is available. I always deploy with consecrated hosts (communion bread). On those occasions when I have a communion service I would use the prescribed readings of the day and give a comment upon the scriptures (NOT mind you a sermon, lay people do not give sermons). Often times I would have a congregation of forty or fifty soldiers including at times a general officer or two (even foriegn national officers). Yes, it is a heady exerience, especially when you have these same big wigs coming up after the service to congratulate you on a fine job. PRIDE is for sure my biggest sin. I have to watch out for that. I hope I do these things from an attitude of service and not vanity. As Paul says, I don't even judge myself. I'm a bit biased.

  I have to imagine it's the same for those giving the public talks.

  Yeru

  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
• 

  nytelecom1

  Hells no I hate it.......I sweat waaaaaay to much when i am up there