what we used to call "privileges"

by in a new york bethel minute 39 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  franklin J

  yes, I did the mikes; and all kinds of other stuff. I was a "baptized brother" ....chuckle, chuckle

  This alone should sound a bell in intelligent womens heads in this organization. We are living in a time and age when women ARE ON AN EQUAL FOOTING with men in society. Women hold public office and are CEOs in major corporations. Equal pay for equal work. It is customary for women to be educated and to work; just like men. Perhaps the percentages are not yet 100% equal yet; but is unparralled in any other time of history.

  Yet in the wonderfully "simplistic" world of the Jehovahs Witness; women are still treated like 2nd class citizens. They cannot conduct a meeting or give a public talk. They are discouraged to achieve higher education more than the young men. If a baptized brother is present they cannot conduct a book study or meeting for field service. They must be "subservient" to the male. Chattel? Draconian thinking? Domination or control of your lifes partner? Why?

  What possible purpose does this serve?

  My wife would react to that kind of lifestyle; and I would not want ANYONE treating my daughter with that type of mentality.

  Ignorant; unintelligent; unsophisticated ; uncivilized; uneducated thinking in its MOST BLATANT FORM.....
• 

  rwagoner

  Dad was an elder....Grandfather was a ms.....I was raised in the troof.....was given the "priviledge" of mics when we decided to stop just shouting. Set up a rotation scedule for handlers and also for the more responsible position of sound man. The schedule worked pretty well and they promoted me up to "attendant" but I still worked with the sound/mic crew.

  I liked being the attendant...lots of freedom to roam...inside and outside.....sat at the back of the hall so no one could watch you that easily. mics sucked but not as much as sound man....the poor sound guy sat in a both right at the front of the hall....talk about being watched... no thanks.

  Ended up working in the literature room....very briefly before all my trouble started.....LOL

  RGW

  **edited for spelling error - could be here all day for that LOL **
• 

  wannaexit

  Whenever a ministerial servant step up the ladder and becomes an elder he leaves behind lowly duties. I know that only ministerial servants take care of the accounts and the literature and mags counters.
• 

  rwagoner

  maybe there was a shortage that I didn't know about...but I worked the literature counter prior without being a MS....
• 

  Bluegrass Tom

  The simple way to avoid doing anything such as microphones, attendant, platform, sound, etc is to smile when they tell them that you have been approved by the Body to do such tasks, and then don't wear a suit jacket to the meeting. Just wear a tie. You are prohibited from doing anything in the Congregation without wearing a coat and tie.
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  AshtonCA

  Yet in the wonderfully "simplistic" world of the Jehovahs Witness; women are still treated like 2nd class citizens. They cannot conduct a meeting or give a public talk. They are discouraged to achieve higher education more than the young men. If a baptized brother is present they cannot conduct a book study or meeting for field service. They must be "subservient" to the male. Chattel? Draconian thinking? Domination or control of your lifes partner? Why?

  What possible purpose does this serve?

  This is all due to the postle Paul. He did not like women to have any part of worship, he wanted them to be subserviant "seen and not heard". He is also the one who said that women were to cover their heads while praying in the presence of a man.

  My mother still covers her head (I crocheted her a prayer shawl to use). She always did this when we were in the org and this is something she still does because she says that even though a lot of people do not like what paul had to say, she still will follow them because he is in the bible.

  This has always bugged me, I used to want to do the mics so bad, I wanted to help out but wasn't allowed to. Really stunk.

  Ash
• 

  HawkOwL

  Yet in the wonderfully "simplistic" world of the Jehovahs Witness; women are still treated like 2nd class citizens.

  Apparently the fact that the TRUE GOD JEHOVAH decided on the arrangement for women means little to you. I dont know if you remember or not but it isn't the "Jehovah's Witnesses" themselves that make the rules, they simply follow what they sincerely believe to be the wishes of God.

  If you have a problem with that I suggest you take it up with Jehovah himself on Judgement day, I'm sure he'll hear you out.
• 

  FairMind

  In my congregation, elders and most other baptized men (other than myself) carry the microphones. I used to be a PO but now only have the extra privilege of helping to clean the KH (especially the restrooms). All my "other" privileges were removed (5 years ago) without any type of meeting with me and simply on the basis of things I had said about the WTS. They wanted to teach me a lesson and they certainly have.

  FairMind
• 

  Poztate

  I dont know if you remember or not but it isn't the "Jehovah's Witnesses" themselves that make the rules, they simply follow what they sincerely believe to be the wishes of God.

  Thank you for a good chuckle. I am sure you are a true believer. I am also sure you are young and know you have all the answers in life.

  Please get back to us in a few years (god willing) and discuss this further..
• 

  chuckyy

  Hi

  In my old cong, there were 2 particular elders who liked all the public speaking privileges but never once in 10 yrs covered the microphones or attendants duties...even when we were short of bros.

  chukky