by VH5150 28 Replies latest jw experiences
Very big fish in a small pond...
The real question is how do they keep attracting women, as they make up the (large army) the majority of publishers?
Actually some women in the WTS are quite powerful... we called them "elders wives" or "elderettes", make no mistake they were not on the receiving end any bad treatment... they dished it out! Fundi Muslims are far worse.
u/d
Theres many men in the org that treat women pretty well. But there are plenty that doesn't, try not to lump all of the JW's into one pile. But the watchtower's teachings on women are so disgusting it's just sickning. Comparing women to cows and all that mess. Sheesh gets me mad. But blame the watchtower and the governing body, the Rank and File are misguided souls just like so many other people.
VH5150
nothing is in your bio so I am wondering whether you have either been a JW, studied and attended meetings regularly, etc.?
If not then it seems that you are basing your rant on what others have told you or what you have read.
There are many problems within the Organization with regard to women. For a look at what the culture was like in the past I highly recommend Barbara Grizzuti Harison's book "Visions of Glory" (Incidently I can't mention such a wonderful portrait of JWs from a feminine perspective as Harrison's Visions without commenting on how -in addition to being mediocre at best and crap at worse - Diane Wilson's Awakening of a JW COMPLETELY missed the boat in this regard.)
Harrison's book gives a fair portrayal of how women are treated within the Org.
Yes the Organization has a tendency toward bi-polarity with women either being the Great Harlot or the Bride of the Lamb and that has seeped into the culture somewhat and at times, manifested itself in some outrageous conduct towards women in the Org.
But on the whole and in the norm, women are highly regarded and treated well within the Culture of Jehovah's Witnesses. Indeed in many ways the training of young men in the Organization, to respect women, to view them as more than just sexual objects, to not pressure them into sex, to value their spirituality, to expect that a "good woman" have some modesty and class and good-manners, is all extremely superior to the training or lack of such training of their non-Witness peers and it demonstrates just how highly esteemed women are within the Organization.
So I suggest that you get some personal experience if you do not have any and go and spend a while within the Organization before you spout off on a rant that you probably don't know what in the heck you are talking about.
-Eduardo
PS: by the subject line of your post, it seems that you are alluding to someone or some circumstance in PARTICULAR? but you did not provide any details??? Thus it is impossible for anyone to comment.
As I say above there are of course instances of mistreatment andn this is usually a situational thing with the individuals involved. There is NO SYSTEMATIC or SYSTEMIC mistreatment of women in the Organization, unless you believe that not allowing them to be "teachers" or hold certain positions is mistreatment. I concede there should be some reform in that regard.
Otherwise, please post the specific examples that you are so angry about to allow for further comment/evaluation.
and if they want...they can treat men just as cruelly
Me too! Here's one of the infamous quotes:
Watchtower 1961 December 15 pp. 767-768 Questions from Readers ***? How can girls guard against temptation in this sex-crazy world?
When a girl reaches the age of puberty or physical maturity, her body has developed in the matter of sex more than in the mind. Young folks like to be together, first in groups, later in twos. If they have not been instructed by their parents in regard to the matter of sex, a boy and a girl are likely to become too familiar and to engage in what is popularly called petting or necking. They may practice this for a time and see no bad results. However, the time will come when there will be great danger in such actions. Why? In answer to this question, we can learn about nature and sex from the bovine family of mammals, both wild and tame.
Large herds of cattle, both male and female, wander over the plains feeding. Ordinarily the male or bull would not think of approaching the female or cow for sex purposes. If he did approach he would not receive a hearty welcome, but, rather, he might be gored by the cow's horns. There is no petting or sex relations between bull and cow permitted, because the female is not in physical condition to breed. The bull seems to understand this and keeps in his own place. However, when the female of the species is in condition to breed, she makes the matter known. If there is no male in the herd, she will go elsewhere looking for one and she is unsettled until she finds one and then is bred by him. Now she is contented, and the end result is a calf. In this connection it is interesting to note that the male animal has no season at which he is not willing to engage in the breeding act.
If we humans would take a lesson from these creatures, we would learn something of importance in matters of sex, as to its purpose and the results of its operation.
As with a cow, when a young girl who has reached her puberty is in physical condition to conceive and become pregnant, her sex emotions are greatly aroused. If she has association with a boy, she is inclined to think that it is the sweetness of the "boy friend" that causes this delightful and new feeling, and so she becomes infatuated with him. If the boy friend should become sexually aroused and lets her know it and then she yields her body to the advances of the amorous boy friend, she is likely to become pregnant as a result of just one sex experience of this kind.
Some persons foolishly think that they know when it is "safe" to have sex contact with those of the opposite sex and thus avoid becoming pregnant, but this is a serious mistake on their part. Even learned biologists do not know exactly when there is no danger of conception for a woman. This is due to certain irregularities in the case of various females.
When the ovum, that is, the egg cell from which the baby starts, is at large or is on its way from the woman's ovary through her Fallopian tube to the uterus, there it remains for an uncertain length of time, which varies greatly with different females. Then is the time when conception can take place if the ovum is met by a male life sperm. During that same time the female is sexually aroused and is ready for the sex act that at this time will cause a baby to result. This bearing of children is the sole privilege of the female. In fact, this is one main reason for creating the female of the human species.
There are cases where a girl became pregnant as a result of one sex interview with a boy. What a price for a girl, a virgin, to pay for a few minutes of satisfied sex emotions! When persons start in this dangerous and sinful course, they find it hard to overcome future temptations. When a young, unmarried girl falls to the temptation, the price she pays is terrible: shame, sorrow, a ruined reputation, endless troubles, with the danger of being disfellowshiped from a congregation if the girl is a dedicated member. It is high time for girls to understand the make-up of their bodies and its functions, especially with regard to sex. Then if a girl understandingly takes care of herself while the ovum is at large and is causing sex disturbance and cravings within her, she will be able to act like a true lady of irreproachable morals at all times. She will avoid the violating of her virginity and the shame and conscience-stricken state due to this; and wisely she will direct her young life so as to end up in the position of a clean, happy wife and mother of legitimate children, journeying to the new world of righteousness, where there will be no sex problems amid a sex-crazy population.
[Emphasis Added]
There are many other instances in the literature and speeches that liken girls to cows. When I was a young girl hearing things like that, it was humiliating.
There are cases where a girl became pregnant as a result of one sex interview with a boy.Sex interview? I guess I've been missing out on something. All the interviews I've been on consisted of someone asking me questions about my job qualifications.
Yep, so sad!
no doubt about it, all women are second class citizens in the borg. and dont let anyone tell you differently. its a shameful org run by small minded men.
i personally knew women in the borg that were more christian,spiritual, kind, and immensley more intelligent than most of if not all the elders.
yes they can pioneer, and do all the work most of them dont, or cant do, but they want the glory of the platform.may they reap what they sow. mr.alw
Yes, they have a very bad view of women. But then again so did the apostle Paul.
I learned early on that a woman was a sexual threat (whatever) especially if she was single. If she was married they didn't usually have such a problem because they assumed there was a man to "keep her in line", unless she had a big mouth and made trouble.
They begrudge a woman her god-given dignity and they do not follow the example of Jesus in this matter. This is one of the reasons I kept on the fringes. I wouldn't tolerate anybody's disrespect and had more than one argument over the years with morons (both male and female). It has also been my observation that some women who seem to be acquiescent to this nonsense are usually getting something out of the congregation in a material sense. So they are playing the game. Others are simply masochistic nut-jobs. I know this for a fact because one such woman tried to "influence" me in the early years.
My husband always treated me with the utmost respect BUT...he was the "head of the household" and I did let him make the final decision on many things.
Now that we're out...I do my own thinking and hey baby...that credit card has been pretty busy!! It was always joint credit cards but no more! I have my OWN. He is still getting used to the VERY INDEPENDENT side of me...but he wasn't the average "keep 'em barefoot and pregnant" sort of JW anyway.
Just my 2 cents.
Cathy L.
It's 50/50 with my Husband and I.
I would love to see him try and be the head of the house hold! I would laugh my ass off if he told me what to do. He is a loving devoted father and husband. If the day ever came(which would never happen) and he startred to act like one I would put him in his place make him cry and then tell him his New Bedroom is in the back yard!
Brooke
