Do as we do, not as we say?

by MerryMagdalene 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  MerryMagdalene

  Is this just one more example of the WTS preaching one thing but practicing another?

  Sound, reasonable loving advice is currently being presented on their official website in regard to "Your Role as a Parent". But how can the average JW take this into consideration----

  Experts believe that overscheduling children with countless adult-led activities could stifle their imagination and creativity.

  ----when they are supposed to be totally overscheduled themselves and are supposed to make their children a part of all their adult-led activities?...

  3 meetings days/nights per week (5 hrs+travel and visiting time) to attend (with no childcare or children's activities), field service (at least 2 1/2 hrs per week), family study (1 hr per week), preparation for field service and all the meetings, work, school, homework)...

  When do they get a chance to do this----

  Other parents endeavor to balance reading with complementary activities—drawing, painting, playing music, camping, or family visits to places such as the zoo. These occasions can be used as opportunities to teach lessons and instill good moral values and behavior in a child’s impressionable heart and mind.

  ----without skipping meetings and field service here and there?

  And why are they getting lectured for taking time out to recreate if the well-being of their children requires it? Or am I mistaken? Is it really possible for them to do and have it all?

  How was it for you?

  ~Merry
• 

  under74

  Of course it's not possible for a JW kid to have all that. We never did that stuff....of course there were 5 of us kids and no income...but even if there were less kids and a steady income I can't imagine havng the free time for that as a witness. I remember being only 8 years old and totally drained because I had to sit through Tuesday and Thursday night meetings after a full day at school.

  Anyway, what does a JW kid need creativity and imagination for?
• 

  googlemagoogle

  i loved to get sick, because this was the only way to skip a meeting and stay at home.
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  under74

  i loved to get sick, because this was the only way to skip a meeting and stay at home.

  Yeah, by the time I was 11 I mastered faking a fever.
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  luna2

  It's another example of the WTS double talk. They hand out suggested schedules at the TMS which leave room for only one evening and maybe an afternoon for family recreation and just about zero time for kids to just play (when their school schedules and homework are taken into account), and then they publish this lovely, reasonable-sounding stuff on their website. It's interesting that in the public forum the tone is balanced while in the more private forum, the Kingdom Ministry, which is geared only to dubs, the tone is more harsh and demanding.

  There are either conflicting schools of thought within Bethel and the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing...or they're just too arrogant to care that their "advice" is contradictory.
• 

  googlemagoogle

  Yeah, by the time I was 11 I mastered faking a fever. lol. i sometimes manipulated the fever-thermometer by holding it to the oven. one time it exploded though :-/
• 

  david_10

  I'm shaking my head in amazement. It's unbelieveable. The writers of this crap have no conscience and no shame. Of course, you have to realize that this is on their website------------------------------------since it's mainly propaganda for non-believers, it's not surprising that they put little bonbons like this on it. It's to show the world what a desirable way of life the witnesses have, and how happy and normal they are. "Painting." "Camping." Sure. But the rank & file witnesses probably aren't reading it. They shouldn't even own a computer.

  David
• 

  under74

  one time it exploded though

  me too...and that's when I learned you could be sick without a fever Actually my mom thought the thermometer exploding was kinda funny but it wore off...
• 

  david_10

  Very good point, Luna----------------------------------there's a world of difference between the public forum and the private forum.
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  MerryMagdalene

  Even though my mom seemed to be one of the few in our cong who believed in fun and recreation and letting be kids, I still felt stressed by the scheduling and got "sick" as often as possible (when I wasn't actually sick).

  She would feel guilty for taking time off to go to a cultural concert or camping, but we still did it now and again. And I thank her for that.

  I appreciate all your thoughts on this. I didn't think I was too far off the mark noticing their hypocrisy in this...

  ~Merry