Posts by Neo

The following is a true story. I'm sharing it without commentary. It was part of many adventures I had while living and working at Brooklyn Bethel where I made my home from 1982 until 1993.

In the mid 1980s, Michael Jackson was touring the United States doing "Thriller" concerts in major cities in conjunction with the release of his "Thriller" album. I found out about Michael's visit to the metropolitan New York City area from Tim, who also was a Bethel staff member, when he called me at work to ask if my husband, Joe, and I would like to accompany Michael Jackson in field service on Saturday.

Tim's uncles-his dad's two brothers-were prominent Burbank, California elders, and he also knew many Witnesses in the area, including other elders and their families. Consequently, Tim heard firsthand what an impact Michael made on any of the congregations he attended in the late 70s and early 80s. All the elders were diligently trying to keep the congregations balanced because of having such a famous and controversial Jehovah's Witness in their midst. And it can only be imagined how difficult it was for Michael to participate in Witness activities because of reporters shadowing him constantly.

It was never a dull moment when Michael came to the Kingdom Hall, and we heard about some of the comical events that occurred. Michael usually came in after the meetings started and sat in the back row so as to avoid stares and whispering.

One time the young son of a newly interested woman was in the men's room when Michael came in there. The boy was surprised to see someone who looked so much like Michael Jackson. Finally, he asked, "Are you Michael Jackson?" Michael said yes, but the boy wasn't convinced so he asked Michael to do the "moon walk." Michael obliged. Can you imagine the excitement of the little fellow seeing his idol doing the moon walk in a Kingdom Hall bathroom. When he came back to his seat his mother asked him why he was gone so long. He excitedly told her what had happened, but she didn't believe him and promised him a spanking later at home.

Along with the cute things that occurred, we heard the negatives-about how many of the Witnesses hounded Michael for money, or asked for his help to get them into show business, and then there were the Witness women who wanted to date him. Of course, the elders counseled these people. Moreover, they counseled Michael because of the large number of complaints from Witnesses across the country who were unhappy about the bad example Michael was setting by his lewd behavior on stage and in his shocking "worldly" videos.

However, many young Witnesses weren't complaining, but instead they emulated and worshiped the ground Michael walked on. This was the situation in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn where we attended meetings during our Bethel years and where there were 20 congregations in 2.2 square miles. Almost all of those who attended meetings there were black, most from the West Indies, some from Africa, or were African Americans, and too many of their children were fascinated with Michael Jackson. They had posters of him hanging in their rooms; they walked like him and sang his songs

Incidentally, it was the norm for these kids to discontinue their association with the religion as soon as they could, and it was thought that the actions of Michael Jackson were contributing to this exodus. To "mature" Witnesses he was a very bad example for the children in the organization. And this is the frame of mind that both my husband and I were in when Tim called to ask if we would like to go out in field service in Brooklyn with Michael Jackson.

I learned from Tim that Michael went in the field ministry wherever he had a concert, accompanied by two body guards who sat in the van while he called at homes. Tim knew the woman, a Witness, who made all the field service arrangements, and it was she who asked him to go out in service with the singer, plus, requested that a mature married couple also join them.

Of course, I was very excited about the prospect. I knew just what I wanted to talk to Michael about while we were walking door-to-door. First on the agenda was about his white gloved hand grabbing his crotch while performing on stage. I wanted to know why a man serious enough about his religion to do door-to-door evangelizing would do such a thing; or to lie on the floor wriggling sensuously; or to engage in such sexually provocative dancing; or to sing songs such as those on the "Thriller" album, which were so contrary to our belief system (to put it mildly). As a mother, my desire was to kindly share with him the anxiety parents were going through because their children were idolizing his "worldly" behavior.

That evening I told Joe about the invitation. To my surprise, he didn't show the slightest interest. I remember his words just like it was yesterday: "If I'm going out in service, I'll go to our congregation where I'm assigned. I don't go to other people's congregations just to work with a celebrity, no matter what the reason. You go if you want to, but I'm not! There are many couples who might want to do this. What about some of the elders and their wives in Tim's congregation? We had lunch with Brother and Sister So & So when I gave a talk there. They have children whose conduct they are concerned about. And since Tim is taking Michael in field service in his congregation's territory, it's more appropriate to ask them."

No amount of cajoling could change his mind. Again Joe told me to go if I wanted to, that he didn't mind. However, I decided against it because Tim wanted a married couple. I just didn't feel that it was proper to go without my husband, although when I told Tim about Joe's reaction, he still asked me to come, but I said no, that I thought Joe's idea was good-Tim should ask some Witnesses in his congregation.

A few days after Tim took Michael out in service, he told me what happened. And, yes, he did follow Joe's recommendation and the couple Joe had suggested went out with them. They all went in a large van, which no one could see into, and Michael had on a hat with a large brim that he pulled down over his face. At the first door Michael did the talking, and a young lady accepted the book. When she came back with some money she asked Michael if he had ever been told that he sure looked like Michael Jackson. He nodded and said that it happens all the time and they left.

Another cute experience happened when they were walking on the sidewalk outside of the apartments. A little fellow about six passed by them and when he looked at Michael he took a double take, kept walking and then backed up and looked again. Then he walked on shaking his head and muttering, "No, it can't be him."

One day, a few weeks later, I was walking to work with Leon Weaver, who is an African American. Leon worked in the Service Department and was part of the Service Committee. Before he came to Bethel many years before, I was told that Leon was in the circuit work.

Inasmuch as Leon was pleasant to talk to, I thought he might enjoy my tale of how I almost worked in service with Michael Jackson, and about the cute little experiences Michael had had in service. So I told Leon how Joe refused to go even though I thought we might be in a good position, Joe being a Bethel elder, to discuss with Michael how his actions on stage had such negative ramifications in the congregations. However, Leon told me that he was very surprised about Joe's attitude. He said he and Ruby would have liked to have spent time with Michael Jackson and would have certainly done so if Tim had asked him.

I took it for granted that Leon was interested in the opportunity to talk with Michael about the same troublesome things that I wanted to discuss-especially because he worked in the Service Department where it's part of his job to see to it that the elders enforce organizational rules for so-called Christian behavior. I mentioned to Leon that famous "white glove" of Michael's. Wow, was I ever thunderstruck when Leon pointedly told me that he would have liked to shake the hand that wore the white glove if he had had the opportunity. Further, he said something to the effect that he wouldn't have counseled the young man, but would have enjoyed being in the company of such a celebrity. I was surprised, to put it mildly, and said nothing more even though I felt as if I was being counseled for my nit-picking attitude.

That evening, I told Joe about the conversation I had with Leon. He was not in harmony with Leon's viewpoint, but we kept that to ourselves. It was at times like this that it would sometimes cross our minds that maybe we, along with many other JW families, took the organizational instructions too seriously. However, despite Leon's different perspective from ours concerning Michael Jackson, one which we then disagreed with, we continued to try to do what we thought God would expect of faithful Jehovah's Witnesses and advance what we thought was "pure worship without defilement of any kind."

Contributed by Barbara Anderson

Source: Barbara's page in Freeminds.org

Thanks, Barb and Randy!

Neo

45

Internal Reaction to Monthly Awake

by ezekiel3 in

well the news is getting around within the congregations about the awake!

going to a monthly beginning 2006.. some reactions from active jws:.

one sister actually dances a jig.

Neo

You're right, IP_Sec.

ko38,

I wonder if one of the reasons for this change is because they no longer have access to the UN library?

Not really. They have subscriptions of a lot of magazines. They have access to limitless information.

Maybe other sources of published science have limited their access to reproduction and circulation.

I don't think so, there's no reason for them doing that.

The principal reason is financial. Check the discussion in: WTS Official Spin on monthly Awake: 'More emphasis on the Bible!'

Neo

87

WTS Official Spin on monthly Awake: 'More emphasis on the Bible!'

by Neo in

jw
friends

the march 2005 kingdom ministry brings up a full article about the awake only being published once a month, starting january 2006. .

but the fun thing is the roundabout way this change is announced.

knowing that the news would be a bitter pill to swallow (there should be a 'speeding up' of the preaching work, not a downsizing), the watchtower only announces the move to monthly publishing by the end of the article.

Neo

carefully faded,

Reading the KM article caused me to imagine the presentation during the Service Meeting:
Speaker: "Thank you Brother so-and-so for reading the first paragraph. OK, this is a fill-in-the-blank question . . . The first issue of the Golden Age was published (blank)? OK, little Timmy in the back of the hall". Timmy (listening to his mother whisper the answer five times in his ear): "uh . . . October 1st . . . uh 1919"

What makes it even funnier is that this article has got questions in the bottom just like those!! For example:

- What is today's name of The Golden Age?
- The Awake! is a powerful tool in the fulfillment of what prophecy? [you can guess: Mat 24:14...]
- How often will the Awake! be published now?

Talk about dumbing down! The WT recently started printing questions on the KM because the elders don't have the simple ability to formulate them!

AlanF,

Nice analysis, Neo.

Thanks, Alan.

funkyderek,

As I prophesied, so it has come to pass
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/83364/1382061/post.ashx#1382061

Sounds like we are much better prophets than the WTS! I got my prediction right too!

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/83364/1365358/post.ashx#1365358

I'll comment metatron's post later when I get time,

Neo

60

WOW!!! interesting response from my dad

by jaredg in

jw
friends

recently my father and i have been arguing over scriptual interpretation getting nowhere so i wrote him this email to see what his reaction would be...check it out!!.

here is my email to him...maybe we should take a break from these conversations on.

interpretation of scripture.

Neo

Oh, boy!!

Look at this:

Meetings aren't that bad,

you can at least go to a few after you are reinstated,

If you are reinstated, and don't go to meetings you will be invited
to all family gatherings, all family vacations, along with your wife and
children.

I will coach you on what things to say and do so that you will be
reinstated. I will coach you on what to say and what to do so that you
will not be dissfellowshipped again.

Witness pragmatism...

2

New Organization book release March 2005

by caspian in

jw
friends

.

special announcement some sunday in march.....see km feb 2005. .

more control for the masses i suppose...followed by the new kms for elders

Neo

New OM Book replacement & Upcoming Elder School

22

those of us that have not so far got a life in 2005

by stillajwexelder in

jw
friends

valis

littletoe

stillajwexelder

Neo

And who would the top thread starter be, stilla?

Neo

16

Mark your calendars - Oral arguement in Barbara Anderson case-APRIL 14th

by BONEZZ in

jw
friends

ed bell will be arguing for barbara anderson in the tennessee court of appeals on april 14th.

this case may go to the supreme court.

it is very important for a lot of us.the wtbs hides behind the first amendment whenever they can (usually in money related cases) and then disposes of the rights of individuals who wish to leave, coerces families and causes families to break apart.

Neo

Barbara, I wish you the best.

Neo

87

WTS Official Spin on monthly Awake: 'More emphasis on the Bible!'

by Neo in

jw
friends

the march 2005 kingdom ministry brings up a full article about the awake only being published once a month, starting january 2006. .

but the fun thing is the roundabout way this change is announced.

knowing that the news would be a bitter pill to swallow (there should be a 'speeding up' of the preaching work, not a downsizing), the watchtower only announces the move to monthly publishing by the end of the article.

Neo

Great comments, everyone.

jws,

I like the way you put things. The WT decision brings too many downsides to list.

- Make it more biblical? That's exactly why I used to like it was that it was less biblical. Fewer JWs will want to read it. Or it will overload them.
- People need something that's not all bible, all the time. If they don't find it from the witnesses, they might watch real educational programs. This can lead to becoming educated and falling away.
- Householders don't want to read the heavier biblical stuff. That means less magazines sold & read, less people being duped, declining JW population, repeat downward spiral.
- The whole magazine pairing issue will be a constant source of confusion. The two have been paired forever.
- JWs will be less likely to do return visits with just the new Watchtower so it throws the whole 2 week schedule of a magazine route off. Less frequent return visits means it's harder to make a convert.

undercover,

Have you ever known a magazine to cut down circulation or quit when the readership was increasing or staying steady? To cut back to half what it was and change the format means trouble in WTland.

Perfect synopsis of the whole issue.

MungoBaobab,

I loved your post.

With the members of the GB slowly becoming extinct, maybe there's some fear that the JWs as an organization will lose their focus. (...) This could be a last-ditch attempt to preserve the Society's "spiritual integrity" by reshifting the focus back to the "fire-and-brimestone" approach of the Watchtower. Big mistake.

I don't think they were thinking on this level when they made the decision. They were thinking of money, primarily. And also that it's a lot easier to produce and translate a "Bible-oriented" mag. The focus shift was the excuse they came up with to make it look good to the rank-and-file. I'll comment it further later.

If you want to visit Prague, and they have an article on Prague, would you read it? If you've been thinking about repainting your living room, and the Awake has an article on painting, would you read it? Now, who here wonders about Meshibosheth on the plains of Moab and how that factors into our day? Who wants to read an article on Oholiab's journey to Kiriath-jearim and how we should follow in his footsteps?

ROFLOL!! You crack me up!

1

New UK Silent Witnesses Website

by diamondblue1974 in

jw
friends

there is a new website unleashed in the uk; thought i would send you a link with the address.. .

http://silentwitnesses.proboards40.com.

the purpose of the site is to provide additional support to those experiencing the issues surrounding their disfellowshipping, disassociation and or generally those who are still within the organisation.

Neo

Thank you very much, diamondblue! It's nice!

Neo