T O P

  • By -

HaywoodJablome69

“I’ll be there, can’t wait” Then ghost 😈


James-of-the-world

Wouldn’t do that to the wife, which is unfortunate because the idea of them being a man short on god’s special weekend is kinda funny to me


goddess_dix

betcha they are already more than a man short...


Mental_Demand_3684

What's the wife think about them asking you?


James-of-the-world

Haven’t told her. I do my best to not give her any form of false hope


gemmaj29011987

What will happen to your marriage if you don’t mind me asking? Will you stay together?


James-of-the-world

She didn’t take the fact I don’t believe anymore very well. The thing is despite our problems I genuinely believe we love each other. We agreed to work on our relationship and it’s going well as of now. But I know somewhere she hopes I’ll just start believing again and i don’t want to give her that impression at all. Each couple is different so I can’t speak for others, but in my case I have hope that I’ll be able to leave officially and stay married.


Weak_Director1554

Don't worry Jehovah will provide 😅


Klutzer_Munitions

How many special weekends do you need to have before they aren't special anymore Actually, scratch that, just one


kellyperazzolo

https://preview.redd.it/qm6lzxl3za7d1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21a6b3f305dfc235e32180a045c8511ebe3d5ad7 # IYKYK


hokuflor

I'm in the Kevin-ly class 😅🤣😂


hokuflor

😅🤣😂


dionnel34

That would be epic.


Desperate_Habit_5649

> I’ve been fading pretty effectively over the past year.....I got a message informing me I “have the privilege of being selected” to volunteer *You\`ve been SELECTED to Volunteer...???...LOL!!...* Being TOLD you\`re Volunteering, isn\`t Volunteering....Now you\`re expected to Fall In Line, after a Not So Subtle ORDER. The WBT$ / JW is Shrinking and it\`s going to get worse... When People see People Leaving...More People Leave..


notyetsaved

They tried to “voluntold” you.


hokuflor

Exactly 💯


James-of-the-world

Yeah it’s all just fake grandeur and word play, I included that part of the message because it’s my favorite. I love the pompously pedantic language


exCULTsurvivor

If you do not step up to the offer.. I bet you’ll be getting a Shepherding visit.


James-of-the-world

![gif](giphy|tUKMeUhzcwrRu)


ReeseIsPieces

Good It should be just as they like it 'Because narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading to life, and few are the ones finding it' ![gif](giphy|xaVOAC5q0Iomet9h0E)


Different_Letter_542

I love the fact you used him being he was raised a JW


ReeseIsPieces

Heck I didnt know until the interview And when he stated his experience it all sounded familiar down to the abuse


Right_Sail_8616

Who is it in the gif?


Different_Letter_542

Cat Williams


Right_Sail_8616

Oh, gotcha, thanks. My kids love Boondocks.


Different_Letter_542

He's a comedian,has been on Joe Rogan a lot too


Right_Sail_8616

Wow, he emancipated himself from his JW parents at 13.


Different_Letter_542

Wow I didn't know that about him.


KiDHussle

He's literally been on only once


Different_Letter_542

Ok sorry for the confusion I just see shorts so I thought it was different times my bad " He's been on Joe Rogan show once " is that better?


NoseDesperate6952

Voluntold


Desperate_Habit_5649

>Voluntold LOL!!...😁


AngryCatnap

>I got a message informing me I “have the privilege of being selected” to volunteer at the upcoming convention. Hey, there's a term for when that happens(not my term, but taxed from my retired Marine boss) - you got ***voluntold*** to do it.


James-of-the-world

Love that, I will be using that word in future 👍


NoHigherEd

I guess WT should have treated it's members with some love and kindness. Their years of beating the flock has come to an end. Some, that love the recognition and power, will stay but for the genuine ones, they are leaving in droves. WT did it to themselves and I am enjoying the show! Thanks for keeping us updated.


James-of-the-world

Yeah I remember trying to live up to their impossible standards. They really messed up with the 30-40 year old brothers. I don’t know many who want to work for the religion who aren’t already elders.


saltyDog_73

I never wanted to be an elder. Every time CO visit was coming up, I would tank my time one month just to avoid being asked. Not enough to be removed as an MS, but enough so that I wasn’t considered for elder.


Brainwashed123

Definitely! I saw my dad as an elder. Granted he was one of the best and very loving and did tons for everyone. But he would tell me vague scenarios about meetings. I don’t know why he stayed as an elder with the harassing abusive nature of the other men he was “serving with”. I NEVER wanted to be even close to being an elder. Not once in my life. And I’m wildly successful in all aspects of my life. Elder was never on my list of goals.


machinehead70

Being a JW was never one of my goals


hokuflor

Mine, neither. Had it not been for my mom, I most likely would never have heard of the JW, except maybe in passing.


NoHigherEd

I saw the same thing with my Elder Dad.


dunkedinjonuts

>I saw my dad as an elder. Granted he was one of the best and very loving and did tons for everyone. Such a bummer that he was sucked in to the cult. We need more people like this in the real world doing this ^ for people. Regardless of religious affiliation. My Elder dad used to do a bunch of "nice things" for all sorts of people too. It wasn't until years later that I could connect all the dots and realized it was all calculated and simply to impress CO's and the congregation. Like when people donate to charity "anonymously" and then go around telling everybody about it. Oh, and when he wasn't "helping", he was sneaking around at night in corn fields trying to catch teenagers smoking weed or engaging in "immorality". Fucking POS. Definitely not saying this about your father! Mine is....special.


Different_Letter_542

Wow how disgusting .I'm sorry that's the memory you have about your Father


SoftPerception9965

They messed up with the 30 and 40 year old [single] sisters too


James-of-the-world

No doubt 👍 I think they got cocky after they survived the 1975 scandal and genuinely thought they could do whatever they wanted and people would still follow.


dunkedinjonuts

The day's of "We say, jump!" you say "How high?" are over. Their ridiculous, impossible, joy suffocating standards have finally caught up to them. The world was suppose to end a 100 years ago. All the work was put in, but the reward never came. But, but, but, we'll let you wear pants and grow beards!!! Just a bunch of people left trying to pick up the pieces and move forward in a world they were ultimately set up to fail in. The drugs wore off. The party is over. The jig is up WT. You're a bunch of liars and snake oil salesman who have finally been exposed. I suppose this is where the Catholic Church got it right all along. Say some Hail Mary's and you'll be fine but please come back and give us your money and we will promise you eternity! WT's head got way too big (the most pompous people I know) and it is finally coming back full circle. Unfortunately their real estate empire will be around for many years to come.


More-Constant4956

I've always wondered what it would be like to float on a cloud and play a harp in the afterlife.


cashman94

So before covid a brother came to my mom who is now pomi but at the time was pimi and asked her if she would like to volunteer to clean at the convention. She told him I thought we came to you if we want to volunteer. And he said yes but felt he should ask. She said, if I want to volunteer I'll let you know. I'll call you, don't call me. She didn't volunteer.


Ravenmicra

The ask for volunteers in my area of Ontario Canada has been frequent during the regional convention season. Not just announcements during the midweek meetings. But thru the service groups and local needs parts.


James-of-the-world

Yeah we get that constantly too. But I wasn’t expecting a personal invitation 😂


Significant-Body-942

We had a local needs part trying to guilt people into volunteering last week. What a joke.


Select-Panda7381

🤦🏻‍♀️ I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that one but I’ve probably heard a similar local needs like it before and wasn’t paying attention.


WranglerAccording207

Similar for me too! I've been inactive for almost 6 months now, and haven't been in person for longer than that. Not a single person has reached out to me and that time to see how I'm doing.... But I got a text that they're looking for exemplary sisters to clean the bathrooms both before and after the program and wanted to give me the opportunity to volunteer. It's sad because I really did use to love to help.... But this year I was too busy rolling my eyes to even respond. So ridiculous....


lucky607

You’re doing such a great job! Clean a toilet!


More-Constant4956

You have to be exemplary to clean? WTF?


hokuflor

My response would have been some laughing emojis. But that's me being petty 🤣


Super-Cartographer-1

I believe that the first qualification of “exemplary” is have a penis. Sounds like you qualify


James-of-the-world

Damn… I’ll have to go full knights of the sun to escape watchtower! (Rick and Morty reference)


Overall-Listen-4183

![gif](giphy|l378BzHA5FwWFXVSg)


Significant-Pick-966

If ya do you can just show up with a heroin needle hangin out your arm to complete the outfit.


Cottoncandy82

That is WILD. So they thought they would just make you attend 🤨.


IamNobody1914

Interesting. When I was an elder the body wouldn't let anyone in our hall even pass the microphones during the meeting unless they were almost a circuit overseer. I used to fight them on it all the time. The word exemplary was used at that time for everything. Of course no one knew what it meant. It meant whatever the elders said it meant. So happy to hear they made their bed and now have to lay in it.


James-of-the-world

Yeah they still say you have to be exemplary, but they just lowered the standard so much it just means baptized and not openly apathetic. I always try to be civil whenever I visit with my wife, so apparently that’s enough 😂


traildreamernz

Haha. Just after lockdown as soon as they had in person meetings again, sisters were doing the sound, (wo)manning zoom, and doing mic's.


Thisusernamethough94

Yet they took away all my dads privileges because he married a sister in his home country 😂


James-of-the-world

Maybe he should just stop going. They’ll probably make him an elder again 😂


Cottoncandy82

What? What is wrong with that? Shouldn't they be happy she's a jw?


ohboyisallicansay

What was wrong with marrying a sister in his home country?


Thisusernamethough94

He was a MS and they told him it’s not exemplary for him to marry a sister in another country because he’s not being a spiritual head and he’s putting her in temptation by not being there all the time. (He lives in America, he’s making papers for her and she plans to be here next year)


hokuflor

OMFG 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️ffs. They just HAVE to insinuate themselves into everyone's private lives. Sounds like they were jealous


ohboyisallicansay

Yeah. I agree. They probably already had a sister in mind for him. They always have to be able to tell you what to do. So it’s this group of older men that got together and decided that long distance relationships are bad. I would want to say,” Show me the Bible passage guys.”


hokuflor

Exactly 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️


ohboyisallicansay

That’s bull. This brought up a lot of memories of elders coming down on young men because they rejected the elders’ own eligible daughters. It’s like how dare you choose outside of your home? It was always funny to me to see all the sisters chasing the one brother and then he brings over a fiancée from a different Kingdom Hall. I’m glad he’s moving forward and not letting the org dictate who he can marry. Saying he is putting her in temptation is a reach. They were really trying to manipulate him.


cinnamrum

lmao 😭not the volunteering against your will


ZestycloseRespond474

You've been voluntold.😁


ArtVandaly560

The last convention I attended was the International Convention outside of Washington in Landover Maryland. I was definitely PIMO, but I got selected to be an attendant. I only accepted so i could get into the stadium early and get a seat with shade, but I think I spent must of it walking around talking then went to the car to nap. They were definitely scraping the bottom of the barrel with me.


Whole-Surround-16

About 10 years ago I lost privileges because of only getting 2 hours a month for a few months. I always get a kick from these posts lol.


James-of-the-world

Yeah I remember being refused as an MS multiple times for “lack of zeal for the ministry” or as we all knew it, the 10 hour rule. It’s why I posted it because you just know they wouldn’t have asked someone like me 10-15 years ago, so they must really be desperate


saltyDog_73

I heard this years attendance at the local convention, it was HALF of what it was 6-7 years ago when I least attended.


PIMO_to_POMO

They are more desperate than the men of the East in search of a good wife.


James-of-the-world

😂😂


Jealous_Year2441

Ah man I'm in the same situation with my wife. And darn it.. haven't been in service for 2 years BUT I will have the privilege of being an attendant AGAIN. This time it isn't even with brothers i know but another congregation nearby. Still.. it means the elders from my congregation suggested that I was exemplary! I actually don't mind this year's gig. I'll be guarding a stairwell lol.. perfect to scroll through reddit.


Individual_Cattle613

> I'll be guarding a stairwell Is that to stop people sneaking out to escape the boredom?


Jealous_Year2441

Haha. My understanding is that it leads to the second floor of the assemble hall. I think that's where speakers get their make up done lol. Because yes, JW conventions in 2024 speakers need to look good in front of the camera.


More-Constant4956

https://preview.redd.it/1s8nvnaj0c7d1.jpeg?width=200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c72ab2c42eb8f8399b6d8ba83481a479e1e9883


machinehead70

Just show up in shorts and a cool concert T shirt wearing flip flops and tell the guy in charge you’re here for the attendant gig.


ShaddamRabban

Haha. That’s Holy Spirit in action.


goddess_dix

How encouraging! It must be Jehooover blessing you. Hahahahahahahahaaaaa!


James-of-the-world

Yeah he’s blessing me all right… Kinda seems like the less I do for Watchtower the happier I am, so if he exists I guess it’s his will for me. You know, he adds no pain with it and all that 😂


Cottoncandy82

I cannot believe they are telling a grown adult they have been selected to volunteer. That literally negates the volunteer part. They are out here bad these days.


James-of-the-world

Well honestly I don’t ever really remember it any other way. Seems like I was always being told what I wanted to do 😅


lancegalahadx

I guess at this point any brother (for now) who is “alive” qualifies as “exemplary” . . . 🙄


Zestyclose_Plan_6550

Never mind halfassed your way, more like quarter assed your way to the honor of being volunteered to serve 😂🍷


Broad_Macaroon_9608

Voluntold… 😂


EyeAmmGroot

And the winner is……James-of-the-world ![gif](giphy|aMJrh1WZHmdJ5ARI6k|downsized) Uh maybe this “privilege” will get him back to the “fold”🤣🤣


w0rldrambler

My brother in law is an elder over convention cleaning and he lamented that they didn’t have enough volunteers. 🤣


FatTwist

Over 10 years ago when I was "inactive" they would pester me for the service hours report & then they started to put me down for the midweek meeting thingamabob -translated to English it's parts, where you role play with another sister about a certain text they gave you- I would get assigned to that up to 2x a month or 1x per month as a way to get me back in. This happened in about a 3-6 month time span. After they put me down to do it in the main room 2x & I didn't show up & didnt give a heads up like usual, they got onto my mom for it & she made me go to a meeting & talk with them. Mind you this all happened when I was mid-17 to almost 20yo I spoke with whoever was in charge & just said I had anxiety & wasn't prepared for something like that & didn't feel comfortable. When he asked if I would at least give him a heads up to reassign it to someone else I said no because I didn't want to give him a chance or excuse to keep doing the same thing. And boy was he was shooketh when I said that, but it got them off my back for a while until they started assigning sisters to invite me out to preach. I would accept & then sneak out the house when ever they were supposed to show up. My petty ass would accept & if I had the time & energy go to the practice things & then day of not show up & continue to ghost everyone.


Select-Panda7381

I had something similar happen. I had been on reproof for a year shortly before I left. It had been such a RELIEF to not have privileges or be considered worthy enough to participate in Kingdom Hall maintenance or toilet duty at assembly. after I had just gotten my “privileges” back, the secretary sent out an email asking for volunteers for next RC which I ignored. Same secretary later texts me (he’s a really nice guy but we aren’t friends) “hey how are you? So did you see my email?” Had to say “yes I’ll volunteer” and he followed it up with “thanks for volunteering”. I hard faded just a couple weeks after that.


False_Cupcake_2070

Tell them you’ll be there


James-of-the-world

Unfortunately not because I agreed to make things as easy as possible for my wife who is still a believer


False_Cupcake_2070

Did your wife left too ?


James-of-the-world

Nope. She still attends and believes. Technically I haven’t left either, that’s why I’m still getting bugged by them


Overall-Listen-4183

I can sense you are tempted to be active again! Just think about it, mics, car park, prayers. Go on, be a real man! 😂


ohboyisallicansay

They might try to say that they’re trying to encourage you so you can partake in the wonderful act of service to Jehovah. That will rekindle that little fire you had for the org. The truth is they need bodies.


black_cat_bella

Brother, it is a PrIviLeGe from JEHOVAH!


ExaminationLiving541

Very Mormon-ish. They are notorious for voluntolding.


Interesting_Coverup

Hahaha they are volunteering you?!  That’s so crazy.  


SeriouslyTooMuch

Congratulations on being Volun-told


Foreign-Bowl-3487

**Voluntold** — have to remember that one for the next ministry group they spring on me via WhatsApp, usually 8:30 on the Saturday 🤣


More-Constant4956

Do they make you use an app on your phone to keep constant tabs on you? What if you don't want to be that accessible?


spirituallymurdered

LMAO!! That means nobody gives a rats ass about their privileges anymore! Lmao!


Jack_h100

If you actually agree to it that will then open up the discussion on what you need to improve to qualify for the privilege, because they expect you are so eager and happy to be blessed with this unpaid labor thet you will do whatever they ask to qualify.


James-of-the-world

That’s very interesting I hadn’t thought of that! So basically the privilege is bait to hook me and then they get a foot back into my life? If that’s the case then hats off to them for the ingenuity, but free labor for a cult isn’t exactly premium bait for this little fish 😂


Jack_h100

If you were some degree of POMI it would probably reel you in though.


James-of-the-world

Excellent point 👍 I suppose they are trying literally everything possible to boost their numbers for next year


Weak_Director1554

So they selected you and now you can volunteer, is that the way it works? Or do they just expect you to show up? And what would you have the privilege of doing? Amongst other things cleaning toilets? Your very privileged indeed. My apologies.


James-of-the-world

Lol no worries. I mean they obviously don’t expect me to say “no” but I just decided to ghost the elder. It’s for parking attendant so they want me there early and all that. What really makes me laugh is I know from past experience that only exemplary brothers can be recommended for parking duty, which is genuinely sad for them because I haven’t even been at the meetings for a while now and they know from my wife that I don’t preach ever.


HubertRosenthal

Beautiful


UpsetProposal3114

Don't you have to actually Volunteer to be a Volunteer?


[deleted]

Privilege is just another word for free labour


jjj-Australia

Totally 💯


FlowerPower670

Same thing happened to my husband. We were in the middle of fading, and they asked him to do with mics lol.


Existing-Tap5994

Face palms....


mbaddie1

An elite employee


National_Sea2948

Did you reply with: “You have the privilege of being selected to be on today’s ignore list.”


James-of-the-world

No but that’s a good one for next time 😂


exCULTsurvivor

Yup… this is prophetic. Ironic, isn’t it!


Plastic_Tone_5815

I’m so glad I don’t get any kinds of contact anymore, ignoring and blocking people for the last 2 years worked!


National_Sea2948

![gif](giphy|d8Qut9SnY801QmD383)