₦airaland Forum

AstraDroid:
Depending on your frequency of vibration, beyond the Cosmic Consciousness, karma is not binding.

Law is a tool of the masters and beyond mastery its just control.

the above is the only comment that make sense to me here

Courz:
The first time I tried sleeping in the dormitory just to save money for transportation to and fro was the Last time I tried it. I was thoroughly disappointed. Why is it called a Dormitory when there are no beds? Are they expecting all JWs to bring their own mattresses and to sleep on the bare floor? What are they using the voluntary contributions during these conventions for? Let me guess, they all go straight to Watchtower. No. That is unacceptable in a so called God's organisation! Very disappointing! That was not all! Why were there separate comfortable rooms and beds for circuit Overseers and other higher ups but not for the regular JWs? I noticed that as well. Was that your observation too? Nobody prepared me for the uncomfortable nights I had to spend there.

Chai! What a Disgrace!

each publisher that wants to lodge still pay 4 dormitory fee in every convention/assembly

...aside frm the playing & hanging around with frnds,the ideas of sitting one place through the program frm morning till evening was boring.Only on sunday morning when a full costume live drama will be presented did we stay focus. It was a real strugle 4 kids who didn't secure a place in d front seats early in the morning to see the platform because of stuborn spectators who'd ignore the instruction not to stand up.Another boring moment was the brother who'd say the final long and fanciful episode of prayer.He'd quote bible verses & explained them as if Jehovah didn't knw the verses already.When he'd finally say Amen we're relieved. As i grew up,i started paying attention to talks at assemblies & took them serious,these contributed to my future calamities.I shoudn't have taken them serious!

...another area of preparation was our outfits. We had to go & disturb the tailor (& cry if necesary) to finish our clothes. The ladies had to go for a new hairstyle. Convention was a good time to boom the incomes of tailors & hairdressers. Then we got new shoes & other accessories. We hardly thought abt the convention theme or whatever they're going to preach frm the platform for the 3 days. Our minds dwell on the thrills of camping in the assembly hall,meeting other children & playing all manners of game we knew.Back then the rules weren't as rigid as they are today.Until construction workers frm the branch office came to demolish the old assembly hall & constructed a new one,the rules were easy to go with. It's the new Assembly hall that brought new & more rigid rules like limited number of people in a dormitory, aggresive security dogs parading the arena at nights,male not entering female dormitory,no cooking with firewoods & more unreasonable rules...

Hi! more stories later. Anybody who's not comfortable with my story should kindly leave the thread & stop polluting this thread with insults.

Afudimkpa1:
can you take me there?.. And also what and what is needed of me?

before u travel to soltex u must take vogonic vacine.

Well, some weird comedians entertained us in a traditional marriage with 33 beer & fofo,later he poured petrol into the plate & lighted fire,he proceeded to mould his fofo & soaked it in the fire,he swallowed the flaming fofo balls & licked his mouth. That must be the most delicious meal ever!

Afudimkpa1:
No I don't have cosmic visa, but how do I get one?

oh! Then u'll need to go to The Galaxies Embasy office,the nearest one is located outside our solar system in a star called SOLTEX.

PREPARING FOR CONVENTIONS
Preparations were done months b4 the convention.Our Kingdom Ministry contained the dates & location of conventions & our cong 'l receive a letter telling us our convention dates. We were told to start saving money for convention expenses & pay 4 our transport "small small". Some brothers organized the transport & hired a driver.Sometimes our cong & many others hired a Lorry that we commonly called 911. Although it's clearly written "GOODS ONLY" in the lorry, the most intelligent organization in the world packed humans in it. Thus, the year 2012 witnessed a serious road accident involving JWs who travelled to their convention in a lorry somewhere in Akwa Ibom State where many were seriously injured & few died to go & await a global ressurection to a paradise earth where death & pains shall be no more...LATER

...Circuit assemblies were a bit better than the 1st one because of the camping. It's 2 days & people frm distant cong will have to camp in the assembly hall dormitory. It's Usually on weekend (Saturday & Sunday). A day b4 the main assembly began,regular pioneers would gather in a Kingdom Hall located inside the Ass.Hall for their pioneers assembly or meeting (I will explain what happens in pioneers' meetings later). Far away congregations who wanted to lodge in the dormitory had to arrive on Thursday. Though we loved circuit assembly more than Special,District Conventions were the best.It came with all the enjoyments that a Jw kid could imagine. It's the most thrilling event of the year for all JWs. We nick named it December convention because ours often came up on late Nov to mid December. It's time to wear the best clothes of the year...STAY ON FOR MORE STORIES

ASSEMBLIES & CONVENTIONS
Special assembly day was boring 4 kids apart frm the afternoon break where u could eat all types of candies & moi-moi, buns & eggrolls,fish pie. We saved money months b4 assemblies & conventions so that we could enjoy all the goodies of the afternoon break. How could u expect children to sit for hours listening to long talks that lasted more than 30 minuetes each? We had to stroll to the urinary & toilet frequently.But then,the ATTENDANTS were instructed to not allow children stroll outside without the company of an adult.If u tried to spread a mat under the long wooden benches in our old Assembly Hall & lie down,these same ATTENDANT guys will come & ask u to sit up. These guys were so so annoying & kids hated them badly. Sometimes when they go around disturbing adults frm their sleep,they'll receive insults & asked to mind their business.Once we noticed that it was time 4 d closing song,we sprang up with joy knwing that our torment 4 d day was coming to an end...

Afudimkpa1:
yes I promise I will carefully follow the procedure.

alright. Then prepare 4 a lift,we'll need to board a flying saucer to universal transport centre,then we'll find a spaceship to Damogran. Do u have a cosmic visa?

RoyalDiadems:
You mean rehearsed interviews? Please provide details. I want to learn.

Weeks b4 assemblies/conventions,the chairman of the event will send an invitation to ev'ry brothers whose talk include interview/demonstration to come to a specific venue (Assembly or kingdom hall or anywhere the chairman chooses) for rehearsal.There's a panel of 3 or more brothers to watch & approve ur presentation.If u say something that's not what they want to hear u'll have to change it. Once they're satisfied with ur presentation they ask u what type of clothe u'r gona wear that day. Suit & long tie are preferable. In the main day,if u say or do something different frm what u were told in the rehearsal u'll have to answer questions in the chairman's office. If it's so serious,they may tell u to go back to the platform & appologize 4 what u said earlier or else be disfellowshiped from the organization.

ELDERS 2nd MEETINGS
It's usually announced that Elders & MS should wait after meeting. As a child i didn't knw what those meetings were meant 4. Sometimes the elders meeting on Friday night continued into the dark & my dad would grope his way back home with any of us who waited 4 him. We spent those waiting hours chasing grasshopers with other elders children.We used wet soil to build castles & mansions 4 the grasshopers & put them in. Sometimes elders meeting ended in a conflict where someone will angrily banged the door & walk out,then another one will call him: "hey brother John come back..."
If u observed very well,brother John will be announced days later frm the platform as "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses,be careful with him", then the congregation will pretend to be sad. Sometimes elders angrily quarreled among themselves & brought their meeting to a sudden end...

Courz:
Hmm. So they allowed you to use that Bible in your congregation?

That was years b4 the NWT was translated into our lang & we had to stop reading the other one in our meetings.

tctrills:
Templee333 I admire the respect you have shown. Although you are no longer part of the said organization and no longer agree with their teachings you have not attempted to persecute or attack them. You have refused to respond to their attacks, that's so responsible. Also, you are a great storyteller. Can't wait to learn more from you.

a big thanks to u!

MY NEW BIBLE
I can't remember exactly when my mom bought the new bible for me (N500).It was b4 my first student assignment (bible reading) in the Theocracy min sch. The NWT(JW Bible) wasn't available in our lang back then.We used the only Efik translation which i think was probably translated by white missionaries in their effort to inject christianity in our minds.Where they didn't knw the exact Efik word to use english was retained. My non witnesses relative gathered to look at my new bible & called me the young pastor. I enjoyed the attention of being the youngest boy who knew how to read & write in the whole village. People often called their children attention to me:
"Look at that small boy singing bible like music but u are here with ur big head wasting my food",
as a result,i became an object of envy & jealousy among other children...

THE CONGREGATION SECRETARY
My dad was an elder & the congregation secretary.He had many letters to write & many things to record. Our old mud house was full of files & exercise books & all the little slips the JW used to record their field service report. Back in those days internet was unknwn to us & nobody around our community owned a cell phone.These inventions has reduced the secretary's work. But in those days my dad will use our old kerosine lamp,put on his lenses & set to work,copying tiny numbers frm S4 into an exercise book.Sometimes he'd complain of how some publishers don't knw how to fill out their S4 even tho he'd shown them many times.
"look at this one,how can one report 10 bible studies but 3 return visits?", he'd tiredly complain. Sometimes he'd scold us to keep quiet & stop distracting him with noises so that he won't make mistakes. He often continued his work late into the night when we'd all gone to bed. He often complained of how pen & books weren't given to him by the cong...

ELDERS AND MINISTERIAL SERVANT
Some JW men are appointed as elders & others as MS. This appointment are said to be done by the holy spirit,how? Formerly the branch office was responsible for the appointment but now its the Circuit Overseer. Among the body of elders,there's one knwn as presiding overseer (now knwn as cordinator). He's just like the head of the cong. Then there are the service overseer & the secretary. These three are important personalities in the cong. But any sensible person knws that these people aren't appointed by any holy spirit.This same JW who said holy spirit is a force not a person now still go ahead to say that men are appointed by holy spirit. Is the CO a holy spirit? One vital point abt elders is that their family is often in trouble while they try to lead the cong. They ignore where the bible says an overseer must 1st put his own home in order b4 he can lead the congregation...

Blue86:
Only Jesus can save.

Follow Him

i hope i told u b4 that here isn't a christian chatbox. Do u eat through ur nostrils?

Courz:
Oh, you were very young. My younger brother was interviewed and he was told exactly what to say. They rehearsed everything. word for word. Many ExJWs had similar experience. Since then, I never believed those interviews were real. Very unnatural. A JW man once lied on stage about his wife leaving him because she wanted to take him away from Jehovah whereas the real reason the wife left was because he almost killed her with beatings! And the people who knew the real story were in the audience shocked! Many of these interviews look and sound embellished with lies. Public relations stunts to make the Cult look good. This comment from an EXJW below made me laugh!

Were you told what to say?

all interviews are rehearsed & some spices (sweet mouth/lies) are added to it. U aren't allowed to say anything that's not in line with the Jw belief even if it's true.Recently,make up & face polishing b4 appearing in the platform is mandatory.

#Udeme-Gift
#Uwem-Life
#Usen-Day
#Uduak-Will (God's)
#Ukeme-Ability

Corridon:
Mine is agbado. It means corn.

thank u sir. U can still post more names & their meanings

TheMensch:
Ilung eköm de oo Ami nto Oruk Anam
Nke: Isideghe unyie ufök idiagha afere akwenge
Interpretation: Soup no fit finish when the owner of the house never eat am.
Sesongo

ade nam- o

NKE ANNANG (4):
Owo udongo isimeke nka.
IKOMBAKARA:
Sick person no dey grow fast like him mate them.
EXPLANATION:
Some challenges in life can hinder the progress of a man while those who never face such challenges will make rapid progress.

MEETINGS
Instead of saying "church service", JW use the term "meeting" so as not to sound like christendom churches. Unlike now where there are tv sets in the kingdom hall,back in those days meetings were boring for children.We were expected to sit for abt two hours & listen to different talks,demonstrations & discusions. It didn't make sense for us kids so we'll use the excuse of going to urinate to go & play,chasing grasshopers around the field outside. Sometimes we'll just display our fighting skill until an adult will come to chase us all in again.The songs were boring too. The songbook was english whereas our cong was Efik speaking. U can imagine old men & women battling with big grammars in the songbook. Then there's occasional hand clapping when a brother finished his talk. Sometimes if you'd put on something uncomfortable, you'd just be waiting 4 the meeting to end so that u could go & pull off ur wears...

Courz:
Templee333, were you ever used for those their fake rehearsed interviews during conventions and meetings?

oh yes, right from age six or seven,i started appearing at assemblies for interview in the platform. The last time i appeared was 2017 circuit assembly at Amasoma,Bayelsa State.

ARGUMENTS AT FIELD SERVICE
I can remember many occasions where i got into argument with householders on some controversial topics like hell fire,condition of the dead,144000 going to heaven,voting & national anthem & many more. When we caught up with householders who were determined to show us the errors in our teachings while we're determined to let them see our "truth",the argument will be endless. We'l went on and on untill one party got annoyed & started insulting the other or we tactfully tell them that others are waiting for us,so "we will come back later". There were those who insisted that we pray b4 preaching & that's where the battle began. There were those who'll say they're busy & had no time to listen.There were those who'll run to hide once we approached their house. There, also, were the ones who angrily turned us away & threatened to do harm if we didn't quikly leave their compound. It wasn't easy but the idea of doing the best thing ever made me to ignored all the stress...

benodic:
"Divine Spirit has Its own hand in our affairs to save us from trouble of a more serious kind."
--Harold Klemp

if i got the concept of karma correctly,troubles are the result of a person's past actions. Except the "trouble" u mentioned above is in another context, does the divine spirit save a person frm what he may encounter as the result of his past actions?

...a publisher could be baptized or unbaptized.I enjoyed the attention i got as a young brilliant publisher who could use the bible to answer tough questions without the help of an adult.A book named "Reasoning frm the scriptures" was a good tool to help a publisher give answrs effectively. But mine was a vernacular cong & the book wasnt available in my native lang. We were given a small booklet to help us start conversation with a householder. B4 going out for preaching,there has to be a brief field service meeting in the morning to remind u some vital points. Then a brother will pray & pair everybody in twos. Once u start preaching u have to check time so that u'll start counting ur hours. If u're unfortunately paired with an old woman who can't read or understand everything that the organization teaches,u are in trouble. Then there're sleeping partners who'd just sleep in anyhouse u enter & have a seat. Some partners could spoil ur discusion with a householder by throwing in confusing comments...

A YOUNG PUBLISHER
A publisher is a Jw who reports his monthly field service activity to the cong secretary.I became a publisher at age 6/7 & the congregation was stired.That was the 1st time in my village congregation history for a child of that age to be a publisher.It's mandatory 4 every publisher to report their hours of field service monthly using the S4 slip. Every publisher has a record card kept & guarded by the congregation secretary. Ur card contains ur date of birth & baptism date,ur status as annointed or other sheep,ur priviledge as an elder,ministerial servant (MS) or a regular pioneer. If a JW moves to another cong, his new elders will request his card so as to knw his standing in cong. If the elders have ill will against u they attach a letter that tells ur bad behaviours in ur previous cong so that ur new cong will see u frm that light. I dnt knw what happens to card when a JW dies.I forgot to ask them abt that b4 i walked away...

INSIDE A KINGDOM HALL
Standard Kingdom Halls in Nigeria often have the same features (there may be some exceptions). The sign post- "KINGDOM HALL OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES". They don't likely include the location in the signboard. Some have the JW.ORG logo pasted outside.They often have two doors outside. Inside,there's a platform where talks & demonstrations are done.There are often 2 microphone stands. Above the platform is pasted the year text in bold letters. There's a corner at the back where sound instruments are kept & controlled by a qualified brother (I was once a sound conductor/servant). There are other small rooms inside (library/store/2nd hall). U have a notice board at the back & then the contribution box. They make sure that everything inside their Kh has a different name frm how the same are called in other churches so that they'll not be considered part of false religion...