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Post by fred on May 7, 2016 18:02:43 GMT -5
I get the impression that most workers keep enough distance from ordinary "professors" that they aren't really lovable. Having a relationship/friendship with one or more seems to be more of a networking prospect to raise one's status in the fellowship rather than anything deep and meaningful. On the reverse, do the workers love us? At convention, they separate themselves from us in every way possible. They don't eat, sleep, or sit with us in meetings. So how much love is there really going on? Are you not free to sit with them at a meal? Maybe a good opportunity to show them some unconditional love. Well, no, sitting at the workers table would show poor judgement, would undoubtedly cause raised eyebrows, and most probably a little 'chat' later on from a rule enforcer. Not much love there. Occasionally, a worker might sit with the friends for a meal, and while the friends might welcome this it would also be seen as a touch rebellious.
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 7, 2016 18:17:45 GMT -5
Are you not free to sit with them at a meal? Maybe a good opportunity to show them some unconditional love. Well, no, sitting at the workers table would show poor judgement, would undoubtedly cause raised eyebrows, and most probably a little 'chat' later on from a rule enforcer. Not much love there. Occasionally, a worker might sit with the friends for a meal, and while the friends might welcome this it would also be seen as a touch rebellious. Poor judgment how? Are you implying the other members of the table are not good dinner companions? Where do I find this rule enforcer that forgot to have a little chat with me and all the others? Do I need to have a chat with him because he failed to do his job? Really, how do you explain all the others who manage to survive sitting at the 'worker table' without risk of excommunication and whatnot? Try it and see for yourself!
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Post by fred on May 7, 2016 18:49:40 GMT -5
Well, no, sitting at the workers table would show poor judgement, would undoubtedly cause raised eyebrows, and most probably a little 'chat' later on from a rule enforcer. Not much love there. Occasionally, a worker might sit with the friends for a meal, and while the friends might welcome this it would also be seen as a touch rebellious. Poor judgment how? Are you implying the other members of the table are not good dinner companions? Where do I find this rule enforcer that forgot to have a little chat with me and all the others? Do I need to have a chat with him because he failed to do his job? Really, how do you explain all the others who manage to survive sitting at the 'worker table' without risk of excommunication and whatnot? Try it and see for yourself! I speak from the Australian experience.
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Post by Roselyn T on May 7, 2016 19:01:23 GMT -5
Poor judgment how? Are you implying the other members of the table are not good dinner companions? Where do I find this rule enforcer that forgot to have a little chat with me and all the others? Do I need to have a chat with him because he failed to do his job? Really, how do you explain all the others who manage to survive sitting at the 'worker table' without risk of excommunication and whatnot? Try it and see for yourself! I speak from the Australian experience. Yes fred, we all know what would happen if a person dared to sit at the workers table at convention.... I don't believe there should be a "workers table", why can't they sit & eat with everyone else ?
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 8, 2016 0:00:33 GMT -5
Poor judgment how? Are you implying the other members of the table are not good dinner companions? Where do I find this rule enforcer that forgot to have a little chat with me and all the others? Do I need to have a chat with him because he failed to do his job? Really, how do you explain all the others who manage to survive sitting at the 'worker table' without risk of excommunication and whatnot? Try it and see for yourself! I speak from the Australian experience. Please tell us directly about your personal experience of what happened when you sat at the 'worker table' at convention.
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 8, 2016 0:01:24 GMT -5
I speak from the Australian experience. Yes fred, we all know what would happen if a person dared to sit at the workers table at convention.... I don't believe there should be a "workers table", why can't they sit & eat with everyone else ? I agree, there should not be. But that doesn't mean that anything negative happens to the people who sit there.
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Post by fred on May 8, 2016 4:20:51 GMT -5
I speak from the Australian experience. Please tell us directly about your personal experience of what happened when you sat at the 'worker table' at convention. dining table, I can speak with absolute assurance on this matter - if a non-worker sat at the workers table, they would be reminded that this was a special table and not available to them. I have never seen anyone insist on remaining after being asked, but have no doubt that if they did a worker would have a chat with them. Most know the rules so there is rarely a problem. The rationale given for this arrangement is that some need to get done quickly and return to their quarters to prepare for the next meeting. Something a little different here is that once things are rolling, the workers at convention leave the day to day functioning in the hands of experienced elders. The worker in charge mostly just supervises.
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Post by ellie on May 8, 2016 5:23:41 GMT -5
A special table with special food. Hah I had forgotten about the special food I have always felt that the special table only serves to encourage an "us and them" feeling. One year a relatively new worker from another state sat near us on the first evening of convention and for the most of the conversation I had no idea that he was a worker. I appreciated that at the time.
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Post by kittens on May 8, 2016 5:54:58 GMT -5
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 8, 2016 18:55:50 GMT -5
Please tell us directly about your personal experience of what happened when you sat at the 'worker table' at convention. dining table, I can speak with absolute assurance on this matter - if a non-worker sat at the workers table, they would be reminded that this was a special table and not available to them. I have never seen anyone insist on remaining after being asked, but have no doubt that if they did a worker would have a chat with them. Most know the rules so there is rarely a problem. The rationale given for this arrangement is that some need to get done quickly and return to their quarters to prepare for the next meeting. Something a little different here is that once things are rolling, the workers at convention leave the day to day functioning in the hands of experienced elders. The worker in charge mostly just supervises. Again this is only more of the same, telling us what "would" happen in your opinion but without any indication that you have any actual experience in the matter. Again, please tell us directly of your experience of what happened when you personally sat at the 'worker table' at convention, without generalizations and suppositions. If you have no such experience, you need only say so. How many people of your personal acquaintance have told you of their personal experiences with sitting at the 'worker table'? Or from what other information do you draw your conclusions?
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Post by Roselyn T on May 8, 2016 19:02:29 GMT -5
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Post by fred on May 8, 2016 19:16:08 GMT -5
dining table, I can speak with absolute assurance on this matter - if a non-worker sat at the workers table, they would be reminded that this was a special table and not available to them. I have never seen anyone insist on remaining after being asked, but have no doubt that if they did a worker would have a chat with them. Most know the rules so there is rarely a problem. The rationale given for this arrangement is that some need to get done quickly and return to their quarters to prepare for the next meeting. Something a little different here is that once things are rolling, the workers at convention leave the day to day functioning in the hands of experienced elders. The worker in charge mostly just supervises. Again this is only more of the same, telling us what "would" happen in your opinion but without any indication that you have any actual experience in the matter. Again, please tell us directly of your experience of what happened when you personally sat at the 'worker table' at convention, without generalizations and suppositions. If you have no such experience, you need only say so. How many people of your personal acquaintance have told you of their personal experiences with sitting at the 'worker table'? Or from what other information do you draw your conclusions? It seems that you have difficulty in dealing with the information that is my personal experience anytoll. Why would this be? I have written in the first person, and my absolute assurance is because of my intimate involvement.
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 8, 2016 19:16:31 GMT -5
It is easy to understand why this the case when you read Graham Thompsons letter to Alan Richardson published recently. Where can that be read?
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 8, 2016 19:22:26 GMT -5
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Post by Roselyn T on May 8, 2016 19:31:41 GMT -5
Yes, I do
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 8, 2016 19:37:18 GMT -5
Yes, I do Several here from Australia are in agreement then. It is certainly possible that there are significant regional differences in this regard. My initial suggestion was to Brick, however. Brick, are you going to say you're from Australia, too? Even in Australia, I stand by my suggestion. Sit with them and show them love in Christ Jesus, with gentleness and respect.
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Post by fred on May 8, 2016 22:25:48 GMT -5
Yes, I do Several here from Australia are in agreement then. It is certainly possible that there are significant regional differences in this regard. My initial suggestion was to Brick, however. Brick, are you going to say you're from Australia, too? Even in Australia, I stand by my suggestion. Sit with them and show them love in Christ Jesus, with gentleness and respect. Now this is a great idea, however in the Australian context, trying to sit with the workers at mealtime would not be showing respect.
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 8, 2016 22:54:10 GMT -5
Respect doesn't always mean doing what's expected. It might take great care and true love to do so respectfully, but with God with you, that would be possible. If you think it's really that serious a thing though, it's better to pray carefully and see if it's God's will. If so, he is able to grant strength to you if you are faithful and truly seeking Christian unity and love.
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Post by fred on May 8, 2016 23:39:57 GMT -5
Respect doesn't always mean doing what's expected. It might take great care and true love to do so respectfully, but with God with you, that would be possible. If you think it's really that serious a thing though, it's better to pray carefully and see if it's God's will. If so, he is able to grant strength to you if you are faithful and truly seeking Christian unity and love. Sounds like you're the man for the job anytoll - a foreigner, (esp.US) coming to Australia to turn our religious customs upside down - go for it I say.
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Post by kittens on May 9, 2016 0:34:27 GMT -5
Respect doesn't always mean doing what's expected. It might take great care and true love to do so respectfully, but with God with you, that would be possible. If you think it's really that serious a thing though, it's better to pray carefully and see if it's God's will. If so, he is able to grant strength to you if you are faithful and truly seeking Christian unity and love. Sounds like you're the man for the job anytoll - a foreigner, (esp.US) coming to Australia to turn our religious customs upside down - go for it I say.
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Post by curlywurlysammagee on May 9, 2016 0:59:19 GMT -5
When I was about 16 or so a worker assigned me to the workers table to wait on them but when I turned up to do the job a worker at that table said I was not to wait on the workers table and sent me packing. Now anytoll, you talk about respect, digest that and come back to me.
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Post by calleduntoliberty on May 9, 2016 1:10:46 GMT -5
It'd be hard to come to any conclusions from that brief account from memory of an event an unknown number of years ago. Possibly it was a simple logistics error that wasn't communicated well. Maybe they assigned too many people to one table and needed the help at another table. Or possibly some sinister false prophet didn't like you. Or one of any number of other possibilities. There's just no telling, from the perspective of the reader.
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Post by fred on May 9, 2016 1:56:24 GMT -5
When I was about 16 or so a worker assigned me to the workers table to wait on them but when I turned up to do the job a worker at that table said I was not to wait on the workers table and sent me packing. Now anytoll, you talk about respect, digest that and come back to me. I wouldn't know you if you popped up in my porridge curly, but I can give you a few pointers as to who might be waiting on the workers table. You would probably have family connections, your appearance would be in line with all the workers peccadillos, there would be no fault in your observable behaviour, or you might be a prospect for the work. Someone mentioned special food, this no longer occurs in my state - the overseer specifically stated that the workers were to have the same food as the friends and on the whole this has been so, with the exception of some with dietry variations.
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Post by curlywurlysammagee on May 9, 2016 2:07:37 GMT -5
You are quite right Fred, Looking back on it I Think the worker assigning jobs was not the brightest button in the drawer and had a bit of brain fade.
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Post by Roselyn T on May 9, 2016 2:20:01 GMT -5
Only certain girls were allowed to set workers tables at Booyong convention and for your information calleduntoliberty that is a fact as I was there, when my mother and another offered to set the workers table because the girls that were suppose to do it where late. calleduntoliberty I believe a visit to Australia would open your eyes !
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Post by fred on May 9, 2016 2:47:58 GMT -5
Only certain girls were allowed to set workers tables at Booyong convention and for your information calleduntoliberty that is a fact as I was there, when my mother and another offered to set the workers table because the girls that were suppose to do it where late. calleduntoliberty I believe a visit to Australia would open your eyes ! Ha ha, C.O. is not for commanding officer. Or maybe B.F. is not for best friend.
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Post by ellie on May 9, 2016 3:06:33 GMT -5
Ha the stories!
So true and so ridiculous. My husband was demoted from waiting tables after wearing shorts on the job.
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Post by ellie on May 9, 2016 3:08:08 GMT -5
I speak from the Australian experience. Yes fred, we all know what would happen if a person dared to sit at the workers table at convention.... I don't believe there should be a "workers table", why can't they sit & eat with everyone else ? Well we know some workers couldn't possibly mix with the commoners!
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