zing
Junior Member
Posts: 121
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Post by zing on Jul 30, 2006 22:30:26 GMT -5
interesting thread... it is obvious, that a significant if not the majority of the 2x2 experience, then, is of watching what one should and should not do, and fearing some consequence... over something that is not remotely scriptual...many times I have heard 'what will the workers will think?'... now for my part this was never an issue... but I do have to acknowledge that I have residual baggage from being raised in this type of environment... like flashbacks of the feeling of tension or fear when being near or participating in some event... even 'taboo' topics....I had always thought they were 'morals' we were taught, or 'corrections'... now I realize they were 'control tactics' and 'degradations' ... after watching a short tv program on Cuba today, and the emotional memories of the older generation, and thinking of the lasting emotional effects, of situations different rulers imposed upon thier people (Nazi's / Jewish people etc, and even the wars today), and the PSTS people suffer after wars and traumatic experiences... I can't help but compare it with the effects that many people who leave, or who ever experienced the 2x2 experience... and for my self, am thinking that the workers are more like a secret terrorizing police, than spiritual guiders... hmm?
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Post by cornsilk on Jul 31, 2006 7:12:29 GMT -5
zing, A post on the other side of the coin......... For me, and I'm emphasizing ME......I learned a LONG time ago that no one can control me unless I give them that power. Secret terrorizing police? ?? Good grief. My teenager has gone through our changes and our not attending meetings. I have prayed that my actions have not messed him up emotionally or spiritually. I talk with him and ask him to pray with me for God's will. Even when I was UNwilling for meeting, he would beg to go and cry over that loss in his life. He loves it when we read a chapter here at home. He LOVES the friends and just spent a few weeks with the detasseling crew here. He is SO HAPPY. He is also a well rounded typical teenager, and by no means would be considered unpopular in school. Despite me, God has kept him, and if you were to speak with him, he would reiterate how much love he has for God and this way. I'm not sure where this came from either. I can only think that the Spirit is speaking to him and drawing him. While I was walking away for my own reasons, he was craving the fellowship of the 2x2 way. I do know that he has never witnessed his father or me hiding anything from anyone, including him. I happen to know that kids see whatever you try to hide anyway......they live with us.
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Post by FWIW on Jul 31, 2006 10:45:05 GMT -5
We are in an extremely legalistic area and had to deal with this issue in an unbelievable range of unwritten rules....I offended people by wearing tasseled shoes, flowered ties, colored shirts - I know this because people told me to my face. When I started wearing shorts, playing golf and going to football games you better believe I was labeled a rebel Ultimately, we became thankful for being forced through this process to sort through the issues for ourselves. Well Zorro, after reading this thread last week, and some of the responses to it, I decided to do a count and tally the styles in our meeting. (Midwest) Guys ties regular - 2 no tie - 2 flashy tie - 1 colored shirt - 4 white - 1 tasseled shoes - 1 cowboy boots - 1 regular dress - 3 Gals buns - 4 various other style - 5 dress shoes - 4 sandles/bare feet - 3 other - 2 70's dress - 1 (age 80) current style - 8 It sounds very liberal in your area, even though you felt it was not.... (cornsilk's post) sounds like there is a conflicting opinion about what is accepted and what isn't. I have found over the years that there are different ways people look at things. Different attitudes and backgrounds that create perceptions. I believe it is a very dangerous thing to take ones perspective and cast it in stone and set it up as the way it is for everyone. That is done all the time on this site. Very rarely do we get differing opinion from more than one person in a close proximity as we have seen in your area. Of course until Cornsilk came along, we were only getting one side of it. Now we see there is more to the story. My guess is that there is even more. You must be one of those mocho manly kind of guys, that can't take being teased about something, (mocho w/tassels & flowers). Just my musings.
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Post by Zorro on Jul 31, 2006 11:27:30 GMT -5
FWIW, Your post gave me a chuckle. There is no question that things are changing regarding appearances. But my experiences were real, I was reprimanded to my face....if you choose to discount that, that's your perogative.
You must be one of those mocho manly kind of guys, that can't take being teased about something, (mocho w/tassels & flowers). Just my musings.
Very funny. Since you apparently don't know me, I'll just say that I'd like to meet the person that is less effected by teasing than me (other than Spiderman). I didn't say that stuff bothered me, I just said it happened. I tried for years to help people understand that spirituality and spiritual fellowship is not defined by agreement on natural issues (see Romans 14). The fact however, is that a very influential man in our field for years preached that the spirit would lead people to the same place naturally as well as spiritually. As far as the apparent conflict between what Cornsilk is describing and what Spiderman and myself are describing ....here's my take. In the past couple of years at least 7 entire families in our field have left (plus one that the husband alone remains). The reasons - with the exception of Cornsilk (that's not a knock, she says the same thing) - have been entirely over doctrine. At present, I think folks are taking a good look at what has happened and even though they totally disagree with us, they are taking some of the focus off of the "rules of appearance and form" and looking harder at what really holds the fellowship together. So while dealing with the reality of entire families leaving on one hand, and Cornsilk and family returning on the other hand, folks are taking a closer look at what really matters. Cornsilk is actually giving everyone a good opportunity to examine where they stand on the issues of appearance, and so far it seems things are going well. For that I say, good for her and her family.
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Post by spiderman on Aug 2, 2006 7:48:33 GMT -5
zing, A post on the other side of the coin......... For me, and I'm emphasizing ME......I learned a LONG time ago that no one can control me unless I give them that power. Secret terrorizing police? ?? Good grief. My teenager has gone through our changes and our not attending meetings. I have prayed that my actions have not messed him up emotionally or spiritually. I talk with him and ask him to pray with me for God's will. Even when I was UNwilling for meeting, he would beg to go and cry over that loss in his life. He loves it when we read a chapter here at home. He LOVES the friends and just spent a few weeks with the detasseling crew here. He is SO HAPPY. He is also a well rounded typical teenager, and by no means would be considered unpopular in school. Despite me, God has kept him, and if you were to speak with him, he would reiterate how much love he has for God and this way. I'm not sure where this came from either. I can only think that the Spirit is speaking to him and drawing him. While I was walking away for my own reasons, he was craving the fellowship of the 2x2 way. I do know that he has never witnessed his father or me hiding anything from anyone, including him. I happen to know that kids see whatever you try to hide anyway......they live with us. Hi Cornsilk, It sounds like things are going well for you and your family. Hope everything works out great wherever you go. Don't leave without saying goodbye! ;D
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