Dang, Darn and Gosh?

Patricia

Well-known member
i got back-room counseled one time for saying “dang”.

not even joking.

just wanted to share that.
I hear you! When I was a kid, I was taught that we were not supposed to use any substitute words. The elders gave several talks about that. No heck, gosh, darn, dang, freak, not even a gee whiz.
Then a few years ago I was sitting in the Hall, listening to the Sunday talk and I about fell out of my chair when the brother used the word "wussy". From the platform!!!! It absolutely blew my mind. I thought we had so much unity. That every congregation had the same rules. So much for that😜
 

MuleJule

Well-known member
I've also heard talks discouraging use of euphemisms... my husband got soap in his mouth for saying the word crap. I was also told that was a curse word, and instead I should say "crud"... what literally is the difference?

I find this disgusting, but I was counseled several times over the years for a "cleavage" issue, starting when I was 17 volunteering for food service after a convention. I was sent "home" - back to the hotel, and I had to walk by myself because that was before cell phone days. It was literally not even immodest. The other time was after I had a baby and was nursing (not nursing during the meeting, just swelled with milk.) The brother told me it was disrespectul to the young brothers carrying the microphones, one of whom was his teenage son who was standing there when he counseled me.
 

BARNABY THE DOG.

Well-known member
i got back-room counseled one time for saying “dang”.

not even joking.

just wanted to share that.
See if they will take you into the back room with this little gem:
Kraftahrzeuughaftpflichverscherung. When you are dragged into the back room by enraged elders, you can innocently explain that you were simply talking about indemnity insurance for your car. That’s the good thing about German, each word sounds like an enraged strangled profanity . Or, if you prefer, old English has one of its own: Saggermakersbottomknocker. Should you want to go upmarket and wish to add the flavour of condescension upon them, then the Latin Bovis stercus, would be an adequate retort - Bull **** . You can fill in the blank. However, if you want to use a parting shot on your final exit from the congregation, I enclose the Coup de Grace: “Te futueo et caballum Tuum.” (I’m not translating that here!).
 

BARNABY THE DOG.

Well-known member
I've also heard talks discouraging use of euphemisms... my husband got soap in his mouth for saying the word crap. I was also told that was a curse word, and instead I should say "crud"... what literally is the difference?

I find this disgusting, but I was counseled several times over the years for a "cleavage" issue, starting when I was 17 volunteering for food service after a convention. I was sent "home" - back to the hotel, and I had to walk by myself because that was before cell phone days. It was literally not even immodest. The other time was after I had a baby and was nursing (not nursing during the meeting, just swelled with milk.) The brother told me it was disrespectul to the young brothers carrying the microphones, one of whom was his teenage son who was standing there when he counseled me.
I’m trying, but I cannot make the connection between your assets and a kid let loose with a microphone that often appears phallic in shape as it is. Regardless, how did the elder come to the conclusion that your assets were worthy of counselling? The elder is clearly afraid for his own immature mind and is simply using the boy as an excuse to berate you for his own inadequacy. My father was a Victorian gentleman in his outlook. Always look a woman in the eye. My mother was much the same and started instructing me in courtship at a far too young age. “Never get a girl into trouble!” she would say. I spent a few years wondering why on earth I would want to sneak on a girl for some misdemeanour at school. When I did get a girl into trouble I was already married to her and nine months after that, boy! did I find out what the trouble was about! Twenty years and more of trouble, expense and beat music at all times of night.
 

MuleJule

Well-known member
I’m trying, but I cannot make the connection between your assets and a kid let loose with a microphone that often appears phallic in shape as it is. Regardless, how did the elder come to the conclusion that your assets were worthy of counselling? The elder is clearly afraid for his own immature mind and is simply using the boy as an excuse to berate you for his own inadequacy.
Bahahaaaa. You are so funny, and thanks, now I will never look a a microphone without thinking that. 🤣 But you know, I guess the young men stand over us as they are doing their mic duty, so they can see down every sister's shirt who isn't wearing a turtleneck. Have they ever tried to nurse a baby in a turtleneck? Yea I didn't think so. It's really sad though that more men weren't raised to have your attitude toward women. It really made me downhearted anytime this became an issue for some brother, because honestly that's the last thing i would EVER want is for anyone to give me that kind of attention.

I know this thread is about being counseled over speech, and I am speaking about breasts, sorry. But I know I'm not the only one who endured this for years. There was a beautiful young sister in one of my pioneer schools who was naturally voluptuous, but dressed very modestly, yet she was a constant target for our C.O. about her body being a distraction. (I think some of these brothers think we need to wear moo-moos). Sadly, this poor sister ended up getting plastic surgery to downsize her breasts dramatically just so she wouldn't have to endure that kind of attention. And we're not talking Dolly Parton here, just a little more curve than average.
 

יהוה_saves

Well-known member
"wussy". From the platform!!!!
that would have blown my mind too. wussy is wayyyyy worse than dang. haha. it’s just so silly.

one time i accidently said the f-word in the car group. i was on the phone with my sister- she’s not a witness- she was telling me she had lost power for two days from a storm and i say “no effin way” except i said the actual word. You coulda heard a pin drop. I was mortified. I think i apologized like 40 times.
 

יהוה_saves

Well-known member
@MuleJule

sisters in my hall were counseled for the very same thing. They were told it could stumble a “breast man” i kid you NOT. that is exactly what they said- stumble a breast man! Can you even believe that?

I remember one poor sister who was sent home to change into a higher cut dress- it was FREAKIN 100F degrees out. it really hurt her feelings, too. i’ll never forget it- she was wearing a beautifu lacey yellow dress. I felt so bad for her.
 
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יהוה_saves

Well-known member
@Jennifer

Hey Jennifer! How are things??

Sometimes ya just gotta laugh.

i read e-watchman’s essay on imagining the coming paradise and he writes about Jehovah’s sense of humor- how Jehovah may tell us a joke that’ll make us laugh everyday for a year- or something like that.

i keep thinking about it and laughing. and i haven’t even heard the joke yet.

:ppppp
 

PJ54

Well-known member
I know this thread is about being counseled over speech, and I am speaking about breasts, sorry. But I know I'm not the only one who endured this for years. There was a beautiful young sister in one of my pioneer schools who was naturally voluptuous, but dressed very modestly, yet she was a constant target for our C.O. about her body being a distraction. (I think some of these brothers think we need to wear moo-moos). Sadly, this poor sister ended up getting plastic surgery to downsize her breasts dramatically just so she wouldn't have to endure that kind of attention. And we're not talking Dolly Parton here, just a little more curve than average.
That's just mean. It makes me think that they'll say all brothers need to get circumcised even though the old covenant has been terminated. I am surprised that sister hasn't been completely stumbled.
 

Jah-son

Well-known member
I hear you! When I was a kid, I was taught that we were not supposed to use any substitute words. The elders gave several talks about that. No heck, gosh, darn, dang, freak, not even a gee whiz.
Then a few years ago I was sitting in the Hall, listening to the Sunday talk and I about fell out of my chair when the brother used the word "wussy". From the platform!!!! It absolutely blew my mind. I thought we had so much unity. That every congregation had the same rules. So much for that😜
One of my former PO's and former bethelite loved to use the term "freakin'" in his informal speech.
And I'm not even freakin' kidding.

My wife tends to get annoyed when I use such terms. Its not as common here in here country. They still enforce laws against cursing in public here. Not that it stops anyone.
I have an Elder friend in Ecuador originally from South Africa who used to freely use the word "$h*t" in his informal speech among brothers. To him it was nothing offensive... Culture is everything I guess.
 

BARNABY THE DOG.

Well-known member
Bahahaaaa. You are so funny, and thanks, now I will never look a a microphone without thinking that. 🤣 But you know, I guess the young men stand over us as they are doing their mic duty, so they can see down every sister's shirt who isn't wearing a turtleneck. Have they ever tried to nurse a baby in a turtleneck? Yea I didn't think so. It's really sad though that more men weren't raised to have your attitude toward women. It really made me downhearted anytime this became an issue for some brother, because honestly that's the last thing i would EVER want is for anyone to give me that kind of attention.

I know this thread is about being counseled over speech, and I am speaking about breasts, sorry. But I know I'm not the only one who endured this for years. There was a beautiful young sister in one of my pioneer schools who was naturally voluptuous, but dressed very modestly, yet she was a constant target for our C.O. about her body being a distraction. (I think some of these brothers think we need to wear moo-moos). Sadly, this poor sister ended up getting plastic surgery to downsize her breasts dramatically just so she wouldn't have to endure that kind of attention. And we're not talking Dolly Parton here, just a little more curve than average.
That is so sad to hear about that sister. I wonder what brother would have his asset shortened! Your story does though lend insight into the basic level of supervision and spiritual thinking amongst the ruling classes of the watchtower. They look to the issues physical rather than spiritual, and assume that the former informs the latter. In fact, in terms spiritual, men should be controlling themselves using the spirit as a guide, rather than try to do away with the physical issues all men and women face, just as the ****** religion in its extreme form punishes a woman for life with the garb she has to wear to not inflame others. The spiritual informs the physical. But the watchtower prefers the “bottom up“ approach, teaching with the physical to make spiritual. It doesn’t work that way, but that is all they understand. Hence the problems we see today.
 
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