Are people excited by anything in the Organization? Are they tired? Mostly missing? Infrequent commentors? ANY zeal in the Hall or circuit? Do you see the "strong" missing meetings more than ever??? Is there REALLY a negative thing going on or is it just our wishful thinking?????? (Minimus has used his daily allotment of questions)
To Those Who Still Go To Meetings, Do You Sense Anything Different?
by minimus 64 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
jgnat
Here's what I've observed in the last few months.
- If you start attending a new hall, everyone is very nice to you to start.
- The college-age crowd did not take too well to the new light on higher education. I think they skip a lot of meetings.
- The seniors are tired and depressed, perhaps a little financially desperate as well.
- For everyone else it looks like business as usual.
-
TallTexan
I don't go to meetings anymore, but from the comments of those I know that do, I think you are right on the money. The heavy emphasis on 'obeying the slave' is repeated ad nauseum. Must be for a reason. Are there lots of doubts about the 'slave'? One friend of mine said that the meetings are nothing but an infomercial for the WTS, with less and less emphasis being put on scriptural teachings.
Nearly everyone I know that still goes to meetings talks about how attendance is at an all time low in their respective halls, that service time is down, NO ONE is coming into the 'truth'. I don't think it's wishful thinking at all.
You'd think they'd learn to do something to build some excitement or something.
-
minimus
Besides, who exactly is the "slave"???
-
jgnat
Some slave committee. They keep demanding that everyone do what they say. Whatever will they do when the Master comes home?
-
RubaDub
No doubt about it, the English language congregations are shrinking.
All of the "growth" is in other languages, particularly Spanish. Today, about 1 in 4 Witnesses in the USA is in a Spanish Congregation, not counting those in English congregations that are trying to learn and improve their English (in many areas a sizable number).
With the new pressure on higher education and younger ones seeing their grandparents, in many cases, with virtually nothing in their later years, there is little doubt the shrinkage will continue.
Rub a Dub
-
Lilycurly
My non-JW mother (who still knows how they work because my dad is one) finds that for them to call themselves "slaves" is very wrong, we all know the R&F are the real slaves.
-
daniel-p
One thing I have noticed more than ever is the lackluster comments during the meeting and general lack of expression of faith, but once the meeting is over the hall is filled with noise as these same people talk with eachother. We all go to the meetings for the social benefits involved, not because we need spiritual healing or some such nonsense. I think this is especially aplicible to the younger crowd who are turned off by all the fundamental aspects of the organization.
-
bonnzo
i recently asked a sister from the hall i previously attended how things were. she said that it is a "dead" kingdom hall. the attendance has dropped from around 100-120 for public talk to about 70-80. this is within 2 years. i left because of an elder body made up of jerks, and i imagine others have too.
-
metatron
I fear that a frightening Darwinian selection is creeping thru congregations. Slowly, people with good sense are leaving,
while dumbed down Witnesses are getting dumber and more helpless. Examples I know about:
The family head with a lousy job who neglects his health so badly his kidneys fail amidst diabetes.
The bonehead who marries a "sister" he's known from the internet for a month. She's gone now......
The brother who marries an East European "sister" ( for a green card) She's elsewhere now.....
The blended family - who now sit on opposite sides of the hall and don't speak to each other.
The elder with the anorexic/Multiple Personality/borderline psychotic wife
The elder who was in a congregation for 50 some years - and moves down south without saying goodbye!
I ran into a elder who's still faithful this week- and he's upset with how messed up the publishers seem to be - broke, sick,
depressed, you name it.
metatron