How does one prepare for a meeting?

by UpAndAtom 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  UpAndAtom

  How does a typical JW that has been in the organization many years prepare for a typical Sunday meeting? What happens if they don't?
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  dh

  "In order to know truly understand the meaning of Sunday Meeting Preparation, one must undertake to study the very nature of the action that involves the taking of one Watchtower and one highlighter pen, and combining them to praise Jehovah God; this is done by a process known as underlining"

  • This function, known as 'underlining' is taken from the Greek word "a'ga'unda'linae'pe" meaning quite literally, 'to underline' is a process of marking pre-prepared answers in a set text, as is the case in a word search or crossword puzzle.

  Please Note: The Greek is the more ancient form of the word, which came into being prior to the invention of highlighter pens, at a time when one was not able to highlight and had to simply mark the answers by placing crudely drawn lines under the appropriate text.

  • After around 1980 CE, the literal meaning of the "a'ga'unda'linae'pe" ceased to be a literal representation of the Greek when translated into English; which as we've seen, was due largely to the invention of the highlighter pen.

  The english word to 'underline' is still in common use thoughout the world, even though true meaning is far out dated it remains deeply embedded into the psyche of organisation members.
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  Do Not Call

  When I was a reg. pio. in my teens, I used to piously miss my favourite programme on a Sat. evening, (or if I was out, I'd get back early) and sit down in my quiet bedroom surrounded by the WT mag., Reference Bible and Insight Books.
  I'd read through each par. then answer each question, if possible, using clever quotes and references to original Greek words etc. so I could look REALLY spiritual on Sunday.
  
  WHAT AN IDIOT!!
  
  Once I became a busy housewife/mum, I'd stick a few neon yellow lines here and there, usually while the 1st paragraph was being read at the meeting.
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  Honesty

  Preparation Materials for your Sunday Watchtower Study:

  
• 

  pobthespazz

  Easy over sleep, wake up slowly, have some coffee and a nice breakfast, watch a little tv, shower, change, slow drive to the hall, and hopefully you will arrive for the last 10 mins of the W/T study
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  mrsjones5

  I hardly ever prepared for the Sunday watchtower. Boy, did that piss my mother off. My watchtower looking all pristine, no wrinkles, no pencil marks, no neon yellow underlines. It was a dead give-away to my mother and anyone else who bothered to look that I wasn't doing my jw duty and studying that glad rag. The memory kinda makes me smile

  Josie
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  OnTheWayOut

  How does a typical JW that has been in the organization many years prepare for a typical Sunday meeting?

  The typical JW gets up on Sunday morning, feels guilty that after wasting Saturday morning in Field
  Service, he enjoyed the day and did not spend two hours studying his Watchtower article. He makes
  coffee, underlines the answers in his magazine quickly, while watching the news or something on tv.
  He plans to do better next week.

  What happens if they don't?

  Then they hide their magazine from the view of others at the meeting. They read ahead during the
  brother's reading of paragraphs, so they can at least answer one paragraph. They feel so much
  smarter when they have parroted expressed their thoughts from the WT.
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  avidbiblereader

  It gets to the point that you dont even have to study, My ex use to get so mad at me at the DC because I would prove it was the same old thing over and over again.

  For one entire day I would have the scripture pulled out and turned to before the speaker even mentioned it. The Brother sitting next to me asked how I could do that.

  I told him, we have heard this for 20 years, it is the same scriptures over and over again, it is simple. I then fell asleep the next two days and it was my last DC I ever attended. Study for what? Do you study on how to make toast or eggs?

  abr
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  UpAndAtom

  Thanks for the input everyone. I'm surprised at the number of response regarding highlighting.
  
  If someone never highlights their book, but still gives answers is that somehow frowned apon?
  
  Do wise and knowledgeable elders in the congregation still highlight their magazines?
  
  The Sunday meeting is starting to sound like an exam one has to study for, but are there consequences for not studying?
  
  I ask because I recently heard someone say they had to study, and I thought to myself, 'What for?'
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  OnTheWayOut

  If someone never highlights their book, but still gives answers is that somehow frowned apon?

  Yes. I knew a smart guy that never highlighted his mag, always commented.
  The brothers spoke with him about studying, because they noticed his mag
  and books were never marked. He assured them that he studied, but chose
  not to mark the literature. They said that others would perceive that he did
  not study, and if he advanced to MS and elder, the others would decide it
  was okay to not study, just participate at the discussion. He argued but
  eventually gave in, started marking his mags and books.

  Do wise and knowledgeable elders in the congregation still highlight their magazines?
  

  Does the first answer cover this question. You bet they highlight their mags.

  The Sunday meeting is starting to sound like an exam one has to study for, but are there consequences for not studying?

  That depends. If you participate, there is really no consequence except as noted above.