Why does the great crowd go to memorial?

by *jeremiah* 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  *jeremiah*

  "do this in remembrance of me".....

  ...those words Jesus utters,..according to the WT,...is specifically for "the annointed",...right?

  If Jesus at the last supper is speaking directly to "the annointed class",...that they should parttake and "do this in remembrance",...then why do the R & F even go to the memorial?

  Looking at it through JW eyes,...Jesus didn't invite members of "great crowd" to the last supper,...right? So,...according to their own views,...the great crowd shouldn't even be present. Right?

  18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

  19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Luke 22

  Also,...the "do this in remembrance of me" is not referring to simply being present, mentally remembering Christ, and watching someone else parttake,...but "this do" means eating of the bread and drinking of the wine.

  When I try to wrap my brain around their silly ways,...it reminds me of an M.C. Escher drawing.
• 

  reneeisorym

  When I try to wrap my brain around their silly ways,...it reminds me of an M.C. Escher drawing.

  That's exactly what I've been thinking and couldn't put it into words ...

  Why do they go to the memorial? Because the governing body said so.
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  anewme

  My thoughts too Jeremiah! I think initially when the first Bible students were all back together in Pennsylvania they did get together in one small group. But as they expanded they came up with this idea.
  No doubt it occurred to them also how advantageous monetarily it would be for them to create a mandatory celebration night for all the "great crowd" of losers, I mean other sheep, who would then be so impressed by the anointed's relationship to Christ that they might drop a few coins into the coffers at the back of the hall as they left to go home.
  
  It has become a very boring ceremony I think you would all agree. Sometime in the early 90s there must have been some crack down on any kind of individualism and creativity at the hall. Brothers giving talks were forced to stick to the manuscripts and keep their comments to a minimum and to encourage the congregation to answer using only a scripture or to parrot answers in the paragraphs.
  So now, at the last Memorial I attended in 2003 there was alot of silence during the presentation!! I mean awkward silences! The brother giving the talk said NOTHING TO EASE THE AWKWARD SILENCES and never strayed from his outline.
  
  I brought my then boyfriend and sat in the back room (library) where they wanted the dfd to be invisible I guess. I was speechless at my new perception of the empty bland ceremony. I explained to him that we are supposed to simply pass the crackers and the wine to the next person. It is so crazy to explain this to an outsider. So why are they inviting the public and the dfd to their private party???
  
  After that his mom invited me to her church's Good Friday ceremony. Wow! What a contrast! What a CELEBRATION!!!! JOYOUS RESURRECTION!!!!! THE WORLD IS SAVED BY GODS LOVE!!!!!!
  
  Anyway, I will never feel guilted into going back for that ceremony again. They can have their sad little flock party!
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  GermanXJW

  Otherwise, most congregation would not have a Memorial. The Other Sheep are only there to make the place look crowded.
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  AuldSoul

  The "anointed" observe the memorial as a celebrant; an active participant. The rest observe the memorial as spectators. In the majority of congregations (by far) they do neither. They can only be spectators of the memorial if they are watching someone partake and celebrate. In the majority of congregations they all reject Christ on the same night worldwide.
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  lawrence

  To resume the lies the WTS invented. Other than that, it's a good time for the kids to get new shoes, seeing that Easter doesn't exist.
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  Pahpa

  I suppose the Watchtower would justify it by saying the "other sheep" become witnesses to this important event like those attending a wedding or funeral. But the sad part is that the Watchtower has denied the majority of its members to become part of the "family of God" because it does not allow Christians to share in what Christ (and Paul) indicates is an important part of Christian worship. And all of this was the result of Rutherford's contrived interpretation of the "great crowd" and "other sheep."
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  moomanchu

  Why do they go to the memorial? Because the governing body said so.

  Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!

  My reply to my mom's invitation to the memorial was "I'm not one of the 144,000".

  Seems to have worked she stopped bugging me about it.
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  Honesty

  Why does the great crowd go to memorial?

  So they can reject Jesus.
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  blondie

  Although the "great crowd" was identified in 1935 and the general calling said to be ended, the GC was not invited to the memorial until 1938........!!!!

  *** w95 7/1 p. 15 par. 5 "The Israel of God" and the "Great Crowd" ***

  In 1935 they were identified with the "great crowd" of Revelation chapter 7. In 1938 they were invited to attend the Memorial of the death of Jesus Christ as observers

  *** w79 11/15 p. 27 par. 23 Benefiting from "One Mediator Between God and Men" ***

  Today, according to authentic records, there is a "great crowd" of dedicated, baptized Christians who actively collaborate with the small remnant of spiritual Israelites. Ever since the spring of 1938 they have been invited to attend the annual memorial celebration of Christ’s death, not to partake of the memorial emblems, the unleavened bread and the red wine, but as respectful observers.