I recently went to my first Sunday "bible study". I have heard my JW say that he goes to 3 meetings per week. So, what are the other two meetings about and when do they hold those? Are they something the non-JW can attend (as with their "bible study")?
What are the 3 meetings per week each about?
by tioga joe 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
restrangled
So, what are the other two meetings about and when do they hold those?
Service Meeting / Ministerial School / Watchtower Study / Public Talk
these are held for the rest of eternity or until the last JW dies off....whichever comes first.
r's hubby
-
dedpoet
There are actually 5 meetings per week, on 3 separate days.
The Sunday meetings are the public talk, followed by the watchtower study
which is classed as a separate meetingTuesday/Thursday - theocratic ministry school, followed by Service meeting
Tuesday/Thursday - congregation book study, currentl using the Revelation Climax
book, which is usually held in members houses in the congregation territory.The purpose of all these meetings is to keep the current members indoctrinated,
as well as getting interested persons well versed in the cult jw's beliefs. There is
no reason why you can't attend all of them if you so wish. -
ButtLight
these are held for the rest of eternity or until the last JW dies off....whichever comes first.
LOL!!
Yeah, its actually 5 meetings a week, crammed into 3.......
The book study is an hour long, usually a book they have studied already......and the service meeting people get up on the stage and give talks, or little skits so to speak.
Too many for me to attend!
-
OnTheWayOut
First off, I would never call any meeting a "Bible" Study.
Here are the meetings:
Public Talk and Watchtower Study- held on Saturday or Sunday, Public Talk is 45 minute lecture and
WT study is 1 hour of parroting answers from the paragraphs in a magazine. That should be what you attended.Theocratic Ministry School and Service Meeting- The two run together for a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The School is where different JW's give short talks, the women give 5 minute talks to another woman (demonstrating
how you can use the material to help someone else). This is the closest to a "Bible" meeting as a portion of
the Bible is assigned for everyone to study and comment on each week. Still, it's a unity session where everyone is
supposed to understand the same things from WTS about the doctrines and scriptures.
The Service Meeting is varied, but usually all announcements are made there, and then there are two or three different
speakers covering Q&A from their OUR KINGDOM MINISTRY flyer, or giving a short lecture on how you should
preach more, or not go to college, or forgive everybody, etc. Often there are interviews of successful JW's in the cong.
Usually there is a demonstration of how to "place" literature with householders.
This meeting is supposed to train everybody for their ministry. It is clearly the easiest one to spot how indoctrinated
the rank and file get.
These two meetings are held on a weeknight, depending on how many congregations use the hall, but generally are
held on Thursday or Tuesday, sometimes Wednesday is popular. Crowded Halls (having several different congregations)
will have to use Monday or Friday evening. This is very difficult for children. The meeting is usually not over until after
9 PM, and many families don't get home for another hour or more after it finishes, because they are socializing or the
husband is doing WTS business of helping people or distributing the literature to the rank and file for "placing."Book Study- One hour meeting held in smaller groups. These are usually groups of 20 or less, so there are several
of these for each congregation. Most are held at someone's home, some at the Hall. This gives everyone several
opportunities to comment as the group is small. The brother in charge can tell if everyone studied beforehand if he
pays attention to their commenting. The book that is studied varies as they finish each one. Currently they are studying
a book about Revelation that they have already studied 3 other times over the years. The time that this meeting is
held varies, but often it is on a free evening (again interrupting the children's school night) or on Saturday morning.
If it is on Saturday morning, this is a convenience so that everyone can go from this meeting directly out into the
door-to-door recruiting. -
144001
There are actually five meetings per week, occurring on three days of the week with two of the days having two meetings each. What are they about? Programming the robots to ensure continued cash flows to the money machine that is the Watchtower.
-
restrangled
Initially, especially if you are young, you may not consider the amount of time a few meetings a week actually entails. My Mother in Law has been a devoted JW since 1934. Attending 5 meetings a week, 52 weeks a year, for 73 years is roughly 19,000 meetings, not including the study time required to prepare for these meetings.
If you go to college and devote 40 hours a week for 40 weeks for 6 years, it would require approximately 9600 hours of study to exit with a Masters Degree and a starting salary close to $100,000 a year.
The older you get, the better appreciation you have for time....
Choose wisely!!!
r's hubby
-
found-my-way
I have been going since I was a baby up until 2 years ago, so I could tell you too what the 3 meetings are all about,
I will be totally honest and tell you that you should learn all you can about the history of the watch tower bible tract society before you commit to going to 3 meetings a week.
I will say this much, I will not tell you what to do or what no to do, but just keep an open mind about EVERYTHING they teach, ASK QUESTIONS, and dont be satisfied with being told to wait on jehovah!
MAKE THEM ANSWER your questions, ask someone until they can asnwer you.
See these sites: very objective and informative LEARN ALL YOU CAN! they tell you to investigate any religion you are thinking about joining, it is imperitive you take this advice, and investigate the religion called Jehovah's Witnesses.
-
Finally-Free
All meetings are about the same thing. The methods vary slightly to add a little (ok, very little) variety. It's all about brainwashing you into believing that obeying the elders and the watchtower society is the same as obeying God. The ultimate goal is to control your life so that you will recruit other people who will be brainwashed into submitting to the cult's control as well.
You're better off selling Amway products. At least you'll never run out of soap. The watchtower cult won't even give you that.
W
-
The wanderer
Constant drilling in the propaganda that is taught.
It is very effective mind control designed to keep
you as a practicing Jehovah's Witness for the rest
of your life.
Respectfully,
The Wanderer