What's the main purpose to the out of town Assemblies? (page 2)

seek2find

The bad thing for some that live in rural areas is that they have to travel to the bigger cities to circut assemblies and SADs some travel over 200 miles and have to stay overnight. Even tho the smaller closer towns have facilities,the bigger city is chosen because of convience to the CO and DO and visiting speakers. So the same people have to travel long distances while the ones that live closer to the big city don't have to do anything special. Not quite fair, but then again who said all in life was fair. :) seek2find

Lady Lee

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Bottom line is they make money. I think Blondie has posted abotu this before.

Did I say $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$?

If they own their own Assembly Hall they make money on all those poor people who give up everything to get to those assemblies.

In the summer they make $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on the District Conventions.

By moving to smaller areans they make $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. They don't have to deal with arena food vendors inside the arena. Costs will be lower and they will save $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and make more money off the poor dubs who are conned into believing the WTS is poor and really needs the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ more than they do.

Did I say $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$? I must have said it

WTWizard

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. As for me, they are not going to ever get another penny, no matter where they move it. They could have it right inside my apartment, and not get anything more than an apartment decorated for Christmas and the filthiest rap music going along with the porn in my computer--and not even one cent.

Nor will I host anyone in "need" if the Grand Boasting Session is in my city. That's one thing they have asked people to do--if it's in your city, then they expect you to open your home to strangers that come from out of town so they can waste their time watching the bulls***. And if anyone does show up, I hope they like the tinsel and the Christmas tree and Santa Claus decorations.

OnTheWayOut

The organization was set up as a literature publisher and seller. The conventions would be their big
sales seminar to pump up the distributors (publishers) on their latest offer (new releases). DC's were
guaranteed money-makers when they sold literature and paid for meals. They gotta still be
money-makers so they won't be ending them anytime soon.

Circuit assemblies are making money, and are all about control. You concentrate the control
sessions into all-day lulling lectures.

Assemblies and conventions probably bring in more than donations from the individual congregations.

blondie

1. CA--has to be town with big enough facilities to have it if no assembly hall nearby. If you live in Podunk, Canada, you will be traveling for sure.

2. Assemblies/conventions average one about every 4 months. Just long enough for the average jw to need a reminder.

3. Money is raised that is true.

4. If gives the COs something else to do than making individual visits on congregations.

5. People like to travel and meet new people. After avoiding association with non-jw family and non-jw neighbors, if you are in a congregation of 60 or so and the next nearest is 30 miles away...new faces are appreciated.

6. jws used to travel longer distances in the past and the conventions were larger and longer in duration.

Hey, why are you willing to drive so far to go to a small town in Wisconsin?

Blondie

AK - Jeff

Time Capitulation to the organization is the reason IMO.

Committment of time and resources by the R&F binds them tightly to the org. It is also a form of advertising for the religion. Around town there are usually marquis' stating "Welcome Jehovah's Witnesses", trying to attract customers, and showing a spirit of tolerance to the community at large to boot. The religion gets featured on the news, in the papers, and is the subject of discussion [either positive or negative] in the coffee shop gossip circles.

It makes the R&F feel a part of something bigger than themselves and with 'International flavor', provides them with 'proof'' of the 'large brotherhood' that exists. Of course it is largely smoke and mirrors, but it has a powerful effect on particularly new converts. I recall my first International Convention in NYC in 1973 - as we walked through the doors of the lobby to the Biltmore Hotel in Manhatten, the elder whom I was with, looked at awe at the marble pillars and stonework inside the building, and turned and spoke to all of us with him, "Just think, all of this already belongs to Jehovah, and at some point he will reclaim it for use in His Kingdom". That type of hyperbole likely is repeated to new converts throughout these events. In my case, I never forgot what he said, and as a newly baptised Jw, it made powerful impression on me that we were able to use such renowned facilities as this hotel and Yankee Stadium to 'Praise Jehovah'. Such opportunities might be less likely for long term impressions on youthful minds if we never left Podunk.

Jeff

zack

If ever the thought of living a normal life, planning for the future, getting an education starts to germinate in a dub's mind, an assembly or convention comes along and stamps it out. It's like a revival. The GB makes their weight felt at these events. All of it is a production controlled by Brooklyn.

proplog2

It's an old habit. It used to be a statement to the public and it was significant to get together with almost all the witnesses in a single country.

But like all Watchtower practices and rituals they are like vistigial organs. They have been downsized into meaninglessness.

BluesBrother

Motivation...that was the name of the game. When annual conventions were introduced they were a great rally for the faithful. Remember reading of the famous ones at Cedar Point, or the massive one at Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds?

Here we used to have really big Assemblies. All old timer Brits have fond memories of a packed out Twickenham and that feeling that you really did belong to something big and special, and it was great to all go off together in the coach/bus. It sort of bonded the cong together.

Today they have watered down the effect by making them smaller and shorter and nearer to home. I do not hear dubs raving about the Assembly in the way that we used to in the past

garybuss

The out of town assemblies serve the purpose to drum up exposure (free advertising) for the "Society" by way of media attention and is a money maker because the Society knows people spend more and donate more when they are away from home. Assemblies are also a money maker due to the kickbacks the Society receives by way of comp room re-sales.

The comp room resale scam is similar to the Tacoma Dome parking scam.

What's the main purpose to the out of town Assemblies?

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