Will the Book Study ever be dropped from the weekly meetings?

by RULES & REGULATIONS 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • RULES & REGULATIONS
    RULES & REGULATIONS

    The Book Study is one of the most useless meetings. The same books have been studied 3 or 4 times.The meeting takes only an hour but takes up most of your evening. And, it is one of the least attended meetings.

    Why haven't they combined the Watchtower Study with just question and answer and then follow with the Book Study with just question and answer? The WTS would still sell their 6 million books but save time for everyone.

  • bigdreaux
    bigdreaux

    are you actually suggesting the w.t.s. give their members a break? heretic!

  • Open mind
    Open mind

    Nope. Gotta keep the control hooks in at least 3 times a week, not counting Field Circus.

    More than 72 hours without conditioning and minds have been known to wander. Can't have that.

    Open Mind

  • eclipse
    eclipse

    I hope not.

    I hope they add another bookstudy.

    I hope that they 'up the ante' on field service and make it mandatory for at least 2 days of the week, afterall, we're in the ''last days'' ,

    they should be preaching every single day if they are going to save anyone!

    I think they should add more and more onto the load, until the strongest witness breaks from the pressure and the weight.

    Too bad the WTS is greedy, power hungry & treacherous, but not stupid.

  • greendawn
    greendawn

    They are not really interested in making life for their members easier. They are quite demanding as it is, the meetings, the time to prepare for the material to be studied, the time to get there and then back home, also their FS activities, and the family study.

  • zack
    zack

    This is the meeting they should do away with. One less night a week would mean so much to the average hurried dub. But the GB won't do it. They're like Rehoboam.

  • tula
    tula

    I think it is part of the (cult) isolation pattern. "Busy work" to keep you away from TV and current events (you might learn something new) also keeps you from having time to read other material, or associate with worldy friends. Idle hands, devils workshop. Yes, I think its all just "busy work".

  • V
    V

    The critical purpose of the Book Study (BS) is to maintain local control and manage the congregation if "persecution" ever arises. By having meetings in homes, small groups could still meet underground and official direction could be passed down via BS overseers. This also applies to natural disasters. The BS overseer is responsible for his 20 or so, thus allowing efficient management.

    Don't forget this issue when thinking of cancelling the BS. The actual material being studied is just a bunch of BS.

  • AllTimeJeff
    AllTimeJeff

    It is the most useless of meetings to the R n F, but not to the GB. Reasons?

    1. The ability to divide into smaller groups and assigning an elder as a "B.S. Overseer" (pun intended) gives more ability to control and keep track of who is holding the company line.... It is borg policy to assign even the longtime inactive into a group. The idea behind this is that an elder has the responsibility to "shepherd" his little flock.
    2. For the reasons listed above, it is easier to single out those who are not regular in the all important preaching work........... (back from barfing at my own role in that...) Elders can make arrangements to take someone out in FS, even for an hour. Typicaly, an elder is better thought of is he is a BS Overseer and gets a few inactive to report some FS time.....
    3. Also, for controversial teachings as found in their "Daniel" and "Revelation" books, it is easier to convince a smaller groups and handle those who might question. (unless it is the elder who questions, which means you can have 30 minute book studies then get the hell home.... )

    One CO put it this way if we feel to tired to go to meetings: "It isn't the meetings that are making you tired, it is the world!"

    Since I have left, I have come to the conclusion that the GB is just as enslaved to their own traditions as the so called "false" religions that they claim do the same thing. There is no scriptural precedent at all for THREE meetings a week. Its just tradition. JW tradition. And for all of their self proclaimed "wisdom", the GB is unwilling to admit that having 4 days with obligations to the cult is causing stress, a lack of time and attention spent to children in families, and in general contributes to the mental and emotional stress that JW are feeling more and more. The GB KNOWS that the flock is feeling this way. They don't want to admit that it is their own teachings and workload that are causing it.

    For those of you who still believe in the bible (disclosure: I don't)

    (Matthew 23:4) 4 They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger.

  • OnTheWayOut
    OnTheWayOut

    I was very surprised to hear of the 30 minute public talks. Longer meetings don't cost WTS any more money.
    But controlling the 30 minutes tightly vs. allowing the speaker time to digress is only one theory. The other
    is that they are trying to make room for more congregations to meet on Sunday in one hall.

    That said, every congregation has a Kingdom Hall bookstudy group. I could see them combine the bookstudy
    into the evening meeting, cutting back on the TMS and Service Mtg. and making it a three-in-one meeting.
    That way they can use one hall for 5 congregations. They won't drop the bookstudy, because they still use it
    to "sell" books. The repeat books are chosen by what's on the pile at the printery.

    Why would they want to combine so many congregations? It's part of their collapse formula for selling off
    properties. They need the money for lawsuits.

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