Is it compulsory to stay the 15 minutes for association after the WT study?

truthseeker

Well, today was the first Sunday meeting with the half hour public talk.

The public talk was not for the public at all - it was about staying awake spiritually and was very hardcore. More like a service talk.

Before the meeting, one sister says that we are all expected to stay for at least 15 minutes after the WT study, because the Society

wants us to have more "association".

To me, this is pointless. The people who stay will stay anyway; those that have to leave will leave.

She also said it will be hard for the Englsih congregations as they don't usually associate much anyway, but the Spanish do.

What were your experiences if you attended the WT study today? Did people stay longer or leave earlier?

momzcrazy

Unless they keep the doors locked, I am going to venture a "no" to your question. But then again I am a bit rebellious when it comes to what they tell me to do.

momz

carla

Heck if I know, usually my jw is gone for about 3 hours for Sunday meetings, today he was gone for about 2 1/2 hours or so.

rekless

It reminds me when I was in the Navy and we were under a mandate to play flag football and our company commander said, "You will be present, you will play , and you will have a god damn good time.

I never thought of it as compulsory. Some left right after meetings, some stayed around for a while. As a "servant", I was expected to stay (usually had some work to do anyway), but for most there is no such rule. Of course those that leave right away after every meeting won't be viewed as very "spiritual" by the rest. (no big loss)

AWAKE&WATCHING

I was usually one of the last ones out of the hall. I tried to talk to anyone I knew was having a rough time or that had missed a few meetings. I adore old folks so I always made the rounds to speak to them and get a hug. I was crazy about the kids and payed special attention to the teenagers because I knew it wasn't easy for them to be in high school and belong to the cult.

There are a lot of people from both of my congregations that I truly miss. It's heartbreaking to know that their love for me was conditional.

LouBelle

Well when I was in all that time ago, we had a great book study group. It was mostly my friends, and the couple that hosted it were like my second family - we used to have cake / tea / coffee (sometimes even cheese and wine) every week. So it was more of a social gathering, just had to get the actual book study out of the way - many times we'd finish up earlier than the hour - extra time to have "fun"

lisavegas420

I was usually one of the last ones out of the hall. I tried to talk to anyone I knew was having a rough time or that had missed a few meetings. I adore old folks so I always made the rounds to speak to them and get a hug. I was crazy about the kids and payed special attention to the teenagers because I knew it wasn't easy for them to be in high school and belong to the cult.

if there had been people like you in the KH I attended, I probably wouldn't have looked else where for friendship. then again, maybe there were people like you and I was out the door as soon as amen was said and you couldn't catch me. hmmm..

lisa

WTWizard

I thought the extra 15 minutes was supposed to be so you could waste it on field circus. Either way, 15 minutes spent in the Kingdumb Hell or out in field circus is 15 minutes wasted.

blondie

Growin up my father was not a jw and expected us to come home right away....he timed it and if we lingered we were yelled at. Other sisters are picked up by their husbands. Is he supposed to sit out their for 15 minutes? I think that sister was reading into the "recommendation" more than even the WTS demands.