Forced Seating

by Tired of the Hypocrisy 30 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  hotspur

  Then there's the seats specifically reserved for Disfellowshipped at the rear of the hall. That really irked me when I was 'in'. Our hall was always short of seating but, if you had been 'cast out' you were ALWAYS guaranteed a seat..... I was a slow learner!
• 

  sacolton

  My wife and I sat in the back row ...

  It's easier to sneak out during half-time.

  Hotspur, it was common knowledge in our KH that DF'd person sat at the front so the Elders can see them and make sure
  they are paying attention.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  We would ask people to move, but never forced them. We never laid a guilt trip on
  folks who said they sat in the back for a reason. I am glad you stood your ground
  on this guy and didn't transfer his hassle to this family (but let him put it on the
  husband- too bad he didn't have the steel nerves you have).

  Looking at things as an indoctrinated dub is different from the view that WE now have.
  They thought nobody should be late, control was important, it was easier to move
  early people toward the front than to march late people up there during the meeting.
  Just ask and a few people will move, some won't. Leave it at that. And please allow
  parents to keep their young ones near the back if they want to.

  A hall where the elders sit up front to make it look like "somebody" is willing to sit up
  there winds up with big distractions because elders get up from their seats more than
  regular members. They are bored with the indoctrination so they find elder stuff to do.
  After all, they don't have to look attentive so that they might get appointed, they are
  already appointed.
• 

  Layla33

  I never heard of seating just for disfellowshipped people, I am really starting to believe (and maybe I am slow) that congregations in different regions of the country in the US and over the world interpret the same basic cult teachings very differently.

  I knew of several DF's people when I was still in who always sat with their families.
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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  OnTheWayOut said:

  A hall where the elders sit up front to make it look like "somebody" is willing to sit up
  there winds up with big distractions because elders get up from their seats more than
  regular members. They are bored with the indoctrination so they find elder stuff to do.
  After all, they don't have to look attentive so that they might get appointed, they are
  already appointed.

  The Elders in my congregation are always walking in the back and holding meetings while everyone else has to sit thru the boring meetings. They distract more people than all the late walk-ins.

  We have been told numerous times to sit up front in the middle rows. It works for a week or so than everyone scatters back to their own seats. That's why I came up with my name ''RULES AND REGULATIONS.'' They load up on rules that have nothing to do about the Bible.
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  Meeting Junkie No More

  So true about the elders up and down all meeting long; also little pow wows in the vestibule - they would close the door between the vestibule and the main hall and gab/chit chat, then get up and give a part about not being distracted at meetings....what a joke. The other thing that used to annoy me no end was elders sitting at the front, bending over to a fellow elder in the aisle on their way out in the middle of a part, then the two of them getting up to discuss something at the back of the hall, in front of the bulletin board, all the while whispering loud enough that any of the folks at the back would actually be distracted. This would go on all meeting long. And they would complain about the kids being fidgety...
• 

  Hope4Others

  Anyone else have to deal with being herded to the front of the hall before a meeting? Yes I remember there were plenty of seats at the back, I was a little late and this brother(I use the term loosely) decided to meet us at the door so he could make us go to the front. I said no and started to head to go home.. He changed his tune....I hadn't been feeling well and wasn't in the mood to put up with this crap. We sat at the back!!! Hope4Others
• 

  dogisgod

  I used to sit on the side towards the front so I wouldn't be distracted by watching the amazing things people will do when bored out of their minds. It would make me laugh out loud. Not a good thing.
• 

  kifoy

  wha happened?
  I do remember a talk from the CO about sitting in the same seat at every meeting. For the next few weeks we had musical chairs until people tried of it and sat where they wanted

  I remember our CO (in the 90s?) had the same talk at our place
  As an example he told the story of one cong. where everyone always were seated in the same place. One day they decided to change this, and chose a different place to sit. When the Watchtower study conductor got on stage, he had difficulties finding the brothers because they were not sitting where they always had. What a drama!
  
  So, where you sit during the meeting is so important that the COs are having dedicated talks about it?
  
  I think our cong. moved around a bit the following weeks, but then went back to "normal" again.
• 

  AlyMC

  When my DH and his best friend were DF'd they'd come in late and walk all the way to the front row and take their seat. Once we were togehter we always sat in the back... He never really had any privileges though, if you couldn't guess. They'd occasionally have special needs about leaving the last few rows open to those who were late... but it was rarely enforced.