when I look back on the many CBS I attended and took as a past E and MS what stands out is the friends we got closer to, we used to arrange once a quarter meals out or at one anothers homes,just this week we are arranging a picnic for the next holiday weekend and I know this has become practice around our CBS. This will be missed I dont see the same familiarity developing at the KH as we have 150 pubs. It will be a sad day and discouraging but It may make people question ?
Emotional Reactions to the Loss of the Book Study
by DT 72 Replies latest jw friends
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WTWizard
I hope all it does is spaces the boasting sessions too far apart. And I hope people start spending Tuesday evenings studying the Bible with independent sources, and using the Internet to research things. Which means more missed boasting sessions, and more apostasy.
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JH
Why is the Watchtower making so many changes recently?
- Publishing less magazines
- Cuting 15 minutes of the Public Talk
- Removing the book study in homes
- Requiring less hours to be a Pioneer
- Redefining a "Generation"
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sacolton
Dinah -
What you said about friendship really hit home with me. Before I married my wife, I was best friends with her brother. Their whole family are Jehovah's Witnesses. Anyhow, him and I could get seriously obnoxious and laugh for hours. It was one of those friendships where you can be totally yourself ... act stupid ... say dumb things ... goof off. It was great! There was nothing we couldn't talk about. Keep in mind that I wasn't a Jehovah's Witness when I met him. Years later, I dated his sister. It was recommended that I check out the JW religion and I did. Seemed harmless. People were friendly. Okay, so no biggie - I'll become a JW. We get married and everything is great ... not because of the religion, but my best friend is now my brother-in-law and we can hang out more. It was awesome! We did so much together as friends and family. The talks and humor would have made the WTBTS blush. LOL! Seriously, we were so obnoxious! Always had a great time when we have drinks together and just everytime we hung out (all four of us: me, my wife, brother-in-law and his wife).
Fast forward to January 2008, I start researching the history of the organization and start questioning its validity. Once I submitted my letter of disassociation ... all those years of friendship were like they never happened. My wife "accepts" my decision, but doesn't want to hear the proof of my research. My brother-in-law (best friends, remember?) loses sleep for a week and gets physically sick and tries to get me to ignore everything I've read ... he no longer talks to me.
I'll sum it up ... conditional friendships suck! They aren't real. If any Jehovah's Witnesses think the brotherly love is real in their Kingdom Hall ... test it! True friendships can survive anything! Anything!
It's beyond sad.
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Leolaia
"It actually helped my fade though. When they went with the Revelation book AGAIN, I decided it was my time to bow out."
LOL, it had the same effect on me when we had to go through it again back in '92. The last BS I went to, I had homework in my college Greek class to do, and I had to waste my time in going to the BS to read what I knew was utter nonsense, and I recall thinking, "What am I doing here? I'd rather be reading Palaephatus in Greek than this tripe here."
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TJ - iAmCleared2Land
A couple of things...
1) I think they will still have "bookstudy groups" in the sense of an elder being assigned a group of 15-25 publishers he "cares" for. Too many of their arrangements (post-disaster recovery, shepherding, field service arrangements, hospitality for the public speaker, turning in your time) are all tied to it. My guess is there won't be a single "bookstudy conductor" (I know, they changed it to bookstudy overseer, but without the bookstudy arrangement in the homes, you're going back to conducting a meeting at the KH). Rather, the existing BSO's will take turns conducting that meeting at the KH, on a weekly rotating basis. I wonder if they'll skip reading the paragraphs? Much like the WT is done when the CO visits (which is a whole other thread anyway, isn't it?!)?
2) My wife (still in) is surprised, but thinks most families will embrace gladly the change and be relieved at one less meeting per week. Then she made an interesting observation... she's been expecting that in the near future they will cut the District Convention back to just a two-day event, Saturday and Sunday, to help the friends with travel costs, not having to get time off work, etc. They've already shortened the program days... we went from 7 days to 5 days to 4 days, to 3 days, to 2.5 days, why not make Friday just go away all together and save the friends an extra day of hotel/travel costs and give them back a day of pay from their jobs?
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seektruth101
That really Sucks, When I was a Kid we had BS at our house, I use to play sick every now and than, when the book study started, I jump out my bedroom window went and got a burger and a drink across the street. Those were the days. It will be missed!!! Also making out with some JWs Girls in my room while the meeting was going on! Man was that just Wrong!
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LovesDubs
We had our book study in various places over the years...but the one thing that was always present was a PRIDE that the people holding the study had that it was at their homes. They looooved having people over and it made them feel special. It was something that the NON elders could do to contribute to the congregation and I hate to see them stripped of that simple thing and lumped all back together in the Kingdoom Halls like so much cattle.
It seems to me this is just another way to circle the wagon and keep what few members they still have under closer scrutiny and control. Its not like ANYBODY in Brooklyn gives a shyt what they do to people. They never cared before...why would they start now?
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144001
Well, my years of forced attendance ended more than a quarter century ago. Nevertheless, if I was still subjected to my parents' control at the time this announcement was made, I would have jumped for joy. I hated the book study as much as I hated any other meeting. The only saving grace was that it was shorter in duration.
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nicolaou
"What am I doing here? I'd rather be reading Palaephatus in Greek than this tripe here."
Haven't we all been there?!