Painfully Long Prayers on the last day of the 3-day Conventions.

by blkblk13 24 Replies latest jw experiences

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  ozziepost

  Reason is- giving the concluding prayer at a DC is evidence that you are damn spiritual.

  Seems like it, doesn't it? The length of the prayer increases in direct relation to the depth of spirituality, eh?
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  ozziepost

  The all time worst District Convention concluding prayer of all time that I had the misfortune of enduring through, was the year I was dunked, Fred Franz was in town vactioning and just dropped by to give the concluding prayer lecture. He droned on and on for over 10 minutes

  From what I remember, he made a habit of it!
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  wobble

  The one notable exception to the usual I am a spiritual giant drone (Giant EGO more like) that I remember was a guy here in U.K that after the final talk had gone over time(another giant ego at work) he got up and prayed "Thank you Jehovah for a lovely day, Amen"

  This was some time before the cringe making habit of clapping after the prayer was invented (did you whooping yanks start that?) and yet I applauded his humanity and common sense and was promptly told to behave myself by my Wife.

  I guess this guy was probably genuine and Christlike, I beleive it was a guy called Ernie Beever but correct me if I'm wrong.

  A crying shame nobody followed his example.

  Wobble
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  sacolton

  Luke 20:47

  They devour widows' houses and say long prayers to cover it up. They will receive greater condemnation!"
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  ozziepost

  I beleive it was a guy called Ernie Beever but correct me if I'm wrong.

  An unconventional man. See your mailbox.
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  WTWizard

  I think a prayer that runs longer than 2 minutes is excessive in this setting. You have people standing, some holding children and babies, and waiting for it to end. You do not need to recap the whole event--that is something I could do just as easily as an apostate (the whole thing was a waste of time and a blatant contradiction of actual reality).

  All you really need is a quick thanksgiving for the day's activities (without recapping anything), and that people actually apply to the best of their abilities what they learned. Then request a safe trip back, perhaps a word for those undergoing tribulation, request for forgiveness of sin, and the Amen. It would last around 30 seconds, not minutes, and people would be out of there in record time.

  Better yet, just don't offer a prayer at all. Why thank that Almighty Baghead for instructions that are blatantly the antithesis of the real truth, when He is only going to keep you single and celibate (and a source of dread for the opposite sex) solely so He can get you into the Value Destroyer Training School! I would even forgo the closing song as well--just dismiss the group as soon as the final talk is done.
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  TinyDancer124

  I once counted a prayer that was over 10 minutes long. I know this because I was staring at the clock the whole time. Once I started driving myself and not relying on my parents transportation, I made a run for it at the beginning of the last song.
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  bluesbreaker59

  I despised the WHOLE ENTIRE LAST DAY!!!

  It was the worst day, because all I wanted to do was go home.

  The morning was always filled with "experiences", and a WT summary that just drones on and on. Then you get a SHORTENED lunch of like only 1 hour on the last day. Then the afternoon fires up and there is always a LONG, BORING symposium, then usually a song, THEN, there is a "brother windbag" that gets up and gives a recap of the whole thing. He usually has the volume, bass and the reverb all cranked up, so he can lean into the mic and say things with a big, booming authoritative voice. Lots of time this gasbag, will drone on and on about "what a delicious banquet the faithful slave provided us", they will then thank every speaker, re-cap EVERY talk, and talk about how wonderful the drama was. THEN, they would announce the release of some new 192 page book, and finally after running over a minimum of 20 - 30 minutes, they would rap it up, and there would be a song and concluding 5 - 10 minute prayer by the "special" Bethel speaker or DO.

  Now the "smart" double life Dub, (like myself when I was in) would leave after lunch. Because you'd say all your goodbyes, then in the last 5 to 10 minutes before its time to sit, you grab your books, and lunch bag and head straight for the doors, walking quickly, and avoiding eye contact. I'd usually be back home by the time the DC was ending. I HATED the DC as I got older, as a kid I like staying in hotels, but hated everything else about it.

  Nowadays, I thinking of how many family vacations we could have taken instead of going to the damn DC. Even if we would've saved, up money and went once every 3 years somewhere, that would've been nice. I only took one family vacation with my parents, while I was at home, and we were visiting relatives when we were there. I never understood how important family vacations were until you're older, and realize that you never went anywhere.
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  undercover

  I fell asleep during one convention closing prayer. I was leaning on the chair in front of me and had my head bowed, eyes closed. Somewhere between minute 3 and minute 5 of the epistle, I nodded off. I don't know how long the prayer was but when everyone said amen and started moving, it jolted me awake and I almost fell over and had to catch myself. It was noticeable to everyone around me what happened.

  After that I kept my eyes open...and then noticed that half the audience was not paying attention to the prayer. They're picking their noses, playing with babies being held in the row in front of them, staring at the clock, looking at their watch, getting their books together, making eyes at the guy/girl across the aisle.
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  Prov1320

  How about the long 5 minute APPLAUSE following the 10 minute prayer?

  One time a good friend of mine turned over to me after a long 15 minute prayer from a GB member followed by a 10 minute applause and said: "This is idolatry! Why is he getting so much praise???"

  I didn't know how to answer back then because I was a drone myself. But that statement did have a profound effect, because I remember it clearly to this day (it was probably about 15 years ago). I believe my response was "oh, they're probably just happy about the prayer and having enjoyed the convention."

  Of course, later in life I would have said "they're really happy that the DC is finally over!"

  Prov.