Remember When They Used to Have Q&A After the Public Talk?

by daniel-p 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  blondie

  ISOT, you can ask questions of the person studying with you one-on-one (not too many at one time though, must do the material in the book you know). Sometimes they will tell you your question is answered further along in the book (and I don't mean the bible).

  If you were to ask a question during a meeting, the conductor would most likely tell you that someone will answer your question after the meeting, usually either your "teacher," your husband or father, if jw, and perhaps the brother suggesting this (don't hold your breath).

  Blondie
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  winstonchurchill

  In our BookStudy Group we had a brother who would raise his hand and ask questions, very politely and sincerely, if he didn't understand something. This happended quite often and I'd just smile and say "Well, that's an interesting question, let's see who can answer"; sometimes a sister would answer. This would irk some (I was allowing a woman to teach!!!!). Sometimes I'd answer myself, sometimes we'd engage in discussing the point. It made the consideration lively and more than a couple of times I would stand corrected by his comments/questions (And I never had a problem admitting I was wrong, or I didn't know the answer).

  In general, the rest of the group enjoyed it. But, as I said, some critized me for this; even some fellow elders who got to know about this 'counseled' me, and a CO even told me that I should know better than letting a brother in the audience 'direct' the consideration. Now that the BS is gone I get to conduct only every once in a while and at hall it's just not the same.
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  insearchoftruth

  I never realized how controlling it actually was....I guess that is the method used to direct and focus thoughts...
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  winstonchurchill

  My dad (not a JW) who was a College Professor for decades, always said the Q&A method of study was the worst, most uneffective and fallacy-prone.

  Years and years later I realized: They don't write 'answers' to 'Questions'; they write an article expressing a bunch of ideas, then add questions that fit those ideas, and Bingo! You think you are finding answers to your questions. It's genius! they don't answer, they don't teach you.. THEY INDUCE YOU TO ACCEPT what they wrote.
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  Lieu

  Yeah, that all stopped sometime in the early 80's.

  Now that I am aware of the situation, I think most things stopped after the Franz "incident".
• 

  cattails

  I think CMF Bible Students and Home Christians

  still practice this question-after-talk tradition.

  ---

  http://www.homechristians.net

  http://www.cmfellowship.org

  
• 

  WTWizard

  I have heard of having an intermission before smoking was banned--the purpose was to give those who smoked a chance to have a quick smoke before the washtowel study. Then 1973 came, and they banned smoking--along with these breaks.

  It did shorten the boasting session for those who didn't smoke. It also forced those who still smoked to quit (or get booted, and their lives ruined).