Friend said they're really emphasizing "Family Worship Evening" at the Convention - why did they get rid of the book study then?

by truthseeker 22 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  undercover

  I was really surprised that they dropped the Book Study arrangement. It goes against normal cult philosphy for the leadership to give their members more freedom and more personal time.

  It was either a knee jerk legal move to protect the organization somehow (why, I'm not sure) or the leadership was trying to stem the flow of people leaving.

  Of course, no matter the reason, it has obviously backfired, as anyone who knows anything about human nature could have told you ahead of time. They underestimated the actual control they have on the flock. Over time the stress and load of work had been too much. Couple that with the failed prophecies and other various scandals and people were tiring of the fight and were giving up.

  So they try a new tactic...give them an open night. Except, it's not really an open night. It was all a smoke screen. Tell them that they're easing their load, but them give them homework to do. What they should've seen coming was that if you gave a bunch of tired, stressed workers the freedom to not work, they're going to do just that...not work. They took advantage of that open night, not to do their homework assignments, but to enjoy the things that they had been missing previously, or catching up with things that needed to be done that they had been putting off for the sake of the WT.

  They might as well give up on Family Night. It's a bust.
• 

  SuspiciousMinds

  Most of the JWs we know haven't even considered actually having the "Family Worship Evening". Since it's not actively enforced most dubs will just do what any other normal people would do with a free evening. I don't know how the WT could have expected otherwise.

  Of course, if asked on a shepherding visit if they were having their FWE, they would say they are.
• 

  donuthole

  I'm with PasswordProtected -- I think it is a knee-jerk reaction to how the JW's reacted to this "free night". This pattern has been seen before where the Society allows a certain liberty for a time (such as further educations) but then swings back when the results are not favorable to the Organization.
• 

  Quandry

  I really think they made a very bad decision for themselves getting rid of the book study in homes. I always remember that this was the "base" for forming friendships and having get-togethers. I remember many of them very fondly.

  We had the bookstudy in our home for years and had book study parties. We had a large back yard and had cook-outs and volley-ball games.

  I see many falling away due to lack of cementing relationships together. The KHall was too cold and sterile and not conducive to really getting to know someone.

  On the other hand, maybe more will be coming here looking for support!
• 

  WTWizard

  They realize that people are abusing Family Waste the Evening night. They are supposed to be reading washtowel littera-trash, practicing field circus, acting out washtowel dramas, doing deeper research in Washtowel littera-trash for calls, quizzing the children on the doctrine, and listening to Kingdumb Maladies. In fact, many of them are using the time to do all their week's boasting session preparations so they can get it all out of the way. This would give them other evenings to relax (instead of writing letters or making phone calls).

  Worse, they have realized that too many just blow it off altogether. There are so many ways to dog Family Waste the Evening Night. One could read the Bible on its own, without Washtowel bias. One could watch TV or listen to real music. They have already mentioned a problem with small groups getting together on Family Waste the Evening night, taking in singles (that are not being hosted) for their studies. Some are working late, going to bed early, and even going online. Still others are taking classes on Tuesday (or Thursday) evenings, depending on when their book study used to be. What they want is to put a stop to those using Family Waste the Evening Night to do all their week's studying or totally blowing it off.
• 

  yknot

  Well technically the BS was just shuffled to Tuesday night.....

  Most of us in my Hall with kiddos are just hoping they will push it to FWN! The BS is pretty much a joke now too. Since only repetition of the paragraph is encouraged most don't prepare at all or only skim through an hour before the meeting to garner their kid a comment or two. Of those who still fully comment.... it is just so dull! Recitation of the text and additional WT quote is now considered a 'studied response'. It is like a mini contest as to who can sound the most 'Organizational'.

  Rumors on the Spanish ExJW board is they are considering doing away with mid-week meetings entirely in the next 5 years. Which if proves true means they will shuffle the TMS to Sunday (before or after PT/WT). ....
• 

  truthseeker

  YKnot,

  Please elaborate on this rumor. Can you translate from Spanish to English and post here?

  Truthseeker
• 

  truthseeker

  The next five years takes us to 2014!!!!
• 

  freedomisntfree

  they stole that "family worship evening" thing from the mormons there not even being originally crazy anymore
• 

  Elsewhere

  > I was really surprised that they dropped the Book Study arrangement.

  The reason is very simple: The WTS is not publishing new books as often as they used to. The dubs started wondering why they were studying the same damn books over and over again and why the WTS was not publishing new books to study.

  The solution was very simple: Get rid of the book study and people will stop asking questions.