In reading this short article, oooooh, let's just post some quotes:
Page 32, paragraph 1:
"Last year, the Governing Body announced an adjustment to the congregation meeting schedule that allows more time for Bible study and discussion as a family."
The Governing Body, as we see here, is the one who decides what we are ALLOWED to use our time for. Maybe I'm leaning too hard on 'em. They have been so faithful in discharging their duties in fulfillment of a parable that is not at all a prophecy.
Paragraph 2:
"Many have expressed appreciated for the arrangement of having a Family Worship evening. For example, Keven, an elder, wrote: "The words 'thank you' are not strong enough to express how we in the congregation feel. As elders, we have discussed how we use the free night to do exactly as the Governing Body has asked--to study with our families.""
The frank use of that phrase, "do exactly as the Governing Body has asked", to me seems troubling. As if it should be done simply because they asked for it to be done. If the Governing Body asked families to go out and kill apostates one night a week, I guess they'd do exactly as the Governing Body asked then, too.
The particularly odd thing about this is, I remember having family worship long before this near-mandate was issued--decades ago, in fact. We didn't need anyone to tell us in capital letters (Family Worship) that we ought to worship God as a family, at home. Jesus made clear that worship was not to be bound to some religious structure anyway--all we'd need was two people, and there he is in our midst.
How much time, exactly, did the Governing Body actually provide for this purpose? They sucked half an hour off the Book Study, half an hour off the TMS/SM altogether, and 15 minutes from the PT. Because they smashed the Book Study onto the same night as everything else, they're to be applauded, we're to come with gratitude? The load hasn't really lightened very much, save that we don't have to leave the house but twice a week, but we still have to study just as hard for all the meetings and do at least 10 hours of field service. So why do they act like they parted the Red Sea or something?
Paragraph 4:
"This new arrangement is a gift from Jehovah that spiritually refreshes us--if we use the time in the way we are supposed to."
I've heard these experiences are contrived, but this one really does sound like it. Almost as if this random pioneer couple is threatening us worldwide--yeah, we BETTER have that Family Worship night. Refreshment comes from a noticeable lightening of one's yoke, doesn't it? I didn't notice it being any lighter.
Of particular note is that it took until paragraph 4 to mention Jehovah, whereas the Governing Body had already been mentioned twice and praised and thanked. At a certain point, we can expect that Jehovah may be ousted from the picture altogether. Jesus has already been marginalized and his words revised as needed. Okay, maybe not. That's a little extreme.
Well...I've said enough. Fire away.
SD-7