Quality of Talks Deteriorating?

by ruruj 30 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  wobble

  When I was in , most of the talks were dire, un-educated un-read men do not good speakers make.

  A talk that was listenable to, and informative was as rare as rocking horse s**t, sometimes they were one or the other, rarely both.

  The problem they have now is that most intelligent well-read guys have woken up and left, so all you get is the neanderthal ruminations of a window washer on the thoughts in front of him in a turgid outline.

  I should think all Dubs are thanking their God, the GB/jehovah (I link the names because they are the same idol), that this purgatory only lasts 30 minutes.
• 

  villabolo

  Wobble spoke: "When I was in , . . ."

  Goodness Wobble, if you can expand that to 30 minutes you'd have a great talk!

  VILLABOLO
• 

  Quillsky

  all you get is the neanderthal ruminations of a window washer on the thoughts in front of him in a turgid outline.

  When did the outlines start? I'm sure I recall the days when "talks" had some personality of the speaker shining through.
• 

  oompa

  i finally wound up shoving a paperclip under my fingernails in order to enjoy the TALKS more......very effective..........oompa
• 

  wobble

  Dear Quillsky,

  I gave my first public talk in early 1971, and we had an outline then, but we were not expected to stick rigidly to it.

  When I gained confidence, I produced my own outlines and the Elders in my Cong. were happy to let me do so, even for a short while after a directive came from on high that only WT outlines should be used, and should be stuck to.

  Then a C.O got wind of our "Independent Attitude", I had given one of mine away at another congo, and he didn't recognise the Title, of course. (nosey sod must have read their notice board). So from then on we had to pretend to use the WT outline.

  Sometimes I would give a talk that stuck vaguely to the sub-headings, but it was not recognisable to other Bros. who had spoken from the same outline.

  In the end I just refused to give P.T's, I thought they were torture for the Bros. and if you put some effort in to make them good, most only came for half the talk and the rest were not really listening, so I thought stuff it.
• 

  slimboyfat

  if you put some effort in to make them good, most only came for half the talk and the rest were not really listening

  Ooops that's me.
• 

  metatron

  slimboyfat is right. Everything they do appears to be deteriorating. If you read the KM, you get the impression they think congregations are mentally challenged, along with the elders.

  metatron
• 

  BluesBrother

  Years ago I know talks to be accurate, authoritative, corroborative and encouraging.

  Hmm... I would not go that far. They were still full of the baloney that makes up WT theology.....But, I concede that they were of a higher quality of delivery than what is heard today .

  I here so much conjecture masquerading as fact, so many inappropriate illustrations and monotone deliveries, I am glad they are only 30 minutes

  Am I right in saying that they no longer give negative counsel in the TMS ? If so, how can they learn?
• 

  blondie

  The August 2010 KM has a whole section outlining what a "talk" should be in the service meeting. Either the brothers have alzheimers or are deliberately going their own way.

  Instructions for Those Handling Service Meeting Parts

  Beginning with this issue of Our Kingdom Ministry, the wording of the Service Meeting schedule is being simplified. The following instructions and reminder will update and clarify what was stated in the article "How to Prepare for the Service Meeting," which appeared in the May 2009 Our Kingdom Ministry.

  • Talk: This refers to a discourse based on the assigned material with no audience participation. The speaker should focus on what will be most helpful to the congregation.

  • Questions and Answers: Much like the Watchtower Study, this part has a very brief i ntroduction and conclusion, and questions are as ked on all the paragraphs. The conductor should avoid commenting excessively. Key scriptures may be read as time allow. Paragraphs are not to be read unless instructions are given to do so.

  • Discussion: This is a talk that includes some audience participation. It is not simply a talk, and it is not all ques tions and answers.

  • Demonstrations and Interviews: Instructions to demonstrate mean that the brother assigned the part is responsible for including a demonstration; he personally does not have to give the demonstration. Those he chooses to help him should be capable and exemplary, and he should make arrangements with them well in advance if poss ible. It is best not to use new and inexperienced publishers to demonstrate how the work is to be done simply to gi e them the opportunity to be on the platform, although some can be used as householders. Publishers demonstrating a presentation hould take care to face the audience. Those used in an interview are to give their comment from the platform rather than from their seat. Demonstrations and interviews should be rehearsed. If the meeting is running overtime and a brother must shorten his part, he will avoid deleting demon tration or interview. Ministerial servants s hould check with the coordinator of the body of elder or another elder before selecting participants.

  If a unique part has special instructions, these hould be carefully followed. By delivering s ervice meeting parts as outlined above, brothers will contribute to Service Meetings that "take place decently and by arrangement."- l Cor. 14:40.
• 

  cantleave

  I must admit like wobble, my talks were not kept rigidly to the outline. I used to chop and change quite a bit. In fact when visiting speakers came and delivered the same talk outlines that I had, I could hardly recognise them.

  Apparently my talks are missed by many in the circuit.