Could They Dump The Assemblies?

by metatron 35 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  JWoods

  For sure they seem to have given up on the ultra-huge assemblies like Yankee Stadium and others in the 1950s and early 1960s. Those, I think, were deliberate PR events to get the WTBTS into the news.

  Todays assemblies are all about control and extraction of money from the rank & file - hence the WT owned assembly halls. Money, not PR now.

  Also, these serve the purpose of glorification of the circuit and district overseer - in fact, the district overseer would practically have nothing to do if there were not circuit assemblies.
• 

  I quit!

  If they take these measures do you think they will be permanent or could they be just temporay because of the tough economic times? A while back I overheard a conversation between two witnesses in my family. One was saying that at their hall almost half of the "brothers" were out of work and a lot were losing their homes.

  The members face hard economic times.
• 

  I quit!

  I'm not sure that they will ever be able to gain enough momentum again if they give these things up. What can they ever do again to regain they excitement they had prior to 1975 (not that I want to give them any ideas)? I don't think they can.
• 

  AnnOMaly

  Thanks for the link St. George - an eye-opener. Dudley's either breaking even or running at a loss. There appear to be differences between the 'profitability' of individual Assembly Halls. Try 1039414. I can't find any Assembly Halls in Scotland - don't they have any there?
• 

  metatron

  First, thank you to St. George for the figures.

  Second, guys, think this one through! All the assemblies and assembly halls live or die on cash flow, period.

  Yeah, OK, there's all sorts of ego-puffery for C.O.'s and D.O.'s - and the Society itself, in releasing new garbage but it still comes down to money, money, money. Nothing else matters.

  Keep in mind that the whole food service arrangement collapsed completely because of lack of contributions at assemblies. Also, they have become less generous about literature distribution at assemblies for the same reason.

  The assemblies - and some assembly halls (as in Florida) are under financial pressure. It seems to me that there may be a double-barrelled attack coming on Assembly Halls . If a Hall doesn't make money, it gets dumped and sold off. If an Assembly Hall DOES make money, then there may be a powerful urge to sell it off so the Watchtower can seize the retained earnings/assets.

  Oh, and what's the deal with the accounting reports on British Assembly Halls being way, way late? Is the IBSA that short of chartered accountancy?

  metatron
• 

  Doubting Bro

  MLE - you make a great point about the positive effect on morale that conventions have. My wife almost always buys a new dress for the convention as well as the memorial. Wait a second..... I think she would be buying new outfits regardless of the event! But, JWs have so few events to look forward to, to celebrate if you will, that a DC can seem like a good time.

  Interestingly, I attended a CA recently and got to see folks I hadn't seen for a long time. Honestly, I enjoyed catching up a bit. It was fun seeing them and reconnecting. But, I would have much rather done that at a party than at the CA.

  However, I also believe that money is the bottom line for the WTS. If those DCs are unprofitable at 3 days, I bet they will reduce to 2 days and see if they can turn a profit.

  There will always be larger gatherings as long as JWs exist, but I think the duration and frequency will depend 100% on profitability.

  St. George - Thanks for the links. Man I wish the US would do this. I would pay to see the WTS US branch books!!
• 

  wannabefree

  You people are causing me to be disillusioned. As if the Watchtower would stop feeding the sheep if they weren't making a profit. Sheesh. The publishers run their ministry at a loss, surely the WTB&TS, Inc. would too.
• 

  DaCheech

  I only see the following:

  DC's changed to 2 days

  CA's changed to 1 day

  if that doesn't happen, then:

  all sessions ending at 12:30............. so they can still get their donations and have lower climate control costs
• 

  blondie

  There was a time that there were 2 circuit assemblies every year, starting Friday evening with the school and through Sunday (3 days).

  Then they reduced it to 2 2-day circuit assemblies

  Then 1 2-day circuit assembly and 1 1-day special day assembly

  Could there be 2 1-day special day assemblies in the offing. I would think more circuits could use the Assembly Halls.

  --------------

  There was a time there were 8-day district (assemblies) conventions.

  5-day, 4- day, 3-1/2 day, 3 day conventions

  Could there be 2-day conventions held mostly at assembly halls....conventions (and not just other language) are being held there now.

  So there have been many "adjustments" over the years...I can see more in the future.
• 

  Farkel

  The DCs are nothing more than a worldwide book promotion tour. They are also remarkably similar to Mary Kay, Amway and all the other successful multi-level marketing shindigs. They both have warm-up speakers and finally a "heavy weight" big-shot in the organization gives the keynote address.

  The job of the speakers is to get the rank and file pumped up and glazed over, so they will be ripe to 1) Buy the latest products, 2) Sell the products so they can buy more products, and 3) get others to buy and sell the products.

  The final similarity is also true with all MLMs and the WTS: the "heavy-weights" live like Kings and the rank and file always get screwed over.

  The other minor assemblies are mainly pump-up and glaze-over events for the rank & file, except the WTS has no problem beating up its members when they are under performing. Most MLMs wouldn't even consider such a bully tactic, but then again they don't promise everlasting life in a Paradise, complete with pet Lions who eat straw and daily basket picnics for all of eternity.

  It has already been wisely pointed out that these assemblies will continue as long as they positively affect the bottom line on the Watchtower ledger sheet. As soon as they don't, assemblies will be toast. Either that, or the WTS will try charging an admission fee to hear their brainwashing propaganda, which won't work. Dubs are cheapest bastards on this planet.

  Farkel