How long did Conventions used to be?

by donuthole 78 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

• 

  Farkel

  blondie,

  : I was at the Rose Bowl in September 1963.

  I was 15. It was blisteringly hot. I remember that. It took forever to drive out of that canyon to get to whereever it was that we were staying for that Assembly.

  I masturbated in my parents 1959 Volkswagen one afternoon during a particularly boring speech. Oh, wait! They were ALL particularly boring speeches! I would have done it more often if I could have gotten away with it.

  I was a loyal JW.

  God. I love the Rose Bowl. Fond memories with that time.

  What were they talking about in there in 1963, anyway?

  Farkel
• 

  mouthy

  Farkel go to your room ,,,,NOT the car people might see....

  If the police see you do that they will arrest you. But knowing you
  that is what turns you on shocking folks. But ya cant shock mouthy seen it all
• 

  Jim_TX

  I remember going to Kansas, City, MO (I think it was MO - it might have been KS) in about... 1968. My mom had this old 1952 DeSoto stretch 3-seat car that was barely reliable, but we went on a 'wing and a prayer', so to speak. I am not sure how long in days this assembly was, but it was too long. I think it lasted 7 to 8 days.

  Parking was in peoples' yards on their front lawns. It wasn't in a good neighborhood, and not being from around there, we were all a bit fearful at night when we had to leave a well-lit stadium and head out into the darkness.

  I also remember later on, in about 1975 - we went to Houston, TX for 5 to 7 days. I don't remember how long it was, exactly, but again... too long. I had to quit my job which was not the greatest job in the world, but it kept me employed.

  Later, around 1977, there was an assembly that lasted about 6 days... maybe 7... I remember leaving San Antonio, TX and driving to Houston, TX all on my own. I was pumped!! I was going to help set up the sound department and be able to work in it - doing sound checks in th AstroDome. I got there Sunday evening, but we weren't allowed to enter the facility to set up... there was some sort of game going on. Not sure... I think it may have been basketball. Anyway, I was really beat, so crawled into my VW Beetle, curled up in the back - which had the seat removed, and went to sleep. Someone came and knocked on the glass window around 1:30 or 2:00 am in the morning, and we went inside and started setting up things. The AstroDome was HUGE, but I loved it - and I walked around it several times during the week... during the sessions, too. ;-)

  I think that was the last large assembly that I attended.

  Regards,

  Jim TX
• 

  james_woods

  I remember going to Kansas, City, MO (I think it was MO - it might have been KS) in about... 1968. My mom had this old 1952 DeSoto stretch 3-seat car that was barely reliable, but we went on a 'wing and a prayer', so to speak. I am not sure how long in days this assembly was, but it was too long. I think it lasted 7 to 8 days.

  Jim, I could be wrong - but I think that was in 1969. My parents went to it as well, and I think it was August 1969 because during the convention was the first moon landing - and of course all the witnesses were speculating that this was going to be the beginning of armageddon because now the americans and the russians would start a war on the moon.

  The moon landing is the only thing I can remember about that stupid convention, except that it was pretty damn hot in the stadium.
• 

  deep-blue-sea

  I remember having attended with my young husband to the international assembly in 1968 in Rome, 8 days sitting there till late in the afternoon, going around looking for a meal after the programm at 7, 8 p.m., and the next morning at 9.30 a.m. there again for another session of useless talks.

  In fact, who remembers the gist or substance of the talks? I thinks the most interesting in the conventions is the SOCIAL gathering, but none of the spiritual aspect of which nobody cares!

  How can the GB can ask normal people and families to sacrifice 1 week of holidays in attending conventions? How can they ask families to spend during 8 days for food and hotel?

  So sad, having lost so many hours, days, months and years, 50 in my case, for a useless purpose!

  Regards, Claudia
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  In fact, who remembers the gist or substance of the talks? I thinks the most interesting in the conventions is the SOCIAL gathering, but none of the spiritual aspect of which nobody cares!

  The real purpose of assemblies and conventions is (1) revenue -- these are profitable, esp district conventions; and (2) boy meets girl so they can "marry only in the Lord".

  DOC
• 

  NoRegrets

  Remember that the closing song on the last day (in more recent years at least, I don't go back past the 3-days) was always especially an emotional type? Very often it was Song 13 (Christian Dedication) that is, in itself, an emotional melody aside from the lyrics. It seemed a deliberate attempt to raise emotions and make you feel sad on purpose so that you felt sad the convention was ending. Was it a way to manufacture emotions that weren't really there? Making the poor sheep feel like they were sad to be going home rather than relieved the ordeal was over? I know it ALWAYS worked on my mom and my wife's mom. My mother-in-law would often sob for a large part of the drive home which was several hours! How sinister!
• 

  Farkel

  DesirousofChange,

  Well. I'm not desirous of change, but rather desirous of demolition, but that is the subject of another topic.

  You said:

  : The real purpose of assemblies and conventions is (1) revenue -- these are profitable, esp district conventions; and (2) boy meets girl so they can "marry only in the Lord".

  Partially true. The real purpose of assemblies for the tyrants in Brooklyn is revenue. I've loudly and often said that the District Assemblies are nothing more than worldwide book-promotion gatherings, because in fact, that is what they are. Of course, they collect lots of other "fees", too. To, wit, parking lot fees in flagrant violation of their contracts with various stadiums/facilities, convention badge fees, fees for their little clear plastic badge holders, contribution boxes, kickbacks from their "hotel arrangements", and in days of yore huge profits from their cafeterias which provided mostly-donated foods (they begged for them from food suppliers in the name of "charity" and they raked in huge profits for them). They would have continued that practice forever until it was revealed that they were scamming the loyal JWs and not paying taxes for their huge profits.

  As to part 2, I'm not sure that was a purpose for assemblies that the GB wanted. Oh, sure. They wanted dub boy to meet dub girl to keep the cult alive. But I do know, THAT was one of the main reasons I went. I was a guy and the field of fems was limited to me by what I found at those assemblies. Had the world of fems been opened up to me outside of the Cult, I would have found more appropriate fems rather than the less appropriate psycho dub fems who were fucked up by their religion.

  Farkel
• 

  Farkel

  mouthy,

  : Farkel go to your room ,,,,NOT the car people might see....

  :If the police see you do that they will arrest you. But knowing you
  that is what turns you on shocking folks. But ya cant shock mouthy seen it all

  That happened nearly 50 years ago, but I'm sure someone is still trying to find me and report it to the police so I can be arrested and incarcerated.

  I was very discrete, though. Hell, the whole thing lasted about 45 seconds. I was only 15 years old then! At that age, 45 seconds is called "taking your own sweet time."

  Farkel
• 

  Gayle

  '58, Yankee Stadium, 8 days. And several more long hot assemblies thereafter. No wonder we got brain-fried in those stadiums, hot, all dressed up. Can't hardly go into a baseball stadium with a little post-trumatic stuff even still.