by Open mind 84 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
No fear of reprisal. If something isn't making sense in the Watchtower, we can bring it up for further open discussion.
We are Taking about the JWS aren't we ?
The JWS has to be the most closed in, highly controlled by hierarchy religion that I ever seen or witnessed.
Lets not forget that religion is a game of power and control, individually expressed openness isn't usually found
in this kind of environment.
Whatever possessed the GB to remove the book study, it has unexpectedly back-fired! If the human race really is so very, very close to the end, why eliminate one of your core meetings?
Totally agree Steve2, the ever important urgency is starting to wane itself out of the JW mindset, at least to the long timers.
I'm sure this is causing alot of fading part time JWS, who are just making an casual appearance at the Kingdom Hall on the odd Sunday.
steve2,
so true, my gp were Methodists and everything was sin, dancing, cards etc. Now I am told being Methodist is Christianity "lite".
I think it is just a deception for jws to think they only go to 2 meetings, it is still 3 meetings (though smaller) during the week, and 2 on Sunday (though a little shorter than in my day).
I can remember people coming for the school when they had a part but not staying for the service meeting.
I can remember people coming late, only for the WT study.
The better attended meeting in this area was the old time book study, 1) only one hour, 2) smaller and tended to be made up of people you liked (lobbying by the rank and file through the elders), 3) it was hard to be invisible in a group of 20 to 25.
I knew the school overseer quite well and he told me the ones that ditched their parts tended to be the elders, their wives, and their children. He gave them 3 tries and took them out of the rotation. He had a list of 5 sisters (no husbands or no jw husbands) that were reliable and quite capable or substiting at a moment's notice. Not so with brothers, he had to be prepared to handle every brother's part. One time he gave the #1 talk, the bible highlights, and the #2 talk.
Good idea OTWO about taking the missing 25% out of the mix (publisher cards). I'm inactive and I wonder if they still have my card on file...I have been part of the 25% for over 10 years now.
Blondie
Mad Sweeney, you're right on about the telephone "worthy list".
And, it's another thing that's gonna backfire!
"It would be extremely difficult to find older Witness literature....." Band on the Run
Nooooo, it isn't....
I've picked up many older JW books, including several that are around 100 years old....
Here's a couple of websites that I've found such items on:
You might also want to look online in "christian" book stores - specifically "used" books....
Zid
I agree with EVERY comment! I would like to add some additional thoughts on the cost vs. dividend of the meetings from the perspective of a JW wife and mother:
Midweek night meeting schedule:
3:30pm: nag kids to do homework. If they have a talk in TMS , rehurse, rehurse, rehurse.
4:30pm: start dinner
5:15pm: dish out food
5:45pm: start bathing kids or nagging them to shower (depending on age)
6:00pm: check the familys meeting clothes. Find something "appropriate" for yourself to wear that has matching stockings.
6:15pm: Fight husband for the shower for the last of the hot water
6:30pm: Throw somehing on, call it good, run a comb through your hair. Check on kids progress. Make daugher remove her black eyeshadow, tell son to take off the athletic shoes.
6:50pm: Find elder husbands bookbag and show him the gravy spot on his tie.
6:50pm-6:55pm: Husband changes tie -everyone gets in the car. Kids fight in the back seat, parents give each other dirty looks.
7:15pm- 7:30pm: arrive at KH Slap on a KH smile. Find seats, Act interested in hearing about Sister Annoyings gall bladder.
7:30pm -9:30pm: Try not to laugh. Tell the kids to pay attention, Try to keep everyone awake.
9:35pm-9:55pm Visit with the "friends". Look at Sister Rudes photos of the party I wasn't invited to. Find kids.
10:00pm-10:15pm: Drive home. Wake up sleeping kids or carry hem into the house.
10:15pm-10:30pm: Nag kids and husband to change and hang up clothes. Do the same for myself.
10:30pm-10:45pm: Let kids have a snack. Put them to bed.
10:45-11:00pm See what's left to eat. Through some leftovers on a plate.
11:00pm: Make a coctail
11:15:pm: Make another coctail bring it to bed
11:30pm: Find husband asleep in bed wach TV alone.
Midweek meetings were often an 8hr. process. Was the payoff worth it??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
LOL3rdgen. When I was a child our family would have blazing rows on the way to the hall, usually due to a combination of the pressure of everyone being forced to rush around and do something they didn't really want to. The funniest part is that as soon as the car door opened in the KH call park, we would be all smiles and sweetness and light. At the end of the meeting, we'd all pile back in the car and the row would recommence exactly where we had left off 2+ hours before.
MM EXACTLY!
Hah hah!!!
3rd Gen, you nailed it!! That is exactly what our parents' "meeting nights" were like, over 50 years ago!!! The more things change, the more they stay the same...
Zid
