what was the reason for canceling the book study in private homes

by reds 48 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  nugget

  The book study was a great meeting, we hosted it on a 6 month rotating basis and it was well attended some people came who did not attend the kingdom hall. Yes people were sometimes demanding and thoughtless and did not appreciate that it was someone's home as well as a meeting venue. I think that they were more relaxed, social and informal than the main meeting and therefore somewhere where people could ask questions and be treated less judgementally.

  The introduction of family worship night turned an opportunity for warmth and fellowship into another stick to beat the flock with. Gone was a one hour meeting and in it's place a demand to spend the whole evening studying watchtower approved materials.
• 

  clearpoison

  Our bookstudies had the donation box indeed, it was arranged by groupleader.

  Technically the bookstudy groups still exists under supervision of appointed elder. It's no longer for bookstudy, but they should arrange frequently field service in group, clean the KH after meetings and as scheduled and fix the yard when it's their turn. This should provide sufficient "intimacy" within smaller group.

  CP
• 

  reds

  our bookstudy also had a donation box & when I saw it, I felt real uncomfortable with it. we donated substantially at the kh. I had a wow moment when I first saw it. Iwas shocked when the bs was cancelled but I also felt the gb did it because of gas prices. what an idiot. I as truely sucked in and believed every thing I was told.
• 

  LongHairGal

  reds:

  I think it is about "control" of the people and also fears of liability over injuries on people's property and possibly fear of pedophiles, etc. (How can we know if the religion's lawyers advised them to discontinue this meeting(??) Private homes allow a lot of latitude in what people can say and do and that can be good and bad. Also, what about after the meeting? People talk over coffee and cake. The religion doesn't like that.

  They like the kingdom hall environment better so they can see what is going on and watch everybody. That way they can "script" all the questions and practically all the answers. No going overtime. No private discussions (which were always fun). No potential for getting people to think that something is wrong with the religion.
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  FadingAway

  I doubt if its over issues of liability since they do meet at various homes for service. Control sounds more like it, meet for service 15 minutes max to get car groups together, and get asses out in the territory. Once you get back, chances are you want to get back to your own home after service.
• 

  BluesBrother

  Whatever we say is really speculation, after all, the dubs don't know why - the elders don't know why . Everybody that I know has mourned the passing of the group study.

  Could it be the common shortage of elders to conduct them ? but they still have Field Service Groups headed by an elder. (NB the quality of the teaching from the M/S used to cause my wife to complain , both to me and the elders!)

  Perhaps they were just desperate to try to force all the households to do a family study night. I can imagine the G.B being so impressed with the Mormon Church Family Night that they thought it would benefit them more than the meeting.
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  DesirousOfChange

  Many KHs were limited on the number Congs that could meet when they required each Cong to have TWO weeknight meetings. Now, every weeknight is available for the combined CBS/TMS/SM, so you can easily have 3 or 4 or perhaps even 5 (if you push it) Congs utilize one KH and sharing expenses instead of supporting multiple KHs.

  Doc
• 

  outsmartthesystem

  I think it was 2 fold

  1) bookstudy was much more relaxed. after the study.....ones would actually discuss the material....maybe even (gasp) make a personal observation or opinion. For whatever reason...people felt comfortable doing so in a private home. How do you eliminate that? Have the book study at the KH. No one would dare pull such a stunt at the KH

  2) bookstudy had very poor attendance. It was a black eye for the society
• 

  wha happened?

  I know my reason for cancelling the bookstudy in my house. I couldn't stand being in a room for several hours with my in laws