Syposiums are pagan!

by krejames 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  krejames

  The BBC has been producing some interesting documentaries lately. One series is about ancient Greece and I learned something new (for me) that I thought a few here might like as much as I did.

  According to one episode in the series, syposiums originated in ancient greece as events where people would get together, get drunk, make sacrifices to the pagan gods and then finally various people would stand up and talk and talk and talk, no doubt in a drunken ramble, about the deep topics of the day.

  For this reason I cannot possibly attend another JW assembly or convention any more. They always feature syposiums and now I know they are clearly rooted in paganism, well, it goes against my christian trained conscience....

  (actually it did get me thinking how much more bearable some of those convention syposiums would be after quaffing a bottle of wine or two)
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  LostGeneration

  Interesting. From Wiki -

  In ancient Greece, the symposium (Greek συμπ?σιον symposion, from συμπ?νειν sympinein, "to drink together") was a drinking party. [ 1 ] Literary works that describe or take place at a symposium include two Socratic dialogues, Plato's Symposium and Xenophon's Symposium, as well as a number of Greek poems such as the elegies of Theognis of Megara. Symposia are depicted in Greek and Etruscan art that shows similar scenes.

  Poetry and music were central to the pleasures of the symposium. Although free women of status did not attend symposia, high-class female prostitutes (hetairai) and entertainers were hired to perform, consort, and converse with the guests. Among the instruments women might play was the aulos, a Greek woodwind instrument sometimes compared to an oboe. When string instruments were played, the barbiton was the traditional instrument
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  sir82

  JWs certainly are in love with the word "symposium".

  At assemblies or DCs they'll breathlessly announce, with near-quivering excitement, "brothers, there will be 5 symposiums in this district convention!!!!"

  "Brothers, it is now time for our first symposium!!!!"

  "Wasn't that a wonderful symposium, brothers!!!!"

  It's like the word "symposium" is cocaine for the ears.
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  Gopher

  Is the plural of symposium "symposia"? (Is "ambrosia" plural for ambrosium?) But I digress.
  
  A symposium is merely a method of cult repetition (or "inculcation" as they call it), saying the same thing multiple different ways in an effort to make the audience believe it, remember it and/or act on it.
  
  It doesn't really matter. Everyone forgets about most of that stuff a couple of days after the convention ends, and they go back to life as abnormal.
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  AlphaMan

  LOL....this was funny. I do remember them loving to use the word symposium at the conventions. JW's can be so anal over the perceived pagan origin of things.
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  LostGeneration

  Now you faders have an excuse to skip assemblies and conventions.

  JW spouse - So honey, are you going to the convention tomorrow?

  Fader: Nah, I'm not down with pagan celebrations

  JW - WHAT? We are NOT PAGAN.

  Fader: Are too, you know, symposiums. They are of pagan origin. Can't go along with false worship like that.
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  krejames

  Wow LostGeneration, it's even worse than I thought. I need to go and do a 100 hail marys as penance for ever listening to one of these debauched tirades from the convention platform!

  I agree Sir82, they definitely love that word symposium (sorry for the typos in my original post). Especially when it's about mentally diseased apostates or "fornication" in all its many forms.

  Cult repetition, indoctrination, brainwashing it definitely is. I feel the need to go and celebrate a few birthdays, throw some confetti and polish it off with a few christmas carols...
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  AlphaMan

  Only in the JW religion can you listen to a "symposium", but not read a "bulletin board".
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  processor

  Too bad they don't use the corresponding word in German :(
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  BU2B

  Wow good point. Unforturnately its not pagan unless the FDS scum lords say it is. LOaBB doncha know