CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES KEEP SHRINKING IN SIZE - WAY TO GO!!

by steve2 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  steve2

  The recent BoE Letter announcing changes to the duration of Circuit Assemblies was warmly received by congregations the worldover. It was as if the brothers and sisters were already in the new world for, upon hearing this news, there were no tears at all. Instead, it is a humble acknowledgement from the GB of the mind-numbing, yawn-inducing 2-day Circuit Assemblies.

  Brothers and sisters will especially appreciate the "light" is radiating in the right direction:

  In fewer than 30 years, Circuit Assemblies have reduced from 3 days (Fri-Sat-Sun) to 2.5 days (Fri night-Sun) to 2 days (Sat-Sun) to one day. This bodes positively for the future. In 2017, the GB will likely announce that a further refinement will reduce Circuit Assemblies by just one more day. It will be a moment of theocratic victory of the humble, often over-looked Yawn over religious tedium. Oh, yes, there is much we can look forward to in the future!
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  sd-7

  I never really understood the point of them anyway. I mean, reprogramming is the obvious point, but it's basically just you, crammed into a seat for 8 hours of the same stuff you've been hearing at every meeting anyway, maybe presented in a different way. Except for the verbatim WT quotes cut and pasted into the talk outline, that is. I recognized quite a few of those over the years.

  --sd-7
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  Bob_NC

  Readers will likely begin yawning at me like we used to yawn during the assembly program.

  Circuit Assemblies are a cash cow for the Society. But what is the minimum investment the Society needs to make in an Assembly to realize the greatest return? "The friends" are only going to contribute so much per assembly. True, some might contribute on the second day, but most of the cash will come in on the first day. Thus, a one day assembly has the greatest return on investment.
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  fulltimestudent

  Assemblies were IMO an attempt to replicate the Jewish festivals. All societies have festivals, which served a useful purpose in poorer societies. The WTS uses them for the same reason. They attempt to make them into events that break the routine, allows people to mingle with strangers and provides an opportunity to remind people of social obligations.
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  FlyingHighNow

  Assemblies were IMO an attempt to replicate the Jewish festivals.

  Did they dress up in super uncomfortable clothing? Did they force their children to sit for the entire day, right down to the toddlers? Did they force crummy, unhealthy food on the Jews?

  What did they do at the Jewish festivals?
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  Stealth

  This is something that both JWs and apostates can be happified over!
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  eyeuse2badub

  I agree with 'fulltimestudent' that assemblies and conventions are a ritualistic attempt to replicate Jewish festivals. 3 times each year the Jews were commanded to assemble. So why does a religion that claims Christ as it's head follow Jewis customs? It doesn't make sense. The Jewish was a monumental failure so why copy them? Duh! Did the Christians have large gatherings? Not mentioned in the Bible or other secular sources. The WTBTS is closer to imitating the nation of Israel than the 1st century Christian congregation. IMHO. Where's the manna?

  Just saying!

  eyeuse2badub
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  whathappened

  Too bad this wasn't instituted while I was still in. We had to pay for a hotel room because the circuitassembly was so far away.
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  Pete Zahut

  What ever happened to all the emphasis that used to be placed on Hebrews 10:25 ? Was it omitted from the new Bible?

  "Do not forsake the gathering of yourselves together as some have the custom, but do it all the more so as you behold the day drawing near"
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  fulltimestudent

  Posted:

  I agree with 'fulltimestudent' that assemblies and conventions are a ritualistic attempt to replicate Jewish festivals. 3 times each year the Jews were commanded to assemble.

  Yes! That was the basis for my comment. The festivals were an important part of keeping Judah together. Many scholars suggest that all these arrangements were organised post-exile, so we need to examine the function they served. After the return to Jerusalem under the Iranian empire, Judah was never again to function as a fully independent nation (except for semi-independence under the Maccabbees and Hasmoneans, but still under hellinic cultural influence). Under the Hellenic Empires Judah was subjected to great cultural pressure from Hellenism. We are told that in that era, young Levite priests (along with other young Jews) would neglect Temple duties to spend time in Greek gymnasiums. And since, Hellenic atheliticism was performed naked, the circumcised Jewish boys became embarrassed and sought to 'de-circumcise' (i.e. stretch their foreskins) themselves. So we can understand better the function of the festivals, which served to counter hellenic (old world - grin) influence

  So why does a religion that claims Christ as it's head follow Jewis customs? It doesn't make sense.

  However modern, evangelical Christians may understand that era, it is undeniable that Jesus attended, at least some of the festivals, and it is believed that even after the death of Jesus, Jewish-Christians kept attending the festivals held by the Jews until the complete destruction of Jewish Jerusalem and its re-building as a Roman city Colonia Aelia Capitolina (in Latin) with its Temples for Roman Gods. Judeo-Christianity, the oldest form of early Christianity faded away.

  The Jewish was a monumental failure so why copy them? Duh!

  Ummm? This is basic stuff - The early (and later) Christians understood the Hebrew texts, not as Jewish history and law, but instead interpreted them "as figura rerum or phenomenal prophecy, as a prefiguration of Christ - See Hebrews 8:1-6 and 10:1. (Remember, types and antitypes)

  Did the Christians have large gatherings? Not mentioned in the Bible or other secular sources.

  The Christian Basilicas built after Constantine certainly held lots of people. Maybe as many as a Jw Asssembly hall. Go search for the information.

  In the first century CE, there were not so many Christians and travel was not cheap.