Memorial: Tribute to Jesus, or fashion show??

by WingCommander 12 Replies latest jw friends

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  WingCommander

  While I'm not a regular as much as I used to be (maybe get to the Hall 10 times a year), I always give praise and thanks to Jehovah and His son Jesus as requested in the Bible on the appropriate day. I have never missed a Memorial.

  Whether or not I agree with everything the GB or Watchtower puts out or says, is irrelevant. To me, this is an occasion on which to put everything else aside in life, and concentrate on Jesus' sacrifice and what it means to us. I do not celebrate Easter in any way, as I feel it's a mochary and tainted with Pagan origins. (C'mon, all you ex-jw's even have to agree with alot of pagan origins in holidays)

  My question is, how many of you are from congregations that made the Memorial seem more like a fashion show, or a stage on which to show off, instead of a tribute to Jesus' memory? I feel it has gotten worse in recent years. I find it very annoying, rude, and uncomfortable when I go to the memorial and everyone has their cars all washed and waxed, (or have brand new cars they are showing off) and they are in new designer suits or designer gowns. I feel it is like going to the Oscars, having to show up in the best, and try to out do everyone else in materialism. ESPECIALLY, when they try to get as many "worldy" or "outsiders" to attend to view the religion. They all seem to forget that every other religious organization doesn't require their congregation members to wear business attire to services. So most worldy/outsiders/new ones come in jeans, shirts, casual clothing, etc. Imagine how they must feel - probably like crap, or 2 cents. It would be like going to the Opera in farmer's clothing. Embarrasing, in my opinion.

  I must admit to doing it as well, in order to not appear "out of order." But at least I just show up, sit down, and listen. I'm not gossiping, flaunting my new possesions, kissing up to the overseer, annoited ones, or whomever. Oh yeah, I don't pretend to like everyone and kiss everyone's behind I haven't seen in forever either, even though I dislike some of them.

  What are your thoughts on how the Memorial is run? While everyone should be on there best behavior, I don't feel it should be some kind of fashion show. Remember, Christ was humble, not rich. I think a letter from the GB is well overdue. (by a few years!)

  Thanks - Wing Commander
• 

  JH

  I agree with you totally WingCommander. I also go to the hall maybe 5 times a year, and I notice those new cars and nice suits. When I listen to the old timers in that religion, they say that it wasn't that way at first, when they started. There was real love, and NO materialism. Today, I think things are out of hand, and they are just like wordly people, in many domains. You are right when you say new people come in jeans and they feel like second class people. They will learn very fast that jeans has no place in Jehovah's organization. Would Jesus go to meetings all dressed up like that? He would say, it's whats in your heart that counts, not the way you dress, or the fancy car you have.
• 

  TR

  Ah yes, the fashion shows. Actually, I thought the conventions were more of a fashion show than the memorial. Mostly the girls showing of their hot bods in revealing outfits for prospective mates from other areas.

  (C'mon, all you ex-jw's even have to agree with alot of pagan origins in holidays)

  What's with the "pagan" crap? Everything about the bible has "pagan" origins, many of which "christians" still practice to this day.

  TR
• 

  jurs

  I agree with you as well. Most everyone seems to go buy a special dress just for the occasion and IMO are overdressed. BUT.................... What else do JW's have to get excited about ? There are no holdays to get dressed up for as well as any other occasion (like proms ect.) I see it as one day the young girls can buy a special dress! The JW world is so full of no no's for fun and frivolousness that I'm surprised someone hasn't put an end to this this.

  jurs
• 

  LovesDubs

  The more the JWs try to NOT be like "Christendom" whom they disdain, the more they are just LIKE them. People started talking about what they were going to wear to the Memorial the minute the KM came out talking about when it was, which was like February. I guess since we, they, have absolutely nothing else to look forward to during the year, they get excited about this...which is only 45 minutes of extremely depressing ritualistic behavior. Pagan? Yeah...point accusing fingers at the Easter Bunny and then show me where in the bible it says only the ELITE of the "Christians" get to partake. The Jw method of "celebrating" the memorial is based on total fiction. It only points a finger at those the JWs feel are "unworthy", makes new ones feel unwelcome and since they COUNT everybody who goes to this, its only a large JW infomercial so they can use the number as bragging rights at every photo op. Its heinous. Do the other churches count how many people attend Christmas services (and ONLY Christmas) and say that thats how many people are members of their church??
• 

  freedom96

  When asked about holidays, I remember the witnesses saying that the memorial is the only thing they celebrate.

  I hardly feel like it was a celebration. Never was a meeting more formal, and full of rituals, that all the halls followed. Do this, then prayer, do that, then prayer. While I imagine the reason behind the memorial is sincere, I never felt like it was a celebration.

  The most exciting part came afterwards, if you were lucky enough to be invited to go out to eat afterwards with some of the cliques.

  And oh the talk if someone actually ate the crackers or drank the wine. I remember once in a great while a "spiritually weak" one would take some. The elders would get together and decide not to count them. Surely they could not be one of the 144,000.
• 

  JT

  My question is, how many of you are from congregations that made the Memorial seem more like a fashion show, or a stage on which to show off, instead of a tribute to Jesus' memory? I feel it has gotten worse in recent years. I find it very annoying, rude, and uncomfortable when I go to the memorial and everyone has their cars all washed and waxed, (or have brand new cars they are showing off) and they are in new designer suits or designer gowns. I feel it is like going to the Oscars, having to show up in the best, and try to out do everyone else in materialism.

  your point is well taken, but consider the "Life" of JW- in wt you have NO OTHER holiday to celebrate, you have no "real" social functions to attend beyond someones wedding-=

  so here you have folks who NEVER get the chance to dress nice, and as you stated wash up the old Chevy-

  most jw i know felt that since this was for jesus they wanted to look thier best for the occasion- how disrespectful to god on his son's death day for you to come in wearing a Liesure suit and Hush Puppies- smile-

  in my mom's hall a bro moved down to NC from NJ - he was in a hall where the bro had some form of social life, but in NC in the sticks, well that was a different story

  so he started having formals for the mature crowd like my mom 50-60 yrs olds and as one sister told my mom "I have not danced in over 30yrs" so they got to wear tux and evening gowns,

  they felt special but hey once the CO got word IT WAS SHUT DOWN=

  AND WHY --cause it was in a hotel --yes folks at that age with grandkids can

  t be trusted they might have sex like a wild group of 16 yr olds

  the mature friends were insulted at such an accussation that they didn't know how to conduct themsleves as if they were some young bucks on the lose

  so in wt world it matters not your age, exp or maturity in life in wt world ALL JW MUST BE WATCHED AND CONTROLED
• 

  lv4fer

  . The memorial is important, but the command was that as often as you eat and drink to do this in remembrance of me. He didn't say one specific day. Also by partaking of the emblems it is how you identify yourself as one of Christ's followers, at the JW memorial everyone just sits there and lets the bread and wine pass them by, it is denying your lord. That is why I will never attend a memorial at a Kingdom Hall. As for the holidays being pagan? Something is pagan only if it is pagan to you and in your heart. Read Romans 14:2-10. Remember we are now Free in Christ.

  2 One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
  5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
  9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.
• 

  Jesus Christ

  Ah yes, the fashion shows. Actually, I thought the conventions were more of a fashion show than the memorial. Mostly the girls showing of their hot bods in revealing outfits for prospective mates from other areas.

  Ah come on now TR!!! What's so bad about that? I know that's one of the main reasons why so many JW boys (and a few girls) go to all those stupid assemblies. Then again, once you started talking to one of them the conversation was about as engaging as a brick wall.

  What I think is really funny is people who insist on going to Olive Garden after the memorial.

  I do think that one, if not the biggest reason why JW's do the whole memorial/fashion show bit is because they don't have any other reason to get dressed up. Years ago I know there used to be at least one family that would have a huge semi-formal party for all the JW kids in the area. The dad was an elder and was very popular with all the other elders so they were able to pull it off. Funny thing is now of the parents and 3 kids, one daughter goes occasionaly, one daughter is still a die hard, the son is disfellowshipped, the dad would be disfellowshipped if they could find him, and the mom is an apostate.

  Come to think of it, most of the families that would actually do fun stuff for groups of kids are now apostate. And JW's say they're the happies people on earth!
• 

  Jesus Christ

  For some reason I just remembered that one of the last memorials I ever went to, after it was over I left quickly so I wouldn't have to be around those jerks very much and went and picked up a certain lady friend and went to a fancy place that most of the JW's thought was bad for whatever reasons. It was actually a pretty fun night because I looked good and had an atractive member of the opposite sex on my arm going to a kind of swanky place while knowing I wouldn't run into any JW's who would go run and tell the elders on me.