Was it normal to have so many meetings? (page 2)

blondie

Tweetie, I'm old. I can remember field service starting at 9 am, afternoon sessions at 1, evening sessions around 6 lasting until 9. If you count traveling time to and from each day and meal breaks breakfast, lunch and dinner, it could be 12 to 14 hours that you were on the assembly grounds. And some of these lasted 8 days. Can you imagine the cost to a family and the vacation time needed to go? In those days, JWs canvassed the neighborhood for rooms to rent from householders which was meant to hold down the costs. Some JW families were bad and stole from their "hosts."

Blondie(those were the days)

NeonMadman

Many churches have multiple meetings per week. The Baptist church I attend has Sunday School and Worship Service on Sunday morning, an evening service on Sunday evening, and a Prayer meeting on Wednesday night. The difference is that nobody beats you over the head to attend all the meetings, or makes you feel guilty if you don't. The extra meetings are there for those who want them, those who don't stay home. Personally, I only go on Sunday morning right now, because I'm quite busy with schoolwork. At some point, I might choose to attend the other meetings, but if I do, it will be because I want to, not because someone pressured me or told me I was sinning by staying away.

Bendrr

It's a way to control the membership they already have. 5 meetings a week, plus the time required to study for the meetings, and the study is not from the Bible, it's reading the same publication that will be covered at the meeting. Then add to the meetings the field service and the time required to prepare for that.

The preaching work has become woefully outdated. Just imagine the success the Witnesses would have right now had they swallowed their pride and expanded the "Kingdom Work". Suppose a Witness could count his or her time spent volunteering for some community service like Meals on Wheels or Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Not only would they be doing something that helps people now ("in the Old System") but all those volunteer activities would also provide them ample opportunity to witness to people. Actually those activities would provide more opportunity than knocking on the doors of houses where most people aren't home, won't answer, or don't want them there in the first place.

But no, the Kingdom Hall doors are going to stay locked and the building empty unless it's time for one of those 5 weekly meetings and the preaching work is going to continue to be restricted to knocking on doors and selling books and magazines.

Mike.

TR

The fact is, 'hovahs that go to fewer meetings are less "spiritual"(tm) than the WTS would like. Look at all the people on this forum that are doing the "slow fade". They're weaning themselves off of the WT teat, so to speak.

Good comments, people.

TR

Sirona

Was it normal to have so many meetings?

What is normal? Talking statistically, 5 religious meetings a week is not normal, I suppose.

I honestly think that this time spent at the meetings is a form of brainwashing.

Sirona

Roddy

That is an interesting question.

Does anyone know the evolution of the weekly meetings? What I mean is, when and how did it go from one meeting a week (presumably Sunday), to two meetings a week, to three, to four, to five? And what was the meetings that were introduced?

Just curious.

Roddy

Tweety >>I remember when I was a little girl, going to assemblies that started at 9:00 in the morning until 9:00 at night. They would break for lunch and for dinner. I also remember going to an 8 day assembly in Kansas City in 1969. How in the hell did my mother do it with 5 kids in tow? <<

What did they say and do from the stage for almost 12 hours a day for 8 days?

bay64me

No, it was NOT normal. It was a bind, a chore, it was ridiculous to expect that much. Obviously it was planned that way to enable them to have total domination over us.

I totally resent them for expecting that of me. It was far more than I would have given them willingly.

I love my life now, without all of that crap.

TweetieBird

Roddy,

I have no earthly idea. When I was a small child, I slept thru the sessions, as a teenager I was boy-crazy, looking through binoculars at all the cute boys, and as a married sister I was looking for my friends to socialize with when it was over. I rarely listened.

imanaliento

they have to have them as often as they do:

it's total MIND CONTROL.

Was it normal to have so many meetings?

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