Oh S#*t! what do i do now? (page 2)

No Apologies

I see I am not the only one considering this dilemma. When I went to the Memorial last year, I had decided it was going to be my last meeting. Well, that didn't happen. I really don't know how I am going to handle it this year. Then there is the District Convention. I may accompany my wife to the location, but I will not be wasting time at the convention itself.

Pleasuredome

no apologies

its a tough one mate. you obviously cant be pleasing yourself, you have to think of your wife. you may just have to look at it like you need to keep her happy, for your own sake, rather than having to put up with mind warping talks.

out4good3

That's the only thing I have to do with JW's now and I only go because it is my one concession that keeps my wife happy. But looking over my calendar now, there will definitely be a scheduling conflict this year. Haven't figured out how I'm gonna approach it yet.

Going is not a problem for me though. I usually tune out and let my mind wander sometimes listening for the occasional slurp or crunch.

JohnR

What is the memorial? I have a brother who is a JW and I would like to know what goes on but prefer not to talk about anything JW with him.

Thanks, John

Gopher

The Memorial of Christ's Death is a JW version of a "Good Friday" service, since they don't celebrate Easter (the resurrection of Christ).

It is viewed as their "must not miss" meeting of the year -- they invite everyone who's ever been to a meeting and everyone who's currently studying, so that they can get upwards of double their regular attendance sometimes.

It occurs after sundown on the night of Nisan 14 on the Hebrew calendar (early spring), and it consists of a 30-minute talk about the death of Christ and a long explanation about why most people there should not eat the unleavened bread and drink the wine. Then after prayers for the bread and the wine, they are each passed up and down the rows. Usually nobody in the Kingdom Hall drinks or eats, but in some congregations they have someone of the "anointed class" who claim to have the heavenly hope of rulership in the Kingdom (as opposed to the earthly paradise hope which is for most of the peons) and they are the ones who eat and drink at this Memorial meeting.

Edited by - Gopher on 11 December 2002 14:11:38

Iwasyoungonce

My wife took her first communion this year. Quite a step for her. She was humbled that everyone is treated like an equal and accepting or not you do not gain or loose status. It is between you and God.

Easter in the Church we attend is about remembering what happen in that day of loss. It is not about numbers, status, and who gets to rule the earth. If I ever do go to a "Memorial" you can rest assured that my entire family will be partaking (if they wish it) and not being a dumb sheep.

Personally I would like to see every X show up and partake in one big act of defiance!

Cicatrix

Well, Florida's really nice around that time of the year. Just tell them you have a serious case of SAD (well, you ARE sad things are so icky at the KH, aren't you)and your counselor ordered you to go there:)

Funny how hung up everyone got on the memorial. I was the same way. I wouldn't attend meetings or the COs visit toward the end, but made it to the memorial...where I proceeded to have a major panic attack and realized that I could never go back:)

Counselor (hehe)

JohnR

Gopher,

Thanks for the explanation. After reading your response I do have an additional question. Why do they not take any of the bread and wine? It seems odd to make a big production of just passing it around and not taking any.

Thanks, John

Gopher

JohnR,

The reason they pass the emblems around to all in attendance (yes, even the children who are old enough to not drop them) is to give EVERYONE a chance to demonstrate that they are NOT of the anointed class. (It's not a very positive thing, this rejecting of the bread and wine.) Even those attendants who pass the emblems through the audience, and the speaker himself, get a turn to sit down and reject the emblems.

It's a very strange ceremony. And a quiet one too. Not very joyful.

As stated earlier, only a rare person partakes nowadays. Ever since the JW's started emphasizing the earthly paradise hope, the number who claim a heavenly hope (and partake of the emblems at Memorial time) have dwindled. Now the number hovers around 8,000 (out of 14 million or so attenders world wide).

JohnR

Gopher,

Let me ask you this, how does one know if they are anointed? Am I correct in guessing the anointed have something to do with the 144,000? Also, have you or anyone else for that matter seen one of the anointed?

Thanks, John

Oh S#*t! what do i do now?

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