Something odd about how Watchtower portrays prayer versus how JWs actually pray.

by Island Man 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Juan Viejo2

  Jehovah's Witnesses have always (at least since the 1950s) simply stood up or stayed seated and bowed their heads and closed their eyes (except those who are peeking around looking to see who just farted). Usually at the end a few will say "amen" after the old guy with the accent who just said the prayer for the past 10 minutes finally shuts up.

  The question is this: How many times a night do you have to hear elders thank Jehovah for all the blessings when no one has been particularly blessed, for all the wonderful new information when they have just heard the same crap over and over again, and for blessing and protection for the governing body when they've got it pretty good already?

  And Memorials... Does the Bible really require a prayer before the meeting, after the meeting, over the crackers and over the wine? Is that really necessary? And do they really have to pass it down every row each time when the attendants can see that no one in that row partook of the first choice? The whole thing is a farce, and yet every year every Jehovah's Witness, even the faders and the barely hangers-on feel like they have to go and sit through the show that is no show.

  JV
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  StephaneLaliberte

  I used to pray hands collapsed on my knees in my room often when I was in. However, this used to be for the "serious" prayers. You know, not the mechanical ones I would end up saying most of the times.
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  DATA-DOG

  I prayed on my knees and in tears, mumbling like an idiot for quite a while. That was when TTATT hit me. I almost became a born-again Xian. Then I realized all organized religion is a scam.

  As for the subject, I have never seen a JW pray like that. To them it's a bit creepy, like a false religion. AA members pray more from the heart than dubs. Dub prayers are like mantras repeated by Home Depot employees before they go forth to sell hedge trimmers, only slightly more boring.

  DD
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  Simon

  The question is this: How many times a night do you have to hear elders thank Jehovah for all the blessings when no one has been particularly blessed, for all the wonderful new information when they have just heard the same crap over and over again, and for blessing and protection for the governing body when they've got it pretty good already?

  You're right - I remember the prayer droning on about all the "fine spiritual food" and the "bounteous spiritual feast" we'd supposedly just consumed and it was one of those full-of-retard meetings where you look round at the faces wondering if everyone else really believes this crap.

  Very few meetings ever made you feel up-built, reinvigorated or at-peace. I guess they made me feel sleepy though - that is the only similarity there was to "a meal".
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  PaintedToeNail

  Juan-You got that right! To me, a blessing was something EXTRA, not the usual like everyone else had, i.e. food, water, shelter, clothing. A blessing would mean an unlikely cure from a serious illness, someone getting a brand new car for free. Many ancient bible guys got riches, extra vigor, longer life, cures and so on. Those were blessings. The others are necessities. If you are supposed to thank god for the necessities received, are you supposed to also thank him for the times he didn't supply them? Such as in times of famine? "Dear Jehovah, Thank you for not providing our daily bread this day. You know that we need bread to survive, yet today we are without. Thank you for your loving blessing."
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  smiddy

  Spot on Juan .
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  cookiemaster

  Wow, I didn't know that such great difference exists. Most of you are probably North Americans. Here in Romania almost everyone prays with their hands clasped. Nobody kneals though. It's also not uncommon to see spouses or other family members holding hands during prayer.
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  bradford

  Isn't prayer at meetings just another chance for a brother to give a long talk and recap the meeting or thank Jah for allowing everyone to attend such a blessed occasion where they will be edified.

  Omg, the words used in prayers are so predictable it's worse than memorized prayers.
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