The Book Study Group - Reminiscing

by ukpimo 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Ron.W.

  I used to wonder what it would be like if every single loony in the cong was all assigned to the same book study..

  Be careful what you wish for as that happened in a hall I attended and my dad was assigned to take the group.

  We had 'Dame Edna Everage and her bumbling husband.

  Simon, who thought he was gods gift to women and his frumpy wife.

  'Dangerous Dave' a constantly sweating drug addict who beat his Pam Ayres type wife whenever the mood took him.

  Brother Jim a dead ringer for Basil Fawlty in looks and behaviour.

  Scotch Sister Franny who thought the elders and the cong were like the social services and should be feeding, providing and decorating for her constantly.

  Her son Colin. The most spoilt brat kid you have ever encountered.

  Dame Edna's son was a big hulking bully. He worked my little brother Martin over really badly - I retaliated and really duffed him up.

  His dad approached my dad after the book study. He said to my dad, "Martin has been badly attacked!:

  My dad said 'That's awful. is he ok?' He said 'No, he's not ok, and it was your oldest son that attacked him..'

  I said, 'Yeh. because he beat my little brother up - look at him!!'

  Blood was running down my little brothers face.

  My dad said 'Did you beat Dame Edna's son up?' I replied 'Yes I did, and if comes near my little brother again I will really smash his face in, and his cretin dad's too!!'

  Dame Edna's husband grabbed his son, muttered something incomprehensible and beat a hasty retreat.

  Yes, the book study, peace and love and all that man!!
  
• 

  Journeyman

  The old Book Study Group arrangement was the last thread with a time when the "Truth" had a more human face.

  Yes, as some of the stories here show, they could be a pain, but - as other stories on this thread and in past threads show - it was often a more welcoming and 'family-like' circle than the main congregation, where people could enjoy more freedom of conversation and association and speak more freely, and feel a bit closer to one another.

  As Beth Sarim said, the org ditched the individual groups for various selfish reasons, despite having spent decades promoting them as the centre of the congregation, the main way by which individual JWs kept links with their spiritual 'family', and, for a time, even the main hope by which JWs would stay together when the GT broke out.

  Then * poof * all gone at a stroke. Yet they maintain the fiction of dividing the congregations into "book study groups" and having token weekly field service and hall cleaning assignments with them, but in truth the arrangement is dead, and from what I see in my area, any closeness that was ever felt between group members is well and truly gone since COVID, when the combination of the reduced focus on groups and then the enforced separation ended any familial bonds.

  One of the few potentially positive aspects of congregation life that could've been better leveraged, but instead has been wiped out.
• 

  Drearyweather

  As a young boy, I enjoyed the Book Study meetings - mostly because I had the time and the circumstances to attend.

  Now as a working professional, I can understand what a pain that would have been to attend, and am happy that this additional meeting was eliminated.
• 

  St George of England

  I must have led a very sheltered life at the Congregation Book Study's that I attended. The biggest event that ever happened was if the sister's dog managed to sneak into the lounge before the final prayer. Afterwards we would have a coffee and a biscuit, chat about nothing scriptural and go home 15 minutes later.

  George
• 

  Beth Sarim

  The Borg ditched the in home book studies as a self-serving measure.

  The Borg exclaimed and preached that these groups were the "building blocks" of the congregation for decades.

  Only to be unceremoniously dumped about 15 years ago.

  Likely to evade legal ramifications.

  When it was discovered there was a terrible child sexual abuse issue.
• 

  BluesBrother

  I too have fond memories of the Tuesday night Group meetings.

  we would study those old books about prophecies… total bullshit but it was fascinating at the time . Then we would have tea and biscuits.. everyone chipped in with something we stayed for ages .

  Yes we had a few nutters too . I remember poor old John. He was really mentally challenged and his mother had to bring him , he couldn’t be left alone . Trouble was he used to mutter to himself using obscenities. So I sat him between his mum and a big brother who worked all day on the dust cart and was well used to it…

  Happy days ….
• 

  Beth Sarim

  Blues;

  I know I kinda feel nostalgia about the book studies in a way too.

  It was a real bonding thing. Just to get to know the "friends".

  Shoot a game of pool after in someones basement or ping pong

  Just too much idle talk and speculating after,,,which the Borg had to cap it off.
• 

  Balaamsass2

  I do have one very fond book study memory. About 26 years ago a cute 3rd Gen moved into town one block from the book study I conducted....she showed up and I was smitten. She never turned in her time on time, so I had to call her every month...for months. lol The rest is history. :)