slimboyfat joins the Christadelphians!

by slimboyfat 46 Replies latest members private

• 

  freddo

  I went to a funeral service held by Christadelphians about 5 years ago. It was held at a U.K. state crematorium. There was a jw link which probably bears explaining.

  A "sister" in a nearby hall aged about 70 had her mother (a Christadelphian) pass away (aged early 90's) and she phoned me wanting to ask about "handling the funeral" - she was the only surviving child and the arrangements fell to her. I asked her if her mother had left any instructions which she had and so I said she should follow the instructions.

  Anyway she did and the resulting Christadelphian funeral followed. Of course the sister hoped that her jw friends might support her at the funeral and out of a congregation of 70 or so in the end a handful of us ( non hard line jw's) went (plus me from a different hall) and determined to sit in the back rows.

  However the whole Christadelphian congregation besides we jw's was about 25 and as the place seated a 100 or so we moved forward a bit so as to not create a gap.

  The talk was very similar to a jw one but without the "infomercial" and a much bigger family history/life of the deceased content which was nice. But the demographic described by SBF was evident.

  All the men (including the speaker) were dressed in jackets and trousers with ties. A bit shabby like an old British schoolteacher and none had a matching colour suit-jacket so a bit like a "rebellious" jw might wear if he knows he is not "on the platform". The women were all a little dowdy and frumpy by even jw standards.

  I would say that it was 40% men and 60% women and the men were 50's through 80's and the women 60's through 80's except one younger couple in their 30's who were also dressed a bit frumpy and "schoolteacher-ey". All were "white".

  After a service in the UK the congregation files out of the crematorium and typically goes to console the bereaved and look at the "flowers" which is an area about 30 yards from the hall on some hard standing.

  The Christadelphians were reserved but friendly and we jw's probably seemed similar to them.
• 

  slimboyfat

  Sorry shepherdless I mixed up Australia figures and New Zealand a few posts back.

  Thanks dark for the picture that's the one.

  Thanks freddo for your experience. And password for your experience. Maybe you meant Chryston? I considered going to that congregation. Thanks careful for the map of congregations in America. I would like to make something similar for Scotland, but not only for Christadelphians, but for all minority religions, to see how they compare. I'll give the expensive Edwin Mellen book a miss. I already have a book by Bryan Wilson who was the leading expert on Christadelphians.
• 

  Londo111

  Fascinating.

  All in all, this is the future I see in the distant future for Watchtower.
• 

  steve2

  All in all, this is the future I see in the distant future for Watchtower.

  Londo111 in a general sense of gradual demise and even less "relevance, I agree. But where these two groups sharply part company is that the Christadelphians pride themselves on sticking to an original "brand" and a "formula" that marks them as pretty much "stuck in the mud": Walk into a Christadelphian hall and you'd swear you had stepped back in time; their use of language too is quaint with a distinct 19th Century flavour. And their halls are often quite rundown.

  By contrast, JW organization has a reputation of constantly refashioning itself (widespread use of ipads and tablets, increased emphasis on cart work, fastidious upkeep of kingdom halls, overt branding - JW.org logo on all kingdom hall properties etc.).

  Of course, the Christadelphians serve as a reminder that a once thriving, purposeful group can struggle for current relevance. I blame the end of the world not coming which eventually renders end-times groups useless (nudge, nudge, JW organization).

  Given that the Christadelphians got their start in the 1830s (50 years before Russell's Watchtower Society was first incorporated), they've done pretty well. I'd give anything to see that JW organization looks like in 50 or so years when it will have been around as long as the Christadelphians. One thing is sure, though: Whatever shape JW organization is in, it likely will not be a throwback to its 19th Century past.
• 

  slimboyfat

  Excellent points Steve.

  I’d also point out that comparison with Christadelphians demonstrates just how much JWs have overstretched themselves financially.

  Christadelpians don’t have any paid preachers at all as far as I can make out. Yet their donations are generous. Their main financial activity in the UK seems to be nursing homes (if I remember correctly) and a very modest publishing company which is quasi autonomous.

  Watchtower on the other hand became so bloated in recent years that they were supporting 26,000 bethel staff plus, what was it, something like 70,000 special pioneers, missionaries and travelling overseers? All in, nearly 100,000 paid members! Or more than 1 in 100 members receiving an income from the organisation. No wonder it was unsustainable.
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  Slimboy, this is scrupulously written with great heart and attention to detail. Such an undertaking requires much energy, concentration and, above all, somebody who cares enough to get it right.
  
  I explored the Christadelphians about 14 years ago and found them to be a time capsule of sorts, remarkably able minds, sincere hearts, and a stunning contrast to the JW's. Mostly, they are without that Nazi bureaucracy of the Watchtower Corp. True Believers.
  
  And yet...what a waste of a person's life. Were I to judge.
  
  Thank you for this.
• 

  compound complex

  Wonderful points made by all.

  The so-called primitive Christianity that I found in "early Watchtowerology" is closer to the mark here, IMHO.

  Gratefully, . . .
• 

  Londo111

  Fair points. Watchtower has continuously rebranded to the point where they no longer resemble the group Russell founded. The theology especially.

  But the overall trend is that it is rare for people to be recruited from the outside...at least in Western countries. Most members tend to be children. Yet this religion has the lowest retention rate of any Pew measured. Only of third of those will stay. In Western lands, the JW overall population is aging.

  Of course, in Africa that may be a different story. But hopefully one day, these places will have access to the Internet like everyone else and equal education to the West.
• 

  steve2

  I explored the Christadelphians about 14 years ago and found them to be a time capsule of sorts, remarkably able minds, sincere hearts, and a stunning contrast to the JW's. Mostly, they are without that Nazi bureaucracy of the Watchtower Corp. True Believers.

  Well said Terry, especially the reference to "a time capsule of sorts".
  
  

  The so-called primitive Christianity that I found in "early Watchtowerology" is closer to the mark here,

  Co-co, excellent observation!
  
• 

  compound complex

  Thanks, steve2.

  As I have written on different occasions, vis-a-vis the anointed remnant (many of whom took personal interest in me), the numerous WT allusions to their antecedents in Hebrew times (types and resultant antitypes) were my very real connection to the wide scope of Bible history and its modern-day significance. These dear, sacrificing brothers and sisters in Christ connected me to Jesus and Jehovah. My worship was relevant to my then present and a hope-inspiring future.

  And where am I now? Well, in a small but meaningful way, a thread such as this offers a shimmer of spiritual warmth. Perhaps not life-altering, but the cockles of my heart are aglow.

  Sorry, I'm a sad poet . . .