Meetings were bad back then.

by Rattigan350 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Rattigan350

  Meetings have always been bad.

  If Paul had to "command" people to not forsake the gatherings, the meetings must have been really bad.

  Considering that Jesus said in Matt 18:20 "For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.”"
  

  And then in Matt 11:28-30: "Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-temperedi and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for yourselves. For my yoke is kindly, and my load is light.”
  

  If people needed to be "commanded" to go to the meetings, that means they had forgotten that Jesus was at the meetings, or he wasn't there and his being there was not refreshing to them and his yoke kindly. That seems to be the case today, where Jesus just doesn't seem to be there if they are not refreshing, to where people would want to be there and they are not a light load.
  
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  Hellothere

  When i became a JW I was told jw meetings were exactly like first Christian meetings. Plus assembly's also like does in old Jerusalem. Totally not the case. Meetings and assemblys in the Bible were about joy. Singing and breaking bread. They have nothing too do with watchtower meetings sitting whole day's just listening too speakers that seem too be half dead. Or watching videos. The depression and mental problems JWs are feeling is because of the Borg. Rutherford turn org to cooperation. JWs are visiting cooperation meetings and thinking they gonna get joy and relief from that. They are very mistaken.

  Acts 2:46

  The believers met together in the Temple every day. They all had the same purpose. They broke bread in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts
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  Foolednomore

  They are still bad. No change.
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  St George of England

  They were bad in the 1st Century. When Paul droned on until midnight, poor Eutychus fell out of the window and had to be revived by Paul. (Acts 20:7-12)

  George
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  Beth Sarim

  Meetings are just always about governing praise as always .

  So is the literature.
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  road to nowhere

  Halls don't have windows so you can't fall out when you go to sleep
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  WTWizard

  Jesus at the meetings? No wonder these boasting sessions are so lousy, with that hyper-abomination. The archetype of the perfect slave--who would want that thing?
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  LV101

  road to nowhere13 hours ago

  Halls don't have windows so you can't fall out when you go to sleep

  Anoher reason they need windows - a form of escapism.
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  BluesBrother

  I can’t talk about the first century, nobody knows, although if they had prophets and speaking in tongues it might have got quite lively ?

  I was a child in the 50s and it all seemed a bore. As I grew older and took interest I was able to comment and used more than teens would be today . In a small congregation though.... it was not great.

  I moved to a large big-town congregation as a young man in 70s . Those meetings were great ! We had a bunch of talented elders who were not afraid to go off script .. Thursdays were a hoot! Good things don’t last and as I moved on I found some pretty good meetings in one place and poor in another.

  Then the clampdown started and no one felt allowed to add anything to the printed outline until today when it is all scripted and choreographed with videos from HQ ...

  Speakers have lost the art of teaching.. thank God for zoom.
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  Phizzy

  Way back in the 1980's I remarked to an Elder that 25% of our potential attenders were absent, EVERY Meeting, (not the same ones, they took turns, must have had a Rota !) apart from C.O's visit, when miraculously even some we hadn't seen for ages were there, the Elder replied to my observation, "That is because the Meetings are so boring" !!! That was THEN ! I cannot imagine what they are like now !

  Back then the stuff to be presented was puerile, and the whole thing left me feeling "There is nothing spiritual here ". I know now how right I was !