Would you be able to survive a three day Assembly? (page 6)

jwundubbed

I am going to admit a truth that I don't normally admit to. I loved the assemblies. But my experience wasn't the same as you describe. I loved the energy during intermissions. Even walking around during the talks held a level of awesome energy. The attitudes of people was so different to what they were during regular meetings.

I couldn't stay awake during Tuesday night bible studies or Thursday night one-hour meetings let alone during 2-hour Sunday meetings. I always knew I was going to sleep through most of the assemblies as well (that's the truth I don't normally admit). No one ever addressed my problem with this. I didn't snore. That probably helped. I tried to take notes, but invariably, I just accepted defeat and went to sleep. Looking back, I realize that it was really good sleep. I enjoyed it. I could do that again.

That isn't what you meant when you asked if we could survive, I know...

I could survive the experience in that regard. But I have learned that I can't be casual about attending something so dangerous. The muscle memory and nostalgia would make me welcome it. It was my normal, my default setting and that always feels so good. But that is a dangerous place to put myself. It would be mental warfare so subtle they wouldn't even know they were doing it to me. I wouldn't know it either, not until I caught myself singing an old bible song (I don't want to listen to the new trendy songs!! ew!) or thinking in JWisms. In that regard, no I could not survive it again and it wouldn't be worth it to attend just to see what it's like.

Journeyman

I used to fare better with the three-day conventions (they haven't used the word "assembly" for three-day events for a long time) than I do now.

The downsides of the old conventions were they were often in draughty sports stadiums, open to the elements, and, for non-US attendees, every talk or drama was all American accents (apologies to US readers, but the fact is most English-speaking JWs outside the USA got sick of hearing the same accents and phrases in everything, as if there were no capable speakers from the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand), and with those weird cadences and exaggerated enunciation of Bethel speakers.

But the upsides were that they seemed more like actual meet-ups of friends back then, and the talks themselves seemed more engaging and meaningful then, with more mature speakers who (usually) seemed to have life experience. Today, it all feels a lot more flat, and it's all bite-size symposium items interspersed with frequent (largely pointless) video clips, and many of the speakers are very young "corporate" types. It all seems very "lite" - like a cross between an evangelical meeting, designed just to stir emotions, and some kind of children's Sunday school, with simplistic talks and videos.

These days though, because most conventions are held in event centres, it's easier to dodge out of them and find distractions, either by volunteering for assignments, or just by leaving the seating area and spending time elsewhere like the food hall or outside seating. And many have a local broadcast of the programme, so you can tune in and listen from the car park or outside area (if you want to) while doing other things, and just tune in and out as you feel like it.

The short answer for me is, I don't think I could cope with three days of just sitting listening (or watching) anymore, as I usually use the time to be active working on assignments or doing something else while the talks are going on. That provides a distraction from the parts of the programme I really don't want to listen to, and if I'm working I can feel I'm actually being useful rather than sitting passively having that simplified stuff wash over me.

Gorb

The last convention we attended, an international convention in our country, with 40k+ attending, was so full of Safety hazards with lack of crowd control, that opened the eyes of my wife, about "what are we doing here?".

It was our last convention.

We were invited for the one day Steven Lett clowns act in Amsterdam this year by our family but we refused because of the Safety issues.

G.

Ron.W.

I was sent this pic some years ago, with the heading: 'Two hours into the convention'...🤣

Beth Sarim

Its easier to dodge out of the assembly these days because its usually just governing body praise.

DesirousOfChange

We "attended" the last big district/regional convention in our area prior to covid. It was held at a large rented convention center in the nearby major city. I got a hotel room directly across the street as I was really concerned about my elderly mother who would also be attending though she was riding with friends from her congregation.

We skipped the morning session and went over for the intermission. By then I was refusing to ever wear a tie again and had a beard (I'd be right in style now), so the attendants at the main entrance saw me as suspicious until a young guy (now an elder) from our former congregation saw us and greeted us with a very warm hello. Very genuine young guy who grew up with our kids. His dad was a real shaker and mover so his greeting meant we were OK and didn't have to be followed all day.

We enjoyed meeting old friends as we walked around prior to the start up of the afternoon session, but when the music started we headed back to the hotel and stopped and had lunch at a nice cafe.

Yeah. We could endure that again.

SydBarrett

Last one I attended was 1991. No I couldn't do it again.

However, as miserable as the 3 day conventions of my childhood were, they were nothing compared to the stories of the 1950s that my older relatives told me stories of.

Imagine driving almost 900 miles from Georgia to New York on pre-interstate highways. Sitting in the open air at Yankee Stadium in the middle of the summer from 9a.m until 9:30 in the evening. For EIGHT DAYS. Sleeping in a pop up camper. Waiting in lines to use makeshift shower and toilet facilities. The smell by day 8 must have been indescribable.

Also, what in the world did they manage to come up with to speak about to fill 12 hours a day for 8 days???

Then drive back home utterly miserable and exhausted. Today that drive is about 16 hours. Back then it must have been a multi day drive on state highways and secondary roads. Insanity.

Beth Sarim

DOC

What you did,,,sounds similar to what I did,,,just show up during the noon break or whatever,,,then bolt.

Beth Sarim

Syd;

That sounds dreadful.

A kid sitting through multi convention days then driving for hundreds of miles after across state lines.

road to nowhere

Stick a watchtower on the back window and watch for fellow travelers. New book on return trip. They sold bumper stickers too.

Would you be able to survive a three day Assembly?

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