It is entirely possible that COVID will drive the final nail into coffin on the three annual assembly/conventions. My PIMI dad lives in an area of the U.S. with lots of JWs that can barely afford food/clothing/shelter - much less an expensive trip for one-day or multi-day meetings. Some simply don't go or go to one that is closer but that is not the one they are assigned to. He and I have had many discussions over the last 3-5 years about why would the org. continue to have the assemblies when they could simply stream everything to the KH. This is especially true now that the assemblies have little or not content that is anything local to the area. Years ago there were elements of the assemblies that were locally engaging such as knowing people or being in the dramas, a lot of personal experiences/interview and other items that made the convention feel "local". The majority of that is gone now and with the added video content you have to ask - why continue to do these as a large group??? Even many PIMI believers have these same thoughts, as my Dad does.
You heard it here first. U.S. District conventions CANCELLED!
by nowwhat? 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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JWTom
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JimmyYoung
My feeling is they have so much bad press they know if they disobey they will get hammered. This is just a publicity move.
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DATA-DOG
It tells me they are just another Xian sect and when it comes down to brass tacks they are just concerned with their own Ego/World/Survival, ect.
They don’t really believe any God is protecting them or their flock.
DD
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LongHairGal
JWTOM:
You may be right because the JW religion depended on these conventions to bring in money!
DATA-DOG:
Yes, I also believe when it comes down to brass tacks they are just concerned about their own survival. I’m not knocking this, because self-preservation is a basic human instinct.. Let us just not pretend that anybody there is extra-ordinary!
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pale.emperor
I was checking my old hotel reviews online a while back and noticed one in Liverpool I reviewed that I stayed in during the convention. £450+ for three days!! The hell was I thinking wasting that money on a 3 day convention? And I was still expected to donate (I never did).
Just think if we added up all the money and time we wasted at these conventions, if we'd have invested it into a fund we'd be better off.
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Gorbatchov
If the virus got a year earlier jw's should have a big disaster caused by the many international conventions.
G.
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BluesBrother
“You may be right because the JW religion depended on these conventions to bring in money!“
I don’t know? In my experience it costs them a lot to hire the facilities.. Do they still have donation boxes? Or credit card donation desks?
I believe they cost more than they get in.
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Wakanda
Jimmy you are totally right, I think that's why the rules from above were so different country to country. It was not completely avoiding the virus, it was avoiding bad publicity. Like in Britain with IICSA.
I mean really, when the health professionals were saying stay 6 feet away, they were promoting elbow bumps.
If they make more money with video, they'll have stop most assemblies, if not, they will continue. We'll see if BB is right. I think they make a lot at conventions, but what do I know.
Then the Yang Wans will leave for sure.
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carla
Will they have to be logged on for 3 days now? (video?)
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DesirousOfChange
Conventions have always been "cash cows" for the WTS. Even more so since they've utilized the Assm Halls for many of them. (NO rental fees!) But even at rented facilities, they planned conventions when the facilities were in low demand. Here in the US, there were many convention over the week that had 4th of July, as all non-JW's are involved in holiday activities and convention centers sit idle -- that translates as CHEAP! At some venues, they even bartered for lower (or free) rental rates by having their free labor force to an annual "deep cleaning" or by providing set up and tear down for other events.