I wasn't sure how this would be handled since the elders haven't harassed me as much as a lot of others have gotten, plus we live a ways outside of the territory so I figured there was a shot they'd leave me alone since it's inconvenient. Guess not. Two elders showed up unannounced toward the end of their recruiting shift. It was definitely well planned, because it's the only two elders that I actually sorta liked, and they're not in the same service group. Anyway, there were a few points that came out of the ensuing conversation that I thought were worth noting.
Their appeal to me to try to get me to come to memorial was purely personal - no mention of its importance, no mention of god's forgiveness (since I'm sure they assume I'm guilty of some secret sin) nothing more than "I know I would sure love to see you there" said in a few different (and seemingly sincere) ways. How hollow this cult is. In the end it really does boil down to doing crap you don't want to do to please people that have to be given an assignment to seek you out for a conversation.
The other fun point was their first attempt to sell returning to meetings after I told them I wasn't going to be at memorial. "We have a new format now." Seriously? Do they think I'm not there because of the meeting format? He went on to explain with clearly false enthusiasm that "now there's a chairman for the whole program! It's like a convention!" It was really difficult to hold in a sarcastic "holy shit, I'll be at the next meeting now!" But no he continued on explaining that now it's much easier for my father-in-law (former school overseer) and in a moment of unscripted honesty said "I think he's actually the only one that likes the new format."
So there you have it. The best reason they could come up with to convince me to come to memorial was to make them happy. Next best reason to be at meetings is they've changed the talks slightly, and no one likes it. How will I ever live with myself if I don't make it?
Their appeal to me to try to get me to come to memorial was purely personal - no mention of its importance, no mention of god's forgiveness (since I'm sure they assume I'm guilty of some secret sin) nothing more than "I know I would sure love to see you there" said in a few different (and seemingly sincere) ways. How hollow this cult is. In the end it really does boil down to doing crap you don't want to do to please people that have to be given an assignment to seek you out for a conversation.
The other fun point was their first attempt to sell returning to meetings after I told them I wasn't going to be at memorial. "We have a new format now." Seriously? Do they think I'm not there because of the meeting format? He went on to explain with clearly false enthusiasm that "now there's a chairman for the whole program! It's like a convention!" It was really difficult to hold in a sarcastic "holy shit, I'll be at the next meeting now!" But no he continued on explaining that now it's much easier for my father-in-law (former school overseer) and in a moment of unscripted honesty said "I think he's actually the only one that likes the new format."
So there you have it. The best reason they could come up with to convince me to come to memorial was to make them happy. Next best reason to be at meetings is they've changed the talks slightly, and no one likes it. How will I ever live with myself if I don't make it?