by Englishman 17 Replies latest jw friends
Deception, indeed! Another scam they love to pull especially
with assembly hall construction is "low-balling" the cost.
Tell the rank and file a new assembly hall will only cost
800,000 bucks then jack the price up to 2 million, 3 million,
heck, once they've committed to it the skies the limit.
I found the whole thing about as honest as any Defense
Dept. project. (i.e. a total ripoff)
metatron
Our old hall with the castle features also was sold...but to another religious group.
btw..they promptly put the windows back in)Now when we drive by it seems so funny to
see a big sign with the words "church of the somethingorothers" on it.
Have any others had their hall sold to other religions and did it bother you if you
were still associating?
It sure bothered lots of JWs around here as well as caused alot of talk in the neighbourhood
about 'why if we promote our religion so much, would we let some other religion have our hall?
Had Enough
G'day Englishmun,
This 'quick-build' nonesense has always annoyed me. In 1976 South Australias first AssHall was built at Ridgehaven (a suburb 15 miles North-East of Adelaide) During the day I worked several miles down the road roofing a New High School and at night making 'flashings for the roof at the Rigdehaven Ass Hall. The High School and AssHall project were started virtually the same day and both had their official openings within a week of each other. This made for a good comparison. I was at the High School project from day one (to help survey the stormwater drains) and at the Righaven project from day one (helping remove trees)
The High School was aproximately 3 times the size of Ridghaven ass hall, came in within time and budget, had no strikes or major problems even though it incoprporated some new building techniques. (though I remember one cranky moment when I dropped a roofing screw on a comrads hard-hat once too often)
The AssHall on the other hand was a building disater. Many brothers refused to work there from the begining and I lost count of the Elders losing their tempers and storming off site never to return again. Even though one could count ones time as a pioneer on the site many prefered to keep door knocking rather than endure Elder heavyhandedness and 'personality clashes' up close and personal with building implements at the ready.
Imagine my gufaws when I endured the bullshit speach at the AssHalls opening. "This project shows our unity compared to worldly building sites etc."
To my mind the AssHall wasn't finished for another 3 years when the Large cracks in the brickwork were repaired - sat at many an assembly waiting for the walls to implode or explode - ala Jericho (faulty foundations in clay soil - big eye-roll) and roof flashings were finally in place and one could look up in the kitchen without seeing blue sky through the roof or water pouring in whenever it rained. (I gave up halfway through making the roof flashings when bullied for not being quick enough (doing the work of six men from sundown to midnight was hard when I already had an exausting day job ;)
The Ridgehaven Assembly Hall was a joke from start to finish, from the hundreds of sisters crushing bricks with hammers for the carpark (a real third world look - a rock crusher was hauled in later when volunteers dried up) to the Electrical circuitry catching on fire during the first offical inspection. Not to mention the 16 year old sister eloping with the 44 year old brother and other romantic goings on. (a bloke could write a book)
... Then there were the 'quick-build' Kingdom Halls. (beaten by several years by a SA builder who designed 2 day house builds for rural properties) - a separate but not disimilar book ...
our old hall was sold to a religious organization and i never heard of it bothering anybody. in fact, the operating committee often talked about how nice they had been to deal with. the suggestion was sorta put forward that Jehovah's hand was in things as evidenced by the size of the offer that they put in, far more than expected. i remember joking that since we 'dedicate' a building after construction that we should also 'disfellowship' it after we sold it. :)
mox
Depending on which denomination bought a KH there might be a scene or two that'd remind you of what it was like being a Witness. Some pentecostal denominations would be bound to have their pastors wander through the hall rebuking the Spirit of Religion", the "Spirit of Deception" and others. Some pentecostal groups are as suspicious about demons as Dubs. They can be amusing though, as they tend to take a proactive approach, rebuking spirits of depression, lust and whatever else seems to be the problem of the day. I couldn't just be pissed off at a friend because he'd stuffed me around; he wanted me to see a pastor to have my "Spirit of Anger" exorcised!
Here's a poem I pinched from a JW poetry site referenced by Cluteman on H20:
*****
Quick Build for Jehovah
They will give themselves freely, for they are my people,
They will build me a house, without pulpit or steeple,
A house where my loved ones can worship together,
In spirit and truth, in fair or foul weather.
And early this morning I looked down from heaven,
A bit before dawn, yes just before seven,
My heart swelled with love for my servants below,
A love of the sort that no human can know.
With hammers in hand and sacks full of nails,
And hearts full of love, for love never fails,
They quickly got into the work to be done,
United together as if they were one.
With humming of drills and buzzing of saws,
The project continued without major flaws.
Everyone anxious to lend in a hand,
Yes, everyone busy with love in command.
And soon there were standing four walls all around,
Then shortly the first trusses, ready and bound,
And by 9:30 was found the first truss in place,
Yes, the rest were already and I'd given my grace.
By now the work of some seemed complete,
But they soon found another job right at their feet,
It was 1:00 PM Saturday that found the roofers in place,
And a smile was found on each and every face.
But nothing could stop these beloved of mine,
Once started, they followed a solid straight line,
They gave of themselves in so many ways,
To finish my house by the end of two days.
Like locusts they mingled, both shepherds and sheep,
They know what they're sowing they also shall reap,
This day they are sowing the fruits of the spirit,
Let the world stand in awe, for one day they'll fear it!
"What a sight to behold," said by angels above,
They, too, would enjoy this labor of love,
I laughed as I watched, and my soul filled with pride,
I rejoiced with my Son, and also his bride.
Yes, they've built me a house, without pulpit or steeple,
For I am their God and they are my people,
And at the end of this day, when rest their souls crave,
I'll whisper to them "WELL DONE, FAITHFUL SLAVE."
*****
Now wasn't that just lovely
The old KH I attended was turned into a Mexican Restaurant over 9 years ago. The New one to replace it was not built in 3 days, or three months for that matter.
G'day all,
There is a 'quickly built" KH in Sydney that has the rare distinction of being quickly built TWICE. The reason: the roof collapsed on #1, so some years later it was the subject of another quick build project.
Footnote: no dedication program was held for Hall #2
Ozzie
