Was it just me or was something different about the memorial last night?

by kpop 37 Replies latest jw friends

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  BluesBrother

  For me the "something different" about the Memorial this year was the 'material' concept of what was on offer. Where was the spirituality?

  We start with the invitation leaflet cover. This had an symbolism of the earthly hope with people of all Nations walking into paradise. The wording was "Peace, Health Prosperity , Everyones Dream" No mention of Christ Jesus.

  The Memorial speaker spent most of the talk going through this invite with images up on the screens. It was all about what you might expect to gain rather than an appreciation of the one suffered torture and death to make it possible. Just at the end as a by-the-way, we now pass the emblems.

  Is that a new word in their preaching ? "prosperity " . Gone are the days when materialism was a dirty word. Now it is all about gaining a good life with plenty of everything

  The nearest analogy I can make is to liken it to a gathering to mark the anniversary of the death of a rich father, but where the conversation falls into a chortling celebration of the goodies still to come from his legacy !
• 

  Skepsis

  I can only say what happened in my congregation.

  Firstly, the campaing to deliver the invitations didn't cover all the territories so many 25%-30% of the invitations are stocked in the Hall and a lot of brothers said they haven't delivered all the invitations they got. This is happening in a foreign language congregation where there are bible studies. Elders are so worried that the Service Overseer insisted me yestarday to fake the numbers in the books to appear as all the territories have been taken by the brothers during the campaing and not to receive a complain by the CO during his visit next week.

  And then, the spirit of the celebration was very grey. We had a visit from abroad of a couple that used to be in the congregation serving for years and no one wanted to have dinner after. Brothers were as in the rest of meetings during the year, nothing special.
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  Doubtfully Yours

  Here's my take on it: PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF THE SAME NONSENSE FOR SOOOO FREAKING LONG!!!

  People are just fed up and waking up in droves. This religious Org is becoming just like the Catholic Church... very present but irrelevant at the same time.

  It was so very at the KH last night. People were just not impressed.

  DY
• 

  FedUpJW

  @kpop - Were you in the same hall I was? You described it perfectly! SSDY. (Same s--t, different year)

  Of course there was the obligatory and shameless promotion of jay double you dot org
  
• 

  Finkelstein

  In analytical psychology , you can only bullshit people for so long .

  The WTS has been bullshitting (fear mongering) now for 140 years, therefore the proclamation that god has chosen this organization exclusively is starting to lose its viability.

  
• 

  kpop

  Interesting to read these comments. I guess it wasn't just a local thing then. I think the JWs can be divided up into 3 main groups: 1, the holy rollers who will go down with the ship, no matter what evidence is shown including if GB members come out and say its a scam; 2, the middle grounders, who go to meetings mostly likely because of family but they want to believe because its convenient for them (searching for a new religion is a pain in the ass) and they go out in service but as time passes, they begin to sense that something is not right and they are open to doing research on the internet and but still afraid to find out about the truth about the truth; and 3, the toenails, like myself who hang in there because we have to for family reasons but we are already awake, but hanging in by a toenail because soon we're gonna just let go and say to hell with the family, I need to start a new life today.

  One more thing I want to add and I think this we can all be very happy about: every single "interested person" or bible study that I have seen come to my hall or the assembly or other halls is either mentally deranged or slow, someone who has gone through a recent tragedy like a loss of a loved one, someone who is dirt poor and shitoutta luck with no job prospects and the children of JW parents.

  That should tell you everything about what the next 10 or 20 years are going to bring and it makes me very happy because I know, the JW cult won't last like it did in the 60's until now with the diehard old timers.

  Bullshitting people back in the 60's was easy and the JW always kept the Armageddon carrot hanging in front of them, "the end is near!"

  Welcome to the year 2017! If you still believe what the JW cult is selling then you are the dumbest moron on earth. You'll regret it in 20 years when you realize you missed out on so much in life!
  
• 

  btlc

  I remember 20+ years ago, memorial speech was quite interesting - about Pesach, its meaning for old Jews, how to calculate date 14. nisan, what's the connection with Christianity, how lamb and vegetables evolve to bread and vine... Now, 45 min about how important is to be here tonight, "to celebrate like Jesus and apostles", and how important is to not use bread and vine because "we all have earthly hope", and same show when speaker offers symbols to assistants, and then one of assistants offer symbols to speaker, and he make gesture like "thanks, but i'm full"...
  
• 

  westiebilly11

  locally hall was busy, but that's just because two congregations have now reverted to just one, as finances and attendances fall. Apparently talk was dull in the extreme and a friend of mine who attended told me that most rushed to leave after....
  
• 

  Spiral

  I have to say I always thought the Memorial was boring and stale. We once belonged to a congregation where everyone dressed up, but went out afterwards. (If you were special and a part of the "in" crowd you were invited.) At least that gave the occasion some spark.

  Having said that, last night's Memorial was incredibly dull and boring. The talk had none of the details that btlc mentioned. I don't believe anything was mentioned about how many partakers worldwide either. Some references to what is going on in Russia in the beginning of the talk, and then droning on about vague details. No time to look up scriptures! (that was new). Couldn't wait to get out of the hall, and it seemed like everyone left in a hurry, not just us.

  No one was especially dressed up, lots of noise even during the talk and wandering back and forth to the bathroom. Several "worldly" relatives just going to please JW family. Two I happen to know that are inactive (but still somewhat connected to the congregation) did not show. No partakers. No one knew how to sing the new songs.

  Really, if this is the highlight of the year, it was especially flat.
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  slimboyfat

  Yes, they had pictures on a screen during the talk. A bit strange. Otherwise I liked it.