4300 in attendance - 17 Baptized
Odd mix of congregations assigned, I'm sure to throw off any scent of a decline.
No distinction made whatsoever between loyalty to Jehovah God and loyalty to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Zero.
The convention is riddled with parts whipping up your love for the Creator and Jesus, with a quick reminder that the WBTS are their gatekeepers.
Parallels are implied constantly between Israel and Jehovah's Witnesses. Many scriptures were read in the Hebrew Scriptures. All scriptures speaking of hope or deliverance instantly applied to Jehovah's Witnesses and Armageddon regardless of actual context.
Implied, if not direct, threats flew around liberally for disloyalty. References were made to many people being killed for being disloyal. The Golden Calf episode thoroughly discussed. Korah and the ground opening up, Aaron's sons being killed, etc.
"Independent Thinking" was mentioned more than once and shamelessly condemned. JW's are not to have any opinion about the teachings from the "slave" unless they are positive. If we have a negative thought about anything coming from the "slave" we are to immediately dismiss it and "Wait on Jehovah" with a humble attitude.
There were a lot of stoic faces in the audience during the heavier videos. It was hard to read people but I didn't see a lot of emotion. I was surprised however by the kool-aid drinker comments from many after the assembly. They actually eat this stuff up. It blows my mind now that I'm awake to it all. It seems so blatantly manipulative, but it apparently plays on a JW's desire to be better than everyone else and judgmental. I heard one brother talk about (with raised eyebrows no less) how many in his hall had a lot to work on after this convention (how nice of him to point that out). One elder speculated that maybe future shepherding calls would also include a message of judgement..
......
My overall take- It's one thing to watch the videos at home on a personal device and be shocked by them, but to see the organization proudly parade this craziness in front of thousands of people on multiple jumbo-tron screens, is something else altogether. It was bizarre and surreal.
I walked in knowing they were a culty cocktail of delusion and deceit. I walked out thinking, though, they are also disturbingly narcissistic and paranoid. More so than I knew.