Can someone compare the midweek meeting now to what it was say in the 60`s

smiddy3

I can`t believe the tidbits I`m finding out about the changes ,dumbing down of the meetings I used to attend and participate in up until the late 1980`s ..

Back in the day (late 80's) when a JW attended a midweek meeting...especially a brother...he would walk in loaded down with a brief case filled with a boatload of literature for that evening...All Scripture Inspired Book, The Reasoning Book, The (monthly) Kingdom Ministry, The Year Book, The Theocratic Ministry School Guide Book, Insight On The Scriptures (both volumes), a thick notepad & last but not least a Bible...all toll about 10 lbs of books & magazines in his bag!

Today in 2019 that same brother (that's if he's still alive) has trashed his brief case along with that boatload of literature & strolls into midweek meetings with a smart phone a little bigger than a box of cigarettes tucked inside his coat...he's even trashed his hardbound Bible.

My...how times have changed!

Hope I didn't get too carried away smiddy 3!🤣

St George of England

that same brother (that's if he's still alive) has trashed his brief case along with that boatload of literature

His brain has also gone the same way. No thinking is required at the meeting anymore, in fact it's positively discouraged.

George

Slidin Fast

I go armed with my trusty iPad. I open the approved app on which every word of the meeting content is provided. (This doesn't require much disk space). Then I open my Kindle app and lose myself in the latest book I am reading.

Yes as a locked in PIMO, these meetings are at least tolerable. Every now and then I stick my hand up and read a scripture. I sometimes answer but only perhaps on a factual matter or my own spin on something, never the party line.

By contrast, in times gone past there was some meat to look at. It may have been rancid and full of poison but it did require some "research" and mental exercise. Talks were the product of your own research and could be laced with your own creativity and imagination and could thus be quite enjoyable. Now, they are totally a rehash of the provided material, no deviation, no individual flair. Without Kindle I would despair.

The Fall Guy

60's to 80's - JW's were trained at meetings how to learn & share scriptures in their ministry.

21st century - JW's watch short videos at meetings which they in turn have to play in their ministry.

If asked about JW dogma or any "awkward" Biblical questions, they will likely refer the person to JW.BORG.

The "truth" which many of us learned and were baptised into, has changed beyond belief..

nowwhat?

They went from one extreme to the other. In the past we overloaded with study materials .

tiki

Sounds like the boredom level of the religion has mushroomed exponentially.....

So newbies will never have the joy of explaining the mathematical arrival of a time, times and half a time arriving at 1914......or Nebuchadnezzar's dream image and us poor clay feet....

truth_b_known

The Theocratic Ministry School and Service meeting were two 45 minute meetings with a song/prayer on each side and a song in the middle. For that 90 minutes of program there was about 3 to 4 hours of study prep before the meeting if you looked up every scripture sited. Study prep involved getting deep into the subject matter to have well prepare, heartfelt, insightful answers during the meeting.

I have not been to a meeting since the change, but my understanding is that it is now shorter, there is little to no study prep because any answer is to be a quick reciting of the words in the source material. Other than that, most parts are prepared and presented in video format by headquarters in New York.

What used to be like attending college courses to prepare the congregation to be public ministers is now a weekly indoctrination and brainwashing. Leave your brain at home. Watchtower will do all the thinking for you.

road to nowhere

Used to be friday. As a not totally in single male that conflicted with recreation. Then with shared halls it moved to tuesday, Wednesday, thursday.

I hated the late hours because of work. Then you would get windbags who ran over and gave 6 minute prayers.

Remember the awake articles about children needing a set schedule and to be in bed by 8? All they learned was to hate meeting

If you can read at 6th grade level everything is right there on the tablet so there is no studying. Worst part is the bible study with 5 minutes material but they use e every bit of if their 30

Betheliesalot

Plus today you can watch it live from home or wherever, just have to get the password from Joe Hoover or one of his elves er elder.

Can someone compare the midweek meeting now to what it was say in the 60`s - 80`s ?