Ban on Independent Meetings

by lssjr 55 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  lssjr

  

  Source - March 2021 Announcements - - https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5085868283920384/2021-march-147-english-german-announcements-reminders
  

  This is a sobering reminder of what happened some 40 years ago when Raymond Franz and others were literally kicked out from the Jehovah's Witnesses for having pre-arranged private spiritual discussions.
  Lesson: Paragraph 7 is another example of the I and T in Dr. Steven Hassan's BITE model of the 21st century cult - Information and Thought Control at its best!!!!
  

  • "my gosh, there must be a lot of independent meetings these days." - yes, the Governing Body are tightening the noose around Jehovah's Witnesses asking serious critical thinking questions; and also, to prevent a consecutive embarrassing membership decrease.
  • Paragraph 7 provides no scripture that bans "pre-arranged private spiritual discussions" and "independent meetings".
  • who is the Governing Body to dictate in a dogmatic, cult-manner, to 8.0 million plus grown adults, that "pre-arranged private spiritual discussions" and "independent meetings" are banned?
  • this is beyond ridiculous and a shot into the foot of this religion. Was there not this "Kingdom Ministry Article whether the "Slave" allowed private Bible discussion gatherings, and they said "no". And many woke up. This is more or less the same: and more will wake up, maybe now even some, who are not too keen on the zoom thing anyway.
  • the GB has no authority whatsoever, to ban "pre-arranged private spiritual discussions" and "independent meetings" - one or two may stop; but this would most likely have the reverse effect - there might be more "independent meetings".
  • by causing even more people to research interdependently. because many might not know about such things till this letter.. and those who do the zoom meetings out of theocratic order will surely continue.. maybe one or two less.. but they will..
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  Phizzy

  Let's hope this has the same effect upon some that it did , me included, when similar announcements, or should I say Rules, were made in the past.

  It was the September 2007 bit in the " Kingdom Ministry" which did it for me. This, I think was in the form of one of those innocuous looking Question Box sections, where they often hid away dodgy stuff, and it basically said, do NO INDEPENDENT RESEARCH !!!!! and WE WILL DO YOUR THINKING FOR YOU ! Not in all Shouty Capitals like that , but that is what it was really saying.

  And that was the proverbial Straw for me, I left for good a short while after. Nobody does my thinking for me !!!
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  Rocketman123

  Not surprising since the JWS is controlled brainwashing

  Reading the bible alone by itself is admonished in the JWS cult.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  Paragraph 2:

  ’even beginning and ending such meetings with prayer’

  Wow, its outrageous that they would say this in such a negative context
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  carla

  'even beginning and ending such meetings with prayer' - guess they don't go in for:

  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

  English Standard Version

  16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God

  in Christ Jesus for you.
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  FedUpJW

  I don't mind seeing that ban on independent meetings and discussion in print. Now I can just tell anyone who tries to discuss anything from or about the Bible to quit, and use JW rules as backup.
  
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  James Jack

  God forbid that your independent studies might reveal teachings contrary to the Watchtower.
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  road to nowhere

  They had become defacto mandatory here. Lots of nagging if they didnt see you on. Good riddance
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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  * by causing even more people to research interdependently.

  It's amazing what you find out when you research and take off the rose-colored glasses of the Watchtower Society teachings. If you really dig deep and really research the Bible, you will find it just made up stories to make the Jewish people stand out from people that lived in their generations.
  
  
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  truth_b_known

  The Watchtower says that Witnesses may -

  • Go to meetings, assemblies, conventions
  • Watch JW broadcast
  • Read Watchtower publications

  The Watchtower says that Witnesses may not -

  • Discuss spiritual things at independent social gatherings
  • Pray before such gatherings

  As a child growing up as a born-in Witness I remember that Saturday morning were field service and after lunch was the family study of preparing for the following day's Watchtower study at the meeting. Dad was start the study by offering a prayer. Dad conducted the Watchtower study. We took turns reading the paragraphs and cited scriptures.

  So, in short, the Watchtower no condemns what I grew up with.

  I also remember as a child going camping with multiple families from the congregation. The whole camping party would have a Watchtower study together because we were out camping instead of being at the meeting. I am sure such an activity would also be condemned.