My S.A.D. experience....

by Doubtfully Yours 10 Replies latest social relationships

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  Doubtfully Yours

  Had a Special Assembly Day just this past Saturday. We were blessed (HA!!! Yeah, right!!!) with the presence with one of the Governing Body members.

  He looked quite young; late 40s to early 50s to be exact. Kind of contradicts their theory that all of the 144,000 anointed ones were chosen prior to 1935, doesn't it?!!!

  At any rate, the man didn't know Spanish and had his talks translated, which took us over the time limit. So, the recess at mid-day was cut short by 20 mins, and the end of the day went over 45 mins, due to the translation bit. By the way, the translator didn't do the best job either.

  A lot meaning is always lost in translation. Plus, the English language cannot be translated to Spanish word for word. I didn't enjoy the translation stuff at all.

  The day was boring as can be; nothing at all new, all the SSDD. Some poor kid, 10 years old, got baptized. Dozed at least once during each session.

  Just about the only thing I enjoyed was the nice hotel stay and the nice evening dinners in the area. Time with my folks was good too; I never talk JW stuff and always have a really good time with them.

  Anyone with recent assembly day(s) experiences?

  DY - Looking forward to the day when I won't have to attend another assembly ever again!
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  Nosferatu

  Sorry, haven't been to one in about 8 years. I didn't mind the Special Assembly days as much as the circuit or district assemblies. Probably because they were only one day long. I also never saw anything special about them, other than being only one day long. Hell, if the convention was only one day long, it would be much more tolerable. I remember the 4 day convention in 1988 (can't remember the name). That was horrible, especially since I was 10 years old at the time.
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  ozziepost

  Having talks translated means that quite a lot is lost in the translation IMO. The nuances of each language is different and translated talks have a "wooden" sound.

  But then again, it's only an outline, isn't it?

  I wonder what would happen if the speakers had to make up their own talks? Ya know, just like those despised ministers in the churches! I rather think we'd soon see that the speakers aren't up to the job. We'd also see the paucity of so-called "spiritual food".

  One day, DY, you won't need to attend a SAD. Pray that day comes soon.

  Cheers, Ozzie
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  myauntfanny

  Um, I could have sworn I read that the GB isn't made up of anointed any more.

  I sort of liked assemblies (till I got fed up) because there were boys there (none at ALL in my congregation) but my mother hated having to take us to the bathroom 4000 times so she wouldn't let us drink anything and it was so hot in Pasadena! And I don't know about that whole "joyful" thing, everybody was always really snarky from the heat and there was always some kid in the bathroom being waled on for acting up. It wasn't exactly fun.
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  Nocturne

  I had the "Special" Assembly day a couple of weeks ago. Never been so bored in my life to be honest. We got some of the same stuff as usual, do more, meeting attendance is down, why aren't you doing more like the brothers in africa or other third world countries. The baptism ceremony was quite a shock since all of the candidates were men, with the exception of one who was 14 years old (poor guy).

  Of course, and assembly wouldn't be the same without them promoting pioneering and encouraging the young ones to get as little education as possible.

  The funniest part though came from one of the experiences where this sister came up and said that her unbelieving father "forced" her to take some university classes. She said that her father had false impressions that JWs "encourage their young ones to go door to door instead of getting an education". I'm just sitting there, watching people just agree with what's being said on the stage and I can't believe I used to be like that, just accepting everything that was being said.

  So that was my day at the Special Assembly

  Nocturne - also looking forward to the day where he won't have to attend another assembly
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  blondie

  You guys missed the good old days.

  2 circuit assemblies starting from Friday evening to Sunday evenings every year.

  District assemblies (not yet conventions) 8 days long with field service in the morning and programs in the afternoon, supper break, then evening program until 9 p.m. (unless Knorr or Franz had the last part/prayer).

  Blondie
• 

  Puternut

  I never understood why it was ok for the GB member to go way overtime. If I did that on an assembly, I would be counseled severely. We were all to set the example of staying within the time limit. And here these guys aren't setting a good example for the rest. If a brother would go overtime, many in the audience would get tired and kranky. But if the GB members went overtime up to 30 min or so, we were all supposed to be 'really' interested and not complain...........

  Yes, translation talks were the most boring to me to. I used to give talks for a Russian congregation with a translator. It usually went way overtime. And looking at the audience, you knew they didn't know what the English speaker was saying, and started to slide down in their seats.

  Puternut
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  shotgun

  DY they sent me the transcript to translate for you here is the opening comments.

  BROTHERS AND SISTERS PLEASE SHUT UP AND FIND YOUR SEATS.......

  WE WILL OPEN OUR WONDERFUL WONDERFUL SPECIAL ASSEMBLY DAY WITH A ROUSING SONG...

  PLEASE STAND IF YOUR ABLE AND STAY SEATED IF YOU CAN'T STAND AND IF YOUR WEARING A HAT TAKE THE FRIKKIN THING OFF UNLESS OF COURSE YOUR A SISTER OR A BROTHER WHO WISHES HE WERE A SISTER...YES I MEAN YOU BROTHER GUMBY

  NOW JOIN WITH ME IN SINGING SONG 199....KISS THE SON LEST GOD CRUSH YOU LIKE A BUG...WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED WITH A PRAYER BY OUR VISITING GOVERNING BODY MEMBER...YES THAT'S RIGHT YOU HEARD ME THERES ONLY A HANDFUL LEFT AND WE GOT A LIVE ONE HERE TODAY FOLKS...

  HE IS ORIGINALLY FROM HAITI WHER HE PRACTISED VOO-DOO UNTIL CONTACTED BY JEHOVAHS WITNESS JUST 5 YEARS AGO, HE HAS PROVEN TO BE AN OUTSTANDING BROTHER AND ASSET TO JEHOVAHS ORGANIZATION.

  YOU CAN FIND HIM IN THE BETHEL LIBRAY MOST DAYS MAKING HIS OWN HANDMADE DOLLS WHICH SEEM SO LIFELIKE AND MOST OFTEN RESEMBLE OTHER GOVERNING BODY MEMBERS THAT IT AMAZES ALL WHO SEE HIM AS HE NIMBLY WORKS WITH SEWING NEEDLES REPEATEDLY STICKING AND STICKING THEM IN TO THE DOLLS UNTIL THEY REACH PERFECTION.

  WITH NO FURTHER ADIEU BROTHER...UDU VUDU METU
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  lovinlife

  OMG Blondie! I almost forgot those days!!!! I was still a kid...sat there for 8 days in an outdoor stadium either freezing at night or frying in the sun during the day. And lets not forget my mother pinching my arm everytime I squirmed! After 1 day, I was an all over bruise, and by day eight, I was completely comatose! Oh how I hated them!
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  blondie

  Yes, lovinlife, we learned endurance then Now when a never-been-a-JW asks about a seminar we are going to, "Can you sit for 2 hours?" I just smile.

  Blondie