It was announced that for the 2006 Int'l Convention overseas, ONLY pioneers for at least 15 years or elders for atleast 15 years are allowed to be delegates. Has there always been restrictions on who can attend? I can't remember as it's been so long ago. As a friend said, "This smacks of favoritism". I agree. Could it be for crowd control? And what about those ones that qualify, but their spouses are gossipers, backstabbers, or don't do the 10 hr. thing a month? Do they get to go too? What a crock.
2006 Special Convention only for a select group to be delegates
by juni 27 Replies latest jw friends
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stillajwexelder
yes this letter was read after the watchtower and really caught me by suprise. There have always been restrictions on International Conventions but never this strict
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ChrisVance
In about 1990 only elders and their families could go to the conventions in Poland. I applied, but was only a lowly MS. Couldn't go.
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inbyathread
Hope all that qualify in our hall go. That will be a week or two of relief. With many plane crashes lately, can I hope?
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juni
To stillanexjwexelder,
In what way was it more strict? Thanks for your reply.
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juni
Sorry I got your name messed up. Do you have a shortened form?
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AlanF
All JWs are equally brothers, but it appears that some are more equal than others.
AlanF
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stillajwexelder
To stillanexjwexelder, In what way was it more strict? Thanks for your reply. The fact that it was regualr pioneer for 15 CONTINUOUS years or an elder for 15 years total - I have never seen/heard such strict restrictions before
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Thirdson
"Conventions" and "delegates" are words used by the WTS that mean different things at different times and are almost always different to the usage outside of the WTS. Generally, a delegate is one sent as a representative of another one or body often with responsibility or power to act for the ones who sent the delegate. In WTS terms all convention attendees are delegates even though they are not representing anyone else, certainly have no authority and will not engage in discussion with others to set agendas, agree actions, or make decisions.
In the case of special International conventions certain ones can attend and be assisted in travel and with accomodation. They have no special responsibility and hardly represent anyone other than act as "goodwill" ambassadors for their particular region. The WTS can set the requirements for who can be "delegates" to these events and to whom such special arrangements will be granted. However, most conventions are open to the public and any congregation member can attend if they are willing to make their own travel arrangements. They won't be official, Society approved "delegates" they'll just be regular "delegates" like everyone else.
3rd
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Finally-Free
ONLY pioneers for at least 15 years or elders for atleast 15 years are allowed to be delegates.
It's the same sort of favoritism the society has shown for a long time, they're just becoming more obvious about it. I recall when the "Insight" and "Proclaimers" books were first released they were first distributed to those with titles and some who had been in the cult for a certain number of years. The rest of us lowly publishers™ had to wait several months until more were printed.
I never really wanted to go to an international convention, but I was irritated that the society would dare to tell me where I could and could not go. I almost went to a convention in the Ukraine just to spite them; it would have given me a chance to meet up with some non-JW family there too. I eventually decided not to go because I couldn't get enough time off of work to make the trip worthwhile.
W