No it's not normal to have so many meetings, and I don't know of any other religion that demands this of their people - we're the only ones (unless you count Islam which wants you to do prayers 5 times a day each day). It's a control thing: we actually had a CO a couple of years ago tell us that we needed to be "at ALL the meetings" so that we could be "reminded" of all of "God's truths," or we could easily forget them. (If only it were that easy to forget!). They try saying "it's only 5 hours a week!" but it's a hell of a lot more than that when you count everything that's involved:
Sunday mornings: 9:00am - 12:30pm. This includes getting ready for the meeting, the meeting and talking after the meeting.
Monday: family study: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Tuesday: bookstudy: 6:30 - 9:00pm. This includes getting ready for the meeting, the meeting and talking after the meeting
Wednesday: study for TMS: 1 hour.
Thursday: Theocratic Ministry School: 6:30pm - 10:00pm. includes getting ready for the meeting, the meeting and talking after the meeting.
Friday: preparation for Service: 5 seconds.
Saturday morning Service: 8:30am - 12:30pm. includes getting ready for service, meeting the group, going out in service and getting home.
Right there, that's 15.5 hours every frigging week that you're supposed to spend on "spiritual things" and that's just the bare minimum that's expected. If you're an MS or an elder, you got a ton of more stuff to pile on your plate and it's like having another full time job.
Anyone remember the Buffalo Assembly in '68 or 69? What a frigging nightmare that was, as anyone who was there can attest.
Edited by - Mary on 28 November 2002 16:34:33