I, too, was shocked and found it quite strange hearing that the book study night were canceled. Talk about taking away one of the only "enjoyable" meetings out of the whole batch. I liked the smaller gatherings of book study night; they weren't so "threatening" to me like the bigger, more "stern" congrational meetings.
Outlaw - you bring up a good point. Indeed - any old school JW would be shocked by this. My Dad is still deeply entrenched and ensnared by this cult and has been for 42 years. Being that he and I don't talk it for reason of my DF'd status, I don't know how he feels. I would like to think that he was indeed shaken by this, he had to feel SOMETHING (unless he truly is that "shut off")...but he's still in. I don't know what it will take, if anything, for him to ever leave. But, he's 72, stubborn, set in his ways (perhaps he doesn't want to admit after all this time he's wrong and that his strict adherence to the JW religion has indeed destroyed his family?)...and I don't think he ever will. I can only hope that the seeds of doubt were planted by a change like that. Well, whatever way you look at it -- it's a damn cryin' shame.
That and elimination of congration picnics - what the heck. Fear and isolation tactics - the WTBTS uses that to keep JWs from the "worldlies"...and from each other.
