kneehigh: the governing body's instructions on public transportation use are patently absurd.
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How many times was MARTA mentioned in the Atlanta video? I lost track. No doubt as part of whatever deal WT cut with the city of Atlanta, heavy promotion of public transit use was among the requirements for WT in order to get certain favors. And, the "obey theocratic direction" order by ordering JWs to drive 25 miles south to get on the MARTA station there instead of the one that's right in the area of the KH in the north? Absurd is right !
I checked on the stadium stats: it has a seating capacity of 70,000; only 30,000 JWs are invited to this convention. Every JW could drive to the venue instead of using MARTA and the parking lot would still be at half capacity. There's no reason to tell JWs to park on the outskirts of town and use the rail. Also, MARTA and bus lines can handle 140,000 people a day (2006 stat, more now). This convention is on a weekend -meaning very light public transit use. So again, the demand by WT, not only that JWs use public transportation, but which specific rail station they are to use, is equally absurd. The system can more than handle the relatively small convention crowd with ease- there's simply no practical reason for WT to exert such control other than simply to exert control.
Finally, did anyone else catch what the father in the 'family study' scenario said about their MARTA pass? He already reserved his passes but WT is still in negotiation for the actual price. Really? So we are to believe WT has spent two years on this project and has negotiated every aspect, including the stadium itself and hotels, but it hasn't gotten around to negotiating the cost of rail passes for the transportation that it is ordering JWs to use?? I checked online: a multi-day, unlimited-use pass costs from $13-$19. A very reasonable price already, in my view. My guess: WT is going to negotiate the city down to $10- but charge JWs the usual $13-$19- and WT keeps the profit.
steve2: I love the way the brothers crowed on about Jehovah blessing the arrangement and helping them solve problems that got in the way of progress in arranging the conventions.
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The JW propogandist said,' we didn't know how it would all work out, but we just kept at it and things fell in line'. Duh!! Read any book about successful people, setting goals, etc. and you'll find this is one of the most common themes: set a goal, then get busy accomplishing it. You can't know all the details of how it will work out, it's a process.
This JW minion, of course, chalks it up exclusively to G-Hovah's blessing and how WT is his singular, blessed organization, but the simple fact is, the GB demanded that Atlanta would have a convention this year, so they eventually got a convention this year. No big mystery (except to WT cronies).