i've been told by a jw friend that when her hall recently had a refurb that big changes were made to the second school.. one, a large sign has been placed on the door telling people not to use it and to sit in the main hall itself.. two,that all the chairs which used to face the large windows looking into the main hall are now side on to the window facing the wall instead.. this is because "so many people were sitting out in there!
people were finding all manner of exhuses to sit-in there and the brothers want us to all be together in the main hall!
" she said.. of course i didn't tell her what i really thought of this but seriously?
@KiddingMe-
That description about the restrictions on the call-in features sounds just like what I experienced in Napa, Ca. Are you sure we weren't in the same hall?
I'm on the Easy Coast. But now I'm wondering if this direction is more widespread than I thought, or a new policy.
@Kairos- do you remember how long ago this happened at your hall? Ours happened this past January?
i've been told by a jw friend that when her hall recently had a refurb that big changes were made to the second school.. one, a large sign has been placed on the door telling people not to use it and to sit in the main hall itself.. two,that all the chairs which used to face the large windows looking into the main hall are now side on to the window facing the wall instead.. this is because "so many people were sitting out in there!
people were finding all manner of exhuses to sit-in there and the brothers want us to all be together in the main hall!
" she said.. of course i didn't tell her what i really thought of this but seriously?
i've been told by a jw friend that when her hall recently had a refurb that big changes were made to the second school.. one, a large sign has been placed on the door telling people not to use it and to sit in the main hall itself.. two,that all the chairs which used to face the large windows looking into the main hall are now side on to the window facing the wall instead.. this is because "so many people were sitting out in there!
people were finding all manner of exhuses to sit-in there and the brothers want us to all be together in the main hall!
" she said.. of course i didn't tell her what i really thought of this but seriously?
It won't be long before they start putting restrictions on the use of the 'phone-in' feature for those who opt to stay home but for whatever reason have a need to phone in to listen to the meetings.
They already did this in our hall. We had a local needs about it but the direction come from the society. Basically said what you said, its for the shut in. Not people with short term illnesses. Said so many are phoning in that the ones that need it, can't get through the line because there is a limited no. of spot available on the conference call. They said they did an audit and even had callers from out of state calling. So they changed the pass code and only gave it to a select few.
It was interesting that they stressed that the direction was coming from the society. At first I was thinking the society was doing it keep apostates at bay, but i didn't notice postings about it here, so I assumed it must be more of a local issue.
i've been told by a jw friend that when her hall recently had a refurb that big changes were made to the second school.. one, a large sign has been placed on the door telling people not to use it and to sit in the main hall itself.. two,that all the chairs which used to face the large windows looking into the main hall are now side on to the window facing the wall instead.. this is because "so many people were sitting out in there!
people were finding all manner of exhuses to sit-in there and the brothers want us to all be together in the main hall!
" she said.. of course i didn't tell her what i really thought of this but seriously?
They used to have a chair blocking the door to our second school. Some took issue with it, moving the chair and entering anyway. Especially those with small children, that didnt want to have to go and sit in the bathroom everytime their little one got antsy. Someone complained that thier donations pay for the hall like everyone else. After a couple of weeks the chair blocking the door was gone.
As previous posters stated, it all about control. It is probably one or two brothers forcing this issue.
the resurrection is supposed to be a joyous occasion?, if it ever happened!
--well, this week's showing at the hall was the opposite, it was about death with violins playing in the background.
a recently bereaved member, , full of tears, (like many others) could not contain herself.
An elder walked out in tears. His mother died about two years ago. At least 10 others were visably emotional and crying. A brother walked back and forth up and down the aisles with a tissue box for those that didn't hide thier need for tissue. One sister's elderly mom is in the hospital and brother committed suicide. You could hear her sniffles. One of the other elder's wife just died about a year ago. He really didnt participate in this "resurrection" meeting as he normally does. I think it was just too much.
I said to my husband, I don't understand the purpose in showing that video. He said, what's wrong with it? So, when I said, it just seemed really insensitive to show. We already seen it at the convention, it was hard to watch then. I continued, they could've asked us to view it at home, and then ask questions about the video like they used to do. That way people are not forced to deal with something so emotional in front of everyone.
He had no response. He saw how many were in tears. He's also lost a family member recently. I was about in tears myself watching others suffer through not only the video but the other parts of the meeting before the video where the brother asked everyone to close their eyes and envision a loved one that they would like to see again. Then employed them to give comments on something special they miss about them, asking what they would like to see that person doing again.Two or three broke down in thier comments before the video was shown. I think this made it worse, they already had the audience very emotional and raw before showing the video.
johnny santa cruz and i met around 1959 at a movie theater in fort worth, texas.. the purpose of that meeting was to create a fanclub for horror movie director william castle.
a week or so later, johnny stopped me as i was walking home from elementary school.. "hey--i think i know you.
weren't you at the william castle fanclub thing?".
This is sickening. The average JW will think nothing of it, but perhaps admire that it gives three options.
Isn't that how a con artist or manipulator work? They control the situation (or options) but convince the prey that they have choice in a matter. In the end the con artist still gets what they want, no matter what choice is made.
i finally had the guts to create a profile to be able to post.
i've been lurking for a few months and have read all your experiences and comments dutifully.
you have been a great help in my process of waking up from this cult posing as the one true religion.
(that is, doubts).
in margaret atwood's "the handmaid's tale", a futuristic story of life inside a repressive, abusive big brother-style society tightly controlled by religious fundamentalists, there's a passage in which the protagonist is alone with another woman at a state-controlled centre where prayers are generated -- then printed out and read out -- by a machine.
the other woman asks, in barely more than a whisper, "do you think god listens to these machines?
dangit.......like i gotta cook for this hot chick tonight, ........i rented a suite at the mayaguez beach hotel, and she's totally into me.
i have my jeep....im still sore from my wreck....but dangit...im into this girl and i need y'alls help.
im californian....kinda been in the tropic forrest..bout 2years....and need some southern help.
