Simon Templar

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Posts by Simon Templar

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  29

  One Person Baptized at Circuit Assembly

  by Simon Templar in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i went to the circuit assembly with my wife yesterday.

  i have to keep peace in the family.

  there were less than 1,000 people for both the morning and the afternoon sessions.

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  Simon Templar

  ToesUp, they read the Accounts Report. There was a small deficit. A few thousand. They said they had to pay the Society $10,000 for the use of the Assembly Hall.
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  29

  One Person Baptized at Circuit Assembly

  by Simon Templar in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i went to the circuit assembly with my wife yesterday.

  i have to keep peace in the family.

  there were less than 1,000 people for both the morning and the afternoon sessions.

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  Simon Templar

  Pontoon, this was not the Newburgh Assembly Hall
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  29

  One Person Baptized at Circuit Assembly

  by Simon Templar in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i went to the circuit assembly with my wife yesterday.

  i have to keep peace in the family.

  there were less than 1,000 people for both the morning and the afternoon sessions.

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  Simon Templar

  I went to the Circuit Assembly with my wife yesterday. I have to keep peace in the family. There were less than 1,000 people for both the morning and the afternoon sessions. I remember 12-1300 people for this assembly just 5-7 years ago. The attendance is down by a third. Anyway, the last talk for the morning session is always the baptism. When the Brother gave the talk there was only one person there to be baptized! He mentioned that and called her by name (I didn't get the name because my mind was wandering-as usual). He spoke there, to her, calling her by her name several times. The 900 or so other people just sat there and listened. He asked her two questions which she answered aloud, there was a prayer and off to the pool she went. We all had lunch. That's it. Only one person! I remember baptisms at the Circuit Assembly of 30-40-50 people. It has been dwindling down for years. Now it is only one.

  I said to my Wife, with all these witnesses here, almost a thousand. They all go door-to-door (almost all), they all preach, they spend thousands of hours in the FS, and there is only one convert? Not even a child of believers being baptized. What's going on? My Wife didn't know what to say. I said, honey, this is the end of something. Either it's the end of the world as these people have been saying for over 100 years, or it's the beginning of the end of the religion at least in the developed, English-speaking world. The growth in the English speaking world has really ended. It's freaky! I don't know what to think.

  Note: We live in a suburb of an American east coast City. The Circuit mixes in congregations from inside the City also. In these poorer urban neighborhoods (I won't use the word "ghetto"), the FS was amazing. There was always growth. That's where most of the growth was. Now there is none. The WTB&TS is moving out of Brooklyn, this growth thing is now really manifesting, the attendance is off by hundreds of people at the Circuit Assembly, I honestly don't know what to say. Something's going on. I was amazed to see this happening.
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  30

  To those who attended, attendance up or down at your memorial?

  by Crazyguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  interesting to see if there's a noticeable trend in memorial attendance.

  also did they talk more then usual about ones not to partake?

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  Simon Templar

  Down. I didn't note the exact count, but visibly less than in recent years
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  31

  Question for those still attending the Kingdom Hall

  by ToesUp in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this a question more out of curiosity, because we have not stepped foot in a kh in 3 years.. how is the attendance at the meetings/assemblies?

  i know the answer will vary due to location.. are you (especially elders) receiving any notification or communication from bethel or co's that there is an upsurge of people that are simply disappearing or out right dis associating?.

  thanks, in advance, for your feedback!

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  Simon Templar

  I am still attending. I speak with many about this in general. It seems that they are resentful since the end never came and they feel lied to. There are at least four people in the Congo who will tell almost anyone that. We have 45-50 people for the mid-week meeting 70-75 on Sunday. This has slipped quite a bit over the past ten years or so. At the circuit assembly and special assembly day there are between one and four people baptized regularly. Most seem to be believing children. There are little or no converts in the English congregations anymore. Hours and hours of field service, little in the way of results. Mostly "not at homes". The Elders do not have the competency of prior generations. The meetings bore almost everyone to tears. Only the older Sisters say something pleasant to the Elders after the meetings. It is conspicuous that many of the members avoid them and just smile and speak nicely to them when they have to. The changing doctrines are getting people now, more so than before. I don't think fifteen percent of the Publishers can recite what the Generation now means. All the kids have left. Only some small minor children attend. Teenage and above are gone. It is almost amazing. Most of the people have no children in the religion anymore. There is a definite and palpable decline not only the number of members, but in attitude and energy. It's sad really. People can only take so much. They feel taken advantage of, as they tell me.
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  35

  Best pills meds or other to take before meeting?

  by Crazyguy in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  thought it would be good to share what ones take to deal with the meetings.

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  Simon Templar

  For about the past year, my wife has been taking a small-dose Xanax about 1/2 hour before the meeting.
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  19

  Talk on "Reaching Out"-Only What BOE Thinks Matters

  by Simon Templar in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  for the “living as christians” section of the workbook, “are you reaching out?” talk (15 min), the bethelite gave this talk at the meeting.

  he totally departed from the subject matter which is the watchtower of september 15, 2014, pages 3-6. he was so far off the reservation, it wasn't funny.

  here are a few highlights of what was said: 1) if any brother asked why they haven’t been appointed, and wants to know if there is a problem or condition that exists, that brother is too “presumptuous” and therefore, can’t be used.

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  Simon Templar

  For the “Living as Christians” section of the workbook, “Are you Reaching Out?” talk (15 min), the Bethelite gave this talk at the meeting. He totally departed from the subject matter which is the Watchtower of September 15, 2014, Pages 3-6. He was so far off the reservation, it wasn't funny. Here are a few highlights of what was said: 1) If any Brother asked why they haven’t been appointed, and wants to know if there is a problem or condition that exists, that Brother is too “presumptuous” and therefore, can’t be used. 2) No Brother should ask about this, but just wait on the body to act. If he isn't appointed, that means that the BOE feels that he isn't qualified. That's it. 3) Talent or skill doesn't matter for those appointed. It's what the BOE thinks and feels that matter. Nothing else.

  
  

  The implied thought was that the “Sheep” need to accept this and get used to it. They (the publishers) can't expect any of the appointed men to perform up to what they think is appropriate. If they don't like it, too bad. Correct yourself.

  My Wife has been active in the religion for 50 years. She is well studied and takes this religion seriously. After the meeting, she was furious. She said “Who does this man think he is to say these things to us, when they are not correct or in the Watchtower that is the subject of that part!” She ranted about him for a while. I was surprised. She spoke about the poor quality in recent years with almost any of the Elders and Servants and how this is harming the Congregation. Then she told me what the other Sisters thought of these people. I had no idea, not that I really care.

  
  

  This morning my wife was still upset. She mentioned that “They lied to us. The end never came as promised. When I was a kid, my Mother told me I would die if the end came and I wasn't baptized”. She mentioned that “When I agreed to be a member of this religion, everything was different. The end of the world, the Brothers, the congregations, the doctrines. There isn't any love in the congregation anymore. Things have changed. No apologies about the changes or doctrinal reversals , but I am supposed to do what I am told and shut-up.”

  
  

  She is hurt and P.O’d beyond belief. That one little 15 minute talk set her off big time. I had no idea she felt this way.

  
  
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  38

  Honestly, Did Jehovah's Witnesses Do Anything POSITIVE For You?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was raised as a witness and am very thankful that i am out.

  having said that, i think my upbringing produced positive qualities in me.

  do you believe that anything positive came from your being a witness?

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  Simon Templar

  I was raised in the religion. Its all I have known really. I realize that there are many negatives to being a member of the religion. There are also many positives in mu opinion. I don't know which is greater. I would have to think about that.

  I learned many things and gained some positive qualities being brought up in the religion and living most of my adult life in it. I would say that the biggest positives (to me) is the ability to present myself very well. I learned to study and organize my thoughts so I can present ideas and opinion to strangers, and do so with authority and conviction. This has helped me greatly in my secular life and I am grateful. That's about it. The people in the religion (particularly today) is the biggest problem and also the appointment and use of conspicuously unqualified men in positions of oversight.
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  8

  Brooklyn Brownstoner article: Reader Unearths Fascinating 1969 Letter About Then-New Jehovah’s Witnesses HQ

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2016/01/jehovah-witness-history-brooklyn-squibb-1969-donations/.

  reader unearths fascinating 1969 letter about then-new jehovah’s witnesses hq.

  by barbara eldredge 1/25/16.

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  Simon Templar

  The story that I recall was floating around the organization by people in the "know" about this subject is that Nathan Knorr was on an airplane flying from somewhere back to NYC. On that flight was a corporate officer of Squibb. This man was speaking with Knorr and told him that he should buy the building from Squibb. The conversation between the two men started the ball rolling on the WTB&TS buying the building. This was mid to late 1960s as I recall.
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  29

  What's next?

  by Grey Goose in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi everyone.. thanks for the welcome a few days ago, it was nice to hear your support.. this is a pure speculation thread, but what do you think the next changes are going to be?.

  will we see tything come into play?.

  more evangelical style meetings?.

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  Simon Templar

  Here is what I can speculate on happening in the next five years. This is only for the developed world. I cant comment on the third world (where all the growth is). The developing world will get most of the attention.

  1. Because of the apparent lack of qualified men, and that condition not improving, merge several congregations together. Sell any extra KHs and send the money to the Organisation.

  2. Revamp the weekly meetings so that there is only a bible study meeting. It is for one hour and there is alternating Brothers doing it. The reader doesn't matter. This meeting is held on the first, third and fifth week. A canned video of one hour is presented on the second and fourth week. For areas where there is limited internet availability, they will be sent a DVD. The Congregation would have to pay for the DVD the same as they would pay for and ISP.

  3. Revamp the Sunday meeting to a one hour public talk given by any Brother in good standing that can follow and outline and talk for an hour. This is given on the first, third and fifth week. A canned video talk is presented on weeks two and four. There will be no regular Watchtower study. If there is a special doctrinal matter that needs to be introduced or revised and the congregation needs to hear and understand it through the study method, a special publication will be on the website for downloading and a special meeting will be held. If the matter doesn't need to be studied, then a special video talk will be presented with a brief explanation/commentary provided by a local Brother.

  3. There will be a special series of articles in the Watchtower which illustrates that Jesus spoke to people he met in the normal course of his life, not just formal door to door. This will usher in a new method of field service for the rank and file of just speaking to people that they meet using a tablet or smart phone. This will dispose of the door to door work as being a staple. You can go door to door if you want, but you only have to talk to people that you meet in your daily life. That's it. This will be done to make it easier for people to stay in the religion and do something in Field Service with all the not at homes that are experienced. No minimum hours or placements will be required. Just do it as you can.

  4. The requirements for receiving an appointment will be greatly relaxed. No more minimum Field Service requirements, unbelieving children living at home are now okay, brownnosing not required, etc. The BOE will ask you if you want to serve, and if you do, they will appoint you at the next meeting. Minimum time and procedure involved.

  That's about the end of my five year speculation for the moment.