STANLEY THEATRE - ASSEMBLY HALL

by BluesBrother 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  BluesBrother

  Not a new revelation, but I found the video interesting

  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux_IHX4X3vw&feature=related

  Now consider how they tear into "Christendom" for having elaborate churches.

  * g01 6/8 p. 15 Cathedrals—Monuments to God or Men? ***

  No doubt many who shared in the building of these vast edifices had a sincere love of God. Such ones clearly had "a zeal for God," but it was "not according to accurate knowledge." (Romans 10:2) Jesus Christ never suggested that his followers construct elaborate houses of worship. He urged true worshipers to "worship with spirit and truth." (John 4:21-24) In spite of their beauty, Christendom’s mighty cathedrals stand in contradiction to this principle. They may be monuments to the men who built them, but they fail to glorify God.

  g02 2/8 p. 30 From Our Readers ***

  Cathedrals I enjoyed the article "Cathedrals—Monuments to God or Men?" (June 8, 2001) But isn’t it true that Jehovah’s Witnesses build rather large Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls?

  R. B., United States

  "Awake!"responds: We criticized the building of cathedrals not simply because they are big but because the driving force in building them was often what one historian called the "arrogant pride" of religious leaders. Also, financing these huge structures often worked an extreme hardship on parishioners. By way of contrast, Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls are modest structures that are not built to bring praise to any humans. Rather, they serve as places of worship. These halls are financed by voluntary contributions and do not impose an unreasonable financial burden upon anyone.

  They said this about Stanley Theatre

  g85 10/22 p. 27 A Historic Landmark Becomes an Assembly Hall for Jehovah’s Witnesses **

  *Jersey City can now pride itself in one of the most beautiful convention halls found anywhere in the United States. Not only has its former glory been restored but it has been enhanced. Its greatest function now will be its use to reflect the glory of the Sovereign Lord and Creator of the universe, Jehovah God.

  Then my favourite !

  *** g85 10/22 p. 27 A Historic Landmark Becomes an Assembly Hall for Jehovah’s Witnesses ***

  "As I watched the construction progressing at the Stanley Theater in Jersey City, I saw a determination that no price was too high to pay for their special ideals.

  Ok , the funds were donated, not coerced, but after a lifetime of seeing K Halls etc, this one looks sooo ostentatious. Reminds me of film taken within a Mormon building, which we who saw it roundly criticized,..I knew of the Stanley building but that video really brought it home to me.
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  DT

  Intersting post. Thanks for doing the research. I always felt uneasy about Stanley Theater when I was a witness.
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  south african beef

  Hi BB

  I agree totally with your comments.

  For years as I was growing up it was constantly drummed into me that the Kingdom Halls were plain and functional, not ostentatious, and how it was the witnessing work that counted and not the buildings.

  I remember the old postcards showing all the facilities of Bethel, mainly in Brooklyn, and I used to think that they must take an awful lot of money to upkeep. It seemed like the society was boasting about all the wonderful buildings it 'needed' to publish the good news.

  With the Stanley Theatre it seems a case of 'flaunt what you've got'.

  Regards,

  SAB
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  daniel-p

  This is one thing that I disagree on. I've been to the Stanley Theater many times, including working as an addendant while I served at Bethel, so I think I'm fairly familiar with it. I never got the impression that it was ostentatious or over done. The WTS simply restored it to its previous condition. Sure, they paid a lot of money to do so, but I don't think that in itself constituted a gross over-indulgence of their wealth. They've done other things that contribute more to this. While a nicely restored place, the Stanley Theater is by no means flashier than a lot of other theaters in NYC, and no flashier than how it was originally. The fact is, Kingdom Hall standards are a lot higher in the cities and wealtheir areas, reflecting the class norms.
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  OnTheWayOut

  While I understand what Daniel-P is saying, this is still a matter of blasting Christendom for
  doing something, then doing it yourself. The magazine quotes clearly show that. If they say
  the Stanley Theater can reflect the glory of the creator, then they must understand that others
  believe their church or temple does the same.

  What they are really saying is code for, "They build elaborate buildings of false worship, ours
  are elaborate buildings for true worship. We have the truth."

  Also, their modest buildings get regular remodelings anytime they figure they can afford it.
  It is true that local elders can decide not to remodel, but the organization sends the C.O. out
  to visit, his report includes the financial situation of the congregations and the appearance of
  the hall. He has to tell the WTS of any "appearance" problems in his report. They determine
  that they can afford to remodel and they tell them they should do so. Now they are forced to
  use the Regional Building Committee, which includes paid organizers/builders who use the
  free labor. It is just another example of their returning favors to loyal ones but hiding it from
  the members.
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  Gopher

  Daniel P,

  While I understand that the Stanley Theater is not ostentatious compared to other theaters, what's bothersome is how the Society emphasized the physical beauty of the structure. They could have their assemblies almost anywhere, but they picked this place to make an impression (similar to the way you're supposed to feel awed when walking into a stained-glass cathedral).

  When I took the tour there, they emphasized the chandeliers and the other expensive-looking features of the building. And we were supposed to go back to our congregations and be NOT MATERIALISTIC.

  Finally -- a nit-picking point, the "Four horsemen of Revelation" painting at the Stanley Theater shows shirtless riders. But (if memory correctly serves me) those very same pictures as shown in the Watchtower showed those horsemen fully clothed. So the emphasis was on ART when you see the building, but apparently not in their magazine -- I still can't understand the false modesty.
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  compound complex

  Below are Ray Franz's comments, ISOCF, pp. 274, 275:

  I recall that when the Watch Tower Society purchased a former motion picture theatre in Queens, New York, for use as an assembly hall, the theatre had an ancient Egyptian motif throughout. Over the marquee, the front of the building had large tiles depicting various Egyptian gods and goddesses, one even carrying the CRUX ANSATA. The inside contained other items, including lotus flowers, having religious connotations in Egyptian beliefs. When the Watch Tower renovated the building all these items were left unchanged. After a few years, a friend of ours from the Dominican Republic attended a Gilead School graduation there as our guest. She was struck by the pagan symbolisms and expressed her upset to me, saying that she would not have known what the meaning of these things was had she not read of them in the Watch Tower's own publications. [52] She could not harmonize the strong, negative statements made in the publications with this apparent tolerance. I felt obliged to write President Knorr, pointing out that my concern was primarily for her (and others who might feel as she did). Knorr came down to my office and argued the matter, saying that the items were simply decorations and that, for example, he didn't think that people looking at the lotuses would attribute a sexual connotation to them. He asked if I thought we could not even make use of a Catholic translation because it might have a cross on its front. I told him that I was not hypersensitive about such things, but I thought that we had an obligation to be concerned if there is an adverse effect on others, that if we set forth a particular standard for others then people have a right to expect us to live by it ourselves. Not long afterward the tile depictions of gods and goddesses were painted over. The inside of the building remained essentially the same. More recently the Watch Tower purchased the large Bossert Hotel in Brooklyn. It has gargoyles ornamenting the outside. These, too, are viewed by the organization as inconsequential decorations, void of any serious significance. As I found true in so many cases, stringent requirements placed on Witnesses of the "rank and file" suddenly seemed capable of great relaxation when the organization's own interests were involved.

  footnote:

  52 See, for example the book WHAT HAS RELIGION DONE FOR
  MANKIND?, pages 106 to 119.

  ********************************************************************************************************

  The above was originally posted 18 April 2007 on a thread I started last March on said title.

  CC
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  NewYork44M

  I have gone to assemblies at the Stanley theatre. They are just as boring as any other assembly. The surroundings does not change the content.

  Stanley was purchased cheaply because it is in a really bad part of town (not that there is a good part of town in Jersey city). If the society did not purchase the building I am not sure what use the city could find for it.
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  JWdaughter

  Didn't they have to restore it to get it at all? I thought it was on a historical register and super cheap. The deal was-restore it to its original glory and they got super cheap property in lovely downtown Jersey City (actually, the area was scary from what I can remember-)I went to the grand opening dedication thing. Beautifully restored. Had constellations of stars in the ceiling or something. Impressive!
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  ronin1

  I was one of the many thousands that took part in the 1st renovation of the Stanley Theatre in NJ and we were definitely caught up in the 'hype' of the renovation and how it was bringing so much glory to Jah's honor and praise, etc, etc, etc.

  Part of the renovation included some of us assigned to go to 360 Furman Street Building to clean the chandelier parts, etc.......which we did so proudly.........that we were going to the famous Bethel to do work...........what a bunch of garbage now looking back in hindsight.

  The bottom line is that the WTS took advantage of our resources, money, and time and we allowed it.

  Cults will do that sort of thing.....................

  Ronin1