it is the same in our hall. we used to be seen as the "fun" congregation, because we actually were- but people moved away (it is a transient congregation at the best of times). Then a circuit overseer came and put an end to us all going away for weekends (Which we still do funnily enough) and basically pushed alot of my peers out (wish i had gone as well at that point). a lot of the elderly ones are getting tired, people that came in to the "truth" a few years ago are wondering where the big A is, and people that were raised in the truth have taken on this stoic view of things (including my father, the PO, who incidently doesn't have a retirement plan, except the properties that we own, that even he admits was "just in case things don't pan out as we hope). everyone is tired, and getting sick of the propaganda being spewed out by the watchtower. it used to be an undercurrent of unhappiness, not it is a stream, how long until it is a river?
To Those Who Still Go To Meetings, Do You Sense Anything Different?
by minimus 64 Replies latest jw friends
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minimus
What an excellent thread!!! The comments regarding how the "fun" has been taken away and that the numbers reflect that is quite interestng. When you have a life outside of the KH, it is considered a "sign" of spititual decline. Any normal (worldly) fun is bad, bad, bad. If the Society gave back "conscience" and individuality, persons might enjoy it more. But the Gestapo reigns!
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JeffT
I haven't been to a kingdom hall since 1988, but I've seen some trends. It has become common to see witnesses doing street work in downtown Seattle, but they don't look excited, or even interested, in what they are doing. They stand there, holding up Watchtowers and not interacting at all with the people who are walking by and ignoring them. Monday I passed a couple of brothers who were holding up magazines and busily talking - to each other.
It is very obvious that they are only there to count time.
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KW13
Well, its been a long 20th century with a lot of people saying the end was here, around the corner....hehe is Armageddon takin the corner wide?
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minimus
No one believes the "end" is right around the corner. Actually, the only spike in growth will occur when a 9-11 episode happens again.
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atypical
From what I know, the attendance is mostly ok. The social aspect is alive and well, but people aren't doing as much of the "witness" activity, except for the ambitious younger men who want to be elder. Almost every single one of the brothers who was a "good" elder, I mean that everyone loved and respected, has stepped down and sits in the back of the hall silent. I have even heard other active witnesses comment on this.
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minimus
Those good ex elders know better. They shut their mouths, play along and the other elders know that the exes have dirt on them too. So what are the exes thinking about?? How they can hardly wait to get onto their computers and secretly check out the latest on JWD!
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atypical
Yeah, it's true. The good elders are smart, so they figured out that they didn't want to work like dogs, and decide other people's fate by disfellow- whipping. They have learned how to get by their own way. Too bad a lot of them still feel so loyal to the organization.
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minimus
Being in a cult really is the problem. If you've been indoctrinated for decades from babyhood on, you can't help but think you're being disloyal to Jehovah......Fortunately, I don't feel this way. I think the whole thing is dumb. Makes NO sense to me whatsoever! The doctrines are built on sand.
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JH
Last spring, I went to a few meetings, and I noticed how dull and long the meetings were. I noticed that the older witnesses, those in thier mid 70's and older, seemed discouraged and they way they talked to me in private anyways, they gave the impression they would die before the end came.
So the older ones, instead of thinking great tribulation, are thinking resurrection.
The middle aged witnesses seem to miss alot of meetings because they work more than they used to years ago, when I used to go.
The young witnesses are at a critical age, who knows what's going through their heads. Many miss meetings regularly. All youngster below 18 has JW parents. You wont find any JW below 18 with no parents in the organization.