Cutting the number of weekly meetings

by Quandary 6 Replies latest jw friends

  • Quandary
    Quandary

    I was wondering if anyone was privy to any insider information about whether or not the Society has seen the need to cut back on the meetings to possibly 2 or even just 1 meeting a week?

  • Amazing
    Amazing

    Hi Q: I doubt it. Years ago, in the 1970s, our meetings were one full hour long each, exclusing time for songs and prayer. We had 10 to 15 minute intermissions between the Sunday Talk and WT Study, and the Service meeting and School. So, if we arrived at 7:00PM for the School, we would not be done until 10:30. The Society cut back for logistical reason, and made each meeting 45 minutes long, including song and prayer, and discouraged the intermission time. So, arriving at 7:00 PM, we could conceivably be done by 9:30.

    But, I doubt that they will ever give up any meetings. If you think about it, the School trains the sales force to talk, the Service meeting trains them in the latest material to market. The WT Study keeps them brainwashed, and the Public Talk keeps them even more brainwashed. The Book study mid-week will not let them forget, and keeps them brainwashed even more.

    if the day comes when they decide to cut back on meetings, they will also need to cut back on doctrine and be a normal church. - Amazing

  • Patriot
    Patriot

    Exactly Amazing. Not only that remember that with everytime they get together, it's the more likely that they will remember to drop a little something in the contribution box. If there were only 1 meeting a week, and you were to forget to "donate" once or twice, that would be devastating to the WTBTS.

    In the end all that matters to keep the Org. in business is the same with any other-$$$Money!

    Mav-

  • CornerStone
    CornerStone

    Hello Quandary,

    I don't have any info on that but I realy doubt they would cut back on meetings. Meetings are where the Borg masters exert the most influence on the R&F. Cutting back on them would mean LESS control and that would mean less POWER over their kingdom. The ancient ones are in it for the long haul, all the way til' death, and they will take as many with them as they can.

    CornerStone

  • Quandary
    Quandary

    Thanks for your posts guys. I agree with what you mention.

    Im a 30s something life long JW in a very cohesive family which is VERY active in the congregation. Dad is the PO, mom is a 3 decade pioneer, sibling is a 2 decade bethelite, aunt and uncle serve in a foreign branch, oh yeah, and Im an elder too. Although I have had my serious doubts about the WTBTS for years, I continue to go through the motions for family reasons. As we all know, to be a dissenter would mean total ostracism from my dear family and friends. I couldn't handle that. I love them too much.

    So, in the meantime, I was just hoping that eventually the GB would get the hint from the low meeting attendance here in the US and in western Europe and realize that the brothers are getting tired of the repetition. The bookstudy attendance especially is very low, our CO mentioned in passing that the figures here in the US are close to 55% of the reg publishers actually attending the BS!

  • outnfree
    outnfree

    Quandry,

    The bookstudy attendance especially is very low, our CO mentioned in passing that the figures here in the US are close to 55% of the reg publishers actually attending the BS!

    Chuckling at your unintended pun, and realizing that I was never cut out to be a salesperson, because I always preferred "attending the BS" to going to the TMS/Svc. Mtgs. to learn how to SELL the BS!

    Welcome to the Board!

    outnfree

    Par dessus toutes choses, soyez bons. La bonte est ce qui ressemble le plus a Dieu et ce qui desarme le plus les hommes -- Lacordaire

  • crossroads
    crossroads

    As long as the almighty buck is the name of the game
    the "Song will remain the same".
    4--meetings are directly tied to the money machine,
    Watchtower study brings out nothing of value---but
    sure helps the circulation numbers, Book study is
    another way to make you buy a book----A real Bible
    study would actually use the Bible to study from
    (oh sorry thats a born again thing). The other two
    nightly meetings are only needed to help you be a
    better magazine and book salesman,

    If the cash cow should ever starve wave the flag
    sing and dance
    for ALL meetings will be a thing of the past.

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