Why must observers attend the Kingdom Halls for the Memorial?

by RULES & REGULATIONS 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Marcel
    Marcel

    my whole life i was told everyone needs to be there, because you cant decide whether to partake or not without being at the memorial. its a holy spirit thing i guess. you're there... the symbols are orbiting and the holy spirit tells you to partake or not. even annointed ones *COULD* be dropped if they dont stay in the full faith. thats why everyone always needs to visit the memorial.

    i wonder how long this doctrine with orbiting alc&food will survive. i mean... if i would partake on 2th april... i mean... what would happen to me in my young 26th year? direct slap to the face and lashing in the back room afterwards? noone would believe ME to be one of the annointed.

  • LeslieV
    LeslieV

    I was always afraid that I would spill the wine when it was coming down the row towards me. My ex husband started partaking when he was in his 30's. So I have always seen individuals partake. Since he was an active alcoholic you can imagine he made sure he got to take the wine home after the memorial. I always thought it was comical that the kids couldn't wait until it was over so they could eat the icky crackers that were left on the plates. These same kids wouldn't touch those crackers if they had them at home.

    Leslie

  • Dismembered
    Dismembered
    Why does the WTS feel that observers need to be at this yearly event?

    It's watchtowers biggest; annual; "Dog & Pony Show".

    Dismembered

  • Sad emo
    Sad emo

    Don't the WTS say that Judas Iscariot didn't partake? If so, could he be classed as an observer?

    Either ways, they aren't being the 'faithful and discreet slave' in what happens at the Memorial because they are denying people spiritual food at the proper time.

  • tongue100
    tongue100

    Like everyone else said, its a sill ritual. They just want everyone to acknowledge Christ's death. Ugh. Its sad that the only holiday Witnesses celebrate is centered around a human sacrifice.

    There were 3 people at my cong who ate and drank. One was a middle aged eccentric woman, and the other two were women over the age of 80. One of which was schitzophrenic. She didn't partake consistently though, years were skipped. I guess the elders never got after her because of her mental illness. Thinking back on the whole thing is funny. The silence when the stuff is being passed around, and the way people just touch the glass in fear of dropping it. Ugh...

    I haven't been to a memorial in 5+ years. My mother calls me every year to "remind" me of it, but I always try to avoid giving her a straight answer. Maybe this year I will tell her I won't be going because I think its silly and pointless. If I went, I wouldn't be magically convinced that they have the truth. My beliefs are firmly established, and there is no way in hell I am ever returning to be controlled by a bunch of arrogant men.

  • pierogi
    pierogi

    Atleast when Jesus passed the bread and wine they were also eating dinner. This night is special because those who go will leave feeling hungry physically instead of spritually!

  • blondie
    blondie

    So what scriptures do JWs or the WTS use to show that JWs who are not anointed must attend the Lord's evening meal?

    Were the any scriptures mentioned in the WT below:

    *** w78 3/1 p. 11 Memorializing Christ’s Death—How Much Longer? ***

    Those "other sheep," who are not of the same "fold" as the "little flock," attended the Memorial as observers, not as partakers.—John 10:16; Luke 12:32.—See TheWatchtower as of March 1, 1938, page 75, paragraphs 50-52.

    Did Jesus invite anyone other that those who were going to rule with him in heaven?

    Did the early Christians invite non-Christians to this event?

    Blondie

    PS did you know that the other sheep were not considered JWs?

    *** jv chap. 7 p. 83 Advertise the King and the Kingdom! (1919-1941) ***

    At that time the Jonadabs were not considered to be "Jehovah’s witnesses." (See TheWatchtower, August 15, 1934, page 249.) However, a few years later, TheWatchtower of July 1, 1942, stated: "These ‘other sheep’ [Jonadabs] become witnesses for Him, on the same wise that the faithful men before Christ’s death, from John the Baptist all the way back to Abel, were the never-quitting witnesses for Jehovah."

  • anewme
    anewme

    And for heavens sakes why do JWs invite dfd ones to the Memorial.
    Last week I got an email inviting me to the April 2nd Memorial.
    Just what good is my attending going to do?????

    It just makes me think its time I write my relatives a letter.


    Anewme

  • restrangled
    restrangled

    Jehovah's Witnesses commemorate the Memorial of Christ's death (also known as the Lord's Evening Meal) annually. According to the February 1, 2006 Watchtower, worldwide attendance at the 2005 celebration of the Memorial was 16,383,333, slightly lower than the 2004 attendance of 16,760,607. This figure includes not only publishers, but inactive members, relatives, visitors and interested persons.

  • LeslieV
    LeslieV

    looks like it is all about the numbers.

    Leslie

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit