Making the final break - stopping attending the Memorial

by Eiben Scrood 30 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Eiben Scrood

  I started my fade in 2004 and completely quit regular attendance in 2005. I have, however, gone to all the Memorials since. I still consider myself Christian and felt it was a somewhat decent way of respecting the sacrifice.

  I am thinking of not going this year.

  I am generally disgusted at what the Memorial observation actually entails. There is almost no talk about what Jesus went through on that day or even the tremendous sacrifice involved and the love that motivated it. It is instead mainly a recruiting session to get new people in and faders back. It is filled with drilling into attendees' heads that they're not to partake. It is largely a joyless, mechanical exercise.

  Some former friends are still friendly but less and less every year. There are more and more icy stares from the mind-numbed regulars.

  The cherry on the top for me though, and what prompted serious thought of not going was the new overlapping generation teaching. This goes so far above and beyond anything before IMO. It's the equivalent of the KoolAid being poured for me. It is so completely and insanely nonsensical that I started asking myself: Do I want anything to do with this organization anymore? How can rational, at least semi-intelligent people swallowing this new teaching? It has been an epiphany of sorts for me. If this didn't wake people up, nothing will.

  Have others here followed a similar progression of continuing to go to Memorials for some time but then finally stopping that as well?
• 

  sabastious

  It is kind of sick when you break it down.

  Annual sales pitch night.

  -Sab
• 

  sabastious

  It is largely a joyless, mechanical exercise.

  Man it is, no one even smiles. It's a creepy scene.

  -Sab
• 

  mamalove

  I didnt want to be a hypocrite and just go to a memorial. Let's say the religion is the right one (yes, just bear with me), what would be the point to just go to one meeting a year, that isnt whole souled service that almighty god requires to get into the paradise earth and bask with lion cubs. You have to go to all of the meetings, not just the memorial. So don't be so hard on yourself and stop the guilt and let it go....it wasnt joyous, so god wouldnt want you to do something you didnt want to do. He probably only wants to be served if people want to serve him.
• 

  james_woods

  Again the "creepy factor" of the JW Memorial comes up, and rightly so.

  I remember back when I was an elder that the old timers actually told people not to be happy or festive - this was like a funeral ceremony.

  There was also the constant fear that somebody would actually partake of the emblems "unworthily". This was "drinking death to themselves" in old JW legend.

  It really is the JW version of Halloween rather than a JW version of Easter.
• 

  Soldier77

  I always thought that the memorial was a bit like going to a funeral service. The mood was so.... bleak. Shouldnt we have been joyous that Jesus sacrificed his life for us? Shouldn't we be happy that we are there on that important night?

  What a bunch of rubbish. Total dishonor to Jesus and God. What a slap in their face.
• 

  sabastious

  What a bunch of rubbish. Total dishonor to Jesus and God. What a slap in their face.

  It should be a huge party with a parade and floats, imo.

  -Sab
• 

  Eiben Scrood

  I got far more appeciation for the ransom sacrifice after watching The Passion of the Christ than from any Memorial I've attended.

  I have so much hate and anger for this religion that I guess I just can't stomach attending anymore.
• 

  Meeting Junkie No More

  This will probably be the first year I don't go...unless my other half decides that we will still attend...Someone on here calls it the 'Reject Jesus' party and it seems to me more and more that that is what it actually should be called...all it is is a passing of a plate of crackers and a glass of wine and usually NO ONE partakes - what kind of a Memorial meal is that supposed to be? 'Keep doing this in remembrance of me' Jesus said. PASSING PLATES AND GLASSES around? Is that what he meant? All it is is a glorified MEETING, where everyone gets dolled up and as soon as the last song is sung, begins idle chatter about everything under the sun except the Son. END OF RANT
• 

  dawntodaylight

  I stopped attending meetings almost 2 years ago.. And I just ddnt see the point of going to the memorial since I stopped believing the teachings of the religion. My mother in law invited me to the memorial and to the 3 day comvention and I just flat out told her we were not going. No explaination no nothing. She said well we have to talk...I never entertained the thought of actually sitting down with her and explain why I have stopped. for what so u can judge mme then run to the elders to tattle tale smh Can someone please explain this new generation doctrine.....