Do you know the oldest Kingdom Hall personally that still exist today?

Iamallcool

This Kingdom Hall was built in the 1960's and they still meet there.

dgp

Bookmarked. Where is it, if we may know?

Thanks. The question by the worldly who doesn't know much would now be, How come Kingdom Halls are not used for longer? I once was in a church that was built in 1520, and is still in use. I know that Jehovah's witnesses haven't been around for that long (I've been talking to apostates, of course), but I would have expected an old kingdom hall to be in use today.

WontLeave

JWs are always distancing themselves from their past, but that's not the real reason. In the interest of "Christian unity"™, everything must conform to the current brand identity. It's just like when you go to McDonald's, everything has the Golden Arches (which have changed in appearance over the years) on it; from straw wrappers to napkins to cups to burger wrapping paper to bathroom soap dispensers. Whenever a large, centralized corporation changes its corporate image, every store, every uniform, every place mat, every sign, every menu board must be in compliance within a certain period of time. The Watchtower is like McDonald's and if you want to work (or in this case, slave) for the company, you have to wear the right uniform and the locations must all be similar or identical for brand recognition. Just like McDonald's employees are required to wear shirts with the company logo on them, we are required to use a Bible provided by and identifiable with the Society. Just like McDonald's employees are required to greet customers and answer the phone with scripted greetings, the KM tells us what to say. Just like McDonald's registers restrict the employee to what they can offer the customer, we are only allowed to say certain things. Imagine the Bible is food, but the Watchtower is the menu. Not just any food can be offered, but only what the corporation permits. Conformity and uniformity in all things, at all costs is how JWs "keep up with Jehovah's ever-advancing chariot". This is code for keeping the servants constantly in a state of submission so they don't have a chance to think about why they're doing it or if they should be.

So, every few years a word or phrase is changed arbitrarilly, to make sure the rank and file are kept on their toes and feel "corrected". Small adjustments in doctrine are made, so the people feel like they need "Mother" to constantly tell them what to think and believe. Even ideas like Jesus come and go in the ebb and tide of the Society's constant shell game of doctrine and attitudes, just to keep the publishers from feeling like they know anything. The only way to constantly teach people new things from a finite book that's been around for thousands of years is to randomly make shit up. That way, the appearance is given that the Bible can't be understood, since they just "taught" you something you never knew. Forget the fact that it's completely manufactured and false; that's not important. The important part is that it's new to you, so you need them to tell you new things that you don't already know.

ScenicViewer

The KH I attended was built in 1960. It was built from a plan that was common at the time in the area, and several other KHs were the same. In the late '80s it was given a major remodel.

Reopened Mind

WontLeave, that is a great analogy.

Reopened Mind

finallysomepride

The KH i went to as a child (land donated by my grand father in the early 60s) now a church of christiandom LOL

NotBlind

I think there's a Kingdom Hall in Kennett, Missouri, that was built in the 1940's and has only been recently renovated.

Band on the Run

WontLeave - very impressive observation. The question is interesting. Most religions cherish their history. Look at the great European cathedrals. People in NY sue and break all bonds to preserve architecture. My first church was a cathedral based on the European model. I loved being immersed in the traditions of two thousands years, linking me with other Christians throughout time. When I moved here, the only church had just been built. I hated it. There was no acquired character. It showed me what a psychological tie there can be to particular space. Witnesses never get used to anyone space -- or doctrine.

I have a question. A neighborhood church I attended was very wealthy and acquired a world reknown architect to design the church. It is breathtaking. Much money is spent to illuminate it brightly at night. As a service to the church, the vestry donated the building plans to any Episcopal church in the world that wanted them. There are many copies of this church throughout America with even more variations. Does the WTBTS use a standard building plan?

I grew up in a city. All the KHs were just boxes, so dreary. We visited JW relatives in suburban Mass. My eyes were popping out at these beautiful, well-maintained KHs. Many had theatre seating. The meetings were better, too. It was hard to go back to my home KH.

Do you know the oldest Kingdom Hall personally that still exist today?

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