The assemblies would be get better results and get more people to come and be inspired if they were more encouraging. instead the assemblies are a giant guilt trip. Don't go to college, don't get a good job, dont buy things even if you can afford them, don't play violent games, don't flirt. The only thing you're allowed to DO is more service. Who wants to get guilt tripped and brow beat all day. Instead why not talk about the power of faith, how to help others and how to accomplish your goals in life. Paul tells us in Romans and Galatians that the purpose of the law was to remind us of our sinful nature. Now that the law has been abolished we are supposed to focus on faith. Why aren't we doing this at assemblies?
Why JW assemblies NEED to change
by kneehighmiah 36 Replies latest jw friends
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sspo
Because they want you to stay as a slave of the watchtower....do more and more, faith doesn't get you anywhere according to the boys in NY..
WORK-WORK-WORK
Just enjoy life and don't worry about what they tell you at the assembly.
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Pete Zahut
Amen...people need the place they choose to worship God in, to give them strength to get them through another week, not a place that highlights the negativity of the world and places further burdens upon them.
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millie210
I couldnt agree with you more kneehighmiah!
I guess the mindset it is all tied in to the "urgency" of the time of the end.....you know....
the one that isnt being talking about so much anymore.
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zebagain
and the sub purpose of the conv is to give up and coming elders/servants their moment in the sun to give a talk This has the proviso that the talk is first forced through the wt seive so they all sound exactly the same and run to fill the allocated time then stretched if it end sooner. Bad bad practise.
The programming is bad as well.
talk talk talk then finally the keynote address. Then another talk ? Then the final prayer which is another summing up? and of prayers: I have often thought there was a competition between the above to see who could put the name jehovah most times into a prayer.
Do any of you Americans know the name of the Senator who droned on for apx 2 hours before the President Lincoln gave the "Gettysburg address" that took apx 20 minutes and changed the world. You dont ? No one would be surprised.
Jesus spoke his 'sermon on the mount' apx 20 minutes that gave love to the world.
Churchill gave his "battle of britain" speech about 15 minutes that inspired the world of free people.
But summing up, the final prayer. The wts thinks God is a dill that having heard a convention a thousand times he has to have it summed up for him.
Take note of the basic rules of any public speaking,
- stand up
- speak up
- shut up.
and peace to you all.
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Athanasius
Being a history buff, Zeb, I know that you are referring to Edward Everett. In addition to being a U.S. Senator, he also served in Congress as a representative, served as Secretary of State, and was the Vice Presidential candidate for the Constatution Party in 1860.
But your point is well taken. In fact Wilfred Knox, an Anglican priest, once said that an effective sermon should be no longer than 15 minutes. If one goes over that time they lose their audience. And that was always the major problem with JW conventions. I remember the 8 day International conventions of the 1950s and 1960s. After sitting for a couple of days hearing boring talks, your mind went numb for the remaining 6 days and you prayed that the torture would end.
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OnTheWayOut
It's no mystery.
If they talked of how to accomplish your goals in life, people would realize they don't need nor enjoy this JW crap.
They stick with guilt and sacrifice as religion's tried and true control methods and add in their "Only WE are right" so members will feel an air of superiority and a need to keep obedient.
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lisaBObeesa
Instead why not talk about the power of faith, how to help others and how to accomplish your goals in life.
Because telling people about the power of faith and how to accomplish their goals does not make them easier to control.
It would actually do the opposite.
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CaptainSchmideo
Trivia note:While Churchill read his speech to Parliament (and was met with indifference, if not hostility) the radio speech was actually delivered by Norman Shelley, doing a Churchill impersonation.
Good point on talks needing to be short, sweet, and to the point. Anyone who says they go to the assemblies for the talks is a liar, fanatical, or insane. Most people I know go in order to see friends they haven't seen in months (but Facebook is changing that dynamic.) Myself, I go there to practice my ability to sleep with my head perfectly balanced like an egg on a toothpick. -
JustVisting
Captain Schmideo, that's a cool skill to have as a convention-going JW. I've witnessed many a head-bobbling convention "delegates" (hate the use of that word by WT), especially during the boring afternoon symposiums (yea another hated JWism, should be called snoriums).