Our Memorial was held at a Music hall with roughly 1300-1400 in attendance. There was a guest speaker from bethell, guess who?? Andre! His actual name was Cornelius Powell.
My thoughts- There were 10 congregations present, with many people who were clearly guests and visitors. I wont go into tremendous detail but it was striking how little attention was actually paid to Jesus on "his day" All the focus seemed to be on Jehovah for how he made this great sacrifice by giving his son.. very little about appreciating the one who actually came down..
I remember the days when much of the memorial talk consisted of reading from the gospel accounts of Jesus arrest, experience with Caiphas, Pilate, his scourging, humiliating things he went through, and just how special his sacrifice should be to us. It used to seem more personal and warm.
The atmoshphere yesterday was very corporate and cold. Literally half of the outline consisted of Andre lecturing us on who should and should NOT partake.. Going on and on about how "we all know that clearly the bible holds out two hopes" and how only a VERY SMALL NUMBER are going to heaven. He said, if you ever wanted to live on a beautiful earth forever than yu have the earthly hope. Then somewhat contadictorily he said "many people say you have to be born again, but just like being born onto this earth, you have no say in it. It is Jehovahs decision to make not ours. If we were to partake of the crakers and wine unworthily, it would be wrong like steealing something. Even if what he said was true, it made the memorial which is supposed to be about Jesus into a lecture on JW doctrine.. very cold and soulless. He basically said no one here should be partaking, he kept speaking for everyone saying OUR hope is on the earth. Another 25% of the talk was reading the Isiah Jewish restoration prophecies and saying how it promises a paradise earth (it does not if you read the context) The JWs are really not spiritual people but fleshly and materialistic. The focus on the new system betrays them because it shows that they are not serving for spiritual reasons, but so they can "get theirs" He kept hyping up the playing with animals, perfect health, no more sickness or frailty (half the audience was hacking away coughing like they had TB so it probably sounded good to them). I kept thinking, what does any of this have to do with Jesus?
Another 25% of the talk dealt with how this should not be the only meeting you attend, but you need to attend the local KH if you want to be saved.
A couple things in the talk made me sick and made my jaw drop, which it is hard to do. Correct me if Im wrong but dont the scriptures speak about being servants of Christ? Dosent Paul say that? ANdre made a point of saying that the annointed "serve Jehovah and respect Jesus" !! OMG that was the first really sick moment. I am agnostic but it still upset me. They take everything away from Jesus, even what the scriptures CLEARLY say is due him! Does not the Bible say that in Jesus name even the knees of angels should bend, and even angels bow to him?? However all "christs brothers" are to give him is lousy respect???
The most puke worthy of all was this/... This literally made my mouth hang open! My wife saw it but made no comment. When the bread began to be passed, Andre said "I would like to take this time while the bread is passed to bring out some features of JW.org"!!! What the F*&K? He rendered the whole thing a cheap ad for JW.org. I was so SHOCKED! And thats not easy to do. He went over the FAQ page under the heading "how do we benefit from Christs ransom" and kept encouraging all visitors to check out the site..
During the passing of the wine, he DID IT AGAIN! "I would like to bring your attention back to JW.org under the heading Myths and facts about the ressurection" He went down the line listing facts and "myths" about the resurection. (all I could think is that todays fact is tomorrows myth with the introduction of "nu lite") Anyways he kept listing JW doctrine against what "christendom" teaches. tHIS became full fledged JW infomercial. I felt it was in extremely poor taste and classless. Again, nothing about Jesus other than "in Jesus name Amen" during the lifeless prayers. And about the prayers, the brothers kept going on about "the truth" and "the world" and other offensive JW only loaded language, leaving the non JWs bewildered.
Maybe its just me that felt it was cold, the audience was smiling and gave a long, extended round of applause afterwards. It made me sick, and by some of the looks of people around me, many were not very impressed.
Final thought- The JWs seem to go out of their way to show "worldy people" that yes we believe in Jesus etc.. Well they dropped the ball because when they show up, they see it really isnt about Jesus at all but Jehovah which= the organization. I remember in years past (I dont mean last year) the talk being less about JW doctrine, more about Jesus and actully appreciating him and going over what happened to him from the gospels. Instead now they read the OT and advertise for JW.org and lecture and browbeat how no one is worthy to take the emblems. The stupidity of hundreds of people sitting there passing wine and crackers silently has never been more clear to me. They say we are respectful observers! What exactly are we observing when no one partakes? Its like sitting in a movie theater and silently observing a blank screen (which I would have rather done BTW). They go on about how Jesus commanded the observance, but in reality he commanded ALL to partake, otherwise "you have no life in you". But of course the bible dosent mean what it says when the GB say it dosent. They fulfill Matthew 23:13 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to".
I anxiously await your questions and comments.