What memories this thread brings up. The very first assembly of any kind I ever attended was a Circuit Assembly in Grand Junction, CO (1979). Seems the "apostates" had taken all of the front row seats, and I guess nobody realized it, until midway thru the talk, they all rushed the stage and the speaker, hollering and shouting loudly. What total chaos! Of course, as soon as it was realized what was happening, a large number of brothers rushed upon the disrupters, carting them out of the auditorium. As a newbie at the time, I was aghast. It was explained to me by the JWs I were with, that these were former-JWs-now-apostate, etc. I didn't understand then, nor do I now see the point. I agree with everybody who said it looks dumb and is a waste of time. Has one single "convert" ever been made this way?
Saw such things in later years, too, outside of the West Palm Beach auditorium, with the picket signs, marching along the sidewalks, shouting, etc. Why, we even had "apostates" right inside the KHall during regular meetings stand up and start hollering. Talk about waking you right up, if you were dozing thru the Watchtower study! ;) That happened several times that I recall. And you've never seen the bros move sooooooo fast, either, when something like that occurs. If I recall correctly, at least in my own former KH, they started locking the doors once the meetings began, since persons would walk in off the street during a meeting and begin causing a rucus.
Overall, I feel it's a sad situation, for those "in" and those "out." If all of those, including myself, who are "out," were not still somehow emotionally entwined with the JW situation, there wouldn't be forums like this.
Ho Hum. What can I say...
Edited by - GRITS on 18 June 2002 5:32:36
