Assemblies...conventions...special days...

NikL

There is a phenomenon in dub dom that I have always hated. The circuit/district convention.
People will spend hard earned money, use up any vacation they may have to travel to a city they don't really have any particular reason to see to sit for entire days and listen to the same B.S. they could sit and listen to at the meetings in their home kingdom hall. WHY?!
I have my own ideas but I am curious what yours may be. Did you hate these "wonderful" gatherings as much as I did? I used to volunteer to clean etc. sometimes just to break the monotony. I never enjoyed them at all. The hours after however...that is another story :-)

doubtingsister

I get physically ill just trying to think of excuses I can use to get out of going.
One year I didn't go because I was still nursing my son, it was hot, humid, and I knew I would be spending almost all my time in the women's crowded stinking bathroom.
The following year a sister heard I was going to be away for our convention and made arrangements to take me and my kids to one that was in a state next to ours. I agreed to go since she and I were friends, but with two kids, I barely heard any of the talks. I just felt like I was a bad seed or something when she'd try to talk about how wonderful it was and I could barely smile thinking about the exhausting day I'd just had.

I've probably attended about 8 assemblies/conventions and I can honestly say I'll never attend another one as long as I can help it.

claudia

Doubting, and then you would have to hear about the sister who was nursing TRIPLETS has an hdhd child and a quadrapalegic husband and SHE still went and took them all with her!

Thirdson

Obviously, you don't appreciate the bountiful spiritual food that the FDS and its governing body is providing at the the proper time. Don't you know in parts of Africa that some brothers have to walk 75 miles each way to the meeting. Many of these brothers have to cross 3 crocodile infested rivers to get to the meetings, they still wear a suit jacket and tie and they don't miss any meetings! (Their Watchtowers are neatly underlined too!)

(That was said tongue in cheek but it isn't far off what we have been told.)

I hated DC's (CA's were nearly bearable, usually because the halls were somewhat cleaner and you were inside) The best DC was when I had a young kid and you could bring your own lawn chairs and sit in the seatless stands with the pusher. With an umbrella up, dark glasses and a hat you could sleep quite nicely. (All seater stadiums put an end to that facility.) Other times I volunteered. Attendants jobs were cushy. You could stand and sit when you wanted, had to do "the count", fetch the literature etc, anything to relieve the boredom. Attendants used to be able to get refreshments during the sessions too. Lunchtime was OK especially when there was plenty of food. But the simplified arrangements got rid of a lot of the niceties, like all day long jobs and greasy hamburgers.

I don't miss those days.

Thirdson

'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'

Simon

Horrible...what a nightmare
I remember doing attendant duty and telling sisters that they had to move their prams etc... Since we went to one with our two kids I know what a pain I was.
The last one we went to was unbelievably hot and stuffy (probably saving money by not switching the air-con on) that it made Liam who was a baby at the time quite ill. We had him stripped down and he was panting and crying and had to take him to the changing room.
Instead of going down the 40-odd steps during the session I figured it would be better to go in the lift.
Guess what? Guarded by a zealous attendant who's job it was to make sure that only 'important people' (I'm guessing elder-types) used it.
We went in it anyway and I bet he never expected to hear language like that at a convention! (F*** off)

Prisca

Hey Simon,

Didn't you and Angaharad meet at a convention? That one must have been worth it, eh?

Welshman

Comfort for the plebs was the last thing on the mind of convention organisers especially at District Assemblies.Often a part of the stadium which had been hired would not be used so that the attendees could be crammed in to give the appearance that the stadium was packed.
So a stadium which could easily accommodate 40,000 for a rugby match struggled to accommodate half that many JW's.Foresight could have avoided this problem but after all they'd only been going there 40+ years so maybe hadn't had time to work it out....[8&>].
Dealing with families was also a hassle,again not enough thought given to where they would go.Over the years,it was evident that JW's were less tolerant of the administration and especially so of little Hitler attendants blocking their way or sticking ''silence'' signs in their face.
Having been to larger football matches it is clear that they are better run than these assemblies with a lot less preparation needed.

Regards Welshman

Moridin

The only part of the conventions I liked was right when the session ended and we could get to the hotel and to the swimming pool. The last convention I went to I think I spent about 5 hours of the three days at the convention and the rest at the hotel having a party. I used to take attendant jobs also because it broke up the day and we were walking around more than sitting.

eyes_opened

Oh boy you guys,

Has this brought back lots of memories. Some good, some not so good. I remember going to the district conventions, trying to take notes <that were never looked at later> eventually notes turn to doodles, intermittently looking off into the crowd across the way trying to see if you spot anyone you know...<seeing some people with binoculars looking back at you, lol!> Getting too hot and making a fan out of your program. Staying around and watching the people get dunked like it was a spectator sport..hehehe. Waiting for the *good* part of the assembly on Sunday <The drama> Being disgusted with the people who after repeated warnings still insisted on using the flash on their cameras to take pictures of the drama <chuckling to myself thinking how beautifully illuminated the backs of the peoples heads who were in the row ahead would look in these afore mentioned idiots when they got their photos back> What was up with that? Did anyone ever go to a hall that was assigned a drama? Ours did one one year. Too funny, everyone lip-synching to those cheesy voices.

I agree with mordin! The best part was getting out and getting back to the hotel to go swimming

Eyes

normie67

............Yep Our KH had many Dramas...I was in about 6 or 7 of them!!!Also had the wonderful privelege of being furniture movers(i.e. Rocks, windows etc. of the Ancient Dramas) in 2 more......I was also the STAR of the College Dramas...(Ted, if you remember)met lotta nice sisters(lol lol)!!It was so cool being Stars and having people coming after the Drama and wanting your Pic taken!!No Autographs tho..:( One Drama cracked me up tho...I was an Israelite and at the time sportin' a "High and Tight" hair cut. Asked the Director if I should grow out my hair. Said "Nope"....So hear I was an Israelite with a Marine Haircut sportin a rug on my Face(Beard).....AND PEOPLE WERE STILL WANTING THERE PIC WITH ME!!!

Unbelivable!!!!
oh for the glory days.........
normie

Assemblies...conventions...special days...

Share this