by minimus 16 Replies latest jw friends
I've said it before
I'll say it again
They have two choices:
Compromise and fade away into history as a common religious denomination
or
Get dumber and crazier
The Governing body has chosen the dumber and crazier route.
While they may not be brewing up any cyanide laced Kool Aid,
have NO DOUBT that they will quietly drive countless Witnesses into suicide.
You can bank on it
metatron
Who knows, perhaps the more strict they are, more will see the WTS for what it really is, and run.
Isn't it lovely how the WTS warns you to stay away from worldly association and then discourages you from associating with other witnesses outside of the meetings or field service?
I admit I haven't been to a meeting in a while, but I don't remember ever being discouraged from associating with other witnesses. Exactly where and how have they been doing that? Not trying to start an argument, just curious.
Isn't it lovely how the WTS warns you to stay away from worldly association and then discourages you from associating with other witnesses outside of the meetings or field service?
I admit I haven't been to a meeting in a while, but I don't remember ever being discouraged from associating with other witnesses. Exactly where and how have they been doing that? Not trying to start an argument, just curious
Perhaps some congregations are different than others. When I was in, over 20 years ago, we stopped getting together for picnics or for any activity other than "theocratic". The excuse given at the time was that some of the members were engaging in unbecoming behavior. Come to find out, some, not all, of this "unbecoming behavior" was discussing the Bible without using the WT.
When I was a teen, there was a witness "prom" that was held to make up for the graduating kids who could not attend the worldly prom. There were never any problems or issues, but when the society got wind of it, they said large gatherings were a bad idea, as there was no way to control the actions of all those attending. They also mentioned it would be on the shoulders of the organizers if someone were to engage in wrongdoing afterwards. So, before I got a chance to go, the witness prom stopped. The society also started frowning on picnics, house parties, and other forms of entertainment, again, stating it was too difficult to control the crowds. NEVER ONCE did I hear of a problem at these gatherings, except of course sometimes the elders drank too much, but they were stopped anyway. It was the young people who suffered, there was nothing fun to do. So, yes, the society does sort of discourage witnesses from associating with one another, unless it is in very small groups.
Rodbar and happyout
I see your point now. I remembered the counsel on "large" gatherings once I read your posts. I remember how picnics and larger parties at rented buildings and shelters dwindled after the Society said that whoever organized these events would be held responsible. Everybody was afraid to be responsible. Even wedding receptions got the wrath of the GB. I kind of remember how it was implied to keep the quest list down and if you weren't invited to not be upset about it. The line had to be drawn somewhere.
Personnally I think this backfires on em. Instead of everybody fellowshipping together in the open(where elders can watch), people started having their own private parties. You can control who is invited or knows about it. You can engage in unapproved of practices and assorted other vices, keep quiet, get away with it and still be in good standing. I've seen lots of people that I never knew who even drank get completely blitzed. I've seen couples "get together" but at the hall you'd think they had never even met.
Even the basketball and football games were eliminated. Someone always got upset or let the heat of battle get to em. So it was better to cancel the whole thing for everybody instead of removing the one or two that wouldn't comply with the "it's just a game" rule. I always thought that hypocritical, cause when I visited Bethel, those guys played down right mean. It was like the NBA is now. All thugs and no class(or very little). Maybe the exBethel guys can give more insight on that. I was just involved in one instance but it was rough. Much rougher than our home cong. games.
Not all in the congregation are considered good association. Some are considered "marked". Others are viewed as weak ones that should be looked at with a wary eye. There are those that are known as "bad association".Local needs talks are regularly given about the need to watch association within the congregation. So, we are told to stay away from the "world" as well as those not good enough in the congregation.Regarding those in the Hall, the idea is perhaps we might be able to shame certain ones so that they will come to their senses and therefore be viewed as healthy association.
