Why this obsession with Standardisation? (page 2)

hoser

The new strip mall that’s going in after your Kingdom Hall is sold needs more parking spaces to be in compliance with zoning bylaws.

They are doing the same thing where my in-laws live in Victoria, Australia.Perfectly fine hall and scraping everything and demolishing nearly all the hall and rebuilding it. Turfing out air con and the seats, the lot. Talk about enslavement! That should keep them all digging deeper and deeper into their pockets..... dumbasses!

road to nowhere

Some disagree, but my opinion is there is a money trail back to suppliers either owned by BIG brothers (the ones claimed to not exist) or kickbacks to WT

That said I have seen some halls done in Mexican or other ethnic, or a strong local personality choosing the theme it added to the personality of the congregation, back when we actually were friends and cared. That gets into a different thread ; the ones about the enforced " love by formulae "

DesirousOfChange

I think they are preparing for a big sell off. They see the shrinking numbers. They fear an even greater exodus IF Armageddon does not come soon. Very, very soon.

I actually think they still do believe it all. They hope and pray that Joe Hoover brings the Big A very, very soon to bail their ass out of the predicament that Freddy F. got them into.

But, covering all their bases, just in case, let's get all the real estate ready for sale.

polish clarinet

culture is the ennemy of any abusive power. And our culture is what makes us different from our neighbour, from another country...

culture is what makes us really HUMAN.

and culture must be erased by standardisation, to make obedient robots

rockemsockem

Conformity. They make you conform in smaller things and then it helps to keep the R&F in line on other thing.

Finkelstein

Its called increasing the value $$$ of the Kingdom Halls and property by renovation paid for by the attending members of these Kingdom Halls.

Its been long established that if the WTS renovates the properties it owns in doing so it increases the value of those held properties and makes the organization look clean, wholesome as well makes the outside image of the organization look good.

Of course they exploit its own members to do this in labor and donations.

In the end the WTS cashes in and keeps the wealth to itself $$$

Look what this did with all the properties the WTS. held in Brooklyn New York

mikeflood

Well, standard procedures work for Burger King and alikes, but for a religion....I don't think so... it seems like a Chinese Cultural Revolution to me the way the Borg is making with KH and meetings this days.

SadElder

In the past those chairs came from a company named Church Chairs of America out of a small town in Georgia. I remember us sending a truck from N. Florida to pick up a load. That was 15 years ago, don't know about now, maybe they have a shill corp. now that does all that.

blondie

Pardon me for the length of this comment. I am in my mid-60’s and have seen many situations regarding uniformity (or unity) per the WTS. As always, the WTS has a dance around for this, the matter of conscience. As long as one person might be stumbled out of the congregation, uniformity is best. In the WTS dictionary, uniformity really means unity.

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102003329?q=unity+uniformity&p=par

Clearly, no one should be condemned for making a conscientious decision that does not conflict with Bible principles. (James 4:12) On the other hand, loyal Christians would not insist on their personal rights to the detriment of the consciences of others or at the expense of congregation unity.

1) I thought that the kingdom hall my wife attends was perfectly fine and adequate, in fact I liked that it sat in grassy grounds, surrounded by trees. It probably wasn't in any dire need of re-decorating at this point. Others, obviously, thought otherwise and so the hall has recently been subjected to a make-over.

The parking lot has been extended in true Joni Michell they've "paved paradise and put up a parking lot". They've taken up the grass and cut down the trees, even though the reality is that the old parking lot was never really full. And now everyone thinks the new layout will be wonderful.

IDEA: Perhaps it has been difficult to get volunteers or assigned brothers to carry out their assignment to mow the law. I was in a congregation that eliminated flower beds and bushes/trees that needed tending, probably by a professional landscaper or found that the volunteers were less than skilled or it had become a competition among the sisters for the privilege (elders wives thinking they should be picked first).

2) The old chairs seemed to me to be fine and the new ones actually no better, but when I inquired about this I was told that these are society "standard issue".

IDEA: More likely some brother stood to make some money from this. At a KH build the original chairs ordered were canceled and another type ordered. It turned out that the elder who did this picked cheaper chairs and kept the difference. He did this without consulting anyone, and no one was brave enough to challenge him

Or, the old chairs were uncomfortable for many, especially older people. The chairs may have been difficult to keep clean (children with poopy diapers sitting on them, overflowing and parents made no attempt to clean or tell elders the situation). Children give writing instruments who used them to draw or write on the seats). Or maybe someone else knows of other improper uses of the chairs.

3) Same with the air conditioning. The hall always seemed to be perfectly cool to me, and even though we live in a very hot climate the old units coped well. But no, we need new ones, again as recommended (aka dictated) by the society.

IDEA: ACs to wear out and repair becomes more expensive than getting a new, more efficient one. We just replaced our AC at home after 15 years and twice needing the coolant upped. Now our new one is more efficient and will save us money each month used.

IDEA: Perhaps many do not have the info on the real status of the AC. Or as above, someone might be making money on this in the congregation.

4) I was also proudly told that the new colour scheme was selected from a society suggested (aka dictated) colour palette.

IDEA: I found in some KHs, unqualified sisters (some brothers) selected the color palette and it was horrendous. So the WTS had the RBC select someone with demonstrable professional abilities and was given a choice of color combinations by the WTS and the congregation voted on what was used. That seemed to work and kept amateurs with inside connections from being assigned the “privilege.”

Also, I don’t know how paint is purchased, but it could be that the WTS gets a break in cost from some brother/sister who sells paint.

5) The whole thing is just another example of control by rigid enforcement of arbitrary standards. Given past local examples of skirts no shorter than 2 inches below the knee, white shirts only on the platform, I am sure the WT society would love to control every little aspect of everyone's life.

IDEA: I remember those days. The white shirt rule was not supposed to apply at the congregation level, only at assemblies/conventions. Evidently some BOEs were zealous in the application. Problems arose when some BOEs interpreted this edict differently, not accepting speakers from other congregations unless they wore white shirts, although that “rule” was not applied in the speaker’s congregation.

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1989809?q=white+shirts&p=sen#h=18

Our view of others is very limited compared to Jehovah’s, who reads the heart. (1 Chronicles 28:9) Appreciating this will prevent us from becoming modern-day, self-righteous Pharisees, trying to press people into our own man-made mold of righteousness in order that they might fit our concept of what is correct. If we try to see people as God sees them, we will not require more of them than he does. We will “not go beyond the things that are written.” (1 Corinthians 4:6) This is especially important for Christian elders to take to heart.—1 Peter 5:2, 3.

We can illustrate this in the matter of dress. The Bible requirement—God’s requirement—is that a Christian’s clothing must be neat and clean, well-arranged and not betraying a lack of “modesty and soundness of mind.” (1 Timothy 2:9; 3:2) Obviously, then, the elders in one congregation went “beyond the things that are written” a few years ago by requiring every public speaker in their congregation to wear a white shirt, even though pastel colors were generally acceptable in that country. Guest speakers who showed up with a colored shirt were asked to change into one of several white shirts kept in the Kingdom Hall for just such emergencies. How careful we have to be in order not to impose our personal taste on others! And how appropriate Paul’s counsel: “Let your reasonableness become known to all men”!—Philippians 4:5.

IDEA: Skirts were short in the late 60’s and on. The interpretation of “short” was variable from congregation to congregation. Rules are made then to make it easier. Nowadays, BOEs are given the option in choosing what is considered acceptable in grooming in their own congregation, because they are responsible for the orderly function of the congregation (so the WTS has said). That leads to difficulties between congregations when the “rules” are different. For example, 2 piercings in each ear for sisters, forbidden in one and not another. One BOE called NY to get a ruling and the above regarding each BOE can make the decision for their own congregation but not for others.

Why this obsession with Standardisation?