Did any of us ever enjoy meetings? (page 4)

punkofnice

I found the meetings austere and weird. I enjoyed the social side after the sales seminar had ended. Edit to add. The only good feeling I got was that by attending the meetings, it helped remove my guilt that I was unworthy scum compared to the governing body.

Stirred

Aspects. Sometimes yes, other times aspects would try me. I enjoyed feeling I was doing good for self and my kids to learn good values. I did find some very nice friends just before I moved. I hated the constant guilt, snubs of some, and conditionality of the relationships. Through my awakening, I realized some halls were just too negative and that it was a form of abuse to be there. Just too much stress and negative to offset any benefit I may glean. Those few I really wanted to connect with nearly never were apart of my life socially. I realized I had nearly no true friends in 20 years, but was I good friend? I am constantly swamped and need to reach out more. Working on it.

NotBlind

The meetings are a painful experience for anyone with more than a 5th grade education. Everything presented over the past 10 years has been dumbed down to the intellectual level of Steve Lett. Most meetings are nothing more than endless organizational self-congratulations, along with more calls to "obey, obey, obey."

By their actions, even the GB admit that the meetings are intolerable. That's why they have to keep changing the format every few years. I give the CLAM about 2-3 years before another major change in format.

StephaneLaliberte

NotBlind: "Self Congratulations", "obey, obey, obey"

Your right!! One of the things that started to get on my nerves was the feeling that JWs were like the Pharisee Jesus talked about.

Luke 18:11: The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

My Name is of No Consequence

I tried to convenience myself that I liked going to the meetings. But I just couldn’t. Once the meeting started, I couldn’t wait for it to be over. Growing up, the best part about the district conventions was that we stayed at a hotel and ate out every night. That was pretty much it. Generally speaking, I hated going to anything that that org promoted.

freemindfade

even now, if i go on a Sunday with the wife (to be nice), a good portion of the elder body spends the time in the back and outside talking about "building maintenance" and other BS during the meeting. No one likes this shit

Doubtfully Yours

No. They are repetitious, robotic, fake, boring/sleep-inducing. Such a drag... Especially the CLAM one. Such a waste of time for the most part.

Hate, hate, hate meetings!!!😕

What saves me is the little conversations/greetings/interactions with friends and family before and after such disingenuous occasions.

DY

Harvard Illiterate 411

I'm going to blunt here. Yes I did, very much in fact that it moved me to pioneer. It satisfied a need and provided comfort. The Bible and the WT's explanation of the way it works sounded great to someone who lost her sister and wanted to see her again.

I enjoyed the association with like minded individuals. It provided a certain structure to my life. It made me feel superior to others including my own husband which I regret now everyday. But at the same time I never felt good enough as if I was not a loyal servant of Jehovah and basically lived in sackcloth and ashes and like a good abused dog who loves his master I kept coming back for more.

Holy mother of God was I ever brainwashed! It literally is unbelievable to look back now and see how easily influenced I was which is why now I'm the most skeptical person alive. I question everything as if it is all a lie. I guess it was a learning session never to be repeated.

PS I'm now basically an agnostic/atheist. The expression holy mother of God is something my Irish side of the family uses and now I gladly use it.

Magnum

I didn't, and I was a zealous, believing super-dub. I and my family members dreaded going to meetings. I did it to be obedient. I knew it was a very flawed arrangement, but I thought God tolerated it and would give me credit for being there.

I and many other JWs I know loved it when we had an excuse to get out of going to meetings, when they were cancelled the week of a convention, etc. That's revealing. If they're so wonderful, why do so many JWs love to get out of going?

Londo111

I would say the vast majority of JWs do not enjoy the meetings. I doubt even the Governing Body likes them. Whenever there is an event that cancels a meeting, a JW will find relief and joy in being able to spend that time how they wish.

When I was a JW, even though meetings were dull, I felt a measure of relief afterwards because I thought I'd fulfilled my obligation and pleased God by doing so. It was my understanding that not being regular at meetings, or field service would lead to eternal destruction at the Big A.

Addendum: The social aspect after the meetings and assemblies was the only enjoyable part. It gave an illusion of friendship and brotherhood and love. This illusion was stronger in the 80's, but by the 00's I noticed the social aspect had cooled.

Did any of us ever enjoy meetings?

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