Was 2019 the last convention ever?

by joey jojo 15 Replies latest jw experiences

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  joey jojo

  In a recent feel-good instagram post about the 2019 international convention, a JW remarked, "was it the last convention we will have?"

  There is no doubt JW's feel they are truly special and that world events revolve around them directly. There is also no doubt that whether we get a vaccine for covid or not, and at the moment, its looking very certain that we will, that the world will continue to spin and life will go on, regardless of the beliefs of the JW's.

  Once the pandemic is over I'm wondering if some JW's will realise that even though they lived through a notable period of time, life kept sailing on, and maybe they aren't that special after all? Once things get back to normal, how will they feel?
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  waton

  yeah, they now will start reviewing old "assemblies".It is the same stuff over and over again anyway.

  notable period of time? jj? true,

  for the first time it is not too large a proportion of the population that perishes. thanks to better and better "satan's "science. despite unprecedented pathogen spreading mobility.
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  Harry

  Jws have been set up to think the world is going to end any day now, so hearing certain ones say " Is this it ? " is not surprising.

  My still in older brother has been commenting recently, see the prophesy of plagues has come true.
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  waton

  not to forget the clay of Biden and the iron of Trump not mixing well in the 2 footed Anglo American statue base. How about the Brexiteers and Conservative/ Labor in the other foot?

  food for end of the world thoughts.but:

  there will be no conventions along with the Pandas? --- We know there will be no wt memorial. but ---
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  JeffT

  Every convention I ever went to somebody said "this might be the last one."
  
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  Funky

  They've already announced the 2021 convention will be like the 2020 one, presented entirely on video & broadcast on jw.borg.

  If they have very many more video-only conventions, I suspect it will be really really hard to motivate JWs to attend in-person even when it is finally possible.
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  dozy

  The conventions , including the international ones , are huge money spinners for the Org and really motivational events. I just don't see them scrapping them ( as stadium events ) any time soon - they make money from double donations ( congregations paying in advance for the bookings and then JWs donating in person ) , commission on hotels , kickbacks from cities etc etc - its too much of a cash cow to let go. I think basically they have to plan 12/18 months ahead to book locations and they decided that 2021 was too uncertain. I see lots of businesses here scrapping major events as well in 2021 , or moving them tentatively to Sept / Oct "subject to change".

  I think the Society will be back with in 2022 with a "special" convention program with some big international events - just to keep people interested.
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  Funky

  That's true regarding the big international events - they've discovered that even the poorest JWs are willing to pony up thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars to get treated like "rock stars" for 7-14 days.

  I know several who have drained virtually their entire life savings to go to one of these things. Then when they get back home, and the buzz wears off after 3-4 days, they immediately start trying to figure out how they can do it again.

  I suspect that in the future, nearly all regional conventions will be very low-key, likely held in assembly halls wherever possible, and the glitzy no-holds-barred international conventions will be held every year up to their saturation point (when they run out of JWs willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to be treated like a rock star for 7-14 days).
  
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  dozy

  I have a friend ( somewhat PIMO) who does some freelance software work for the Society in the UK & Germany and he says the hotel commission the Society gets from conventions is incredibly lucrative. He told me to think in terms of a minimum of 1 million hotel rooms - 3 nights - $100 per room 15%-20% commission - that's close on $60 million alone annually tax free- and every year the Society grows this as they further develop relationships with the big hotel chains like IHG & Hilton and the likes of Expedia.

  Add to this all the additional international convention income - my sister went to Canada a couple of years ago and I was astonished how much she paid for flights and excursions. ( Check out this brochure from 2009 - prices have more than doubled since then. ) http://www.wegieltours-wcs.com/parjw/parisbrochurewegieltours.pdf The Society , with its big building programs continuing and with a lot of legal expenses and child abuse payouts simply can't afford to give all this up.
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  WingCommander

  Truth be told (haha!), WT HQ can not WAIT to get back to having real Conventions.

  How so?

  Because they are HUGE money-makers! No Conventions = less money rolling in. Ever been to a Convention that had a surplus of funds after the first day? Neither have I! There always "under" with the added guilt trip thrown in about not showing enough gratitude like the Widow's mite, etc, etc......until they get a surplus and then send it all into WT HQ Pedo-defense fund anyway. Seriously! It always was, and always will be, a HUGE money-maker for them. Jehovah approved of course.