Memorial Non-Attendance: The Single Most Impactful TTATT Witness to JW Friends & Family

by AMNESIANO 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  AMNESIANO

  (Original Version Posted 2014)

  NOTICE: The following is submitted in full recognition of and with compassion and due respect for those who, due to personal circumstance, feel they are unable to employ this powerful strategy.

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  Anyone who has awakened to TTATT and has conscientiously left the organization--especially a once-prominent, highly-regarded, studious true-believer from a celebrated multi-generational tribe of JWs-- after decades of devout, high-profile "serve-us," who continues to put in an annual appearance at the Memorial thoroughly subverts and undermines, by this one act, any hope s/he may entertain that his/her departure will stir family or former friends to question the whole Watchtower bamboozle. By this one concession s/he assigns him-/herself by every single JW to their handy and dismissive purgatory: the "spiritually-weak."

  Nothing blasts a louder, clearer, and more deliberate message to the JWs who personally knew you and to those familiar with your JW bona fides that you are not merely "not making the meetings," "inactive," or "spiritually-weak," but that there is a conscientious reason you have rejected the entire Watchtower Society life than choosing to forego what they know you once believed to be Jehovah's must-attend, one-and-only, holy/sacred event of the year for his people, the Lord's Evening Meal.

  You hand them the very justification they so relish to self-righteously label you as a "submarine Witness" deserving of Jehovah's, and more importantly, their judgement.

  Much more tragically, though, you squander your prize opportunity to nudge thinking ones to seriously ponder the possible reason for your shocking departure. Again, all accomplished without any confrontational unpleasantness.

  Attending the Watchtower's Lord's Evening Meal, even though likely well-intentioned or for many understandably unavoidable at present, is still a colossally misguided go-along-to-get-along concession for anyone whose genuine and sincere intention or desire it is to awaken others to TTATT.

  AMNESIAN

  Captive 7/1972 - 2/2001

  Last Memorial attendance: April, 2001
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  Darkknight757

  Well said. This will be our first time not attending the memorial. I often wanted to go and cause a stir but doing so is only self-serving. It won't change people's minds to how ridiculous the whole thing is and it only feeds the persecution complex.

  I used to love seeing people make a stir at the yearly memorial on YouTube, but now they are just fools. Why waste a perfectly good night? Say goodbye to "the most boring night of the year!!" It shant be missed.
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  exjwlemming

  Well said, AMNESIANO! The mandatory memorial attendence is a scam to guilt many inactive and uninterested attendees and unbelieving spouses into making changes to serve the org. Offering Bible studies to those that show up is like shooting fish in a barrel. Get in and get out. Try not to make eye contact with the hardcore JW lackeys and yes men.

  Captive 1990-2015

  Last WT propaganda memorial attendence 2015
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  DesirousOfChange

  It was a huge step for us to skip the Memorial last year. Doing so it the ultimate statement of rejection IMO. We won't be there this year either. But, rather doubtful that anyone even missed us. No calls of "encouragement". In fact, they supposedly canvassed the entire territory to invite "unbelievers", but no one stopped by our home.
  
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  stuckinarut2

  Well said!

  I agree completely.

  By attending, it shows that we still believe that the society holds some sort of authority over us. It says "we still believe it may be 'the truth'"

  We haven't been to two years now, (or conventions, or assemblies or meetings.)

  That HAS been noticed by still ins, some of whom have hedged around the subject and indicated that has made them think...."why would two very active ones simply stop?"
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  OneGenTwoGroups

  Great OP thanks for re-posting. This year's memorial will be my last.
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  NewYork44M

  I think my last memorial was 2003. It may have been 2004, but who's counting?
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  scratchme1010

  AMNESIANO, great post. I can't remember the year of my last super, I mean, the last memorial I attended, but it's been quite a few decades. I do remember that not attending was the first time when my family had no choice but to admit that I was serious about not being a JW.
  
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  redpilltwice

  I agree. Just like exjwlemming, my last memorial was 2015. My fade started almost 6 months later. I knew it would be the right signal to my congregation to show that I'd left without fear and fully convinced.
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  contramundum

  This will be my first year of non attendance. For those in the congregation who knew me well, it will send the message that being missing from the meetings for the last few months is a conscious decision, one not taken lightly.