Hey Sounds like Scooby Snax had a good time. Oh and Frankie, the meetings, ESPECIALLY this one are public so even if you are labled or known to be an "apostate" you are still permitted to go and won't be prosecuted for trespassing unless you tried to start a distubance and refused to leave when asked. Anyway back to topic, I am curious about any one out there who DID go to the memorial. probalby it was the same all over as usual.
My experience:
Went to a Memorial, at a congregation that is not my "official" previous one, and saw a bunch of friends I have known for a long time. The most interesting thing that happened was as soon as I had sat down with my wife and child, one brother that has some weight in the circuit came immediately over and said he wanted to talk to me outside. He asked how long it has been since I was DF'd and seemed quite surprised that it has been a few years now. He started talking about my "responsibility" and the "lives of my wife and baby," informing me of when the public book study is, etc. After listening politely for a few minutes I looked the brother in the eye and said that although there was nothing morally or such grounds that prevent me from being reinstated but rather I have not chosen to seek reinstatement or take the "necessary steps" (i.e. regular meeting attendance) at this time because of my personal integrity. I said that there were several key doctrines and aspects of the organization that I did not agree with and therefore I could not in good conscience join again. I went on to say that while I was in the organization there were times when I was hypocritical (if not outright livng a "double-life" and that I would not want to get reinstated because of "outer appearances" and yet not be 100% committed to it. I told him that would be hypocritical and I don't want to be a hypocrite.
I am not sure what the bro thought about that but that was pretty much the end of the conversation.
I wanted to mention that this year the kingdom hall was packed but there were not any brothers who had to stand as there have been in times past. Of course it is impossible to make any projections based upon a single sample in the U.S. but if I were to extrapolate, I would say that this years Memorial Attendance (in the U.S. and perhaps worldwide) is going to be about level with last year's and there there will be very little increase. It may even be the case that there is actually, for the first time in who knows how long, a decrease over the previous year's attendance.
As I said, anyone who did go, maybe they can report anything unusual that occurred.
-Eduardo