The month of July saw a number of weekends at the Cow Palace (San Francisco) dedicated to the annual Jehovah’s Witness convention. These are 3-day conferences repeated identically, so as to accommodate a number of “circuits” or regions of JW congregations. My friend Mark and I attended this last Saturday only (not all three days). Here are some of my experiences and observations.
- The Watchtower Society is investing in some high-tech tools. There are now 2 large screens flanking the stage, rather than one as in the past. Several professionally produced videos were used to illustrate practical applications of the teachings, in contrast to the live dramas of the past. And one longer, rather well-produced video depicted a modern version of Job’s trials. (I was actually impressed with it–there was really not much to criticize.) The video was the newest “release” announced at the end of the day, another high-tech deviation from the usual book format.
- Despite these efforts to bring the presentations more in line with the current culture, the convention is still boring at best and annoying at worst. Simplistic and obvious lessons are presented in monotone by talking heads, and the only thing keeping me from nodding off were the occasional eye roll-prompting diatribes against apostates, “opposers,” and “christiandom.” Also, warnings against specific sins that stretch the limits of one’s suspension of disbelief. (e.g. gambling leads to greed, which was Judas’ downfall. You don’t want to become like Judas, do you? Yikes.)
- The music used for “worship” is exceedingly bad; dirge-like and with arrangements that just don’t work. Even I, a musical neanderthal, can recognize the awkwardness of the amateurish and clunky progressions of notes. I always think of the scene in Amadeus where Mozart improves on Salieri’s composition, saying “That doesn’t really work, does it? How about this?” (Salieri scowls like a governing body member would.)
- The last session was presented by (Surprise!) one of the members of the governing body, David Splane. I must acknowledge that his speaking style was good. Boring, but good. I should call it professional. Very good diction and control of his voice. I think he has had public speaking training that sets him apart from the other, more local speakers. The surprised audience gave him their undivided attention. To them I’m sure he had the very voice of Jehovah. To me, he was just a boring, out of touch guy who has the marketable still of giving a good, but less-than-dynamic presentation. Of course he announced the latest “release,” which was the video mentioned above. My friend Mark seemed disappointed that it wasn’t a book. I imagine other JW’s being relieved that it wasn’t another book that they were expected to add to their already full study schedule.
- Despite the numbingly boring content and presentation, I had a very enjoyable day. Not only did I have conversations with several individuals and/or couples, but I spent hours talking with my friend Mark, both in the car and at the restaurant where we stopped to eat on our way home. I must say that if I had attended a JW convention ten years ago, I would have just dismissed it as a colossal waste of time, vowing to never return. What has me so eager to return to the conventions and kingdom hall meetings are several things. First, the Holy Spirit at work in me. I have come to cherish my conversations with JW’s, whether strangers, acquaintances, or friends like Mark. I love those dear JW’s, even the grumpy ones. They’re like sheep without a loving shepherd, but with a bully pushing them around instead. Second, I love seeing God at work around me, making divine appointments happen, directing conversations, giving me words to say (or telling me when to shut up), and protecting our conversations from the bullies. And third, gaining an appreciation for the things we have in Christ that the JW’s are missing out on. A real relationship with God and Jesus. Freedom from fear, guilt, and shame. Holy Spirit guidance and power. And the realization that as flawed as your church’s services may be, they have to be light-years better than any JW meeting. Perhaps attendance at a JW meeting should be mandatory for every Christian believer, just to give them a new appreciation for their own church experiences. I highly encourage it. It’s for your own good.
undercoverjw 
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It is lovely when a person feels he or she has guidance to know when to listen, when to speak and how to speak. For a non Jehovah’s Witness or some one not used to find huge groups of believers together it might be a special occasion. What seemed to have something very special did not turn up to be lively and enjoyable.
To find yourself directing conversations, giving you words to say (or telling when to shut up), and protecting your conversations from the bullies must be a great feeling in the end and perhaps making it an experience to do again (?).
We are not sure what the ” “going undercover” among the Jehovah’s Witnesses” intentions are and why they think the JW’s are missing something (what?) out on.
Normally we would expect them also to have a real relationship with God and Jesus. Though we are also afraid that many of them their relationship may be troubled because not originated in the right soil, having no “Freedom from fear, guilt, and shame”.
Normally from any serious bible student, whatever which denomination, you would expect that they pray for and receive Holy Spirit guidance and power.
About the (sometimes horrible) music (created for female voice not counting in man’s voice) it is true that as flawed as other’s their church’s services may be, they are probably light-years away and better than any JW meeting, where for us often joy seems to be missing.
Like ” “going undercover” among the Jehovah’s Witnesses” writes “Perhaps attendance at a JW meeting should be mandatory for every Christian believer, just to give them a new appreciation for their own church experiences.”
But Christians do have to be very careful not to want more entertainment than Bible reading and modesty of contemplative service.
In certain churches of Christendom we do see too much of the heavy music and dancing, chanting to a godman and not keeping to Biblical truth but including lots of pagan actions and ideas. (Like by the Pentecostals.)
For those looking for God such a JW meeting at the other hand may be a good occasion to ‘sniff’ their ways of thinking and handling, without being too much in the focus, able to hide in the masses.
Reblogged this on Belgian Biblestudents – Belgische Bijbelstudenten and commented:
It is lovely when a person feels he or she has guidance to know when to listen, when to speak and how to speak. For a non Jehovah’s Witness or some one not used to find huge groups of believers together it might be a special occasion. What seemed to have something very special did not turn up to be lively and enjoyable.
To find yourself directing conversations, giving you words to say (or telling when to shut up), and protecting your conversations from the bullies must be a great feeling in the end and perhaps making it an experience to do again (?).
We are not sure what the ” “going undercover” among the Jehovah’s Witnesses” intentions are and why they think the JW’s are missing something (what?) out on.
Normally we would expect them also to have a real relationship with God and Jesus. Though we are also afraid that many of them their relationship may be troubled because not originated in the right soil, having no “Freedom from fear, guilt, and shame”.
Normally from any serious bible student, whatever which denomination, you would expect that they pray for and receive Holy Spirit guidance and power.
About the (sometimes horrible) music (created for female voice not counting in man’s voice) it is true that as flawed as other’s their church’s services may be, they are probably light-years away and better than any JW meeting, where for us often joy seems to be missing.
Like ” “going undercover” among the Jehovah’s Witnesses” writes “Perhaps attendance at a JW meeting should be mandatory for every Christian believer, just to give them a new appreciation for their own church experiences.”
But Christians do have to be very careful not to want more entertainment than Bible reading and modesty of contemplative service.
In certain churches of Christendom we do see too much of the heavy music and dancing, chanting to a godman and not keeping to Biblical truth but including lots of pagan actions and ideas. (Like by the Pentecostals.)
For those looking for God such a JW meeting at the other hand may be a good occasion to ‘sniff’ their ways of thinking and handling, without being too much in the focus, able to hide in the masses.
To go to a place and to keep contact with people from one or the other congregation just to influence them away from their faith or church does not seem to be so nice.
No objection you want them to get them away from the dependency on the Watchtower Society, On August 2016 your phrasing on the about page is not so clear if you want them also to steer away from or just the opposite want them to influence them positively toward a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Though noticing you accept less the words of Jesus than they do, we think they probably have a better relationship with the son of god who really died for our sins.
We forgot where it was, but in some other writing at this blog the undercover writer also talks about studying the JW for ten years. We do not know how he did his study and how many times he went to their regular (weekly) meetings and how many magazines he read from them.
When he read many magazines we do find it strange that this undercover writer did not come to recognise who Jesus Christ really is (the son of God) and still has not come to Biblical Truth. We would like to ask him to which church he is connected and how many times he goes over there to their services and if he follows Bible studies there and how many Bible studies he has followed with the Jehovah Witnesses.
For sure we understand he does not like that (indoctrinating) organisation with its awful music and people who seem to be afraid to ask questions about certain matters in the open or in the public service. But having had the opportunity to hear for ten years serious Bible studies and than still not having come to see how the Trinity is a false teaching, can only indicating that the eyes do not want to see and the ears do not want to hear. Because even when not like that denomination we can not ignore that they are much closer to the Biblical truth than the mainstream Christian denominations of Christendom. One would expect this undercover writer would at least already have looked for and found one of the denominations in Christianity which follow the Biblical Truth and adhere to the Only One God of Israel, the God of Abraham Who is the God of Jesus and his disciples, Who should also be our God and not the three-headed god of the undercover writer of this blog.