Linda! Perhaps those ambitious Elders and MS won't have enough people left to laud it over anyway!
Is the Watchtower beginning to lose its grip on its members?
by Gill 48 Replies latest jw experiences
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kgfreeperson
That's my limited experience--that JWs are encouraging their children to continue their educations and, where able, supporting them financially. There will probably always be Jehovah's Witnesses, but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't dwindle to 50,000 or so in the US. There are always people who want to devote themselves to one thing or another and the more ritualistic and meaningless the requirements the better. But with the reported exodus of young JWs and the failure to recruit adults in any significant numbers, it doesn't seem likely that they can continue as is. However, I think we are in for some very hard times which, historically, has driven people to religions of all kind, so we shall we.
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AuldSoul
I overheard my JW wife talking on the phone with a friend in a former congregation (in another state). They were expressing alarm at how clear it is that there are no young people, only little kids and middle-aged plus people. No big clusters of teenage pioneers, no young ministerial servants ... they arrived at the conclusion that when the kids hit 18 they lose their minds.
I was thinking, "...or discover their minds...or libido...possibly?" But I wisely kept my mouth shut (for those of you who know me, you know what a struggle that was).
Anyway, I believe the current generation will be the last generation of JWs. The religion can't survive its horrible attrition rate forever. The Internet is shrinking the pool of uninformed dupes they can prey upon. The Internet is also empowering people to speak with authority on a much broader range of topics that are problematic (at best) or devastating (at worst) to the religious doctrine/leadership/authority base.
I agree with Dansk, it is already dead. It just doesn't know it yet. The poisoned blades have done their work, now we just have to follow the beast to its finish to ease its death throes, eventually putting the beast out of its misery with finality. Then, we get our families back (if we want them back; nods to Gary <grin>).
Respectfully,
AuldSoul -
Carmel
If your bank account is healthy, you'd be surprised how friendly they can be! mr. skeptic
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grey matters
Hats off to Gill! This is the most interesting thread I have read in awhile.
I don't know, though. Don't you think it will morph into something else? It's hard to imagine it imploding completely.
I will say this, though. Once I didn't believe in it anymore, I didn't believe any of it. The problem is that they constantly pound on believing all or nothing. You can't pick and choose which parts you want to believe. You have to believe everything they say. For me, that made it like a pane of glass. It was so inflexible, it couldn't bend. That was fine as long as it was intact. But as soon as there was a crack, the whole thing just shattered. I couldn't believe all of it, so I couldn't believe any of it.
I do have a couple of friends who say they don't believe in any more of it than I do. Yet they still go to meetings, although irregularly, to keep the peace with their families.
I don't go at all, of course. My family lives in another state. I keep the peace with them by just not bringing it up. They do know that I don't go to meetings. Last time they visited, I told them so. I told them that if they wanted to go, I would drop them off or let them borrow my car, but I would not be going. They try to bring it up in subtle ways when they call, but I push back at this point. They usually end the conversation shortly thereafter.
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nicolaou
I read on another board, that the shunning policy is reaffirmed in January 2007 issue of the Watchtower.
Has this article been posted? Is it a main study article and, if so, when is it due to be studied?
Many thanks
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Gill
AuldSoul - You are totally right about the internet being the cause of so much freedom for young JWs and others. Heaven forbid anything ever happen to the net!!
Carmel - I'm sure that in some familys what you say is true. No one wants to lose a possible inheritance from a relative who leaves Watchtower land, or any hand outs and gifts, and help from generous 'but no longer JW relatives!'
grey matters - I think the WTBTS is evolving and mutating. It is losing its members both mentally and physically at an alarming rate.- I know that the youngsters in my area are into having sex, drinking and smoking, night clubbing, visiting pubs etc. For several months my son was dating a PO's daughter who was a FT pioneer and they were sleeping together, and going out drinking etc.
Watchtower land is no longer what it was and it has no future because it is losing its future.....its young people have gone, if not physically yet, mentally they are out. 1914 and all those prophecies are obviously 'failed and irrelevant fantasies' to them. Even the older ones are being disobedient as I pointed out at the beginning. My parents are approaching their seventies and they refuse to shun me and my brother.
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Gill
Nicolaou - It is the JAN 15th 2007 Watchtower - 'Remaining steadfast when a child rebels!'
Sorry i can't give you the exact link but if you look through my Topics and get to Nov 29th you'll find that thread.
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Gill
I have been wondering if there will be any change in contact with my relatives after that mag is studied, but then I remembered that they had a similar article a few months previously...so perhaps not.
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Mrs Smith
My pioneer mom knows how I feel about JW's and still phones me reguarly. She told me that she does not believe that only JW's will survive armagedon and only God can see what's in your heart. Good start I say, unfortunaly she still believes in armagedon, I have planted many seeds of doubt and am waiting for opportunities to chat about it some more. I really think that a lot of JW's are doubting and leaving. My brother stopped going years ago and now my sister has also stopped. I think the more we try and get our message across to our families the better.