Tying Your Shoes With Modesty and Soundness of Mind (page 4)

leavingwt

That's what made him such a great oracle!

Yes, the two qualities are not mutually exclusive. I suppose I should have asked if anyone really WANTS to have a new, bat$hit crazy, human leader? If so, why?

No Room For George

Can anyone produce a single piece of literature written by Freddie that would support the notion that he wasn't bat$hit crazy?

Without a doubt he was batshit crazy, but "at the time" his thoughts were entertaining and considering those years when he penned all of that foolishness he could still be relevant. He was almost on par with HP Lovecraft, with the tragic part being Lovecraft fans didn't shun their family members for not believing Chtulu wasn't real. Well, enter our day and age, and Oral Roberts is dead, ditto Jerry Falwell, 700 Club is a joke, segregation has been done away with, women can vote, there's a black president, news of commies don't strike fear in rational minded people, etc.. It's a far different world today than that of when Freddy's crazy azz was relavent. Current WT leaders are stuck with all that Freddy, Rutherford, and Nathan handed down, all that Jaracz enforced that Barr was too weak and senile to overturn, and so the current seat-fillers representing the annointed are twiddling their thumbs.

The dilemma in front of them is how to maintain a sense of urgency without completely alienating their faithful, all the while acknowledging their young ones are a lost cause, and the middle aged are pretty darn disgruntled. They've taken a page from Neutron Jack Welch's book and decided to cut their losses when it comes to the 2/3 of born-ins leaving, and instead keep reassuring those long term generational JWs through the literature that they haven't wasted the past 3/4 of their lives on a pipe dream. They do that with boring WT articles worthy of the AARP, and Nick @ Nite reruns. Brochures on science more ignorant and stereoptypical than that of Klan literature's depiction of blacks, Catholics, and Jews. It's impossible for them to produce anything stimulating because the talent pool is lacking up top, and they're in between a rock and a hard place when it comes to what demographic they need to cater towards.

Franklin Massey

@ Chemical - It's pretty bad. To make matters worse, the WT isn't even coming up with their own material and arguments. They're just borrowing from the newest version of Creationism, the Intelligent Design movement. ID's arguments, as used in the brochure, have already come up short under scrutiny but the average JW doesn't keep up with the latest topics of scientific debate. So, they read the brochure and think they are getting a really accurate, scientifically plausible education. Anyone who has studied evolution can take one look at the brochure and see its flaws. Try telling a devout JW that the brochure is flimsy and you risk being treated like two of the most evil forces ever to exist: Satan and his pal Charles Darwin.

@ leaving - I wish that the WT would get an eccentric maniac oracle to take the reigns for a while. I think it would be a great separating tool. Those on the fence or, those who are "in" but awake would have more motivation to leave, probably in mass numbers. The kool-aid fans would be shown for what they are...kool-aid fans.

Chemical Emotions

@Franklin Massey: That is really sad. And even though I only know a few of the real flaws in it, it doesn't even feel well-written.

hamsterbait

Almost all the examples of demons and witchcraft in the litterature are taken from African countries where they still believe in witchcraft demons and spooks. Most sane people in the west just dont swallow this superstitious crap anymore than the tooth fairy or Santa.

In Nigeria and Uganda and other countries children and old women are frquently arrested "tried" and imprisoned for witchcraft. This is an issue Amnesty International and the Un are trying to resolve.

The wicked spirits brochure cites an example where "members of a woman's family were killed by demons"

I asked what the police report said at that study. (and was not popular!)

In Angola there were violent riots at a market where a "wizard" was siad to be casting spells to shrink mens' penis.

Talking snakes and rings screaming as they are thrown into rivers are the sort of thing they might still believe over there. Hence the Gibbering Buddy is looking to that market to pay for their holidays and other perks.

There is a couple of decades more dupes on the African Continent, so they are pandering to the mentality.

HB

sir82

One, the Society thinks JWs are idiots.

That's it, right there.

At a recent elders' school there was a representative fresh out of the service department. As he was going thru the various DF offenses listed, he was recounting the phone calls the service department received from elders who were (not a direct quote, but the gist of it) "screwing up even the simple cases"...complete with sighs, incredulous looks, and facepalms.

The Society, at least the Service Department anyway, is convinced that elders are dumber than a box of hammers.

And those are the "princes in the earth". Imagine what they think of the rank & file.

breakfast of champions

FRANKLIN MASSEY - I never heard it expressed that way but you hit the nail on the head: the WT org commands followers to put out fires while it pours gasoline on them. I'm going to use that one!!!

I also would LOVE to see another oracle type like Franz emerge. That WOULD be the end of the end.

Franz was at the right place at the right time. With the Internet and the free flow of information out there, his type of yammerings would not have nearly the impact they used to, in fact it would most certainly backfire as only we could imagine.

doubtful

marked!

Glander

Pity the poor window washer elder who can't afford socks and has to put black shoe polish on his ankles.

WTWizard

This is because they are dealing with people that they want to remain witless. I can remember when I got scammed in, at least there was something of substance. Lies, but at least lies with a little depth. Now, you get articles in the Asleep! rag about fruits of Brazil. I could go online and start researching the same subject, get much more information on all the fruits (including how to grow them), along with a side order of information about the banana spider. And, while I am there, I could get some research on what life is like in Brazil, where the cities are, the speed limits in Brazil, safety information, information on what diseases are endemic in Brazil, and even information about the government. Try that with an Asleep! rag.

Not to mention, suppose I am interested in New Zealand fruits, or South African fruits, or Chinese fruits instead of Brazilian ones. Online, I can research those. With the Asleep!, I am out of luck.

Tying Your Shoes With Modesty and Soundness of Mind

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