Will Embracing the Internet lead to Increased Growth for the Watchtower?

by jwfacts 74 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jwfacts

  More important than the reduction in the size of the new magazine is that the Watchtower will be actively promoting its website and encouraging people use it to download magazines. My concern is that this has the potential to lead to an increase in growth for the Watchtower.

  The door-to-door preaching work has been one of the most inefficient means imaginable to gain converts, and done little more than tie up the time of active JWs. Now, by directing people to the internet, Witnesses can spread their message at an alarming rate for little cost.

  Do you feel that this has the potential to lead to a surge in growth of Jehovah's Witnesses?

  On the one hand, I think it will lead to people becoming more aware of Witnesses and the Watchtower message.

  On the other hand, converting someone from being a virtual browser to a meeting attendee will still be a huge step.

  I cannot decide what the outcome will be. When I see JWs adding comments online, such as at Yahoo Answers, most come across as imbeciles, and do little to enhance the image of the Wachtower. Also, anyone researching JWs on the internet is also likely to be researching other religions, and with a weight of evidence at their finger tips would be unlikely to embrace the Watchtower religion. However, I cannot help but worry that the huge marketing potential at their fingertips will potentially lead to increase.
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  wha happened?

  I think it's a hail mary pass. If people wanted to know about the religion, there is plenty of info out there for them.

  What I do think is that most dubs will consider this, an "ok" to surf the devils internet. I saw this years ago when they would vilanize the VCR, and then they started distributing VCR tapes of the organization. Whoever made this decision likely feels that they are progressing with technology, but I do feel it will unravel on them in a very negative way
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  Lady Lee

  I can see them trying to direct JWs to their site but nort new people. That is the last place they want them to go.

  The study program is how they indoctrinate people. They simply don't have the control if people can just go click on the iunternet and find out places liek this website and so many others that expose them.
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  breakfast of champions

  No. Information Control goes right out the window with the Internet.
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  Mickey mouse

  I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the GB session where the idea of the internet being their salvation was floated.

  "Hang on a minute lads, I've got a great idea..."

  

  I think it's a risk but it looks as though they are desperate enough to take one.
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  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  How has the Internet helped any religions? Hasn't Scientology spent time and money with little return?

  WT is late to the Internet game. Do they really think they're going to become the Wikipedia of Internet religions? What do they have to offer that will attract attention to their one, single official website? There are far more websites revealing their lies.
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  wha happened?

  yea it's going to be too easy to click on the other websites that google brings up
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  Phizzy

  They have some crafty writers who can make it sound credible, but marketing your brand of whatever is a about a lot more than a good bit of prose.

  They have no on-board marketing skills, and will not buy in.

  They are in real danger of it biting them in he bum by existing members clicking on to another informative site, like this one by mistake.

  They are trying to cut costs with this, so will not really spend what is needed to market properly, i.e Billboards T.V etc to generate interest in the site.

  It will not gain them many converts, if any.
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  mP

  Religion is dying, i dont think anyone would join a different or new religion because they believe, they go for a sense of community first and foremost. My comments apply only for western countries in other places like the Middle East, and so on, you dont even get a choice.

  Why would anybody join the JW today, its not a fun place and there are lot of dumb rules that are a pain in the arse. Anyone looking on the internet will also notice that the JW lie about their past and that their extraordinary claims and research are mostly wrong. Im guessing that other people know other religions do make mistakes but at least they accept their mistakes because that religion and its leaders are more humble and dont pretend to be literally speaking the message straight from God. They accept their religion as trying to teach you good and thats good enuff for them..
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  wha happened?

  I agree mP. Religion is dying in the sense of everyone in the same neighborhood going to the same church. It's been a long time since an entire neighborhood was catholic, or Lutheran. I remember the last days of going out in service back in 2004, people were like "yes I am religious in my way, why are u here?"