Biting off more than they can chew - why I think the Society's internet approach is good for us, bad for them...

by cedars 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  cedars

  Hi everyone

  I've been giving some thought to the Society's latest decision to reduce the size of the Awake, and relaunch jw.org as a revamped site - intended for bringing in yet more converts. For those who missed it, here is the relevant part of the leaked letter to elders discussing these changes...

  The Internet is a technology that Jehovah’s organization is using to good advantage to spread the good news to all corners of the earth. Consider the impact our Web sites are having. On a typical day, 400,000 people, both Witnesses and non-Witnesses, visit watchtower.org, jw.org, or jw-media.org.
  
  They read our publications online in over 430 languages. Each day they download close to half a million audio, text, or sign-language-video files. Every day a hundred requests for Bible studies are sent in. To enhance the effectiveness of our use of the Internet, the Governing Body has decided to consolidate the three sites into one site called jw.org. The Web site will be completely redesigned. It will be appealing and easy to navigate using either a computer or a mobile device.
  
  The redesigned jw.org Web site is planned for release around the beginning of June 2012. It will paint an appealing picture of our preaching work, branch offices, Kingdom Halls, and conventions.
  
  A newsroom section will provide up-to-date reporting on events affecting God’s people
  worldwide. Selected features from our magazines that can be presented more effectively on the Web site will now be published only on jw.org. These include the following: “For Young People,” “My Bible Lessons,” and the Gilead graduation report from the public edition of The Watchtower and “For Family Review” and “Young People Ask” from Awake! In addition, a series of online articles available only on the Web site will provide concise, clear answers to questions about the Bible and about Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  Whilst I note the cautious tone of jwfacts in his thread on this subject (and I understand his reasoning) I believe the above development is exciting news - and grounds for optimism for those of us who dearly wish to live to see the Society's downfall. I don't believe it will result in growth for the Society, but (if anything) ever-decreasing growth if the Society rely overly on the Internet to spread its message. Why?

  The Watch Tower Society have been fighting a losing battle with the Internet over recent years despite repeated calls for publishers to go nowhere near it if they can help it. The recent Watchtower article discussing "Internet Eve" is a good example of their attempts to breed paranoia - even comparing search engines like Google to an unscrupulous gang of mushroom pickers!

  Whilst you can breed fear and intimidation about the "negative" aspects of the internet among hardened Witnesses, it is less easy to establish ground rules among those who are interested in researching the religion for the first time, and who aren't already indoctrinated into embracing your threats and fear-mongering concerning other Witness-related material to be found online.

  I have a limited amount of experience of using the internet to run a business. In the relatively brief period in which I have taken an active interest in global web behavior, I have noticed this - you CANNOT predict people's behavior online. For example, anyone who runs a pay-per-click campaign on their website will tell you that, in the area of keywords alone, people will type in a sweeping variety of word combinations to arrive at the same web page. The same will surely be true when it comes to people trying to find the Society's official website, no matter how simple and easy to remember their domain name is. Everyone is different, and you will always get those who stumble on apostate material if they are encouraged to research JWs online, and yet the Society thinks they can direct all JW-interested internet surfers to jw.org and NO other JW-related site, just by doing a bit of spring cleaning?? Do me a favour!

  The Society may have enjoyed a degree of success in warning the rank and file away from cyberspace, but their target audience for the soon-to-be-launched upgraded jw.org is much more savvy than the Governing Body seemingly believes. For the most part, they haven't yet been taught to fear the Faithful Slave. They are curious and inquisitive, and they want to know the real truth and not just what is handed to them on a plate.

  Sure, there will always be those who surf according to the Governing Body's expectations, and fill in the online form to request a bible study. You can bet on that. However, you simply can't expect everyone to fear you or fear stumbling upon material that discredits you when they haven't yet been given sufficient indoctrination. There will always be those interested in JWs who stray onto sites such as the excellent jwfacts or even neutral sites such as wikipedia, with its candid and hard-hitting portrayal of Witness beliefs and history.

  I am a believer in facts and accurate information, and I believe that (in the end) these will always trump lies and fear-mongering. If the Governing Body wants to start dancing with the "cyberspace devil" and engaging with the internet, it is more than welcome to try. However, I for one can only see it resulting in far more people seeing them for what they truly are - a damaging, deceptive and self-obsessed cult.

  Cedars
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  wha happened?

  Yea when I saw this it was apparent that it was an epic failure on the part of the GB to villify the internet. They have done so with every bit of modern science and medicine and they come out the loser everytime.
• 

  Gayle

  So, probably not too much slamming the Internet at the Conventions this summer? Now 'blessed" by the GB.

  The question: "Where else is there to go?" = "The Internet"
• 

  cedars

  wha happened - yes, it all smacks of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" to me.

  I forgot to highlight one particular sentence that stood out to me in the letter...

  It will paint an appealing picture of our preaching work, branch offices, Kingdom Halls, and conventions.

  Here the Society betrays the real reason for the changes... they are fighting a losing PR battle and need to "spin" the JW lifestyle in a more positive light to bring in more recruits. Otherwise, how could one paint anything other than an appealing picture of witness activities?? If it's all so good, then what's not to like?

  Cedars
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  Conan The Barbarian

  I think that the reason for this move by the WTS is to reduce and ultimately eliminate their printing operation. They will make more and more literature available for free download. This will save them the printing and shipping costs. With the great emergence and use of tablet computers in the western world, a witness can put almost all of the material studied/used every week on a tablet. No more carrying books to the meeting. They can web-base the Watchtower Library and ultimately dispense with the production of the CDROM version while they are at it. They can metatag the site to death so it comes up first in Google results, or with all the hits they are getting daily, sell some adspace and make some money (just joking). The contributions to the worldwide work will cover things nicely with diminishing printing and shipping costs. It's all about the money, honey.

  I agree that the battle to keep the R&F off the internet has been lost. The WTS has accepted this and wants a strong internet presence now. This also allows the WTS to distribute literature in parts of the world where the work is under ban. No more smuggling. The strong web presence could also be a preperation for "persecution" taking place. No more need for central meetings. You can get the literature that you want from the internet.

  In many Congregations, a person can call in to a telephone conferencing center and listen to the Meetings if they so desire. The WTS Website allows access to digital versions (print and audio) of much of the literature. If you are not that concrened with "associating" before/after the Meetings, all a publisher has to do is show-up for FS. They can either drop a check in the Contribution Box while there for service, or mail one in. You are good to go.

  Was life just made a little bit simpler?
• 

  wallsofjericho

  I am sure a bunch of actuaries have crunched the numbers and spit out a positive net gain of converts as a result of increasing the internet exposure of the WTS.

  The reality is that the internet will in fact educate many to steer clear of the BOrg, yet at the same time it is possible (and statistically likely) that more than that number will actually get sucked into the brain-washing process by JW.org.

  If the WTS can get actual R&F J-dubs at the door of the internet interested one (IIO) as fast as possible, they can then "encourage" the IIO to just get their info from them and to come to the KH for love bombing.

  I can only hope that the life span of this growth is minimal and, like growth in Japan into the 90's, will hit a saturation point. After which these IIO's may partake of the many tweets and blogs educating people about the truth behind the WTS and begin a decline in the internet conversion rates

  CTB - I agree about reducing cost by moving to digital media. But then again, didn't we all see this coming years ago? I remember being shocked that god's true organization actually had a website! (about 18 years ago I learned of it) To this day, there are many older J-dubs that look at you like your crazy if you say "jw.org"
  it is even hard for them at this day and age to grasp that yes, the WTS has a website. The obvious reason for the disbeleif is in fact the years of demonizing the internet - similar to demonizing the UN and then becoming an NGO.

  We all know the WTS moves slowly. online forums have been predicting ths for as long as the WTS has had a dot org. Give it a few years yet and we'll be dowloading and printing our own KM's, WT study articles, oral review questions and convention programs.

  woj
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  Gayle

  Maybe the WTS will use advertising like, car leasing, book bag companies, travel, computers, and ipod, etc on their site. They could have an agreement for the companies to pay to,,I mean, give 'donations' from their company to the WTS?
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  metatron

  You can call it streamlining or whatever you want. The fact is they are downsizing themselves out of business.

  What revenue do they get? Some inheritance cash, some assembly contributions (if they recover expenses) and some WWW donations. If the friends are closing their wallets now, what will happen when the mags are downsized? Gilead School fades away, Brooklyn gets sold, Bethelites get dumped.....

  This looks like a death spiral. I would look to observe more signs of financial trouble in relation to the assemblies. Maybe they get cut next. Clearly, they've been trying to cheapen the locations, as with using existing assembly halls for district assemblies.

  How much of a HQ staff will they need for website work and no printing or missionaries? What business will they be in - or have?

  metatron
• 

  breakfast of champions

  You can call it streamlining or whatever you want. The fact is they are downsizing themselves out of business

  This is absolutely the case. I agree 100%

  CEDARS - you seem to have a knack for getting people here mobilized - is there any way we can make sure sites like this, freeminds and jwfacts get to the top of a google search page? The society already made it easier my combining three sites into one - more room on the page for us.
• 

  sir82

  What business will they be in - or have?

  1) Real estate

  a) Buy land out in the boondocks

  b) Build Kingdom Halls / Assembly Halls

  c) Wait for "worldly" infrastructure to catch up, which increases the value of surrounding real estate

  d) Suddenly determine Kingdom Hall / assembly Hall is "outdated"

  e) Sell Kingdom Hall / Assembly Hall

  f) Loop back up to (a)

  2) Running assemblies & conventions with heavy & frequent reminders to contribute (phantom "deficits").

  Literature has been a "loss leader" for the past 20 years, ever since the "donation basis" began.