by metatron 61 Replies latest jw friends
I wonder how many more disgruntled, out-of-work Watchtower "higher-ups", this re-shuffling will anger and hopefully cause to turn on their former masters...
It appears that they will be "laying off" even more people - or however that translates for 'slaves' - er, 'unpaid volunteers'.
"laying off" even more people
Don't you mean providing them time to full time pioneer since we are in the last days?
As the printing industry continues in the downturn, unless they continue to change the way they solicit donations from the members, it will be all about real estate (build more KHs and assembly halls, then in essence flip the properties) and reduce the costs (smaller printed magazines that can still have the same suggested donation).
Could it be that the bottom line on this is that they may be really wanting to just quit having the District Assemblies every year? And, of course, quit having any regularly scheduled assemblies that are too big for the properties that they own?
I just remembered a rather hilarious interchange at the overseers school - some trainee overseer and old Albert Schroeder. The overseer asked what the purpose was for those huge assemblies (like Yankee Stadium) in the 1950s, and if they would ever do it again. He also asked if such things were even scriptural...
Shroeder hemmed and hawed around on it, finally pontificating in a deep voice - "Well, the Bible SEEMS to indicate that Jehovahs People would gather together in GREAT NUMBERS from time to time, so perhaps the Society will do this again..."
My school partner that I was rooming with whispered to me - "Right. So, WHERE does the Bible SEEM to indicate this???"
People in this school were getting a little sick and tired of the air of superiority that Schroeder always tried to push on them.
Here in the Bay Area we started attending DC's at the Santa Clara convention center last year. This was a big change because for years we had previously always gone to the Cow Palace in San Francisco. From what I read JW's signed a 5 year deal with Santa Clara so they'll be going there through at least 2015.
so basically the WTS is a Private Equity/Investment Fund now?
AHHH...Jookbeard, the good old days of the 8 day convention...I am downright misty-eyed with nostalgia!
LOL...re: private equity!
Some ideas:
The Organization is moving to seperate the corporate Watchtower from the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses?
Historically the District Convention has been arranged by the Watchtower. Donations received were made out to "Watchtower". (Did they ever shift conventions to the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses corp?)
Conventions are not as big of money makers for the Watchtower compared to Circuit Assemblies?
As I recall before the Assembly it is estimated what the expenses will be for the assembly weekend based on the number of publishers that will be attending. During the assembly it will be announced that there is a deficit in meeting these "expenses". This is a subtle arm twisting for JW's in attendence to donate again or up their end of the day donation. Generally this will leave a surplus at the end of Sunday, which the circuit elders will be forced to donate to the Watchtower world wide work.
A thought:
Changes in recent years made the organization more blasaise. In the past the District Convention was a huge special event. I know that for some JW's it was their family's only vacation. I think they'll lose something if they just turn District Conventions into smaller assemblies.
I think this may fall into the "Pioneer hours are going to drop again", "COs are being phased out", etc. rumors.
Unlikely both...but possible, certainly not substantiated yet.
JW children can actually have a summer vacation now - who cares about missing out on the release of a cheap looking paperback book- just skip the entire two days or maybe show up at lunchtime on Sunday, get the literature and split. It's not a secret what is being released anymore--
