Is the FDS losing control?

by Hermano 39 Replies latest jw friends

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  Hermano

  I believe there is growing unrest amongst JWs. They may not be very cohesive or organized, but the rigorous demands for obedience coming from the leadership and the unbending, never ending list of rules, not to mention the end that has been ever so-close for so long yet never climaxes, has a lot of JWs frustrated.

  Don't get me wrong. I know there are some JWs that will hang in there no matter what they're told to do and will obey without question. But a great many of them are not falling for it. They havent forgotten the Boreans who did not ACCEPT WITHOUT QUESTION the things they heard. On the contrary, they “carefully [examined] the Scriptures daily as to whether these things [they were learning] were so.”—Acts 17:11.

  Just one example of this, how many times have JWs been told NOT to put up their own websites because there's already and official Jehovah's Witness website? And yet there are some JWs that go ahead and do it anyway.

  Those of you that still go to meetings or have contact with active JWs, what ways have you noticed JWs not obeying what they're told? I look forward to your observations.
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  dontplaceliterature

  I love that you are such a wishful thinker.
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  Hermano

  Gotta have hope, dontplaceliterature.
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  dontplaceliterature
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  JWdaughter

  Well, its a nice thought. Everyone sees hope in the little steps, but the problem is, it will take a lot of Candace Conti's to even begin to touch the WT so far as $$'s concened. They have billions and billions. 28 million is a drop in the proverbial bucket, not to mention, the are going to fight tooth and nail about giving up one cent.

  They have millions of followers who they raised from birth to swallow their crap. They beguile in new ones(ok, there is good evidence that that is becoming less successful in many places, but in others, they are still growing).

  Others have stated this and I will repeat it, their next step is to encourage a high birth rate in JWs. That is the only way they can even maintain their membership #'s and maybe grow.

  I wish the legal organization would just implode, but unless that guy who was gonna bring down the WT in 12 mos has some other plan up his sleeve, I think we are kind of stuck with them.
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  dontplaceliterature

  Chances are, that even if The Watchtower organization goes belly up, the majority of those left behind will flock to some up-and-coming cult leader with grandiose promises. They are desparate to believe in something, especially after giving up so much of their life for it.
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  breakfast of champions

  Well, we all know that the Faithful and Discreet Slave doesn't really exist, but YES, if the latest propaganda from the summer District Convention is any indication, the Governing Body feels that people are losing faith in the Slave. For the full report, see my thread here:'Thought Reform and the Psychology of the Safeguard Your Heart 2012 Convention'

  Otherwise, here are some of the highlights which emphasize the Slave. Remember, if there wasn't a problem, they wouldn't be mentioning it:

  "Avoid Testing God In Your Heart":

  -spiritual food comes only from the Faithful Slave; independent study groups are not necessary

  -God's sole channel of communication is the Faithful and Discreet Slave

  -do not view apostate propaganda which "picks at" the Slave Class

  The "Sound Drama":

  -truth is revealed progressively: expect doctrine clarification

  -only the Faithful and Discreet Slave illuminates the Scriptures for us

  -do not harbor doubts as to whether Jesus is ruling as king of his kingdom

  -the Faithful and Discreet Slave gives ample evidence that we are in the last days and that Jesus is ruling as king
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  okage

  The Witnesses I know watch rated R movies, read Twilight and occult novels, as well as play fantasy video games. They attend sporting events, socialize with worldly people about worldly interests, and wear clothes with skulls.

  Then when you mention blood transfusions or holidays, they criticize you for not obeying scripture.
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  St George of England

  Here in the UK no-one knows about the Candace Conti affair except visitors to sites such as this. I have spoken (carefully) to a couple of elders recently and neither had even seen the jw-media statement. I have never met anyone here that heard of the U.N. affair and I have never met anyone that has heard of Ray Franz.

  The overwhelming number of JWs that I know run on auto pilot. They do the same things each week without thinking, meetings, field service, prepare for next meeting.

  All the people that have left in recent years that I know have done so for sex; either youngsters not willing to wait and find a JW mate to marry, or married couples that one or both have strayed. I also know a lot that have died having been JWs for decades at least.

  It would take something really big, much bigger than the Candace Conti affair, and much closer to home, to wake up the majority of U.K. JWs.

  George
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  Hermano

  Yeah, jwdaughter, they have lots of money and with that they can buy some time. But their recruitment and retention efforts are losing steam, at least in many industrialized countries. And even encouraging a high birth rate will take since they've discouraged kids for so long.