Isn't it great how Jehovah - the guy who created the plants and then the Sun - can't seem to create small pieces of green paper with images of some dead guys on them?
It's interesting how Jehovah seems to run out of money...
Regards,
Jaymes
No more 3-day DCs starting in 2013?
by respectful_observer 162 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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God_Delusion
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sir82
When Jesus said "this generation" he apparently meant....
Well thank God that the Watchtower writers came along to tell us all the things Jeus apparently meant.
You know how tricky that ol' Jesus was - always with the double entendres, the puns, the obscure references to Fellini films...
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DesirousOfChange
I think the US "zone visit" last fall was a trial run for this type of thing.
OMG! I never thought of that!
I wondered how in the hell they were going to find the speakers for all these smaller venues for "local Dist Assm".
They'll do it will closed circuit TVs. People will go to Assm Halls and watch televised talks. At least for the "keynote" talks where they will "pipe in" from the conventions where GB or Bethel brass are speaking. How much more boring can it get?
Doc
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respectful_observer
They'll do it will closed circuit TVs. People will go to Assm Halls and watch televised talks. At least for the "keynote" talks where they will "pipe in" from the conventions where GB or Bethel brass are speaking.
............
Ugh...that would be torture. Total snooze-fest.
Anywhooo, whatever they have up their sleeve, we'll probably have to wait until January 2013 for official word. (Isn't that when "the letter" usually gets sent out? Commence the stampede to the Information Board T M so you can book the best place of the Required Recommended Lodging TM List!)
As an aside, I noticed the 2012 DC program posted on JW.org is printed in the oh-so-creative color of black. Is it actually printed in BLACK this year? And the badge cards? (I have yet to "forget" to pick mine up.) I'd laugh if it is...maybe black represents the death of the 3-day DC???
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sir82
How much more boring can it get?
For the love of God, DON'T CHALLENGE THEM!
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wasblind
When Jesus said "this generation" he apparently meant that lives of some of the anointed who witnessed the start of Jesus presence in 1914 would overlap with some of the anointed who would experience the end ... there is no need to bring up past understandings from a hazy mirror_______wannabefree
HAZY HELL, THIS MIRROR IS CLEAR AS A BELL
" When will the end of this wicked world come ?
Jesus answered: " Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heaven nor the Son, but only the Father." However he also stated : " Truly I say to you that this generation [ that was alive when " the sign " of " the last days " began it's fulfillment ] will by no means pass away until all these things occur."_______Reasoning from the Scriptures book pages 97-98
Matthew 24: 36,34 was not only qouted by the WTS but they made those additions highlighted in black
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Finkelstein
I'm not too sure the WTS. is running out of money, being that there are still large branches posting large sums stalked up in surplus.
I'm more assuming that the leaders such as GB are realizing the WTS. has been posturing its core doctrines on false bible teachings
for many years and that they are now reaching the end of their rope.
The WTS. might eventually be thrown in the garbage in the near future, mind you not the money the organization has absorbed out
of people through coercion and exploitation.
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Anony Mous
@Finkelstein:
They do indeed have a large surplus but they are racing through it pretty quickly. I think the big wigs may have noticed that the gig is up and trying to maximize their personal portfolio before retiring.
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cedars
Finkelstein
I'm not too sure the WTS. is running out of money, being that there are still large branches posting large sums stalked up in surplus.
It still HAS money, but less of it than in previous years. There are still big branches with large sums of revenue, but that revenue isn't what it once was. The reason is that growth is slowing down in developed lands, and continuing or increasing in poorer countries. This is an unsustainable financial model, because the Society is facing greater costs to support the growth in poorer lands where the local publishers can't contribute much, and is paying for this with an ever dwindling moneypot from the wealthier countries, with which it must ALSO pay for the printing and building work etc in these wealthy lands. It's a vicious circle.
The Society aren't stupid, and if they see they're not making as much money as before they'll do what any financially-prudent organization will do, and downsize to a level where the infrastructure (i.e. branches, printing commitments etc) are sustainable for the level of donations being received. This is precisely what they've been doing since 2005.
I don't believe the Society are in serious financial peril YET, but the reduction in branches and other cost-cutting measures strike me as clear evidence that they are being forced to be more "astute" in how they spend their revenues. Throw in recent developments such as the Conti verdict and the inevitable string of multi-million dollar lawsuits that will follow from similar victims of molesters, and the outlook for the Watch Tower is altogether more grim.
I personally think we're now in what I like to call "deckchair time" where the Society has entered its "end game" and we can just sit back and watch the ship slowly sink. It may be wishful thinking, but with all the noises coming out of the organization at the moment, I feel it may well be time to sit back and watch the spectacle unfold, whilst still doing whatever we can to make it happen a little quicker.
After all, in their minds, their ship is unsinkable and they have God on their side, so they will therefore recover from whatever "Satan" can throw at them.
We have the truth on our side, and we know that the Watch Tower Society is just another corrupt money-making cult whose best days are behind it, and which is now living on borrowed time.
Cedars
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dozy
Certainly in the UK there is a strong trend away from outdoor conventions - the feeling amongst the higher-ups is that the days of freezing and / or getting soaked in an outdoor arena is coming to an end. Existing stadium contracts are not being renewed & assembly halls & indoor arenas are being used as much as possible. I've heard the rumours regarding the end of 3 day assemblies as well - I guess a move to 2 day conventions would make sense - the Friday attendance figures are pretty low in any case.
If this is the case then I guess the WTBTS will be doing what I have suggested for many years - scrapping the baptism so that it would only be at 2 assemblies a year. It is getting seriously embarrassing to have no-one or a couple of kids getting baptised at an assembly. Hardly worth turning the heating on for the pool. I went to one baptism where we had hired a commercial 25 metre swimming pool and one person was getting baptised. There were a couple of pool lifeguards in attendance & you could see them thinking what on earth was the point of the exercise.
For those of us brought up in the UK at places like Twickenham & Murrayfield it is quite sad. There wasn't really anything like those days. Sad for an organisation that so trumpeted the huge conventions at Yankee Stadium & the Polo grounds as a sign of "Jehovah's blessing". Just another indication of an organisation in serious long term decline. Will the last one to leave please switch off the lights.....
