What's next? (page 3)

Darkknight757

Half Banana you make a good point. They simply cannot dump the 1914 tale because of what Rubber Face said. There is more proof of that than proof there is wind for Gods sake!!! Why can't we see that?!!

Wind people!!!!😂😂😂

Anders Andersen

I don't remember the exact quote, but many years ago (while still in) I read a statement about cults in general being applied to JW by a sociologist:

Whenever a cult reaches a certain mass/point, it will either go mainstream or it will become even more extreme loose most of it's members.

I do remember that I mentally saved those words for future reference, just to make future me be aware of possible cult behaviour in JW land.

If the WT do not handle their current cash flow issues well, it will be the latter option.

If they manage to survive for some time, it will be the former option. In that case I could see:

no more 'we are God's only true people, everyone else follows Satan' rhetoric
1914 will fade into oblivion by not referring to it anymore
shunning becomes a matter of conscience
refusing blood becomes a matter of conscience
service hours will not be a goal anymore, or a standard by which spiritual health is measured
144.000 not literal anymore

@Finkelstein,

Afaik the 2 monitor setup is more or less mandatory now (at least in my W-Europe country.

The Searcher

The vast majority of Branch Offices are/will be viewed as surplus to requirements, and will be replaced with a Regional/Zone Office which can accommodate Remote Translation Offices.

The means to determine exactly who is contributing financially to the Corporation will have to set up, in order to guilt the non-contributors. Handing over cash will be deemed as "part of your sacred service to Jehovah."

Half banana

I'm not actually in favour of giving JW org ideas but how about this for a future business structure?

No Kingdom Hells, (assembly hells for dunking) no d2d preaching (possibly incidental stuff) instead of printing their nasty propaganda, have everything accessible on line and pay for the privilege of watching your favourite holy clowns performing on your screen. This means you can sell the KH properties and earn a mint of money for the leaders and the JW true believers can all live happy deluded lives in their own homes without bothering anyone who is not interested. Way to go JW org.

There are bound to be scriptures which show that evidently it is now God's will to do this.

Simon Templar

Here is what I can speculate on happening in the next five years. This is only for the developed world. I cant comment on the third world (where all the growth is). The developing world will get most of the attention.

1. Because of the apparent lack of qualified men, and that condition not improving, merge several congregations together. Sell any extra KHs and send the money to the Organisation.

2. Revamp the weekly meetings so that there is only a bible study meeting. It is for one hour and there is alternating Brothers doing it. The reader doesn't matter. This meeting is held on the first, third and fifth week. A canned video of one hour is presented on the second and fourth week. For areas where there is limited internet availability, they will be sent a DVD. The Congregation would have to pay for the DVD the same as they would pay for and ISP.

3. Revamp the Sunday meeting to a one hour public talk given by any Brother in good standing that can follow and outline and talk for an hour. This is given on the first, third and fifth week. A canned video talk is presented on weeks two and four. There will be no regular Watchtower study. If there is a special doctrinal matter that needs to be introduced or revised and the congregation needs to hear and understand it through the study method, a special publication will be on the website for downloading and a special meeting will be held. If the matter doesn't need to be studied, then a special video talk will be presented with a brief explanation/commentary provided by a local Brother.

3. There will be a special series of articles in the Watchtower which illustrates that Jesus spoke to people he met in the normal course of his life, not just formal door to door. This will usher in a new method of field service for the rank and file of just speaking to people that they meet using a tablet or smart phone. This will dispose of the door to door work as being a staple. You can go door to door if you want, but you only have to talk to people that you meet in your daily life. That's it. This will be done to make it easier for people to stay in the religion and do something in Field Service with all the not at homes that are experienced. No minimum hours or placements will be required. Just do it as you can.

4. The requirements for receiving an appointment will be greatly relaxed. No more minimum Field Service requirements, unbelieving children living at home are now okay, brownnosing not required, etc. The BOE will ask you if you want to serve, and if you do, they will appoint you at the next meeting. Minimum time and procedure involved.

That's about the end of my five year speculation for the moment.

sir82

I can speculate with the best of them! In no particular order:

-- Some form of tithing. Perhaps not a literal 10%, but some significant and regular "voluntary contribution" will be, if not demanded, at least strongly pressured. Proof of contribution will be required for any congregation "privileges"

-- 144,000 to be changed a symbolic number, representing "a number much smaller than the great crowd who will live on the paradise earth"

-- Regular video feed at the Kingdom Hall, replacing at least one, maybe more, Sunday talks per month

-- Regional conventions cut down to 2 days, Saturday & Sunday

-- This was speculated on a while back, I still think it sounds like too good an idea to pass up: No more COs, to be replaced by regional "super-elders" responsible for Friday - Sunday visits of 5 or 6 congregations each, 2 or 3 times a year.

OnTheWayOut

Watchtower has never managed as well as Latter Day Saints (Mormons) to appear mainstream. And you gotta hand it to them with their bicycle preachers and magic underwear.

I see Watchtower going more the way of Scientology- pretending to have a huge membership, but really being a real estate holding company with enough assets for the current leadership to stay in ivory towers.

Kingdom Halls will slowly be sold off as membership dwindles. There will be more streaming videos to reach members who don't drive across the county to the nearest K.H. and Watchtower will offer for them to make monetary donations to make up for their lack of physical presence. Print will be a thing of the past.

Lostandfound

When I was working for a couple of really big companies in the UK it was obvious that the drive and foresight of the CEO and his close team drove the company forward. This lot on the GB could not run an Ice Cream stall , who is really driving things?Is it the Helpers, the actual legally appointed directors or actually the GB

In the Ukmail order accounted for hundreds of millions of pounds annualy but now with the Internet such firms simply vanished

The really clever directors saw this coming and moved the business model online. Moving the WTs business model on line required someone with brains and initiative. The GB? I think not, who is really behind the curtain trying the steady the sinking ship, as above stable elders with depth of knowledge worked out or flat out with stress. The quality of elders today looks like smiling but no questions yes men. This will eat into congregations and many have to merge or use TVs. If I had been involved in a meeting such as today's milk and riusks the CO would have banned me for life.

TheOldHippie

Mr. Templar's third point "not just formal door to door. This will usher in a new method of field service for the rank and file of just speaking to people that they meet using a tablet or smart phone. This will dispose of the door to door work as being a staple. You can go door to door if you want, but you only have to talk to people that you meet in your daily life. That's it. This will be done to make it easier for people to stay in the religion and do something in Field Service with all the not at homes that are experienced. No minimum hours or placements will be required. Just do it as you can."

Is and has been in effect for quite some time.

joe134cd

Looking well into the future, and depending on how liable they are found to be with child abuse issues. I can see the organisation been reduced to a web site, which a few million members log into once a week.

There will be a few main Centre's dotted around the country. Where you can have physical association with other members.

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