Welcome, sign of the times.
Your Watchtower speak is telling of your background. (quite amusing, I dont mean that in a sarcastic way)
New JWD members on the Horizon!
by Sign oTimes 50 Replies latest jw friends
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luna2
In my first congregation there was an elder's son who went to Bethel. He was there for a couple of years, left, moved to the Northwest, stopped being a dub (not sure if he was DF'd or DA'd).
It did have an impact. He never broadcast his reasons for falling away, but those of us who were questioning our involvement with the JWs certainly wondered what the hell happened at Bethel that would so turn this young man off that he would leave the org.
The more folks they let go from Bethel that thought they had a place there for life, who ignored a lot of the junk that went on there because they convinced themselves that even with all the imperfections it was still Jehohum's company, the more liklihood there is that some will open their eyes (now that they are being personally impacted), figure out that they've been duped, and let all of their dissatisfaction spew forth. I'm sure that even if its only a small percentage, it will cause ripples throughout the JW world.
I'll be a very interested observer.
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Blueblades
Even so, they are still encouraging the young ones to come to Bethel. Double - speak is the way they talk. Out of both sides of their mouth. Downsizing and still printing words for the young ones to make Bethel their career. Young ones who strive to meet the requirements, i.e pioneering , door to door service meetings etc. will be disappointed as the society will never call them to Bethel, it's a ploy to keep them in the field service.
Blueblades
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Rescripting_myself
Does anybody know if the down-sizing is being done in other countries branch offices of the borg? It's occured to me to try and contact a bethelite in my local borg's branch office whom I think could be vulnerable if they were to be kicked out.
Can someone give me a link to the thread on the downsizing?
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Nosferatu
Welcome to the board, SOT! Nice first post!
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TheListener
Gumby is right the WTS could put out an article for general consumption or a letter to the BOEs that some bethelites that were asked to leave have become haughty and should be helped. This would probably be enough to keep control in the local body of elders. But, it would seriously affect some of the ex-bethelites. If even 1% of those asked to leave bethel become disillusioned and leave it will have an effect on the organization.
The futher from bethel you travel, say CA or AZ, the more prestige a bethelite has. When you're a bethelite and you travel to NJ or CT you get extra respect and awe but nothing near the treatment you get in CA or somewhere else distant from bethel. The influence of an older bethel couple losing their faith would spread through several congregations. Why? Because at first everyone in a given area is going to want to attach themselves to the heroic returning bethelites and their possible connections.
So, if the WTS placates the ex-bethelites by informing the congregations that they should be glad to have them and make sure to listen to their years of experience - thus alienating local bodies of elders, or placates the local bodies of elders and says the ex-bethelites should listen to the brothers who've been on the front lines, thus alienating the ex-bethelites; someone is bound to lose. All power struggles have a loser.
Either scenario is bad for the WTS.
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LDH
I agree with the WT speak and the "Let's Eagerly" --that was my first thought.
SOTT, that's a heavy first post for a newbie. How long ya been lurkin?
Welcome.
Lisa
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james_woods
Welcome, Sign of the Times -
Your post makes a lot of sense to me. Even if these displaced people can whistle watchtower tunes in the dark for a while, they cannot help but really be disillusioned and that will come out in time.
We had a thread a while back on the mystery of why they would just dismantle the "bethel elder" position. Nobody had a really logical answer, as I recall. It was just something the society did to prepare for the downsize.
Now I am starting to wonder if this was not to remove the special standing of the those "bethel elders" that got sent home. That way, they could not excersize any undo influence on the outside congregations - even if they remained loyal Dubs, they could really wreak some havoc in an established body of elders! - and just think what a few of them could do if they became verbally protestant to the Societies orders!!!
James
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Dogpatch
Welcome S of T!
Some go to Bethel because they are scary bored with the rest of the organization and are seeking action/adventure at the headquarters. Tired of giving talks, going out in service, kissing up to ignorant elders and their wives. When these type leave Bethel, all kinds of insider information will go with them, and it will be talked about unto the point of disfellowshipping, at least for some. We will see some of these. They will no longer put up with the simplistic control mechanisms. Many will react with anger.
Others who were true believers or idealists will see the handwriting on the wall, as they are no longer respectful of the leadership (they have seen too much). They will be faced with hard changes as they try to get their lives together in the face of disillusionment and heartbreak over thier loss. They will need us for comfort and guidance.
We must be careful not to forget our hospitality. A kind word and a "smiley" can go a long way. :-))
Randy
Net Soup!
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enlightenedcynic
James_Woods,