Is the Watchtower happy being stagnant?

by RULES & REGULATIONS 21 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  RULES & REGULATIONS

  stag·nant
  adj.

  1. Not moving or flowing; motionless.
  2. Foul or stale from standing: stagnant ponds.
  3. Showing little or no sign of activity or advancement; not developing or progressing; inactive: a stagnant economy

  The Sunday talks are copy and paste .The Watchtower study is the same.Ask the preprinted questions and answer.The Ministry School is reading the same parts of the Bible.The Service program has the same dull presentations.The Book Study has some books being read 3 - 4 times.

  Is the Watchtower Society happy with being stagnant and just going thru the motions? Do you think that as long as books,magazines,donations and property is bought and sold,they will make no effert to advance?
• 

  Zico

  I don't know if they're happy about being stagnant, I think it has more to do with them being afraid of change.
• 

  monkeyshine

  You have to understand, the repetition is what dulls their minds and keeps the points fresh. That repetition is keeping them there.

  How often did Hitler drive home the same points?

  The best way to remember something is to hear it over and over and over...

  It's called programming.
• 

  kid-A

  A very interesting topic.

  I agree with Monkeyshine. Brainwashing is an active process, hence, what appears as stagnation to us, may in fact be a very dynamic process of constant, droning repetition of the same propaganda.

  I would use the analogy of a patient under general anesthesia (the average dub) with the anesthesiologist (WTS) needing to constantly and actively monitor their "patients" and titrate the dosage of anesthetic accordingly. It works remarkably well.
• 

  fullofdoubtnow

  I have to agree with other posters, it is the repetitive stuff that keeps people there. Being constantly reminded of what is expected of you if you are to get into paradise is a way of guarnteeing that the r&f keep doing what they're told.

  Apart from that, they have nothing new to say anyway
• 

  plmkrzy

  When ever I pick up a WT and start to read the repetitive brainwashing techniques jump right out and slap me in the face. Perhaps they are not aware of it themselves?Insert spooky background music.
• 

  james_woods

  I think they are probably gun-shy on exposing very much "new light" nowadays - look at some of the recent messes:

  Generation does not really mean generation anymore.

  1975 was a figment of imagination on the part of unruly publishers.

  Alternative service is now OK - (sorry about that, all you guys who did prison time before we changed our minds).

  UN is now a pretty good bunch of helpful people.

  Creative days no longer 7000 years.

  Need a blood transfusion? No problemo - just fractionate it into components parts and apply separately.

  _________

  I would be a little hesitant to make up some "new light" as well, if I had that stuff on my track record.

  Of course, one notable exception was that little gem spouted forth about Math 24:14 being already fulfilled - but it appears they are already in denial that it got said.
• 

  monkeyshine

  Nowadays people will say to me, "You never gave it a chance."

  But I tell 'em 18 years of the same meeting and info was enough. I got the jist I think.
• 

  Zico

  The rank & file aren't exactly zealous at the moment though, which I think is linked to how stagnant and repetitive everything is.
  
  I think the WT would love to do something different that would inspire them to be like the pre-75 Dubs, but they don't know what to do other than 'tract campaigns' which don't work very well.
• 

  New Worldly Translation

  I agree with James Woods that the WBTS is reticent of bringing out new light or saying anything that could engender questions or debate. So they have to rehash the mundane drivel they've ingrained into the JW consciousness over the years.

  The average JW seems quite happy with the satus quo though. They're like automatons going through the meeting - field service - meeting - field service routine until the big A comes and ushers in their wonderful new life or puts them out of their misery.