A New Breed Of JW Emerging?

by Englishman 63 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  GermanXJW

  There are hardly any newcomers from the outside. So the new JW are JWs children. I observe that the children of hardliners are either hardliners themselves (but on a lower level) or they leave because of the pressure.

  Children of JW that are only JW for social reasons are the ones you describe. They either leave or never get baptizes or they copy their parents stance.

  But the WTS is getting more maintream. They see that the end does not come and now they are looking for their place in human society. Show must go on. That's why they look for recognition from governments, UNO and others.

  I think the one's with problems to cope with this are the hardliners. Those who just stay for social reasons don't really care.

  So, the conflict between hardliners and reformers keeps on. But I think some hardliners could become XJW because the Society is getting too liberal to them.
• 

  LovesDubs

  No Foo...Im an apostate...go check your little category definitions again :)
• 

  Room 215

  Hi Englishman, et al.
  This is an important post, one that deserves to be brought to the top. There's no question that the WTS is creeping toward the mainstream, with the rank and file at the vanguard -- not militantly but steadily.
  Even if they don't articulate it well, one senses an exasperation among even the most loyal JWs a yearning for lessened dogmatism, more autonomy to the local congregations and more of a ``comfort zone'' or ``breathing room'' wherein a Christian is left to make major decisions on his own, based on his conscience.
• 

  Englishman

  Room 215,

  I agree, there is certainly much less urgency than there was previously. True, the WTC disaster will have upped the meeting attendances temporarily as the frightened umperty-jumps scurry back, but even these ones will soom be back a-lurking, I expect that the attendances are already dropping back to normal levels.

  The thing is that, once the urgency has gone, then people have more time to make considered decisions. In my time all was rush and panic, which, when you thing about it, is not how the Bible describes the Creator.

  Englishman.

  Nostalgia isn't what it used to be....
• 

  Xena

  Great observation Englishman! I spend a lot of time with my neice (21) and nephew (19) who are JW's and have noticed a trend with them and their friends. They go to the meetings and (lol) drag out into service, but they are mostly paying lip service to the org. In speaking with them I find they tend to believe the basic doctrine of the JW's but feel they are to restrictive. They also feel comfortable doing what they feel is right for them as long as they continue to believe in Jehovah and attend the meetings.

  They still continue to do what they want and the interesting part is that when they get caught they only get a slight slap on the wrist for things that 10 years ago would have gotten them d/f or at the least publically reproved.

  Will be interesting to see what the next few years bring....

  Just as a side note, personally I believe you are going to see them letting up on the B-day issue. I already heard from one pioneer sister that at their "school" they were told that it was ok to celebrate b-days as long as you kept it small and didn't let it get around...
• 

  Room 215

  Xena,
  What you're seeing is exactly what we're talking about here. Increasingly, JW parents quietly doing the B-day thing, allowing their kids to go to High School dances, play sports, etc.
  The B-day thing is another issue that exasperates many liberal-minded JWs who view it as nothing more than the Society forcing them to ``be different just for being differnet's sake'' to attract attention, and with a real solid Scriptural foundation; so they ignore the injunction.
• 

  wannahelp

  Sounds like a kinder gentler JW..

  Good, maybe they really are starting to listen to Jehovah..
• 

  Englishman

  Room 215,

  Absolutely right, I remember when they suddenly decided it was OK for a couple to celebrate their wedding anniversary. That must have been around 1970, it was great to see couples actually going out to restaurants to celebrate an event that had previously been considered to be verboten.

  Englishman.

  Nostalgia isn't what it used to be....
• 

  Xena

  My "hardline" JW sis refuses to celebrate other people's anniversaries...not good to focus to much attention on anyone, you know. Funny though she doesn't mind RECEIVING presents on her anniversary, just refuses to give anything or even acknowlege other peoples...can you say CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP
• 

  SixofNine

  cheep, cheep, cheep. It's superman. It's a plane. No, it's a bird. Well, I have a bird anyway.

  That b-day comment at pioneer school is pretty radical/exciting. That is a major mainstreaming. Funny how they quietly slip it in. Funnier how if they did it honestly, many, many oldtimers would see the truth and quit the troof.