This is an elaboration of a comment I made on Gills post about the demise of JW'S as the years pass. Gill suggested that humans have survived turmoil in the past. But our world is different. Loners and small groups can't survive. Strong communities survive. By strong I mean they have to have a clear line of authority. They must be committed to an ideal. The word religion means to bind together. That is the cultural/evolutionary function of religion. What are Jehovah's Witnesses. They are a group that believes that when the world system breaks down that deliverance is close. This is essential to survival. Groups fall apart if they don't feel a solution is imminent. They are a world-wide network with an almost military discipline when it comes to following orders. They believe in self-sacrifice. The blood doctrine has no basis in the scripture but it is the perfect tool for cementing loyalty by making everyone get used to taking a virtual death-oath of obedience. They even have a kind of justice system - disfellowshipping etc. - to maintain order. The organization has all the marks of a structure that has been engineered (culture-formed) by some unseen entity/entities (aliens or angels whatever you want to call them). They have not just been about numbers. Yes they keep track of growth but they could be a larger organization if they were more flexible and tolerant. As you know a small disciplined army can defend itself better than a large undisciplined mass. All of the wacky doctrines are mostly fences to draw a clear boundary. It is a very selective boundary. Semi-permeable - flexible enough to allow growth but not rigid enough to cause suffocation. Doctrine is where most people make the mistake. Doctrine is not important. What IS important is the structure. You can't develop a survival organization over night. It takes a long time to weave the tapestry of a tight-knit association. You need connections between people over time. You need a shared understanding of authority. You need an organization that is international in scope. It easily takes 120 years to produce a survival group of 6 million. Central to this has been the theme that "the end is coming" . False dates were essential to accomplishing this. No one is going to make the sacrifices necessary if they don't think their immediate survival is at stake. Why do I say that there are some unseen entities involved? Because there never was a master plan to the organization. They have had only one idea which was also shared by the early Christians - Surviving the end of this World (arrangement). So it is easy to be short sighted. It is easy to point out the errors in doctrine and prophecy. But if you focus on THAT you will miss a clear view of just exactly what has been accomplished - a world wide organization separate from loyalty to any earthly government.
JW's Are The Key to Survival
by proplog2 34 Replies latest watchtower bible
-
-
proplog2
Sorry here is reformatted version:
This is an elaboration of a comment I made on Gills post
about the demise of JW'S as the years pass. Gill suggested
that humans have survived turmoil in the past.
But our world is different.
Loners and small groups can't survive.
Strong communities survive.
By strong I mean they have to have a clear line of authority.
They must be committed to an ideal.
The word religion means to bind together.
That is the cultural/evolutionary function of religion.
What are Jehovah's Witnesses?
They are a group that believes that when the world
system breaks down that deliverance is close.
This is essential to survival.
Groups fall apart if they don't feel a solution is imminent.
They are a world-wide network with an almost military discipline
when it comes to following orders.
They believe in self-sacrifice. The blood doctrine has no basis in the scripture
but it is the perfect tool for cementing loyalty
by making everyone get used to taking a virtual death-oath of obedience.
They even have a kind of justice system - disfellowshipping etc. - to maintain order.
The organization has all the marks of a structure that has been
engineered (culture-formed) by some unseen entity/entities
(aliens or angels whatever you want to call them).
They have not just been about numbers.
Yes they keep track of growth but they could be a larger organization
if they were more flexible and tolerant.
As you know a small disciplined army can defend itself
better than a large undisciplined mass.
All of the wacky doctrines are mostly fences to draw a clear boundary.
It is a very selective boundary, but it is semi-permeable - flexible enough
to allow growth but not rigid enough to cause suffocation.
Doctrine is where most people make the mistake.
Doctrine is not important. What IS important is the structure.
You can't develop a survival organization over night.
It takes a long time to weave the tapestry of a tight-knit association.
You need connections and trust between people over time.
You need a shared understanding of authority and goals.
You need an organization that is international in scope
because upheaval often means re-location.
It easily takes 120 years to produce a survival group of 6 million.
Central to this has been the theme that "the end is coming" .
False dates were essential to accomplishing this.
No one is going to make the sacrifices necessary if they don't
think their immediate survival is at stake.
Why do I say that there are some unseen entities involved?
Because there never was a master plan to the organization.
They have had only one idea which was also shared by the early Christians
- Surviving the end of this World (arrangement).
So it is easy to be short sighted. It is easy to point out
the errors in doctrine and prophecy.
But if you focus on THAT you will miss a clear view of
just exactly what has been accomplished
- a world wide organization separate from loyalty to any earthly government. -
nvrgnbk
You make many fascinating and insightful points, proplog2.
Are you suggesting that we should go back, for our survival?
-
Awakened07
If the "shit really hits the fan" in the future, so much so that Witnesses globally lose contact with 'Mother', I think they will run around like headless chicken like all the rest. With no direct guidance from the org., I don't think they'll know what to do. They will most likely gather in smaller groups, yes (book study groups), but families and friends that are not JWs will do the same. I don't see why non-JW individuals couldn't make it just fine under such circumstances either. The world would under the circumstances we're probably talking about become an anarchy, so large quantities of the average population may not follow their own government either (depending somewhat on the course of action of the government in the various countries) if such a situation arose.
It would be nice if you would say B when you've said A, by the way; "unseen entities"? Are you talking about angels, aliens, secret brotherhood, what? If they are 'the key to survival', do you mean they are the only key, and do you suggest we should join them for this reason? Or do you mean they - among many similar groups - have the key to survival? What exactly are you "seeing" in the future?
-
tula
You can't develop a survival organization over night.
So, when have they used survival trining skills to put a plan of operation into effect? Have they ever given anyone the security of knowing a concrete plan for disaster has been worked out? Why don't they have a dry run to be prepared?
You need an organization that is international in scope
because upheaval often means re-location.Have there been any plans made should any disaster happen that requires re-location? After Katrina, did the wbts help their own? I can tell you first hand that anyone sending checks to wbts for katrina relief had those checks returned to them and told do not put on the check what it is for...wbts decides how best to use the money . Basically, you cannot tell them to earmark it for a certain cause. But back to topic....how did wbts show that they are a "survival organization" during Katrina? What methods of implementing relocation/aid were used to help Katrina victims?
It easily takes 120 years to produce a survival group of 6 million.
Please give us a point of reference to substantiate this comment.
False dates were essential to accomplishing this.
So lying is permissable as a means to accomplish an end. Fooling people and lying to them is for their own good. Credibility has no moral value.
Central to this has been the theme that "the end is coming" . No one is going to make the sacrifices necessary if they don't think their immediate survival is at stake.
They teach that serving Jah cannot be whole hearted if your reasons for doing so are only for selfish survival.
-
Homerovah the Almighty
JWS are selfish self destructing bigots who do nothing for the betterment of mankind and hold steadfast apathetic viewpoints to humanity
Grievously poisoned minds who are mind controlled to sell more poison to the population in a attempt to create power for a handful of corrupt men !
-
Honesty
JW's in Romania are a good example of what happens when 'Mother' is no longer allowed to visit.
-
zack
JW's eat their young when they turn from the Org. What more selfish and destructive behavior is there than that? Besides, if I follow the logic of the beleiver, what saves them is not
their structure, it is divine intervention. And as was said before, elder bodies can't paint the bathrooms in the Hall without a directive from Mother. How will they ever get along without
her? They won't.
-
proplog2
Nvrgnbk:
You ask: "Are you suggesting that we should go back, for our survival?"
I suggest keeping your options open. If something resembling the kind
of turmoil suggested in Daniel & Revelation occurs it may be time to reconnect.
Survival would be the ONLY reason for going back.
There even seems to be some references to people who survive by the skin of their teeth.
According to Matthew 24:15 the event that signals the impending Great Tribulation
is "the disgusting thing causing desolation standing in a holy place.
That refers to Daniel 11:31. And right after that Daniel says: (NIV)
32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant,
but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
33 "Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will
fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.
34 When they fall, they will receive a little help,
and many who are not sincere will join them.
35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined,
purified and made spotless until the time of the end,
for it will still come at the appointed time.
The people who know their God implies an organization of people
very close in their worship of their God. And in contrast to the
Watchtower the door is never absolutely closed otherwise the "not sincere"
ones would not be able to join.
This seems to be the lesson of Matthew 20 where those that work the 11th
hour get the same pay as those who worked in the heat of the day. -
nvrgnbk
What you are suggesting really is interesting, proplog2.
It is especially so, because it's something my father( elder/ pioneer) keeps bringing up in our conversations.
He says that with what is "coming"( global catastrophe), a network will be needed to survive, and the JW "brotherhood" is just that.