by DT 48 Replies latest jw friends
The only way they can keep dubs from venturing on apostate websites is to threaten them with DF.
Write an article and come up with lame scriptures, they could easily say that visiting apostate websites is like associating with them
thus being kicked out of congr.........putting fear into their hearts and making it sound very Satanic.
They already use 1 Cor 5:10,11 for DF and 2john:10,11 for those that DA.
They can easily twist the sciptures and the sheep will follow blindly.
Every single JW I ever knew is on Facebook(all those under 35, the representation falls off sharply after that). Those who are still in, and those who are out. So I think its safe to say, in western countries, JW's have taken no notice of anti-internet sentiments from the org. They resist typing "Jehovah's Witnesses" into Google, knowing what will result. But they are interconnected with more people than ever.
funny story actually ... One old friend who has just joined Facebook sent me a message to say he is pioneering next month, and his wife is pioneering this month. But in his friends list is another guy who we were both friends with in our youth - when we were all dubs - who is now DF'ed and living a homosexual lifestyle. So thru Facebook, dubs are being reunited with their DF'ed mates and they can keep in contact with them secretly, because no one really has to know. Now if an elder caught you having lunch with your old DF'ed mate - you'd be in serious krap. But email him, and no one is the wiser. And Facebook is neutral enough that if an elder notices you have a DF'ed person in your friends list, you can say "well, he is still my brother, but I don't talk to him. So I can still call him a friend, as long as I don't talk to him. Maybe just knowing he still has friends in the org will encourage him to come back."
Either way, the dubs are doing what they have always done - try their darndest to do what makes sense, feels right and human, while still trying to please the unpleasable society. The average dub is a good person.
I feel compelled to compare the Internet with other forms of media that were either totally banned, or at least censored by the organization.
Television programs and movies for example. When movies were only available in theaters, likely they were pretty effective in controlling the R&F. When porn was available only on the front counter at Walgreens, they prob did pretty well. When cable was not available in many areas they held control.
But when these things moved into the private space of one's home - then they lost a lot of control over it. I recall one time several years before I left - I had watched the movie "Schindler's List", though it was R rated. I had watched many other R rated movies in the past in my home, but I never discussed most of them with the brothers. With this movie, I was so moved, that I felt compelled to mention it to others, including one very staunch elder. I stated that I knew it was R rated, but that I believed everyone should see it. He nodded in agreement and admitted he had seen it also. Had the theater been the only venue available for viewing it - likely he would not have risked his elder-ship over it. Perhaps I would not have risked it either. But in the privacy of our homes - we both did.
The Internet is crippling the control they exercise. It will continue to do so. Most of us cannot imagine daily life without the Internet. At some point, even the darkest crevices will be lit by it's candlepower.
They let us Apostates get a firm hold here first. That was a mistake. I would love to know the percentage of Jw's who have dared to at least lurk in the corners of one or two apostate sites for a while. I think we would be astonished. That percentile will only grow with time. The society's technical retardation will catch it in time, no doubt in my mind.
Jeff
a lot of people are using the internet and finding out the truth. when i was ready to leave the internet put the last nail in the coffin for me. then a sister i know told me one of her family members left the wts because of the internet
I wonder if the WTBTS will eventually have to give in to allowing the JW's to free use of the Internet. In the end, the Internet is the 21st century Guttenburg Press. As usual the GB is behaving as angry bishops shouting against technological advance as satanic and threatening.
It strikes me that the heyday of the JW's was between 1945-1975. They seem to want to return to a time in which people could not communicate so easily. I see that many of the older GB members are still stuck in the mid-20th century. They cannot break loose of that time period.
The future is against them UNLESS they embrace change both internal and external. Otherwise, the slow but certain extinction is coming.
I wonder if the WTBTS will eventually have to give in to allowing the JW's to free use of the Internet. In the end, the Internet is the 21st century Guttenburg Press. As usual the GB is behaving as angry bishops shouting against technological advance as satanic and threatening.
It strikes me that the heyday of the JW's was between 1945-1975. They seem to want to return to a time in which people could not communicate so easily. I see that many of the older GB members are still stuck in the mid-20th century. They cannot break loose of that time period.
The future is against them UNLESS they embrace change both internal and external. Otherwise, the slow but certain extinction is coming.
I wonder if the WTBTS will eventually have to give in to allowing the JW's to free use of the Internet.
As AK-Jeff stated, it was easier to control these things until they moved into the home.
There is nothing that states that JW's cannot watch R-rated movies (or your nation's equivalent)
nor is there nothing in writing that tells them not to use the internet. There are warnings of the
dangers and, of course, there is the appointments that will be withheld as MS or elder or pioneer.
The only clear boundaries are apostate and pornographic things are off limits. Even there, is
a flash of the breasts in a movie considered pornographic, or is it only hardcore sex and full nudity
that are pornographic in the minds of individual dubs? Is something apostate because it's
not pro-JW? How do you know the typer is a former JW? Often you don't.
Most are caring less and less about appointments. Many appointed ones are letting the stuff into
their home and not stumbling others by simply not telling them. Many JW's are still avoiding
controversial stuff on the internet, just as they avoid controversial stuff on the television or at a
show. But not all of them are doing that. A growing number of younger ones learn that the internet
is chock full of answers, so they get the answers they seek.
If they say "Don't follow the links from a search engine when you type 'Jehovah's Witnesses'" you
can bet younger ones want to see what they can find. There are computers at home, school, and
the library.
The internet is doom for WTS. Doom, I say.
Interesting thread to reflect on in light of today's big announcement.
I remember about 6-7 years ago, one CO recommended that we not only place the computer in the kitchen or living room (now an anachronism!), but to seriously consider whether it is really necessary to have the Internet at all!
Shall be interesting. . .
Thanks for bringing this BTTT BOC.
Two false prediction on one thread - OBVES being the most hilarious.
