Bottom Line: What's Going To Happen To The Jehovah's Witness Religion?

by minimus 30 Replies latest jw friends

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  nomoreguilt

  You have to remember one thing.....This religion started as a western religion. Western social issues have been the basis for their doctrines and teachings. The economic stature is what established the WTBTS financial holdings. Sure they may have drawn some $$$ from low income societies and third world countrie have benefited from the west. But, western cultures and accepted societal norms have influenced the WTS teachings as far as what they publish monthly.

  Now that their published prophesies have failed them, they are now going to have to adopt new principles on which they can control the influx of foriegn deciples. Everything that the WTS preaches and teaches are based on the fadish trends or our, the west, activities.

  Now, a new phenomenon has posed a greater threat than any foreign power or political despot could ever impose on the WTS. This new threat is THE INTERNET!!!!!! Information is available at the stroke the finger. How many times lately have you seen a new poster here from some remote part of the earth?? Inquiring minds WANT to know!!!

  This is the trap, and it''s going to be the downfall of the WTS. How many times does the WTS condemn the internet? They are in mortal fear of what is posted on-line. This is the information freeway and it's getting faster all the time. All you have to do is advertise an internet site with a catchy phrase and BAM!!!! People are reading......

  We here at JWD have the greatest opportunity as a group to do just THAT!!! Organize an effectual campaign to target them and they will come!!!!! HERE !!!

  My thoughts.

  NMG
• 

  Renegade

  nomoreguilt, I'd elect you for Prime Minister if you went for it. That was an awesome speech!
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  nomoreguilt

  Thank you renegade, however I am not really a political advocate. BUT!!! I do feel that something more needs to be done to put the Fxxxing fear of anarchy into the WTS!!! Just how long do THEY think that they can continue to place fear into the hearts of their followers with DEATH and DOOM by a LOVING GOD??!!! This is absolute hypocrital BULL SHIT on their part!!!

  SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE and done soon to once and for all stifle their reign of guilt on unsuspecting, honest hearted people that are only looking for a way out of what they are experiencing in life.

  I didn't mean to steal the original thread. I am enjoying a nice sunny sunday with Jack Daniels is all.

  NMG
• 

  real one

  nomoreguilt says:

  Just how long do THEY think that they can continue to place fear into the hearts of their followers with DEATH and DOOM by a LOVING GOD??!!! This is absolute hypocrital BULL SHIT on their part!!!

  I do not agree with all the doctrines of the jw, but in this respect i agree with them. i do believe that our loving God will allow many to die who reject his grace. people are being told all around the world about the gospel. they reject it and according to the Bible they will die and suffer. God will judge us all
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  wha happened?

  I think it will morph into a tighter closed religion such as the Amish. The screws will get tighter and the group will shrink but be much more of a hard core, us against them, stay away from the rest of mankind, religion. I've seen it to some degree in my limited time in that organization. 1988-2002.
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  Blueblades

  It will be around for a long time. The world headquarters will move out of the city. Real estate is the bottom line. There is plenty of property to sell off.

  Blueblades
• 

  B_Deserter

  It's tough to say where it's headed, really. The direction they take seems to depend on whoever's running the show. Right now, rumors are Jaracz is the defacto president, so I'm betting that the organization is going to take a radical turn when he dies. From reading Franz's book, not all governing body members agree on everything, and some undoubtedly hold views that would be seen as "apostate" if a rank-and-file member had them.
  
  I think the internet is going to be a factor for sure. They're definitely going to attack it increasingly in the coming years, but since they're expanding their presence on it, I don't really see an outright ban. The way witnesses are hemorrhaging people right now, I could see their numbers shrinking in about 20 years as they run out of third world countries and low-income uneducated people to mow through.
  
  One thing I don't share is the view that they're going to be gone anytime soon. That's just not a realistic expectation. Groups like Scientology thrive despite negative information about them on the internet. The mormons have been here for almost 200 years now, and JWs nearly 150. They're not small movements anymore, they're institutions. The downfall of Jehovah's Witnesses (if it ever does happen), will simply be a lack of funds. Going on the donation-only scheme really had its effect: the phasing out of hardcover books, elimination of lunch service at assemblies and conventions, subscriptions coming to the local congregations instead of individual mailings, and most recently the scaling back of Watchtower and Awake publishing. Now, there are rumors of selling the Brooklyn facility, the real estate alone worth many millions. The JWs will die a slow death as long as their sources of income disappear.
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  worf

  Alpaca,

  Every word in your comment on this thread is the same as my thoughts. And especially your comment about the "literal kool-aid".

  My siblings and I talk about that all the time, and I believe such a situation is bound to happen. We are concerned for our mother who is still "in" physically, only because of her living situation with one of my sisters, who is still a dub, but my mother is "out" mentally. Those of us in my family who are "out" feel that in the future we might have to get my mom out of her living situation in order to avoid the "literal kool-aid".

  Watchtower is definitely imploding though, even though many of those who are still "in", don't realize it yet. The full implosion could happen sooner, or it could happen later, but it will definitely happen.

  Worf
• 

  mavie

  I believe Jehovah's Witnesses will continue to grow over the next few decades. Non-english speaking nations is where the growth has happened over the past decade. Perhaps this is because global population growth is happening in non-english speaking nations. Take a look at the demographic transistion model, which seeks to explain growth rates a nation experiences.

  

  The United States has entered Stage 4, low growth. Mexico, Africa, Southeast Asia are still in Stage 2. As they transition to Stage 3 and 4 and growth slows I think we will see a similar decrease in the number of JW converts.

  What will happen when all JW converts come from Stage 4 and 5 nations? What have we seen to date? In the United States and Europe growth rates have flattened and are probably declining once you account for immigration from Stage 2 nations. The ease of access to information about the religion in these lands has stunted growth.
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  bigmouth

  "I think it will morph into a tighter closed religion such as the Amish. The screws will get tighter and the group will shrink but be much more of a hard core, us against them, stay away from the rest of mankind, religion." - wha'pen. My thoughts exactly.