Ditching the Book Study. Is it just a Buy Now, Pay Later option for the WT?

by nicolaou 24 Replies latest jw friends

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  nicolaou

  It's unconfirmed and it may be nothing more than a rumour but it seems that the Congregation Book Study may be about to see it's demise. I think this could have a very positive effect as far as the Watchtower is concerned for quite a few years.

  The mood will be lifted. There will be a whole new evening of freedom and the brothers will be happy for it, don't underestimate the goodwill this will generate. Attendance at the remaining two meetings may increase a little as might field service hours. The novelty value of not going to the meeting on Tuesday night will last for years! (How long was it after you stopped going that you forgot it was a meeting night?)

  What will the congregation be thinking if this is announced at the Kingdom Hall? The teens and twenties will be thinking; "Great! We can go to that gig/football match/party." The 30-40 year olds will be thinking "Great! A night off from the kids, we can snuggle up in front of a movie or get some friends round for a drink." Perhaps only the old timers will have some reservations about seeing the Society atrophy in this way - but most of them will also be grateful for the break.

  But. If these rumours are true, the Watchtower Society is about to relax its strangling, choke hold over its members. BIG MISTAKE GUYS! Attrition like this can almost never be reversed, what will you do in twenty or thirty years time when the old apathy, malaise and stifled expectations have once again caused the brothers to 'stall'?

  All in all I think this is a clever, if obvious, move by the Watchtower. But it's a 'Buy Now, Pay Later' option and the pain is yet to come.
• 

  oompa

  This was because there are nearly no contributions on the BS night! Now cutting back on the ministry would make membership soar....oompa
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  jwfacts

  Interesting, if it is not what is about to happen, at least it should be considered. It was certainly the meeting that showed to me more than any how idiotic being JW was. It was also on Tuesdays, when most of my school events were, so I even hated it as a child.

  However, I have read that for brainwashing to be most effective you need at least 3 sessions a week in order to keep the information foremost in ones mind. Less meetings a week and less hours means more time for the Witness mind to wander and wonder, and to allow thinking beyond the pages of the prescribed readings is not good for high control groups.
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  WTWizard

  I hope they end up with a huge balloon payment to pay, and much sooner than they thought. I would like people to start independently studying the Bible, with independent sources, on Tuesday nights in lieu of going to the Kingdumb Hells that night. Hopefully, they are going to end up seeing a lot more demand for those S-77 forms very soon.

  A LOT more.
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  nicolaou

  Less meetings a week and less hours means more time for the Witness mind to wander and wonder, and to allow thinking beyond the pages of the prescribed readings is not good for high control groups.

  Spot on. I'd be interested to know your reference regarding brainwashing jwfacts but of course, you are correct. The Watchtower have just removed 20% of the time spent in reinforcing their indoctrination and control. And it was the intense 20% at that!

  Long term this is a mistake for the Watchtower.
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  SnakesInTheTower

  WT Wizard:

  Hopefully, they are going to end up seeing a lot more demand for those S-77 forms very soon.

  "Would the last one left, submit an S-77 for himself and turn out the lights, secure the KH and lock the door behind you? Send us the KH key and we will sell the KH for you, contributing the funds to the Worldwide Pedophile Fund for future settlements. Thank you in advance your brothers...... Watchtower Bible and Tract Society"

  Snakes ()
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  outofthebox

  Maybe the reason is the low attendance to that meeting. They can keep tabs better this way. Or maybe they know I am offering the people in my study group a different food!
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  besty

  You miss one meeting, then you miss another meeting, then pretty much you don't miss the meetings at all....:-)

  Agreed Mike - BNPL....good description...and it applies to all other 'reduce the load' type concessions.

  I for one have been of the opinion that the WTS would get more hardline in their approach - I may have to modify that to include some more carrot :-)

  So perhaps the new formula is less field service + less meetings + less intellectual demands, but more of don't do this, don't do that, and definitely don't do any of that....

  Perhaps they are moulding their product to suit a changing customer base. Discuss.
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  journey-on

  I really believe the Society has everything figured out, all the changes timed down to a fine science.

  With the change in the generation doctrine, more and more people are bound to be asking themselves if it is all worth it.

  I haven't been an active witness since my children were very young, but I can just imagine how hard it is on modern-day working men

  and women with small children on Tues. nights.....rush home from work in horrendous traffic, do dinner, make sure the kids have their homework

  done, get everybody cleaned up and ready, and rush off to some boring mind-numbing meeting. Maybe the Society is finally waking up to the

  fact that three days per week is TOO MUCH!!! No wonder the Borg is full of stressed-out, depressed, mentally exhausted, discouraged people!
• 

  St-Jacques

  Question... is this merger between bookstudy and TMS/Service Meeting going to change the length from 1.45 hours to something like 2.45? Or did they change the TMS/Service Meeting in my absence and I didn't notice?