My guess is they're probably trying to do better at retention. It's easier to fade, leave or slack off than try to keep up the hamster routine. The more they water down and go mainstream the better chances they have at keeping members and preserving the money stream. The "just around the corner' bit is losing credibility.
Cutting of BS following WT plan: No more personal study or research!
by WingCommander 27 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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sacolton
If they are so worried about retention why wait eight months before this takes effect? It should be immediate!
"Starting in May, we will dissolve home book studies and combine the spiritual banquet on Thursday nights."
There. Simple.
Why wait?
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Burger Time
Based on Franz's book and how the Governing Body operates I doubt it's nearly as sinister or dramatic as many on here would just love it to be. I am more in line with the loss of elders and MS due to high stress, so something had to be done. The Monday meeting is the easiest meeting for most people to miss, it's just not viewed as important. Also as was brought up in another thread many are going to the Saturday morning meetings because it's just that much easier. Until I see actual proof of some evil diabolic scheme to control people it's just another religion with people who think they are honestly doing the right thing.
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5go
Control, no they have control.
Money, pubs are spending more and more to get to the meetings and putting less and less in to those little boxes as they walk in the door.
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easyreader1970
Until I see actual proof of some evil diabolic scheme to control people it's just another religion with people who think they are honestly doing the right thing.
I have never held the belief that the WTBS was evil or corrupt. I just think they are severely misguided. And the people at the top are dangerously affecting the minds and hearts of people at the bottom.
There is a severe shortage of brothers due to old age and the retention problem. Our congregation has had one elder disassociate himself and a ministerial servant do the same within the past year. Their reasons were different, but both seemed to believe that the WTBS no longer held the truth for them. Those positions have not been backfilled, however.
Our congregation is very large and needs more book studies but we have nowhere near the number of brothers to fill that need. Further, we don't really even have reliable "assistants" anymore. Pretty much everyone who can conduct a study is conducting one.
So making the book study part of the other weeknight meeting makes perfect sense.
I think that the trickling away of capable brothers will cause other changes in the near future as well.
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greendawn
"I have never held the belief that the WTBS was evil or corrupt."
That is precisely what they are, evil and corrupt their bahaviour can't be explained otherwise. Thousands of families destroyed by their policies, they claim a unique appointment by God as his only reps on earth a blindingly obvious lie, they run that org like totalitarian dictators and even claim that's how the apostles run the early church, they incite JW kids not to study at university even after they gave up the false idea that the end is definitely near. Not to mention the numerous other crude doctrinal errors they teach particularly the two class system for christians (as if they are christian, I don't believe that for a moment)
Surely there is more to it than being simply misguided is a lot of design involved in their agenda. -
Poztate
The same number of elders now have to control two meetings events instead of three. The control might be tightening instead of loosening.
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Gregor
It will be interesting to hear the official reason offered.
I don't agree with the thread premise. In my considerable experience the CongBooStud in a small group was already a very tight format. Read the question, answer the question as it is stated in the body of the paragraph, then read the paragraph aloud, repeat. Among other publications there were some rather heavy ones such as Babylon the Great Has Fallen, a wild interpretation of the book of Revelation, Your Will Be Done On Earth, a really detailed examination of the book of Daniel, chock full of chronology interpretations, symbolic interpretations that brought it right into then current world affairs.
I never heard one word questioning this stuff. In fact I think the intimate setting made the indoctrination even more effective.
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BizzyBee
It can't be a control tactic because they could have easily just done away with "home" book studies and reel everyone back into the Kingdumb Hall on Monday or Tuesday nights.
Besides the logistical problems, as mentioned, of sharing a hall with other congos, they can position this "takeaway" with one hand as a provision being "given" with the other hand. Easy enough - an extra night for families to spend together, the price of gasoline, etc.
This organization is being eroded from within and since the impact of the internet that erosion is picking up speed. Every JW is a potential apostate. As somebody said, "Keep your friends close, your enemies closer." It will certainly be easier to keep an eye (and a jackboot) on everyone in the KH environment than private homes.
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SnakesInTheTower
gregor:
Read the question, answer the question as it is stated in the body of the paragraph, then read the paragraph aloud, repeat.....I never heard one word questioning this stuff.
you were never at a CBS that I conducted...I hated the "routine" way many brothers conducted...I aimed to try to get people to think..."outside the box".,...if someone raised a non-conforming question, instead of answering it right then, I would have them, and any other volunteers, research the question, so we could stay on track (since the question was not anticipated)...and then made sure to allot sufficient time at the end of the next week to discuss the question.... ...this was not that many years ago...less than 3 years ago I was an elder...
....of course, some in the BOE did not like my non-standard conducting methods....but I was chosen more than once to conduct the BS during the CO visit...and I didnt change my stripes to accomodate him....I do believe he rather liked it...I know the CO wife did....
I dont say this to pat myself on the back (<<crack>> goes my arm LOL)....I say it to let you know there were/are some of us out there who tried to make theis often tedious meeting more interesting...especially to the kids whose eyes were glazing over during the Climax studies......I tried to get people to think.....and I think this might be a small part of why this potential change is happening...still waiting for confirmation Sunday...
Snakes ()