by OnTheWayOut 50 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Mainstreaming in small increments,like the Mormons, may work over time,but do they have time ? With 200 a day leaving ?
200 a day isn't a lot, it would take about 98 years for everyone to leave a 7million strong organisation at the rate of 200 a day.
I think dozy nailed it.
The religion must mainstream or die. Like any corporation, it must adapt its policies to a changing world, or risk obsolescence.
Okay, it's not appear likely to happen, not right now. But it's possible. No one thought the Mormons would abandon some of their peculiar doctrines (e.g., polygamy) either, but when their existence was threatened by the U.S. government they got a revelation and conformed as much as they had to.
I'm just saying events could conspire to force the dubs to adopt a more mainstream appearance, by dropping some of their more controversial teachings - or moving them underground much like the Mormons have done. The LDS has two faces, one for public consumption (see "The Osmonds") and one for members only (see "The Temple").
I suspect dub leadership will someday see a need to get to that point as quickly as possible.
It won't really change anything. But it will look different.
My thought on this TODAY is that no. It can't ever be a mainstream religion. The only reason they have survived this long is by setting themselves apart as a peculiar kind of people. Being different is the only attraction, frankly. Want to feel special, set apart? Be a JW.
Low self esteem NEEDs to feel superior. What would the do without it?
I don’t think so. The Witnesses will always focus on the “end”. It is one factor they use for motivation.
Focusing on the end and relying on god to fix everything does awful things to people. It shortens their perspective and seems to limit the motivation to make things better. If one thinks the end is coming soon and god will usher in a paradise, then that person typically does not (1) educate himself, (2) take care of the earth, (3) build businesses and relationships that last a lifetime and (4) live life in a way that strives to make things better now. I think this list could go on and on...
A key difference between Mormons and Witnesses is – while both think it is the time of the end – is that the Mormons strive to be successful in this life because success in this life carries on to the next life. It lengthens their perspective. The results of a long term perspective are the exact opposite of that which are typical for Witnesses- businesses are built for the long term, they focus on education and live life based on good deeds that make things better now. I realize that the motive for doing such things may not be altruistic, but the results seem to make Mormonism more palatable to people in general.
A change in perspective that leads to changing the current mindset and behaviors of typical Witnesses would be so profound that I don’t think it could be done in even a generation (a real generation).
zarco
A key difference between Mormons and Witnesses is – while both think it is the time of the end – is that the Mormons strive to be successful in this life because success in this life carries on to the next life. It lengthens their perspective.
That's a good point.
Does the 'Mainstream or Die' mantra apply to Islam?
If not, why should it necessarily apply to WT?
Does the 'Mainstream or Die' mantra apply to Islam?
If not, why should it necessarily apply to WT?
It does, the death comes a little later with the WT at "armageddon", not jihad.
All the best,
Stephen
I remember the Time magazine articles right after the Ray Franz episodes.
One prominent religious authority said that they probably would drift toward mainstream out of necessity - (probably happening now just bit by bit) -
but - GET THIS - he said "They will probably have to change their NAME". He cited the "Mormons" who offically became the JCLS. I think his point was that there is so much bad feeling built up over the years by the weird "Jehovah's Witnesses" that it will have to be swept under the rug to create a religion with any legitimate general appeal.
Of course, I doubt that he had any idea of the kind of name fetish that these people have over the precious (and erroneous) "Jehovah".
I'm just saying events could conspire to force the dubs to adopt a more mainstream appearance, by dropping some of their more controversial teachings - or moving them underground much like the Mormons have done.
I agree - we'e just one Supreme Court ruling, or new tax law, away from "new light" on any number of doctrines!
