The Society, having lost its younger generation, now appears to be doing its darndest to lose the older ones as well

by sir82 40 Replies latest jw friends

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  sir82

  From all the "annual general meeting" notes floating around, one quotation stands out in particular:

  Many older ones already are telling the younger ones how they regretted not getting an education, pursuing a lucrative career, saving up money or not having a retirement plan. The sad truth is that such ones are like the murmurers of Israel when coming out of Egypt.

  What does this remark tell us?

  1) Lots of old people are complaining about "growing old in this sytem of things"

  2) The Society, rather than empathizing, apologizing, or consoling, berates them by comparing them to "Israelite murmurers"!

  The old folks are the bread and butter for the Society, at least in the west. The vast majority of JWs younger than, oh, say, 35, view the religion as little more than a social club, and show little to no inclination for "reaching out" or opening their wallets.

  It's the older folks, in their prime earning years, who pay the way via their contributions. It's the older folks who comprise the majority of local leadership (elders). It's the older folks who die and leave their estates to the WTS.

  And now the Society says, more or less, "Shut up and quit your complaining, you slackers!"

  That's gratitude for ya!

  I really don't get it. Are they really that dumb at Bethel? Do they really think that a message of "the beatings will continue until morale improves", will improve morale? Are they that detached from "the real world", or even genuine human emotion?

  Surely nobody is that idiotic, are they?
• 

  baltar447

  I can only think of the scripture about the slave beating his fellow slaves when I read this...
• 

  minimus

  Interesting.

  They have ALWAYS gotten away with beating on their slaves! Nothing new! It works for them. Read EVERY publication and all you see is how the flock just don't do enough.

  They suck, putting it mildly.
• 

  WingCommander

  Hello, and thanks for putting this up as a new topic.

  I too caught this tidbit of spiritual "encouragement" and my jaw nearly hit my toes. So the reward for following the "Faithful Slave" into poverty isn't a show of gratitude, but rather an exclamation of, "Shut the f*ck up you old complainers, we need the youth to be just as ignorant and impoverished."

  Truly, those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it, and that's one lesson the Governing Body can't afford to have the young ones learn!!!!!!

  I agree with the poster above who mentioned the scripture about the slave beating his fellow slaves......fits perfectly.

  When are people going to realize that they no longer have servants and shephards, but OverLords who control every aspect of the empty existance? It's getting sad....very very sad to see what this quasi-religion has become.

  Truly, the beatings WILL continue until morale improves!!

  - Wing Commander
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  Momma-Tossed-Me

  I say let them keep beating! Maybe just maybe more will be awakened out of their comas. It is kind of like the slaves in the Indiana Jones: The temple of doom movie.
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  Gayle

  I almost feel sorry for the old folks. But I am 63 yrs old now and if people don't learn any better along the way of decades of their life, then, it's one of those, 'they made their bed and now must lie (and die?) in it. Sickening, horribly sad. Although, last year, I met a man in his 70s leaving JWs after 45 yrs., was amazing. So it can happen.
• 

  Nice_Dream

  They are crazy! My husband's grandma is 85 and she was saying how she wasn't supposed to grow old in this system. She's been living alone for over 40 years, and she said it was too long to be alone. My heart broke for her. She dedicated her life to the Borg, and now they're calling her a "murmurer." They are showing who they really are.
• 

  darth frosty

  My mothers favorite saying was "the great crowd isn't running it like the annointed did!"

  I will bet a lot of oldtimers are getting that sinking feeling.
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  tresdecu

  Excellent observation. I noticed this too and shook my head (and probably said 'wtf' under my breath....I was at work)

  I fully agree with this statement too: "The vast majority of JWs younger than, oh, say, 35, view the religion as little more than a social club"

  Before I lost my zeal, and faith in the org. I was an under 35'er (MS) and we very very rarely contributed. Although believing it was the truth, and attending, we viewed it as a social club, although probably sub-consiously.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Thanks for pointing this out. It seems the really really older ones on the GB are "a stiff-necked people."