I honestly don't even usually read it all. I am focused away from most things Jw nowadays. But this one caught my eye, and I thought there might be posters here who had not seen it.
Posted with permission from Freeminds/Randy Watters, from his issue dated February 14, 2011. Freeminds' article and comments all in blue below:
From the recent developments as mentioned below and in the news links to the left, we expect to see many more leave the Watchtower organization than in times past.
Their main downfall appears to be social websites like Facebook (where they can share their unhappiness with the Watchtower anonymously), and getting a college education. They would rather you clean toilets 3-4 days a week and go door-to-door the rest of the time, rather than learn the cult-killing education they desperately need. They've even brought down the hours necessary to "vacation" pioneer down to 30 hours a month!
With the advent and maturing of the internet, it appears they are even embarrassed to offer their child-like Watchtower magazines with its hateful and guilt and fear inducing messages with the public. I wouldn't be surprised if they cut down magazine work a lot, and offer slick brochures or public programs instead.
Perhaps they will engage in money-making schemes to survive financially, sucking off the teats of the "world" they claim to hate, like teaching sign-language to the public and take advantage of government grants or something.
Cults hate their people to be educated and learn to think for themselves. They know what will happen. LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN! The world of the 21st century will not tolerate religious frauds and carnival tricks any longer. Neither will religions be able to hide their financial tricks. Live in fear, leaders of the Watchtower. Jail is not as much fun as Bethel. Get ready to be someone else's "bitch."
(Sorry, couldn't think of a more appropriate word.)
The Watchtower has reached its dead end. It has lost it's "end of the world" scare by redefining the word "generation" (Matthew 24:14), they cannot set new dates for fear of being laughed off the planet, they are losing money previously obtained by selling books and magazines, contributions appear to be down quite a bit (they are even suggesting amounts to donate for going to assemblies, etc.) and they are beginning to sell off their $billions in property, hunkering down in Patterson, New York where the leadership can live through THEIR last days in comfort. They know their days of power are over. But the new Vatican in Patterson will not save them.
Signs of discontent are growing, even in public. Posters and park bench signs are demanding some governments take action for the WT's separation of families through even harsher shunning practices, as in Brazil. The countries they relied on for so many years for rapid growth, due to the nature of certain cultures like Japan, Brazil, Africa and South America families to work together and convert together, is backfiring through the extreme harshness they are now advocating towards family members who leave. Many branch offices are being closed and consolidated. Soon, the U.S. Watchtower magazines will be printed in Canada!
But Canada is not too friendly towards fundamentalist religious sects either, or even those that condemn other religions. They recently took away the tax-exempt status of Christian ministries like MacGregor Ministries, that oppose other religions currently accepted in Canada.
The world is changing. Social networks like Facebook are changing the world we live in, even causing political disruptions and toppling governments by revealing what the religious and political leaders feel they must keep hidden from the masses in order to maintain their facade of respectability; revealing astounding corruption and cronyism.
While Freeminds does not seek to change governments or destroy the Watchtower, it is gradually becoming a haven for those who leave high-control religious, political and social groups that foster hatred towards others unlike them. We want to be a "halfway house" to bring people, young and old alike, back to where they may have made uneducated decisions, and allow them to network with others in a like state of confusion and disillusionment. (I still feel like a pastor at heart, sorry.)
We believe that once people are educated properly, with as clear knowledge of their choices they face, most will choose a better, more network-friendly life. There is no longer any need for dictators and power-driven autocrats.
Freeminds is not here to tell you what religion to believe. Most of us are Christians (mixed with a few atheists and agnostics and others), but we are one of the few such organizations that can agree to disagree on the future. We are not here to teach you what to do to achieve the most fantastic afterlife or other invisible hopes. We are here to give you hope in improving your life NOW.
Reinvent yourself
. Don't be a slave of the elite power-hungry who seek to dominate your life.
Randy asked me to add this caveat/update :
The Watchtower and Awake is now printed in Canada. It says so on the inside cover. The magazines are trucked all over the east coast by a private worldly co. from Buffalo. Don't know how they get to the west coast.