Is Armageddon a REAL EVENT to the GB like 9/11 is to the rest of us?

by Terry 37 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  shepherd

  I was a pioneer. I used to think we were everywhere, telling everyone who would listen the 'good news'.

  However, in the years since I left I discovered something shocking - no one calls! (and I am not known at my current location) Yes, I have had 2 tracts put through my letter box, but that's it, in all these years!

  My point is, JWs were a major force and a major religion in my head and in the heads of other JWs but in fact now I see they are actually insignificant.

  I remember reading how the org was now bigger than some European nations! Wow! But in fact there are more living in just one of the worlds major cities than all the JWs put together.

  And are they persecuted? Yes, in one or 2 places of the world (but not alone in a way that could identify them as God's people - in those countries many different groups face problems) but generally, in almost all countries of the world there is no persecution at all! In fact, few know or care anything about JWs.

  Is Armageddon a real event to the GB? Well, it's certainly hoped for by the rank and file, but as for the GB, at the same time they warn against education and tell you not to consider the future too much in this system, in their HQ they do the exact opposite! They employ university educated lawyers and expand their real estate holdings and other assets as if they are planning for many years ahead - yes, it's all a scam at the top. - That was the one thing I could not agree with Ray Franz on as much as I agreed with everything else - the GB is not made up of self deceived sincere believers, it is a scam and I think they are well aware of it.
• 

  kurtbethel

  500 cable channels, which one is the Watchtower channel? What satellite transponder do they broadcast on? Where can they be found on the radio dial? Where is their youtube channel? Ah, they have some websites. And a plodding door to door delivery system for their rancid literature. The results speak for themself.
• 

  diamondiiz

  Let's see, if I thought it was real and imminent I would not be moving from Brooklyn!!!! What's the use of building new facilities if I'll have any facility I want soon after Armageddon. Why keep building KHs if in the short time it would be better to rent and use the greater funds to advertise the doom of the system over the airwaves. Why upgrade printing presses when more and more people use internet for their information which should be the greatest tool in WTS' hand!!!

  added: If some GB had doubts in the 1970s as per Ray Franz, I think most have doubts today or they all know full well there is no end any time soon but the story has to continue. The problem is that these assholes deceive innocent people into buying into their BS theology.
• 

  andys

  Also when you think about it when there is some major disaster that happens then the JW's are running around with the message the sky is falling then if they do find some new convert that brings in $$ to the WBT$.
• 

  DagothUr

  They are using the Internet. They do have a site, no? And they claim millions of visits monthly (which may be true). Jay Hoover is pleased.
• 

  DagothUr

  Also, it's obvious they are interested in gathering more milking cows than simply delivering a message "from God". While the media is the best tool to simply pass information, it's rather weak when it comes to making converts. People are bombarded with commercials and spamm; who gives a damn about another message "from God" in the upper right corner of the monitor? They do read it, maybe ask a few questions to themselves, but only a few from a million readers would actually ask a bible study and from those only a few would reach baptism.

  I think the GB got it right: the best tool for gaining converts is person to person preaching, accompanied by association and love-bombing (in the beginning). I mean...that was the way they got me: there was a nice young family who had good speaking skills, persuasive (they are both regular pioneers), nice personalities, they knew how to kiss my ass, etc., you know the drill.

  Conclusion: the GB is not interested in delivering an urgent message. They never were! They want more milk from more cows.
• 

  TDaze

  I think there's a very apt word that answers the main question of this thread quickly and concisely:

  Doublethink.

  They know it's shit, but they do believe it.
• 

  exwhyzee

  I think most JW's believe that they should believe it's a real event. To get them to beleive that they should believe the world will end, they had to first be convinced that mankind is so flawed and that our problems are so big, that we can't possibly solve them and we will eventually annihilate ourselves. They also had to be convinced that there is a higher power for good or that we have a real purpose for being here and we should hope for a brighter future where everything will be OK. Believing that there will eventually be a "cosmic correction" of some sort, brought on by that higher power, helps them live with the two conflicting beliefs. When end of the world predictions don't come true, they simply pass it off as their own misinterpretation of reliable, true and correct information and begin looking for further indications of the correctness of the original belief. Back in the 1980's my mom would come in from service exhausted. She'd say. "Michael Jackson can make one video"THRILLER" and overnight the whole world knows about it. Why are we still knocking on doors year after year only to run into people who still have never even heard of us?" I used to hear the Elders give moving talks about the end being just around the corner and after the meeting hear their kids talking about the vacation to Hawaii they were going on. I'd ask my Mom about this and she'd say "well....I suppose we need to be balanced....people do need a break"