Has the Society's "specializing" in being different been a boom or bust?

donny

I don't know if anyone else has had an issue with Explorer 9, but when I post with it, the only thing that remains is the title of the thread. The subject area is blank.

Anyhoo, I was out for a morning jog Saturday morning and I stopped by a local park for a bit of rest before continuing on. I was sitting on a bench when I overheard these two ladies nearby discussing their search for a church to be a part of. One lady said she had visited several and was now thinking of checking out the Seventh Day Adventists or Jehovahs Witnesses which brought this response from the second lady.

"Girl, you want to stay away from the Jehovah's Witnesses. I have a cousin who is one and since he joined them he has really become an irritating turd. They go overboard on trying to be different. They say Jesus died on a stake and that he is the same as Michael the Archangel, only certain folks can drink the wine at communion and go to heaven, you can listen to all the secular music you want but you can't listen to gospel, they have their own bible, and they don't like you going to college, and you never hear them calling Jesus 'Lord' even though it's all over the bible. I'd just skip them and continue on."

You could see the other woman had an expression of "oh my" on her face as she heard these things.

Does the Society go "overboard" on being different and has it helped or hurt them?

breakfast of champions

It may just be me, but I am not able to see your posts on my iPostatePad...

donny

It only happens when I use Explorer 9.

jwfacts

What an amazing discussion. The woman really summed up a lot of what is wrong with the JWs in a single paragraph.

JW's have grown at a good rate, so their formula works acceptably. However, other groups such as some Pentecostal groups have grown a lot quicker. Recently Seventh Day Adventists have gone more mainstream and are seeing better growth as a result.

Being different may have worked in the Rutherford era, especially when there was a real belief the end was about to happen. But in these days that JWs seem to be somewhat sceptical as to when the end will come, I think they would do better if they did not come across quite so kooky.

breakfast of champions

Now I see you..

It DID help them... JWs were the 'anti-religion' religion. Though practically born-in/raised in a 'divided household' this is why I chose them.

Now with all the information freely available on the Internet, they seem 'out of touch' at best, if not downright 'kooky.'

As some have expressed on this board already, if you have access to the Internet and STILL find your way into this religion, you have no one but yourself to blame.

snowbird

In the beginning, a boom, because some people are like the ancient Athenians mentioned in Acts 17 - eager to listen to something different or new.

Yours truly was one of those.

Now, a bust, because the novelty has worn very, very thin.

Syl

Violia

Donny

I have the same problem since upgrading to IE9. When you come to this board switch to compatibly mode and it should show up. I forget sometimes and get blank posts too. I don't know what the technical issue is, but on your address bar there should be an icon that is called "compatibly ". click on it and your posts should show up. the more they mess with IE, the worse it gets.

No Room For George

Being different may have been a boom initiatially, but speaking from a born-in's perspetive, lately its just stupid especially when you take into consideration the whole circumcision issue in Acts. That situation, was a case in point of when the sheltered conservatives need to loosen up and let people decide for themselves how different they want to be. Part of the problem is the Wt is having an identity crisis. The question being, are they a publishing company, or are they Christians. The problem is they've decided on behalf of Jehovah that they're God's chosen people, instead of worrying about what attitude, and heart condition is acceptable to God, and His Son. If they were God's chosen people, they wouldn't be concerned about whether or not Jesus died on a cross or stake, or whether or not brothers need to shave or have unsightly razor bumps.

No they'd be concerned about having love amongst themselves, and displaying the fruitages of the spirit. Instead, they're worrying exessively about how to make themselves appear different from other denominations, at least on the surface, and it calls to mind those white washed graves Jesus spoke about. They're worried about people studying their literature several times a week, in the hope that those same people will see fit to contribute to the cause, which at the end of the day allows the powers that be in Bethel and Walkill to live a life free from the stresses of the average every day Joe. I used to think that they need to make the decision as to whether they're a publishing company, or Christians. You know what I think now? They've made the decision that they're a publishing company, and are scared out of their minds that the very second they make the decision to become Christians and relax on all the pharisaical rules, the long time JWs will come to their senses and leave this cancer of a religion. Those mofos in Bethel and at the branches, will have to get jobs like the rest of us. So they'll continue squeezing their hands around our necks. I look forward to the day, when we cut their wrist and hand off.

Has the Society's "specializing" in being different been a boom or bust?

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