Why So Many Young People Are Leaving The Watchtower

by Jeremy C 140 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  thetrueone

  The most likely reason being that past date prophecies has waned themselves out of their assured viability,

  making the WTS. pertinent agenda somewhat loosely invalid.

  There is also the demographic factor that religion in itself has lost interest among the general

  population in most modern nations.

  People do research on these faiths now on the inter-net deriving a personal understanding of the religion.

  For example we get many here at this forum asking questions about the JWS..

  As countries expand their educational base throughout their population so too does the lack of

  interest in religious beliefs.
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  SirNose586

  And secondly, I contrast this with the vibrant, enthusiastic and informed young people in the various JW congregations in my area.

  So, speaking from my own direct personal experience, I can only say that I do not see young people (in my area anyway) leaving the Watchtower. Not en masse, though of course some are, just as some adults are.

  And I see the same thing in my socal area, there's no massive leaving. Youths are leaving, but it's here and there. Do you know why? It's because they act however they freaking want! Why leave if you can get tattoos, sleep around, drink like sailors, and smoke a little bud without getting in serious trouble? The young people have created their own JW-lite culture, a clique that they can call their own. I saw some of my old crew, recently. You can't tell them apart from non-JW kids, you really can't. And that's the great thing--when they look and act like everyone else, then they'll grow up to be mediocre, in-name-only JWs.

  The org can keep growing, for all I care. The integrity of the next generation is poor at best.

  I gotta give credit to the Mormons and other churches for creating programs to keep young people in. They're thinking about future growth. The Borg just wants an endless stream of rank and file to replace the fallen.
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  mouthy

  JeremyC>thanks
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  DaCheech

  just like sirnose said:

  there's 3 types

  1. uber-super want all power and brown-nose

  2. the ones that made their own jw-lite and so can coast it, and these are hard to give any responsibilty to.

  3. the ones that leave.

  they're gonna have an elder shortage very soon
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  Darkside Blues

  Agreed with many of the points mentioned here! I'm counting down the days and hours until I can escape from the Borg myself.

  I've noticed in my parent's cong that some have left (I know one person who no longer attends meetings now that they've moved out) and I've also observed what SirNose mentioned upthread. Some of them "fell into sin" - had children out of wedlock, married out of the truth, got tattoos - but they're still hanging around the KH.

  Also agreeing that other religions have better retention numbers because they allow for secular activities that go beyond picnics and potlucks. The JW idea that "you can never take a vacation from being a Christian" will inevitably lead some people to relinquish being Christians.
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  unshackled

  Excellent post, Jeremy C. Now I'm wondering what other gems I've missed in your other 400 posts.
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  Jeremy C

  Some of them "fell into sin" - had children out of wedlock, married out of the truth, got tattoos - but they're still hanging around the KH.

  Darkside Blues: You made an interesting point that I hadn’t given much thought to when writing my post, but it’s something that is quite common now that I think about it. I’ve noticed many who never got baptized, faded away for a while, had their fun, and now hang around the periphery of the organization with the freedom to associate because of not having the DF banner hanging over their heads. It’s very odd. However, I don’t believe most of these people have a real devotion to (or an understanding of) the JW doctrines. It’s more of an emotional attachment for them.

  What I saw with many of these ones was not so much of zeal to jump into theocratic activity, as it was a fear of being caught outside of the “ark of salvation” when the end came. Did any of you notice how many people who had been inactive for many years came running back into the Kingdom Hall right after 9/11? I don’t think these people were running back saying: “Gee I just love sitting through those Watchtower studies!” No, most of them were simply saying: “Oh, shit!”
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  Juan Viejo2

  Jeremy C - a most excellent post and good followups. Check your PMs...

  JV
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  jwfacts

  Great post. I would like to include your article on my site, if that is ok.
• 

  steve2

  What I saw with many of these ones was not so much of zeal to jump into theocratic activity, as it was a fear of being caught

  outside of the “ark of salvation” when the end came. Did any of you notice how many people who had been inactive for many years

  came running back into the Kingdom Hall right after 9/11? I don’t think these people were running back saying: “Gee I just love

  sitting through those Watchtower studies!” No, most of them were simply saying: “Oh, shit!”

  This even happened decades ago: I remember the "first" oil crisis in the early 1970s: It really shook up the world at the time with lots of doom and gloom. That event, combined with all the theocratic hysteria around the "significance" of 1975 had a lot of ex-JWs and hangers-on flooding back in...for a while, and then they and so many others left after 75 came and went and its "significance" was conveniently down-played.

  I noticed, at the time, there were large numbers of others who never could fully leave the organization but nor did they have any enthusiasm for it: They were like the living dead who didn't know what else they could do with their lives and the so desperately didn't want to be caught red-handed sinning when the end came - so they kept the religion 'in situ' just in case.

  Remove the fear and the organization would immediately shed a significant proportion of 'followers' who are 'sleep-walking' their way through life.