What's The Biggest Difference In Today's JWs And The Witnesses From Decades Ago?

by minimus 93 Replies latest jw friends

  • Balaamsass
    Balaamsass

    I agree Dozy,

    I honestly can't remember the last person who was baptised who wasn't a child of a JW or had some other family connection (other than an occasional social misfit who had been contacted in the ministry). http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=43578 - Contrast that with the early 60's...a video that also illustrates many of the points made by earlier posters about the fun times as assemblies & meetings in the past.

    Great newsreel!

    Much of the US west coast growth has been in the Spanish Halls. Most of the new converts are uneducated with no access to the internet.

  • Joliette
    Joliette

    Very good thread...

    I think one of the main differences is that the rank and file witnesses dont have as much 'spunk' as the older witnesses (some who are now elderly and who have passed on) had. Its seems much more legalistic and impersonal nowadays. And I can never stay awoke during a convention.

  • take me higher
    take me higher

    I don't know if it's been posted on here or not, but does anyone know why they stopped having bookstudies in the homes? I thought my brother said something about them trying to make it easier on people not having so many meetings per week but I can't really remember. I always thought the reason for having those small group meetings in the home was to prepare for the tribulation incase they had to meet in secret or whatever. I remember we had a bookstudy in our house when I was a teenager and I actually enjoyed it. We would have snacks and dessert after and I just liked the informal feeling about it. If I was sick or whatever I would just stay in my room during it. So just wondering the real reason why they did away with that a few yrs ago.

  • dm6
    dm6

    It's a slowly dying religion that will last probably forever like an ancient rotted out tree.

    I LOLd at this. You are a good fellow minimus.

  • Black Sheep
    Black Sheep
    anyone know why they stopped having bookstudies in the homes?

    The official reason was the price of gas.

    The real reason is up for speculation.

  • Violia
    Violia

    re: the book studies

    lawsuits re: folks getting hurt in your home or maybe a pedophile at the bs.

    I saw in article recently -- Calif. the city cited a non jws Bible study group b/c they said there was too much traffic and it was being used as a church- bottom line, permits, taxation and traffic. The article I read said the neighbors did not actually complain, so it was someone most likely on the city council. watch out for those folks.

    if the wts is not going to pay for permits for homes and I am surprised they did not ask the individual jws to pay for it, but taxation has to be at the bottom of this plus it is easier for folks in a small group to defect.

  • insearchoftruth
    insearchoftruth

    I look at some of the older books like the Revelation book and one at least had to be able to think to understand what is being stated, and now they are going to simplified watchtowers........the whole organization seems to be 'dumbing down'.

  • aristeas
    aristeas

    Truly a great thread.

    Overall, the comments indicate the natural outcome of allowing joyless Jaraczic thinking to ruleā€”as indeed it does, even to the point of the Service Department eclipsing the Writing Department, with their own HQ up in Patterson and, of course, Jaracz hand picking all the GB successors.

    Take me higher, a few thoughts on the real reason for discontinuing the book study are here:

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/211343/1/UR-thoughts-on-ogranizational-changes-solicited

    Of course, by now you realize that whatever reason was officially given for discontinuing them is certainly NOT the real reasons(s).

  • take me higher
    take me higher

    Thank you for the links to those threads

  • iCeltic
    iCeltic

    I have absolutely no idea. But people will always be people. On a social media site one of my friends put a (funny) JW comment and I was instantly worried because I have one family member on it who is a j dub, but I needn't have worried, after having my first look through his page today's chat has been sarcastic talk about a particular girl giving a guy oral sex.

    The same standards (and often a lower standard) than can be found everywhere else.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit