What the Watchtower needs to do to survive.

by jwfacts 76 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  DesirousOfChange

  it will end up being so small that it's almost inconsequential. Really, considering that its believers represent only 0.01% of the earth's population, it already is.

  Inconsequential is right. The only people who have any concerns about what is going on in WT Land are JWs, EX-JWs, and JW family members affected by it. The rest of the world pays them no mind (like in Noah's Day - haha) because they are seen as an insignificant fringe religion. Most everyone knows a JW or has a JW family member. Sometimes they will say they "respect" their good qualities, but very often the JW is the weirdo in the family. (Haven't you noticed that there are a lot of weird people who become JWs?) The weird ones cause a lot of people to remain a safe distance away.

  Doc
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  Refriedtruth

  Excellent essay by JWFacts

  My take- With the Mayan 2012 end of world timeline and,Harold Camping's *rapture reloaded* in the news the apocalyptic themes of the Jehovah's Witnesses is getting attention.

  After Dec 21 2012 passes.... then the 100 year anniversary of 1914 folks are gonna be sick and tired of doomsayers.

  And it is EVERYWHERE apocalyptic themes all over TV and movie.

  Think about how the wicked Watchtower stumbles the whole world with its false prophecies.If there really is a Divine second coming and the Bible is for real the Watchtower is A # 1 for obnoxious evangelical recruitment stumbling.Sure the Catholic church has more high crimes (and been around a lot longer) but the Watchtower cult is still eternally dammed!

  ( I don't know why my type gets all different size fonts)
• 

  ABibleStudent

  jwfacts - The Catholics are an example of a religion with a terrible history of murder and corruption that still manages to survive in this enlighted era, where many followers are fully aware of their past. However, they have reformed to some extent. That is the hope I hold out for the Watchtower. If it cannot done away with, at least it can be reformed, for the sake of those that do not have what it takes to leave.

  Hi jwfacts, After reading the article http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/disfellowship-shunning.php , it started me thinking that the WTBTS doctrines that are causing JWs the most turmoil are the ones that were instituted during the tenure of WTBTS Presidents Nathan Knorr and Freddie Franz (i.e., shunning, refusing blood, discouraging getting a higher education) and that armageddon is coming soon. If the WTBTS's GB made Knorr and Franz the scape goats and got rid of all doctrines instituted by Knorr and Franz, it might give the GB opportunities to modify the armageddon (and/or living forever in paradise) doctrines (and/or teachings). As you pointed out about the Catholic religion, Catholics' faith allowed them to forget or rationalize about the Church's history and the actions of its leaders. JWs might do the same thing if the changes are sold as "New Light". Of course there is also the risk that JWs might leave the organization en masse. Only the hard core are guaranteed to remain.

  Also, OnTheWayOut I feel is right that the WTBTS's business model needs to be modified. Tithing might help them. Reducing printing and legal costs would definately help.

  OnTheWayOut - Besides hiding their past in an information age, the other problem lies in their business model, not their doctrine. I think a core group could be led to accept just about anything. If several million didn't walk out on "overlap generations" then they would be safe to lead them on about paradise. But their business model has two huge problems. One is the decision as a tax exempt entity to give away the product. That has slowly gotten them into a changed world where people just won't donate money for the product. They are relying nearly exclusively on the members to foot the bill. The second is that they are a printing company in a world where newspapers and magazines are going out. Even if they could maintain the printing, the world will charge more for the paper and the ink as the world loses all their other print clients. I imagine TIME and NEWSWEEK and PLAYBOY and the likes are printing a lot less product these days. They charge advertisers for their profits and sell the product. To keep the sales cost down, they will eventually price the advertisers out, especially when their market is shrinking. Watchtower has none of that going for them, just free distributerships. So their model has the potential to outlast other magazines, but not forever.

  Once the WTBTS stops behaving like a dangerous cult, opportunities may occur that will help the WTBTS. If the GB continues the WTBTS's current doctrines, the WTBTS will just continue its death spiral and harm more JWs lives on the way down.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
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  LostGeneration

  Good points on them being inconsequential...

  If they dropped the shunning, then boards like this would probably dwindle into relative obscurity. Its the DFing and the effect it has in ripping families apart that angers the ex-JW community like no other. Drop that and they become just another religion.

  I don't think doctine matters all that much anymore. A small minority will leave because of doctrine, but the rest simply want to be told what to do, have a community to belong to.

  I've been trying to put on my "primal needs" glasses like Randy recommends when looking at these kind of questions. JWs provide a home to a lot of the misfits that wouldn't have many, if any friends out in the real world. I'm trying not to paint with too broad of a brush here, but I think back to some of the people in this religion, and so many were just borderline basket cases. They need a place to feel important and needed. If not this religion/cult, it would be another one. Facts/doctrine simply don't matter to these people, they will do whatever mental gymnastics that are required to prevent their fragile world view from being shattered into a million pieces.
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  iarts

  The modern world is increasingly tolerant of others lifestyles and beliefs.

  In order to survive, the WTS needs to be more liberal. Instead it is increasingly hard-line. It’s pushing more of its members to breaking point, and is likely losing respect it previously may have had in communities.

  Belief in God is in decline almost universally, especially amongst younger generations. Atheists are becoming increasingly vocal – religion is now openly attacked (verbally) rather than quietly scoffed at.

  I agree with Refriedtruth that 2012 is going to make JW’s and their doomsday message look more foolish.

  The response in the ministry is going to be increasingly condescending towards JW’s. Embarrassment, apathy from householders and sheer weariness are going to take even greater toll on publishers. Pushing youngsters to join the pioneer ranks is going to increase resentment towards the organization as they put all their efforts into fruitless activity.

  I reckon the best chance the WTS has is to scrap regular pioneering. Allow JW’s to have a relatively ‘normal’ life, earn some money for the contribution box, ease up a bit on the guilt about hours and allow the religion to plod slowly along rather than pressing for more ‘wondrous expansion’. Keep auxiliary pioneering to allow for the odd ‘special effort’ (i.e. memorial season) and for those who feel the need to have their extra hours noticed by the congregation.
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  00DAD

  JWFacts: We are on the cusp of the 100 year anniversary of 1914, which strains the credibility of that year being the start of the Last Days.

  I think the credibility of this now obviously false teaching has been strained beyond the breaking point for some time now.

  Forty-four years ago, in 1968) the Society was "so certain" that "only a few years, at most, remain before" Armageddon. But they were wrong. If the youngest of "this generation" was nearly 70 years old in 1968 they would be nearly 114 years old today!

  There are only five or six people still alive on earth at this very moment that are that age. (See: List of the verified oldest people).

  Consider this article:

  What will the 1970's Bring? - g1968 10/8, p. 13- 14

  The fact that fifty-four years of the period called the "last days" have already gone by is highly significant. It means that only a few years, at most, remain before the corrupt system of things dominating the earth is destroyed by God. How can we be so certain of this?

  One ways is by noting what Jesus said when he gave his great prophecy about the "last days." After he listed the many events that would mark this period, he also stated, "Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." -- Matt. 24:34.

  Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when "the last days" began. Jesus was saying that some of those persons who were alive at the appearance of the 'sign of the last days' would still be alive when God brought this system to its end.

  Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of "this generation" nearly 70 years old today. So the great majority of the generation to which Jesus was referring has already passed away in death. The remaining ones are approaching old age. And remember, Jesus said that the end of this wicked world would come before that generation passed away in death. This, of itself, tells us that the years left before the foretold end comes cannot be many. - Emphasis added

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  00DAD

  DOC: The only people who have any concerns about what is going on in WT Land are JWs, EX-JWs, and JW family members affected by it.

  I keep wondering when I'm going to be an Ex-ExJW?
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  biometrics

  First things first, they need to drop the 1914 date, and other dates stemming from that (i.e. 1919). Then renounce the understanding they are Gods only "Spirit Directed" channel.

  I really don't think the Watchtower would lose any members over this, considering some of the doctrines members have endured so far.
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  outsmartthesystem

  Making such a change would also demand a changing of the guard with Ezekiel 18:4 and Eccl 9: 5 and 10, (immortality of the soul), no? So not only would the idea of a paradise earth be gone....but another staple of their core teaching (one they point to as being one of the "truths" that made Jesus select them in 1919) would disappear with it. Think about how many publications would have to be disregarded or re-written. Certainly plausible.....but I just can't see witnesses going for that regardless of how much "obey us implicitly" rubbish the GB throws out. I believe that 90% if not higher of all witnesses are a part of this religion because they want everlasting life in a paradise.....not because they love God. That alone is a selfish reason to "serve". If you take away their selfish prize I think you'll have a massive amount of sheeple that will suddenly learn how to think.

  Since "the end is right around the corner" IS their teaching (as Cedars said)....I don't see how they can abandon it. I truly believe that they are in stage 1 of conditioning witnesses to live their lives in expectation of "the end" coming at any moment......yet also in stage one of separately getting them to accept that "the end" may not come in their lifetime. You may say that is impossible......but over time.....I think they can succeed. They've managed to get 7 million people to buy into the belief that God still speaks ONLY THROUGH them so the sheeple must obey all edicts if they want to please God....yet they must not get upset if the GB ends up being wrong because the GB don't claim to be inspired. If the GB can get the sheeple to buy into this provisional infallibliity theory then they can.....with time.....get the masses to accept that they may not live to see "the end".....yet still maintain eagerness. I think that within 10-15 years the teaching will be "The end is right around the corner. Can't you feel it? We are so close to the finish line, now is not the time to tire out! But even if time and unforeseen occurrence should befall us in this system, you may rest assured Jehovah will resurrect you in paradise! Imagine all the things you will be able to do in paradise! You can blah blah blah". I think they are going to start sneaking the "fact" that WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE into their literature and talks. It will be prefaced by pleads to persevere in the time remaining and followed up closely by red herring paradise speak. JWs will focus on the need to keep pressing on.....and then focus on how lovely the "new system" will be without really realizing that they are being conditioned to accept that they will die.

  I agree though. The internet is killing them. Regardless of what doctrinal methods they use....it is only a matter of time before negative growth sets in.
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  outsmartthesystem

  DOC - "The only people who have any concerns about what is going on in WT Land are JWs, EX-JWs, and JW family members affected by it."

  That quote reminds me of something. Getting a JW to read about 607 BC is nearly impossible. Know why? Because the only ones that write about it are former witnesses (disfellowshipped) or those that have a vested interest in proving the Watchtower wrong (such ones would be considered to be "critical" of the society). Since JWs avoid apostates, disfellowshipped ones, and all people or literature that is critical of the borg.....they thus prevent themselves from doing any real research on the matter. My wife once told me that she didn't want to read The Gentile Times Reconsidered....but she will read any book that is like it that is written by someone who is not apostate. She simply did not understand that most historians don't write about why 607BC is wrong.....because most historians are completely unaware that there is a group of people that actually believe in 607. 607 is complete inconsequential to them

  This is a little off topic but DOC's quote explains very simply why many JWs stay captive. The only ones that can help them (former witnesses and those that aren't afraid to be critical of the society) are the ones they avoid completely.