Is Today's Jehovah's Witness Religion The Same As It Was When You Were A Member? (page 5)

Jankyn

On the one hand, no: There's less pride in being a Witness and the service ethic seems to be slacking off. (Not that I think that's a bad thing, mind you - it's just that my grandmother would pitch a fit at what passes for "streetwork" here in Sacramento! Standing there talking to each other while holding up a magazine is not how she did it.) I also find JWs much less willing to tell you what religion they belong to than ever before.

On the other hand, yes: I can pick JWs out of a lineup. They're the stressed, tired people wearing cheap suits (because you need so many) and slightly-out-of-date, overly modest but not old-fashioned floral dresses.

Frankly, I've had a bit of PTSD watching all the sheep coming and going from conventions this summer.

Heaven

Doctines have changed. The oppression remains the same.

blondie

Before my the early conventions of Rutherford's day in Cedar Point the WTS catered food and the caterers went on strike and they had to jump in and handle it. After that they did not depend on outside sources. I'm not near a CD but if you find confirmation or not, post away.

jws

It's been about 20 years since I left and yes it is different. In doctrine, in the literature, the frequency of meetings, the food service at assemblies, the literature donation system, the library on CD-ROM, the Governing Body. And they face a different world due to the internet.

I used to say to my dad. There were people who died in Russell or Rutherford's day that believed they would be ressurected for what they believed. Yet today, if you believe those same things, you would be an apostate. Is God going to resurrect them for beleiving apostate ideas? Even in the nearly 25 year difference between the death of my mother and my father, my mom would probably be shocked at what my father died believing.

On the whole though, if you squint, it's all the same. Armageddon is right around the corner. Stay faithful, recruit more people, blah, blah, blah.

Ding

In one sense, it's the same: whatever the GB says is truth, and whenever they change a teaching, the "old light" is quickly forgotten.

That said, I see two significant changes:

1. JWs back off if they are questioned at the door. They either call in the elders or simply kick the dust off their feet and move along to the next house or to Starbucks.

2. In the past, when zeal flagged, the GB simply hyped a new date for Armageddon and recuiting soared. But because of the internet and vocal critics, the organization hasn't been able to set a new date for Armageddon since the 1975 fiasco. After nearly 100 years since 1914, the predicted end hasn't come. The GB has had to come up with an absurd definition of "generation," and they had to abolish the 1935 date for the closing of the heavenly class. JWs are starting to realize that they WILL grow old and die just like everyone else.

To quote an elder on MY Judicial Committee, "If we were under the Mosaic Law, we'd take them all outside and stone them to death!"

00DAD

Vidiot

House is the same.

Furniture's different and there's bars on the windows.

minimus

Today's religion is for simpletons.

Is Today's Jehovah's Witness Religion The Same As It Was When You Were A Member?

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