Do JWs Really Still care about the "Truth"?

XBEHERE

I often read posts on here citing some km school or WT article and the comment that "now they are tightening their grip" or "they will now go after faders" etc, etc.

My perception is that the vast majority of JWs, including the elders, are suffering from apathy and fatigue. Most simply don't care anymore. My question is am I wrong? Do you really feel like the WTS has any hope of "tightening their grip" to keep people in? Do you really think that JWs today are the same as they were in the 70's, 80's, and early (pre-1995) 90's?

In my congregation the meetings start with 25 people and 15-30 minutes later another 40-50 come in. Publishers turn down shepherding calls because they have no time, or some other excuse. Support for service on Saturdays is terrible with all groups in 4 different locations combined averaging about 25-30 out, brothers don't really reach out anymore. Nobody cares about the smaller magazines, The FDS is now only the GB wow big deal. Basically all these things that people comment on here and say that the GB is tightening down, etc. seems to have no effect on them.

Now I am in a typical, WASPY, eastern U.S. congregation so maybe thats just how things seem in my area. For those if you who still attend or associate with those that do what is it like in your area? Do JWs still care?

truth_b_known

In my opinion, the answer to the question of "Do Jehovah's Witnesses still care about the 'Truth'?" is "no". They do not. Here's why:

"The Truth" is a reference to the beliefs system and doctrines of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. The Truth is not the truth. Truth is something that is factually correct and does not change. The Truth is the current explaination of the Bible as told by the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society and changes on a regular basis (flip-flop).

There is only one thing about The Truth that active rank & file Witnesses care about and that is not being disfellowshipped. Oh, sure, most will openly state that they believe all the teachings of the Watch Tower and that the end is near, but most don't believe that or secretly disagree with their own teachings. If all current children of Witnesses refused to be a part of the organization and refused to raise their children in it, the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses would fall apart within 10 to 20 years.

Current Witnesses are usually born-in and their entire support system of family and friends are Witnesses. They know if they stop being a Witness they will lose their entire support system. They are being kept in by coercion.

moshe

Two years ago I visited a KH for field service- the hispanic and Haitian(creole) groups (families with children) who seemed very anxious to get to work. Not so with the English speaking JWs- just a large handful of JWs (age 45 and up) and their attitude seemed apathetic to me.

Phizzy

I cannot speak for the current situation here in the U.K, I have been out too long, but what you describe was my Congregation when I was in !

So, if it has gone downhill since, it must be really bad.

As to the thread title, I would ask "Did JW's ever really care about the truth ?", they never made sure they were teaching it did they ?

I get the feeling that most only hang in there for two reasons, the first is Family/Friends, the second is a vague feeling that the WT may just be right and the End is close, so they had better hang in there.

This does not make for enthusiastic adherents.

DesirousOfChange

I get the feeling that most only hang in there for two reasons, the first is Family/Friends, the second is a vague feeling that the WT may just be right and the End is close, so they had better hang in there.

So true. It's a social club. None of them are on a life-saving mission any more. They've lost the faith that The End (TM) is anywhere in the near future. But they go through the motions, turn in fake non-productive hours (spent in Starbucks & McDonalds), to keep their options open (in case it does come) and to maintain the status-quo with family and friends.

The Leaders should surely be concerned that 1.7BILLION hours of "evangelizing" results in such pathetic results.

Doc

DATA-DOG

Truth b known nailed it IMO. If there was no DF'ing and you could truly leave without consequences then I would be gone. THAT is why the Elders are there and DF'ing exists. Making your life hell, not motivation through truth ( facts that do not change ) and love, are what motivate the sheep. Do the r&f care about truth? Until someone recognizes an untruth they cannot show whether or not they care about truth. Until people wake up, who can say? The problem is that the R&F and some higher ups are decieved, perhaps the GB themselves, into thinking they are right. So in their minds they do care about truth, in fact they think they have a monopoly on truth. It is jacked up.......

wasblind

The best guage is the youth, the old timers are set in their ways

Case in point: Durin' the civil rights movement, it was the young that was

more likely to reach for change. The old times didn't want trouble

they were set in their ways

It was young college students that help President Obama win in 2008

base on change

History will repeat itself in the WTS, the youth cannot change this cult

but they will make a change in thier own lives

.

tornapart

I think elderly ones who've been in it for decades do still believe it's the truth and nothing would ever shake them. I do get the feeling that many are tiring out. The social thing is big, especially if you have all your family and lifelong friends. If there wasn't the constant guilt tripping to do more more more I think a number would just fade away. However the hold that is over them, that the FDS is appointed by God himself keeps them in. They daren't question anything lest they be questioning God.

james_woods

What tornapart says I think is right.

I would not hesitate to wager that fewer than 25% of the current crop of JWs REALLY think the big A will come in their lifetimes.

For most of them it is just a bad social habit.

Emery

I spent some time this past weekend at my best friends house (active jw). His wife and I got onto the topic of the new faithful and discreet slave light. Sure enough, his wife had no clue of the old understanding...or the new light. So I went on to the explain the old light and planned on showing her the difference. When I mentioned that the faithful and discreet slave class was previously known as the 144k, she immediately said, "Well that doesn't make any sense, I have never heard of anointed ones communicating information back to Brooklyn." I then said, "Yup that's been a huge disconnect for me too", My best friend then chimmed with the usual response, "Light gets brighter, we are progressively getting there."

I ignored that and continued explaining the new light. I explained the new understanding of the Faithful and discreet slave, being only the 8 men in Brooklyn. Only when they are gathered do they form the Slave Class. They both looked at me puzzled, and his wife said "Umm I don't believe that's correct, we had our family study the other day and thats not what Hubby said." My best friend then answered, "Yeah I don't think thats right either. The slave class also exists in the branches, there are tons of anointed people there." I then challenged them to look it up on JW.org. Sure enough, he read it out loud and said... "Yup, Emery is right." Of course they were confused and then I used the Voltron analogy which helped them understand it better haha. She turned me to and said, " I still don't really get the whole Faithful Slave thing."

What was great about all this was they were somewhat talking down to me for missing meetings, yet this spiritual weakling managed to know more about the new light and core understandings of the faith better than they did, and they're the active ones! Haha

I find it really sad that the most important understandings that can determine your entire life is not really examined or cared about.

Do JWs Really Still care about the "Truth"?

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