Have The Witnesses Changed All That Much In The Last Few Years?

by minimus 47 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Sayswho

  • The jws are the Fox News of religion. It's just slogans and sound bites. Trust us cause we say we are trust worthy.

  This really sums it up for me...when I think about the statement it's a truism...it says what it says. Of corse you have to know how Fox News operates.

  As many have brought out there are many changes but it seems to me the real change is how they are treating those who bring to light the many changed teachings and dare to ask how this can be...since this is an org lead by a gods spirit how can we have False Teachings?

  It was made VERY clear to me that not trusting the elders who are in the right hand of Jesus would be the same an not trusting the GB an there for equal to not trusting Jehovah...the punishment....expulsion-DF! (Or shut the F-up)

  I would say the Internet is the reason for the changes in policy since it has exposed their hypocrisy with the click of a mouse. Time and immediately being able to research teachings is their nemesis!

  SW
• 

  SAHS

  “minimus”:

  “. . . it was rules oriented but not like it is now. To me, the religion is a lot more fanatical than ever before.”

  “wizzstick”:

  “It’s about obedience to the organisation.”

  “Phizzy”:

  “The cries of "Obey (worship) the G.B " grew ever more shrill . . . It is now certainly the worst large, High Control/Mind Control "religion".”

  “punkofnice”:

  “. . . a very sterile corporation that is very controlling and corrupt.”

  “Terry”:

  “. . . the outrageously prohibitive severity in disfellowship policy. Slowly tightening its coils like an anaconda . . .”

  “franticfran”:

  “. . . it is today a domineering fear inspired organization . . .”

  “gma-tired2”:

  “. . . tightening of following rules from late 60's lightened some in 70's and have become out of control since the 80s.”

  “LongHairGal”:

  “. . . the religion has become more controlling and cult-like.”

  “Adventurousone”:

  “. . . the noose is getting tighter”

  “Vidiot”:

  “. . . an escalation of extremist behavior . . .”

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  All very interesting – and spot-on! In all the above selected comments – which, as I see it, serve to candidly take the “pulse” of the organization as a whole, from a general perception – there seems to be a common and reoccurring theme so indicative of a cult structure: control, control, and more control. (I.e., control!)

  I just can’t help but bring to my mind the scripture at Revelation 17:6: “And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.” That scripture is referring to the “great harlot” (vs. 1) – and notice that she is drunk with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.

  Surely this describes such false prophets and disingenuous religious outfits we see today – who are really drunk on power (there’s that control thing again). It must be some kind of psychological/sociological drive for some folks to get off on having power and control over others, any which way they can!
• 

  steve2

  “. . . it was rules oriented but not like it is now. To me, the religion is a lot more fanatical than ever before.”

  How can you assert this when you most likely weren't even born during the era in which Rutherford was president of the Watchtower Society in those post-world-war-one decades from the 1920s through 1930s?

  The most you can say is that, based on your direct observations over the time period of your involvement with the organization, it is a lot more fanatical.

  Even a casual persual of what happened during those turbulent post-world-war-one years shows what a draconian hand ruled the organization .
• 

  d

  yes I has in the 90's it was not as controlling but today they seem crazy with control.They really have lost their way.

  I do not even recognize this religion anymore.
• 

  d

  I even remeber the get togethers and those have been done away with.Now it is just meetings and more meetings it is very boring today. I would not want to be a Jw today.
• 

  d

  Their is a sense of emptiness that I was not their when I was in from 1995 up to 2004.After that things became very cult like and controlling.
• 

  HarryMac

  How exactly have the get togethers been done away with? Discouraged in publications or talks or something? I've heard this complaint before and wonder how it came about.

  The only thing that made the 'truth' worth it sometimes was the after meeting socializing (albeit sterile as it could be).
• 

  SAHS

  “d”: “. . . today they seem crazy with control.”

  True. There has always been control, especially since the Rutherford regime era, but I find that the control now is actually much more petty in nature. Examples: dress and grooming, especially beards (how Satanic!); birthdays; clinking glasses; saying “bless you” after a sneeze; entertainment, including music; putting posters or pictures of your favorite music or sports celebrity (“idolizing;” i.e., “idolatry”), extracurricular activities, higher education; chat rooms; phoning/emailing/texting (especially the opposite sex or any “worldlings”), and especially the somewhat new commandments directions regarding district conventions:

  • Thou shalt only book reservations at hotels on the “approved list” of hotels which thou mayest stay at;

  • Thou shalt not leave the convention grounds during the noon lunchtime to pay for food at a restaurant, concession stand, or even a hotdog vendor on the street, and thou shalt not bring any food items bearing their commercial container or wrapping into the camp convention grounds as thou would be disloyal to thy God, Watchtower Jehovah, and lest thou might thereby stumble one of these “little ones” (new recruits victims followers worshippers of Watchtower Jehovah); and

  • Thou must not dress overly casual (i.e., no jeans or T-shirts with “worldy” slogans!) when going to a restaurant for supper after the end of the day’s sessions, and thou must wear thy convention badge to give a good witness to Watchtower Jehovah. (No relaxing too much or “letting your hair down” like the “worldlies.”)

  They’re really big on those directions. They just have to dictate where you can stay, where you can eat, and what you can wear. When you tell people in “the world” about that, they give you a very quizzical look and say, “Really?” Normal people just can’t believe how micromanaging they are about such petty things.

  Only one word comes to my mind: Cult!