If all ''faders'' abruptly left the Watchtower and made no effort to hide the reasons why, what affect, if any, do you think it would make on the congregations?

by ThomasCovenant 21 Replies latest jw friends

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  ThomasCovenant

  When you're part of a lovely big group of people who all seem to be happy in their beliefs, it's easier to quell your own doubts.

  If I was the only person left in the congregation who still went on the door to door work, because every body else had stopped going , having said out loud what most think, ''it's a waste of time'', how long do you think before I too would cease going door to door?

  I know from my own perspective that having lots of fellow Witnesses around me, steered me into making life changing decisions. I was influenced by those around me and the constant indoctrination from the platform.

  I looked up to certain 'educated' 'intelligent' Witnesses as a teenager and thought, if they believe it, it must be right.

  I'm just a spotty youth.

  If those Witnesses had upped and left, and explained their reasons I may, (stress may) have felt differently.

  I feel that there are probably many still attending who don't believe it.

  If they all suddenly stopped going would it have any affect on the remaining doubters to also leave?
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  ThomasCovenant
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  rmt1

  Prisoners Dilemma. It would be interesting if sufficient network developed where faders could have the opposite of a flashmob. That is, a flash-fade, or a flash-absense. Later, enhance the network of faders with a website where scores are tallied of how many meetings ditched, how many service days ditched, etc. Use technology.
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  Phizzy

  It's like herding cats to get something like that organised. It just ain't gonna happen, sadly.

  It does have a big effect, long term too, on any Congregation when anyone leaves, or even just becomes inactive as a start, and then fades away.

  But to get a huge synchronised exodus, though a lovely idea, simply will not happen. The abject fear instilled by the WT Cult by their Shunning policy is too strong.

  We need to find a way to "unwimp" those who would leave if they only had the balls.

  The great thing if it did happen is that I believe DFings or forced DAings would be rare, because of the numbers involved, and the WT's Shunning policy would simply have to change because so many who had remained as JW's would ignore it.

  A number of long time JW's have said to me that they will not, and do not, do shunning already.

  If only we could find a way to make such an historical event happen.
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  joe134cd

  I certainly can understand what you are saying. I can think of some prominent ones in the congregation e.g elders, bethelites etc, who for no apparent reason just stopped coming to the meetings. At the time I remember putting this down to losing sight of the prize of the Christian race, but now that I know TTATT I have wondered if their silent fading was perhaps a bit more premeditated and planned. Another very good example I can think of was of this young couple who were bible students. Middle of the road people e.g middle income, wernt down and outers etc, who were genuinely nice and sincere, and wanted a relationship with God. I remember talking to them after the meeting one day and they told me that they were going to have a talk with a religious relative about the things they were learning at the Hall. Obviously he had shown them what was on the internet and I never saw them after that. Go figure I guess.
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  ThomasCovenant

  Just to clarify, I'm not talking about a worldwide coordinated exit. Just no more fading. Just stopping.
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  Honesty

  The ones who left just didn't have enough love for Jehovah or they would have stayed.

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  That's what would be on the minds and lips of the robodubs.

  They have been programmed to view anyone who leaves doesn't have enough love in their hearts for God.
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  The Searcher

  As someone who's still in in, I am beginning to hear rumblings of dissent/bewilderment at recent changes in teachings/understandings/attitudes coming through the literature, especially as one brother put it, 'the constant elevation of the FDS'.

  To answer your question - the Org would immediately apply suitably worded Scriptures to their dilemma and just tell the 'faithful' (to the Org!) that it's part of the sign that we are so close to the end!
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  westiebilly11

  any such fading would be classed as fulfilling prophecy....love of the greater number cooling off....suddenly..!...remaining ones would hold the org even tighter...
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  leavingwt

  They survived 1975.