for those still "in" what's the mood (page 5)

Vidiot

Magnum - "It truly is a country club atmosphere."

If a JW Kingdom Hall is a country club atmosphere, it's gotta be one of the saddest, boringest country clubs I've ever seen.

Vidiot

Magnum - "...and through first-hand experience has a feel for their mental state and abilities (or lack thereof)."

I think the second-hand experience (of their mental state and abilities or lack thereof) that we get from loyalist trolls who post here on JWN is a very close runner-up.

joe134cd

These are the stats for the last 2 years.

3% disfellowshipped. They all come back. Basically kids who had no where else to go. Be interesting to see if they stay in.

6% just walked out the door under strained circumstances e.g marriage break up, and / or didn't like the way they were treated. I fit into this category.

Since walking out the door there has been a further 3% that i have heard of who are either inactive now or very sporadic meeting attenders.

They have had a publisher reshuffle in order to redistribute numbers to prevent a congregation from collapsing.

And to top it all off my family think there is wondrous growth and Jehovah is speeding it up in the time of the end. I just roll my eyes back and agree.

joe134cd

Just to add further to my above post. Out of all those who either were pushed or jumped of their own free will. The majority were in the 18-25:year age bracket.

Magnum

Vidiot: If a JW Kingdom Hall is a country club atmosphere, it's gotta be one of the saddest, boringest country clubs I've ever seen.

I agree. However, Kneehighmiah and I were referring to the administration offices at district (regional) conventions. It is a country club atmosphere in those offices.

Some months back I ran into some JWs I hadn't seen in well over a decade. Even though they are born-ins, they fall into the "thinking" category. They talked openly of their disappointment with the way the religion is going and are appalled at being told they should carry a device and show people at the door an online presentation as opposed to printed literature. They also mentioned about the asking for money.

I also heard from a lady in town who voiced concern about a JW female relative who spends too much time assisting a 'disturbed' individual in her hall. Her family worry about her safety.

I have another JW friend who says nothing to me about the religion since I no longer attend. I get the sense she doesn't want me to know anything negative about the religion... But, I know it all.... Maybe she's afraid I'll say I told you so.

--Hard to accept changes that go against everything the religion supposedly stood for.

--Constant asking for money.

--Disturbed individuals in congregations who are inflicted on people there.

With what I have learned on this site plus what I can read between the lines with people I see, I know that the JW religion is not a place I would want to be and if I hadn't jumped ship years ago this nonsense would send me running.

Vidiot

LongHairGal - "Maybe she's afraid I'll say I told you so."

People tend to judge others based on their own example.

10 bucks says that if - all of a sudden - the Great Trib actually started, she'd be sorely tempted to say "I told you so" to you.

x

Not to mention that it's a lot easier to forgive someone for being wrong that it is to forgive them for being right.

Ding

Without a target date for the end (such as 1975) it's the same old, same old "just around the corner" every year.

Trouble is, with the internet available and a lot of vocal "apostates," setting another date won't be easy.

flipper

All I can say is what I occasionally see in my JW relatives who still attend. My older dad, an elder and my brother who is an elder are still both heavily involved in going to meetings and their elder " duties ". My 87 yr.old mom though who was placed in a assisted care facility in February- has not attended meetings since then and doesn't talk about the Witnesses much at all. In fact she wished me a happy Fathers day in June ! I truly believe like some have stated here that a typical JW that STOPS attending meetings- that 3 to 10 % or whatever - are far more likely to STAY AWAY from meetings if they don't keep getting that mind control drivel pounded into their heads from the platform. The other JW's who keep on attending WILL remain as mind controlled zombies and just sit there at the kingdom halls with a blank stare on their face and a little spittle drooling out their mouths as they nod off through meetings. Evidence of mind control and Zombieism. Really sad

lastchance

Very interesting observations. I also note that the ones who seem to be "zealous" are usually in pursuit of or trying to hold on to priveledges. Their zeal does not appear to be real. Its all about the status of being used in some compacity. If you are a brother you want to appear to be "zealous" and theocratic because you want to be a ministerial servant or elder. If you are a married couple you want to appear to be " zealous " so you can be used at the circuit assemblies or even asked to serve in the circuit work.

Take away the privledges and how many would keep up the appearance?

for those still "in" what's the mood

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