Human behavioral reason behind present WTS crisis?

Derrick

Halfway through the article Scientists unsure what triggers stranding -- illness, perilous coast may be factors (link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/07/31/MN185450.DTL) the thought occurred to me, What if there are complex human behavioral reasons beyond anyone's control behind the Jehovah's Witnesses organization's rapid moral disintegration?

The above quoted article reads in part:

"The mass stranding of pilot whales on Cape Cod was probably a natural event, marine biologists said Tuesday, an accident linked to tight social groupings and the perils of navigating a rugged coastline.

Pilot whales tend to swim in large, stable family groups. If for some reason one of the leaders goes astray, "they all follow," said Steve Webster, senior marine biologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

"They're not all planning to go kill themselves on the beach," he said. "It happens because they have this social structure, and it becomes something like the highly mechanized behavior we see in birds or insects."

Suppose that a very influential and enigmatic member of the governing body has gone astray in handling the pedophile situation and, for whatever reason, is not able to grasp or is unwilling to change basic doctrinal inconsistencies in the blood teachings and bazantine handling of individual congregation member judicial matters? Should this be the case then everyone at Bethel is blindly following that enigmatic GB member down a road leading to an obvious dead-end, because tightly knit social structures result in "highly mechanized behavior" resulting in the spiritual stranding of Jehovah's Witnesses like those whales are stranded and dying.

It will take someone high in Bethel to break away from the herd mentality if they are to save this organization for future preaching of the Bible's good news of the kingdom.

Derrick

libra_spirit

I think that a submarine hit them with it's sonar, they all went basically deaf, and are beaching themselves because they can no longer navigate in the ocean. The navy probably knows the reason for this but has hidden it from the public for years.

It is not some loyalty they are acting out, they are ready to die because they can no longer hear thier own sonar.

kat7302

I think the main crisis is that the JW's spend so long not thinking for themselves, the whole thing becomes a frightening experience when they do have to. On top of that, the whole Armageddon thing is enough to make anyone stay if they believe it enough.

voltaire

Excellent reasoning! Jws definately have a sort of herd mentality. Those who won't follow the pack, are out of the pack(ok I went from herd to pack), everyone else is expected to, or is happy to, move with the crowd. It could turn nasty someday.

Stephanus

It could turn nasty someday.

Especially if the truth behind the powerstruggle at Bethel comes out. Which way will the R&F jump if two or more "legitimate" leadership factions emerge?

Siddhashunyata

Does any one remember the faces of the Russian peasants and working class citizens when they were given the opportunity to think and express themselves in order to establish some form of democracy? They looked and sounded like Jehovah"s Witnesses rank and file. It appeared to be humility but closer inspection revealed that they were disoriented. To them, thinking and expressing themselves was new and..............strange! Late 1980's. Did anyone else notice this?

abbagail

Great material Derrick! and eeerily true, as eerie as the sonar sounds of whales under water...
looking up from the depths of the sea thru the seaweed and hazy shadows, sort of like looking thru coke-bottle glasses... they (dubs) can see but they don't realize it's all a blur... It's like what I read in another forum today, "When you're under mind control you don't know you're under mind control."

I definitely would have stayed (fear of Armageddon) if I hadn't of fallen in love, L-U-V.

As far as the Dazed Russians, since I was a dub in the late 80's, I never watched TV or the news... missed it, but I understand your description of their disorientation, Siddha.

Libra-spirit: At first I thought your post was describing the JWs, but I now see you are literally talking about the poor whales! That is the saddest thing I ever heard. They want to die because they cannot hear their own sonar! :-( How utterly SAD! -- Speaking of the Navy, maybe they are conducting below-the-ocean radioactive explosions and have burst the poor whales' eardrums!

Org Power Struggle - Two Legit Leadership Factions Emerge!
"I have put Life and Life, and Death and Death before you. Which will you choose?"
(and you thought you were confused BEFORE..., says Groucho fluttering his big bushy eyebrows and sucking on a stoagie...)

I would be thrilled if there was a coup de tat (sp?) at HQ, and subsequent Civil War if necessary.. Whether I vote Blue or Grey depends on whoever has the biggest, uummm, "nerve," and does the RIGHT THING!

Grits

Edited by - grits on 1 August 2002 3:35:50

proplog2

You are presuming the Watchtower is in a crisis. So what's new. I have been a JW for over 50 years. They've always been in a tough situation. They are continuously going against the main stream. They don't do things just to keep members. That's why they disfellowship ("stone") an average of 1% of their members every year. If you do the calculations close to half of JW's have been reproved or disfellowshipped.

RedhorseWoman

One of the main tenets of JW belief is "unity". To think "independently" is to invite Satan in. It is almost inconceivable for the JWs to do anything BUT support the party line. To express an opinion contrary to what is stated by Brooklyn is to defy Jehovah Himself.

NeonMadman

So whales are a cult?

Human behavioral reason behind present WTS crisis?

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