An organization is in pretty bad shape when it lays off skilled workers that they only provide a small allowance and room and board. What do they expect to pay for professionals when they need special skills that the old Bethelites were known for. Who are they going to hire? Worldly people?
It almost seems like they are hunkering down, reducing their expenses to the absolute minimums required to keep the doors open for a few more years. The rank and file will be told or interpret all of these cutbacks as "storing wheat for the winter of increased persecution."
If they would just change their broken policies on child abuse management, shunning of those who have committed no sin other than refusing to believe their bullshit, and allow and encourage their members to get proper advanced educations.
All of these cutbacks just don't make sense - unless donations are really falling off completely. I've heard many rumors that most of the contributions in some Kingdom Halls are actually coming only from the elders and MS volunteers. One email I got from a "fading elder" mentioned that his personal monthly contributions were over $300. "Without me and a couple of other elders tossing in direct contributions of over $200 each, our Kingdom Hall would completely go broke. One brother suggested moving the contribution boxes next to the exit doors at the end of our meetings and have an elder or MS stand next to them like they do at conventions. He thinks that would shame most of the brothers into dropping something in the box on their way out the door. I know it goes against everything we've said about contributions, but we are getting desperate."
Personally, I hope they have to shut down and sell off every Kingdom Hall and have to start renting empty store fronts like we did back in the 1940s and 50s.
JV