How Jehovah's Witnesses could become a huge mainstream religion without harming people. Any thoughts?

JWchange

If JWs did the following, I believe they would grow exponentially and become one of the largest 'religions' on Earth :

1. No more DFing or shunning......its up to your conscience who you like or don't like. in the same way if i was Catholic living in Ireland, I wouldn't hang out with my neighbor if she was a drunk fornicator, just had an abortion, had a Taliban boyfriend and also supported Liverpool Soccer club. Specifically the latter.

2. No more 'ministry' going house to house or street witnessing.

3. Spend 10-130 hours every month helping fellow human beings practically, emotionally and financially who are NOT JWs or family members. And optionally fill an S8 every month re above.

Universal Unitarians on steroids? 50% of the current JW cong would be auxiliary pioneers half the year. What do you think?

sir82

What you've described is what virtually every Christian church already does.

Why would JWs who followed the above become "one of the largest religions on earth"? What would distinguish them from Methodists or Presbyterians or Lutherans or [fill in the blank]?

JWchange

helping others and keeping a record on S8 instead of counting hours 'witnessing'

sir82

Why keep track of it on any form at all? Just do it because Christ asked it of you, not to meet an hours quota.

Still don't see any difference between any of 1000 or so mainstream churches and what you described as a revamped JWism.

done4good

They would cease to exist as JW, plain and simple.

FWIW, the organization in current form cannot withstand that type of change without serious repercussions to its business. It is structured to depend upon control of its membership. In a very real way this control aspect is part of its business model. Any removal of those attributes would cause major disruption, as members would leave for two reasons: 1. Many don't really want to be there anyway, and once the controls are removed, they will walk; 2. Many others would find the changes very disturbing, and leave because the changes themselves would be enough indication the organization is not the "Truth".

Things are slowly reaching a critical mass, however. Change may be forced on the organization to survive for the long term. This will basically be the equivalent of hitting the reset button however, and require serious fallout before things begin to level off. Nothing will be the same for the organization after that, as they will basically be little more than a minor sect, comparable to what happened with the Christadelphians.

d4g

Simon

The mormons have certainly been more successful with higher growth.

I think all these sects have a segment they appeal to and those people will be in whatever the closest one that suits their mindset.

Other than the born-in's of course ... but most born-in's leave (especially JWs)

The fastest growing segment is now atheist. The religions can squabble over the shrinking pool of believers but they are on the decline.

The only way they can survive is to water things down to the point that they almost cease to be a religion. Either way it's a win IMO.

Vidiot

done4good - "They would cease to exist as JW, plain and simple."

This.

Vidiot

Simon - "The religions can squabble over the shrinking pool of believers but they are on the decline."

Fighting over the scraps... interesting image.

Laika

"also supported Liverpool Soccer club"

Now this is a good reason to shun someone

Illuminated

Not with their history. How would it erase the mass murder and pedophilia they've committed on top of their wacky child like doctrine?

How Jehovah's Witnesses could become a huge mainstream religion without harming people. Any thoughts?

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