No the WT Borg is not closing! That's Wild Dreaming!

by DwainBowman 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  done4good

  No, it is not closing, not will it likely anytime soon. However based on very broad based anecdotal evidence, they are clearly having problems, and trying desperately to manage them. Organizations don't stop building and expanding because everything is just fine, especially ones that blindly pride themselves on that growth.

  I believe the problems started in earnest a few years ago, (JW.org itself was a turn on a dime out of desperation). Several rather drastic measures have been attempted to reign in costs, and keep revenue flowing. The organization also has been trying to change its image, (of course without any true social reforms). These tactics are likely not working as planned, (they are tactical, read reactionary, not strategic), and the panic button has been pressed. They don't want to do this. There is nothing in it for them other than savings in operating and capital spend. That does not make "The one and only True Religion" look so good, does it?
  

  What is not understood clearly is what broke all of a sudden and why.

  d4g
  
• 

  The Searcher

  p.s. Once the Org's "Master Plan" to consolidate/merge K.H.'s - in order to maximise "auditorium capacity" - gets up to speed, then we'll see how smart that "marketing" ploy turns out to be!

  I truly look forward to this being implemented.
• 

  cofty

  I agree with Cognac. This isn't part of a strategic plan or change of direction. Something has happened and they are reacting in a way we have never seen before.

  I think the reality is probably somewhere between the OP of this thread and the more lurid predictions of late.
• 

  cognac

  I agree with The Searcher. They still have, I believe, 16 properties in Brooklyn that can be sold and probably a lot of other properties without batting an eyelash. Probably starting with printing facilities now that they aren't doing as much print work. Aren't the selling the UK branch and doing the print out of Germany?

  Once it gets down to consolidating Kingdom Halls everywhere, that's a good sign, "the end" of them is right around the corner.

  We probably have a ways to go before that happens though.
• 

  never a jw

  Partially right. The WT is adjusting to reduce expenses, as any smart company would do. They also have billions in assets, liquid and real estate. The battle they are losing is their public relationships, their image, their cash flow. So they may still have a long life, but it's obvious that the decline is right in front of them. Also, don't forget that people in the U.S. are leaving religion in large numbers and the WT is not immune to this phenomenon. Your overall assessment is wrong. We are at the beginning of the last days. The last days may last centuries, but this is a watershed in the history of religion. The printing press may have spread the Bible teachings worldwide several centuries ago, but it's the internet that will put it in its proper place, the bin of ancient literature, with no relevance today as a moral guide or divine revelation.
  
• 

  never a jw

  Resume construction.... for what? It's becoming obvious that WT growth is anemic or non existent in the Western world. Also, they likely lost interest in remodeling and refurbishing since they discovered that the donation arrangement may not bring a profit, especially considering the shaky economic climate today.

  I think they are putting their bets on decline, and whatever construction they start will be based on this premise. So we will see construction activity that focuses on heightening the value of properties in order to sell them, at the same time building larger halls to consolidate congregations to leave more properties available for sale.
  
• 

  steve2

  William Bowen also assumes that because a workforce consists of "volunteers" costs will be minimal. What a silly unsupportable myth!

  He is so wrong. Many posters have direct experience of the many construction difficulties that have resulted from using a volunteer work force as opposed to a paid work force of professionals. Problems attributable to incompetent (and volunteer) workers have cost the organization dearly over the years. There have been separate threads outlining some of the construction problems within the organization.

  Also, it will not have escaped readers notice that in some of the photos on the JW.org website detailing construction at Walkill, it mentioned that tasks had been asigned to construction experts (who were subsequently identified as contracted to the organization). Some volunteers, huh? This also costs - but is deemed worth it because at least they do not need to go back again to correct mistakes.

  Lastly, how else are the severe cutbacks in Bethels worldwide to be understood other than as an indication that there either is - or threatens to be - a budget blow out of monumental proportions?

  If JW.org is truly one of the wealthiest in the world - an astonishing and unsupported claim - then we would not be observing some of the most intensive "begging" from the organization ever seen before.
• 

  wisdomfrombelow

  I have to wonder where the money will come from. Since the "total donation arrangement" for literature completely flipped their revenue source, everything else is a stop-gap. They had a policy where people who generated the most revenue (pioneers) were rewarded and they pushed the ministry because the more full-time publishers the more money they made.

  Now how can they have a sustainable model to get money that continues and make it so people don't see it as an obvious "begging for money". The DVDs may only cost pennies to make but if they think people will pay a lot of dollars for them they are wrong. People will get them for free and having them available on the website for streaming or downloading also doesn't generate any revenue.

  They need a way to monetize indulgences and not have them look like obvious indulgences.
  
• 

  westiebilly11

  They are getting weaker, and negative press and news are doing them harm and fuelling public apathy towards them. They are increasingly focussing on the deaf/dumb/blind etc. Ones who have little free access to negative information on web etc. They rely increasingly on born ins and family circles for growth. Few outsiders enjoin them. Younger ones are trapped by kith and kin ...I suspect this will feed into small acts of rebellion as they see the outside world continue and their own lives stagnate.. Older ones face poverty as their lives come to an end before their anticipated new world order....
  

  Doctrinally, they're backing away from active prophecy and dates, focussing more and more on soft topics such as family life and engaging young ones in colouring in paradise scenes...
  
• 

  WingCommander

  Maybe Bill Bowen has finally discovered sarcastic humour? He almost sounds like he could work for the WT "Ministry of Information", the way he polished those turds up!

  Hahahahahahahaha! As I've stated before, if it could happen to Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God, it could happen to the WT org.