by punkofnice 60 Replies latest watchtower bible
It might just be me imagining things.
I hear things from my JW spies.
From all that's being said, it seems to me that the Rank and file(tm), are either waking up to the scam and fading/leaving
or
They are going full on 'cult mode' and acting like 'spiritual police'.
Is it just me and my imagination? Have others noticed this?
Do you have any examples or statistics to support your observation ? I have been out for over 20 years , so I wouldn`t have a clue .however it would make my day if it was true.
smiddy
Yes, I agree...it seems more difficult for them to stand on any middle ground...
Hard to tell isn't it? Whatever happens, a doomsday cult is always tightening the screws, cranking up the paranoia since the prophesied doom can never come. So it has to keep taking new measures such as snitching on friends to keep the faithful in a state of sufficient fear to remain dependent on the leaders and afraid to leave.
My JW son and DIL are for a change happy to speak with me and even invited me and my partner round to their house...the first time in their six years of marriage. I wonder if the assembly next week will alter their new-found friendliness?
My hope is that the day will come when the management realise that the congos are full of non believers who just outwardly appear like JWs. At that point they might as well give up the whole religion business...but perhaps that is what they are already recognising... and they want to clear out the 'dead wood'?
Smiddy - I don't have anything other than anecdotal info, I'm afraid.
stuck - It seems to be going full weirdo cult. Only the fully mind cleansed(tm)WT53, and those with emotional ties will stay.
Nana - I'm thinking that some of the JWs I know, may go full cult and start shunning me after the latest CONvention.
"I don't have anything other than anecdotal info, I'm afraid"
Wow! Well, I guess then it just HAS to be true!
I can't comment on what you are observing, but my impression based on the recent "literature" and conventions is that the WTS is trying to push out the "comfortable middle", those who are dumb enough to stay but were smart enough to get an education and a reasonable-paying job.
They seem to be interested in retaining only the brain-dead but fiercely loyal poor, or the privileged wealthy.
Seems this way to me
sir82 - "They seem to be interested in retaining only the brain-dead but fiercely loyal poor, or the privileged wealthy."
They're downsizing everything else; stands to reason they'd want to downsize the rank-and-file (to a more manageable size), too.
By alienating the middle-grounders, they can very neatly accomplish that without mass DFings (which would raise many eyebrows even amongst the loyalists).
I think this kind of polarization is not only happening but inevitable. Witnesses have always spouted a kind of "go hard or go home" rhetoric, but it was always just tough talk by most who had no intention of going hard or going home.
Now, with the relentless hard sell on the GT and loyalty to the GB it will become harder and harder to be a "luke warm" witness. I suspect.
