by JeffT 27 Replies latest jw friends
The WTS/JWorg venture into video presentations or scriptural teachings to sustain the flock is going to be a hit or miss.
Are they going to have a snack bar at the back with intermissions ?
JWS are going to be a high tech religoius cult with everyone carrying around Tablets while watching videos on large monitors at the Halls.
Funny shit really
Kingdom Hall meetings are still going to be ongoing for awhile yet, that you can count on.
In 1979 the Watchtower admitted to their 1975 failure. That admission was a total of two sentences long in the back of a Wt. study article. Either 1980 or 81 Franz was in Reno Nev., so I set about to listen very, very hard to every word he said, and at the end he said absolutely, nothing! Yes he had energy, he worked the crowd but there was never a point or a concept to get across. But he had a magic word which was "hence". So he would orate then throw in the word 'hence' and the crowd erupted in applause.
That talk, 1975, the 1984 Wt. comment as to we would be preaching to son's and daughters of those "sighing and groaning" of Ezk.ch.9 and the 1984 start of the "obedience to the Organization mantra", was my personal eye opening.
It was also in Reno in 1982 and 1983 where we were told that there was no "new light" to be had . It was even stated that if we wanted "new light" then do personal study and locate some yourself. So getting back to Jeff's original point there has not been anything new as he knew during the early 1970's is absolutely right on. So using Fred's own word "hence" we have seen a concerted effort on the part of the GB to shut down minds, demand blind obedience as the closest the GB has to "new light" is David Splane's newest version on Matt.24:34.
A definition of the JWS religion = hyped delusion based upon ignorance.
The GB gurus still do propagate fear such as what they did with this virus problem, that's about all they've got left the end is near or we are at the end of the end.
Unless it completely rebuilds itself the Watchtower will die of boredom.
There must be massive, enormous cognitive dissonance among the very small minority of ambitious JW youth, the ones who full-on "believe the hype" and forego any education or training that would enable them to lead at least a somewhat reasonably good life, and instead jump onto the WT treadmill of "full time service" or even "special full time service".
WT articles & videos pointed toward youth constantly extol the "thrilling", "satisfying", "fulfilling", "meaningful" life that such "full time service" will bring.
But when 22 year old "Joe Zealous", who's been pioneering while working with Brother Goober's nighttime janitorial enterprise, reads or watches that message, he contrasts it with the absolute mind-numbing drudgery of spending hour after hour, day after day, week after week, year after year, walking around neighborhoods of houses he will never ever ever EVER be able to afford....
And then he sighs as he begins to write his 848th letter that has constituted the "lifesaving preaching work" in the past year+ since COVID hit and even the grinding slog of door to door and cart witnessing somehow seem more appealing now....
And then, he thinks about all his "colleagues" (not friends, oh no, can't have non-JW friends) who he went to high school with. He sees their Instagram posts and FB pages, and sees them either graduating from college, or getting an internship, starting out their life with virtually unlimited potential....
And then he thinks about Fred Dodderhead, the 80 year old elder who sold his house 10 years ago because "Armageddon was so close", and he was going to live off the proceeds while pioneering in the "short time remaining"....the same elder who now works as a Wal-Mart greeter because those savings ran out and his meager Social Security check doesn't even cover his Wonder Bread and Baloney budget anymore...the same elder who always looks so tired at the meetings....
And he thinks about the video from last month's CLAM showing highly attractive, smiling, joyous JW "youths" preaching on a beach in Tahiti or Bali or Madagascar and he thinks...."I'm not joyful like I should be....what's wrong with me?"
And the cycle continues....
As with all cults time is their enemy...it proves them wrong....and if they reinvent then just further proof they were wrong in the first place.
FFGHOST:
That is a very funny but informative post about the realities of what happens when a young person in the religion does not get college/career. You got that right about never being able to afford that nice house!...There are non-JWs working who can barely afford it.
That is also sad what you wrote about somebody who sold their house a decade ago and decided to live off the proceeds..’because Armageddon was coming!’.. He can barely afford his baloney sandwiches. 🙄
I am sure there are JWs who did this or something similar like dropping out of the workforce to live in some exotic place. Then the money starts to run out..and the End isn’t here yet. The person is over Sixty and has to deal with this. In a sucky economy. In a worldwide pandemic no less.
Even when people DO plan for their retirement..they still have to watch their money and act wisely and can’t necessarily do everything they would like. It makes me cringe to think what could have happened if I heeded all the bad unsolicited advice all these ‘spiritual’ types heaped on me years ago!
Before covid hit I had two elders track me down and ask me what it would take to get me to "return to Gee-hober "? First off I informed them that I can't afford to be a JW. They would have to make me the soul only Governing Body- member with a six figure salary. Thanked them and told them to find another sucker. " Be on your away to the next victim. "
