JW sisters reaction to the cutbacks

by umbertoecho 27 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  umbertoecho

  For clarification. My sister and her family were moved from their kingdom hall of over thirty years of attendance. They were given some offhand reason about boundaries. This was an unusual move as they had contributed so much money and time to this hall. When they were moved, they were surprised.......shocked even.

  Then the royal commission started. This meant a lot to those who had insight into my complaints. Records follow a congregant from one place to another. This was the case with my sister and her family. The more distance they could put between me and those who had done wrong............the better.

  Therefore, it was a shock for her and her family to be told that the "new place of worship" was likely to go back to the old place of worship; namely........straight back to the KH that they had just left. Question marks were happening every few moments ( in her and their minds)
  Why were they moved in the first place? Why are they being told to amalgamate in the next instance? What in the hell is going on?!

  Essentially. Money is the issue. For real estate is a viable redeemable option here in Australia. Property prices are very healthy and the RC will take intelligent note of this, due to many who have made them aware of how things work here.

  There is a consolidation of assets going on. It is in order to minimise the "profits" of WTBTS here in Australia. This may mean cramping four different congregations into one usual meeting place. It seems clear to me from listening and more importantly....observing, the reactions of those who I do know. There is something going on that I sense is not to the "joy" of those long time followers of this religion. There is a resigned look in the faces of those who I have known, where once there was an arrogant look of triumph. But this is my sense. It may not be the same as others who read this forum. What I do know is this. That, there is a feeling of ....what....? Not feeling as perfect, strong, convinced..........of their place in this system of things; as once emanated from these people before. Perhaps there is a feeling of confusion as they "hope" that their God is still defending them. Not the same as being convinced. Yes!! That's it. The conviction has gone.
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  lurkernomore

  I went for a pint with an old JW friend who is now an elder, just a couple weeks ago. I made it clear before our meet that I wasn't going to discuss our 14 month absence from the KH but JW's being JW's he couldn't keep 'da troof' off the subject list altogether.

  He basically told me about his parents who had gone to help with the new UK bethel build some months ago. Then he mentions how they will likely have to come back soon because the society is making cutbacks and they don't even know if they're going to finish the branch to the full original specification as they just don't need it all.

  There was no sign of questioning whatsoever by this 32 year old elder. He even mentioned the layoffs in bethel and said how they're being told to concentrate on the ministry as we're 'sooo close to the end' hahaha.

  There are plenty of people taking this BS hook line and sinker.

  Another elder stopped me yesterday as he wanted to ask if some of his customers had approached me yet, as he was cutting back and he'd passed my number on to them. He then proceeds to tell me that the reason for this (and he told his customers this) he wants to concentrate more on the ministry! This man is around 40 with 3 home schooled kids who will likely spend most they're time out knocking on doors, poor things.

  I see lots of individuals who are ratcheting up they're cult like persona, really believing the hype the GB has conveyed over the past few months through JWTV. So sad.
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  umbertoecho

  A couple have just been sent straight back to Australia from the place where they were sent to do missionary work. I'm sorry I can't remember the country right now. But. The thing is. They had missed communication between Bethel Australia and America. This caused the couple to lose their place of residence and other costs. They were not told that there was no missionary work "approved" by Head quarters in Sydney via Bethel,America. They got to where the need was greater. And got sent home again. Things are very confused here from what I can glean.
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  joe134cd

  Umbertoecho= I seriously doubt the Australian bethel is expendable. If they close down that place that means they have lost control of the whole of Austral - Asia. Its just to a big of a player to be with out. Next closest bethel (of any significant importance) would be Japan (please someone correct me if I'm wrong)
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  jookbeard

  I take it you didn't tell her about the billion dollar real estate sell off in Brooklyn over the last couple of years?
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  umbertoecho

  Lurkernomore.

  I wonder how long a person can delude him/her-self, when all is falling apart. An elders wife is getting ready to 'sell' the house off!! It seems incredibly cult like to me and once I thought the absolute opposite of this. There is unease here. Why; even the elders who were my constant headache have disappeared.
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  umbertoecho

  True, true. Australia is a good port of communication and I did not consider that fully. It's interesting though, that there are only 68.000 or so JWs who are officially "in".

  jookbeard. No, I didn't tell her about such monetary matters as it would cause her to shy away in terror of my demoniac insights.
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  lurkernomore

  Umber, I do believe there is a level of discontent but it simply isn't being aired. I overheard some elderly ladies from the local KH (I still do work for a couple older ones) discuss how they didn't think they'd still be in this system of things at this stage in they're lives. The sad thing is that is what they were promised but the promise was never fulfilled

  The last time I had a chat about the way I feel about everything JW I jokingly told my mum, whose in her late fifties, "let's hope your wrong!" Rather than say yeah let hope so for your sake, she said yeah

  "let's hope so or I will have wasted my life!"

  I think this perfectly sums up how a large proportion of JW's feel inside, especially people my mum's age. Sadly they're too scared to look behind the curtain.
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  The Searcher

  umbertoecho - you said, "The money is being drained out of Australia in case the RC causes legislation to " take" what is not offered freely, by the religious culprits;"

  Would it be possible for you to alert the A.R.C. of this distinct possibility?

  Perhaps the Australian Branch's assets could be frozen, pending the A.R.C.'s final report.
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  notjustyet

  Send her a link to the Nov 15th 2013 Watchtower where the WTBTS ask Jws to prepare themselves to " do things that don't make sense from a human standpoint"

  ( I think its the article about "Dukes,.." I do believe it is paragraph 17, part 3"

  NJY