JW Malaise

by Half banana 21 Replies latest watchtower medical

  • Half banana
    Half banana

    Malaise according to the Cambridge Dictionary:

    a general feeling of being ill or having no energy, or an uncomfortable feeling that something is wrong, especially with society, and that you cannot change the situation

    Where the dictionary says Society, read "The Society"..........

    Is there a malaise in the JW world? In the congregations, in the Bethels, among individuals?

    I spoke to a PIMO friend this morning who mentioned that the meeting attendance in his congregation has become optional. Whereas a majority attend most meetings perhaps a third treat them as places to attend when it is convenient i.e. if there is not anything more pressing or interesting to do – but still expect full JW status.

    When I was a Witness (at the end of the last century!) there were five compulsory meetings to attend or questions would have been asked.

    Has the whole JW show become more casual, like other half-hearted faiths? Has Armageddon receded into the future? Is it now primarily a social club?

    The younger JWs that I know are certainly not happy bunnies unless they have a full social calendar outside of JW arrangements. Depression and undefined illnesses have always been a prominent JW trait, is this still the case? Is their dissatisfaction and annoyance at the prophetic failure now showing in the general lack of enthusiasm for JW meetings, rules and regulations?

    Is this your experience? Where is it heading?

  • LV101
    LV101

    I like this thread, HB - seems the cult is all over the place. We haven't had a good debate lately or separate thread re/prognostications or I missed it.

    I can't imagine it being a social club if one (young or old) isn't a faithful lock-stepper and have a sterling attendance but, hopefully, cult is so desperate that slackers/seat warmers (as long as they drop a shekel or 2 in the money box) are welcome to the in-crowds. I think the summer time is sketchy - lots of excuses but all time high re/the int'l conventions/travel.

    Did I read (early AM) there are only 170,000 JWs in Germany - is that all there is. Small country - maybe that's a good number.

    "Depression and undefined illnesses" -- yeah, it's a horror show and makes people physically/mentally ill for sure.

  • Theonlyoneleft
    Theonlyoneleft

    Half Banana FIVE meetings? Wow!

    There were three in my days, then Saturday and Sunday ministry. I remember how I used to hide behind whatever I could find when we would knock on people’s houses that used to go to my school.... so terrifying. And my teachers would mark my school tests with a red marker when my answer to the evolution question question started as... If this really happened...ouch... 0% on my school tests score 😤.

    Things have changed and I’m glad about it 😊. The more crazy changes the more wake up.

    My sister does carts, they studied from tablets and have access to JW.org? What’s this is all about? In my local town...I see JW’s near the carts... no interactivity with the public, they just stand there unless they are approached. On my day we actually pestered people.

    But you know what?...More crazy please sir more!!!! Can I please have some more!? 😌

  • sir82
    sir82

    Is it now primarily a social club?

    Depends on your age.

    I'd say that maybe 10-15% of those under age 50 are "true believers". They are the ones who go to SKE school, try to become COs, sign up for Bethel, etc. For the other 85-90%, it's mainly social.

    For those over 50, I think the "true believer" ratio is probably over 50%, but has dropped quite a bit from a generation (ha!) ago. I think a lot of older JWs are bewildered that we're about to enter the 3rd decade of the 21st century, and Armageddon is nowhere in sight. Those over 50 likely still remember 1975 and were thoroughly certain they would "never grow old", never thought they'd see the year 2000 "in this old system" much less 2020.

    I think they realize, somewhere deep down, it's all a bunch of hooey, but at this stage in their life, "where else would we go?" So they resign themselves to JW drudgery because it's too much work to reinvent their life, and/or they subscribe to the "sunk cost" fallacy.

    "Malaise" is a good word - probably 75% of JWs have it.

  • blondie
    blondie

    I have always felt that jws become believers and stay believers despite events causing cognitive dissonance about the WTS. The WTS is always telling jws they aren't doing enough, they are one step away from committing a sin that leads to df'ing, that only being part of the WTS will mean survival through the Big A or being resurrected.

    It's the carrot and the stick

    Carrot: Everlasting life in youth and good health in an earthly paradise, surrounded by your family and friends, those that lived through Armageddon and those who are resurrected.

    Stick: If you step outside the WTS requirements, such as being baptized, you will die at Armageddon. Fear of being df'd.

    I have always felt that jws become believers and stay believers despite events causing cognitive dissonance about the WTS. The WTS is always telling jws they aren't doing enough, they are one step away from committing a sin that leads to df'ing, that only being part of the WTS will mean survival through the Big A or being resurrected.

    It's the carrot and the stick

    Carrot: Everlasting life in youth and good health in an earthly paradise, surrounded by your family and friends, those that lived through Armageddon and those who are resurrected.

    Stick: If you step outside the WTS requirements, such as being baptized, you will die at Armageddon. Fear of being df'd.

    Image result for carrot and stick image free

  • road to nowhere
    road to nowhere

    5 meetings on 3 days. They differentiated the talk and study, and t the ministry school and service meeting

    A lot seem to realize we ain't going no place fast. All 3rd grade level material

  • Pete Zahut
    Pete Zahut

    I'd say that for many JW's it's more a case of rampant Weltschmerz [velt-shmerts]

    A German Noun that is used to describe the depression or weariness that arises from comparing the word as it is, to a hypothetical and idealized world.

    When physical realities can't match the demands of the mind.

    Constant postponement of their unrealistic expectations, has reduced many JW's to the level of highly functioning zombies who don't really know what to think anymore.

    Ever visited Bethel?? Lots of that going on there.

  • smiddy3
    smiddy3

    I remember talking to a pioneer sister many years ago about the 5 weekly meetings we had back then and she corrected me saying we only had 3 meetings a week.

    I then had to re-correct her saying that just because 2 meetings were joined to another meeting their was still 5 different meetings in a week.

    And not counting FS meetings which added more to the score.

    A typical 5 meeting week of Jehovah`s Witnesses some years ago.

    Tuesday night : The Book Study for one hour.

    Thursday night : The kingdom Ministry school for one hour.

    And then : The service meeting for one hour

    Thats 3 different meetings each taking 1 hour in duration.

    Then their was the Public Talk ( that no public ever attended ) which lasted an hour.

    And to top it all off there was the Watchtower Study , that also lasted an hour

    So when you add them all up their were 5 meetings every week not counting field Service meetings that took place especially on weekends .

    However their were also other Field service meetings that took place during the week for whoever wanted to attend supporting Pioneers in the ministry.

    And if you have been paying attention to all of the above ?

    You will notice their is not one meeting dedicated to actual Bible Study .Not one. In the Jehovah`s Witness religion.

  • Theonlyoneleft
    Theonlyoneleft

    Thank you for clarifying the amount of meetings we had. I never saw it as 5, wasn’t even aware of that. All I knew was “you have to go to the meeting tonight!!”... three repeatedly phrases a week that my sister used to rumble on and on about.

  • optimisticskeptic
    optimisticskeptic

    I would say sir82 is closest on this answer. It's something I debate internally as well. Although I think there are a few more shades between pure socialites and true believers. I know a lot of younger ones, young couples, and young families and I would say there's a pretty large swath of believers that aren't hardcore. Not sure what to call them. They're spiritually minded but don't really pursue any privileges, seem to believe its the truth but don't really bother to question or research their faith. They're a step above socialites as they do have some level of conviction and are regular in service and meetings. Anyways, I think this makes up a pretty large group of all ages. But I've commented here before that I do think many in the org are certainly becoming a bit more casual and balanced. I find especially those under 40 or 30 to be this way, even those who are appointed are generally not nearly as dogmatic. Which is nice. Unfortunately you still have a lot of older ones who are stuck in their ways. It will be interesting to see what JWs are like in another 20-30 years.

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