Has anyone noticed the JW movies are trying to normalise their lifestyle?

by truthseeker 30 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  truthseeker

  Having watched The Prodigal Son Returns movie produced by the organization and a recent mini-clip of a brother in London who is shown jogging and doing normal everyday things while wanting to "reach out" it occurred to me that the organization is trying to normalize their bizarre lifestyle and beliefs for the benefit of non-witnesses.

  What do I mean by normalization? They try to make the Witnesses look like just another Christian denomination who are reasonable while their members live and enjoy normal lives that appear to be within the mainstream.

  They do this by not mentioning anything to do with higher education, Armageddon or the urgency of the end of the world nor is their discussion or mention of the blood issue. These are things mentioned often at Kingdom Halls and in study articles.
  

  
  Watching the Prodigal Son returns, the family appears to live a normal life, going to meetings and studying. There is no mention of the discipline given to Matthew, the son who lived a debauched life. It's as if they are trying to minimize their wacky beliefs by omitting them from the story.

  In the other movie clip, they show a young brother going through his normal routine, jogging, working out etc while another brother encourages him to reach out.

  I wonder if this is damage control?

  Perhaps they are trying to change hearts and minds by trying to make the witnesses seem reasonable, everyday people who study the Bible and talk to others about it?

  Truthseeker
  

  
  
• 

  My Name is of No Consequence

  In regards to the prodigal son movie, I wish I had a family business to fall back on if I hit rock bottom.
• 

  NotBlind

  The families in these videos live in very nice upper-middle class homes in nice neighborhoods. Their kitchens have updated appliances, their living rooms have new furniture, and their homes are all in excellent condition.

  This is NOT the reality of JW life.

  With few exceptions, this lifestyle is impossible unless one or both spouses are working full-time in a highly-skilled trade or profession (read: something that requires postsecondary education).

  If an actual JW publisher lived in a home like in these videos, or drove those nice cars, or had a successful business (not cleaning related), we would be labelled "materialistic" or "not putting Kingdom Interests first." I know, because that's what the CO called me.

  The reality of JW life in the USA is: living paycheck to paycheck, driving a 10-15 year-old jalopy picked up on Craigslist for $2000, figuring out how to work as many hours without losing disability or welfare benefits, not being able to get a job because you don't have enough education, and being stuck living in somebody's basement because you're too poor to buy or rent a house (again because of no skills).

  When will they show THIS reality in their videos?
• 

  neat blue dog

  I think you missed the point of the London/jogging clip. He was spending too much time excercising, and was not appointed a MS at first.
• 

  TheListener

  In my area there is a mix of witnesses - both the middle class (probably not upper middle class) and those who are struggling economically. The KH my wife attends is probably 70% struggling and 30% middle class - guess what? The 30% middle class make up almost the entire servant body and the economically struggling ones are most of the pioneers.

  Is that how it is in other areas?
• 

  sir82

  The videos send a powerful message to the Latinos and other similarly poor immigrants in the USA.

  "Look - this is how JWs can live now, 'in this system of things'. 3000 square foot homes, cars not only for the adults but for the kids as well, tons of disposable income for gadgets, etc. You can live like this. Just put 'Kingdom interests first', and you will be rich just like these guys."

  That message of course makes no rational sense, but its emotional meaning is crystal clear.
  
• 

  OUTLAW

  Has anyone noticed the JW movies are trying to normalise their lifestyle?

  Watchtower Advertising has Never Matched Up with JW Reality..

  .
  

  .....................WATCHTOWER

  ........................................
  

  .........

  
  

  .........................JW REALITY..

  .............
• 

  LongHairGal

  TRUTHSEEKER & NOTBLIND

  Yes, I most certainly believe they do not want to show the TRUE appearance of the situation of how many Jehovah's Witnesses actually live in Western nations.

  Instead, they give a false image of prosperity and upper-middle class luxury when we know the reality is that anybody who swallows the whole Witness thing is on the fast track to POVERTY....Yes, to live the upper-middle class life portrayed, a person needs college and professional training AND career OR a successful business!

  This false image they want the public to see goes hand-in-hand with the attitude back when I was attending that you should look "business-like" when you went door-to-door..meanwhile many Witnesses were anything but, some barely literate.

  I suppose this misleading image is also meant to entice people in poorer parts of the world that their lifestyle is going to jump up to this "level" if they become Witnesses.

  What a deception!
• 

  ttdtt

  They did live in an awfully nice house and in a nice neighborhood?

  Maybe he made a ton of money before he got the "Trooof"
• 

  sparrowdown

  Why not try and go full "normal" they've been going "full retard" for years.