Easier to be a JW now?

by Xanthippe 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  slimboyfat

  Partly I'm thinking my eleven family members still in, one just a baby, may not make it out as it's getting easier to treat it like a church.
  
  

  The churches that are emptying?
  

  A lot of social science evidence suggests that the stricter a church is, the better it grows or retains members. Liberal churches that make few demands of adherents are in free fall decline in many countries.

  I understand your concern that relaxing the requirements may make people more likely to stay. But the evidence suggests otherwise. The less churches ask of their followers the less likely their followers are to stay active.

  However it's possible that relaxing the rules and requirements may make JWs more inclined to drift away rather than make a firm break. But their harder lines on education and shunning former members seem designed to stop that.
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  truth_b_known

  As someone who grew up in the tail end of the hardcore days, I can attest to the fact that it is easier to be a JW now than in the past whether you like it or not. I say "whether you like it or not" is because there was a time when those active in the organization lived and breathed the Bible. Get-togethers focused on talking about the Bible and studying it beyond the meetings.

  Not only are there fewer meetings and lower hourly requirements to pioneer, but Witnesses are discouraged in studying the Bible outside official Witness meetings. So much so, that if you do, you risk being labeled an "apostate".

  Studying now includes fewer monthly publications and watching videos or tv rather than reading.

  The religion is truly dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. Not only is the issue of avoiding higher education affecting Witnesses, but the lower quality public education in the United States has created an uber-sheep.
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  blondie

  Quote: Three meetings a week down to two

  Actually 5 meetings on 2 days, 3 on a weeknight (congregation bible study, school, service meeting) 2 on weekend (public talk, WT study)

  Quote: You can even listen to meetings on the phone from your living room if you don't feel like going.

  But you will be harassed if not deemed sick enough to stay home....missing out on the "fine fellowship."

  Quote: The door to door seems to be almost over. Just standing at carts for an hour or two chatting only to your friends

  This is a big assumption; only a few carefully selected jws do the cart work, unless you are currently attending a congregation where I'm sure you would see the vast majority of jws encouraged to shop up at the field service meetings.
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  blondie

  Quote: but Witnesses are discouraged in studying the Bible outside official Witness meetings. So much so, that if you do, you risk being labeled an "apostate".

  If that is so, how do jws ever study, use just the publications and never crack a bible?

  BTW, I grew up in the bad old days, but I don't think it is easier just different. jws are conditioned more to obey. Let me borrow and illustration used at the last meeting I ever went to.

  I can say that when I stopped attending all meetings at the KH and conventions and assemblies that my despondency disappeared. How quickly the oppressive fog lifted. No more hearing that I was an elephant conditioned to stay chained to a post, that non-JWs were only corpses, and that Jesus only picked up shiny new quarters and left the dirty pennies on the sidewalk. No more wondering why the love of God and Jesus weren't seen at the WTS gatherings. If you haven't already, why not take a vacation from the WTS grind?
  
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  Iamallcool

  NO! When I tried to go to field service again after being inactive for a number of years, The elders asked me all kinds of questions about what I have been doing while I am not active. It did turn me off big time.
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  sir82

  Now pioneering's down to what is it 30 hours a month or something?

  Regular Pioneers are supposed to get 840 hours a year, 70 per month.

  Auxiliary pioneer requirement is 50 per month, except for 4 times a year when you can get 30.
  
• 

  Magnum

  [bold print is quote; can't get quote thingy to work on laptop]
  

  truth_b_known : ... there was a time when those active in the organization lived and breathed the Bible. Get-togethers focused on talking about the Bible and studying it beyond the meetings.

  Not only are there fewer meetings and lower hourly requirements to pioneer, but Witnesses are discouraged in studying the Bible outside official Witness meetings. So much so, that if you do, you risk being labeled an "apostate".

  I agree with this. I remember when JWs used to, for example, get together at hotel pools at night after district convention sessions and discuss Bible prophecy such as that relating to the King of the North.

  I also remember when some serious, scholarly JWs did independent research outside of JW material. I then noticed the change in attitude toward that. The org began to discourage that to the extent that it seemed that those who did it were viewed suspiciously.
  
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  pale.emperor

  Cant remember the exact words or which WT mag it came from (i'll look later) but there was definitely an article admonishing us to not try to understand the bible on our own. And that Jesus communicates only via the FDS (the GB). I was always given a hard time for the books in my collection: MANY translations of the bible, the Book Of Mormon, Bagavad Gita, Pali scriptures, Native American mythology, Norse mythology etc etc. I was removed from giving prayers in the hall due to mentioning in conversation with a brother that i can understand how some people many years ago would think of personifying things around them like "trees", "love", "war", "laughter" and giving them a god/goddess etc and isnt it interesting that we use the term "the God of love" for Jehovah?

  No mics, prayers, sound desk duty for the Pale.Emperor from then on. I was glad to have a rest in all honesty.
  
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  slimboyfat

  Didn't they pretend for a while that the reason for dropping the Book Stody Groups was so families could have a Bible Study night instead? Do they even talk about that anyd more?
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  sir82

  Didn't they pretend for a while that the reason for dropping the Book Study Groups was so families could have a Bible Study night instead? Do they even talk about that any more?

  Yes, it is emphasized.

  In fact "conducting a family worship night" is the latest non-Biblical qualification for becoming a MS or elder (along with 10+ hours in field serve-us, commenting at meetings, etc.).
  

  A CO will always ask about it. If "no", no appointment.