Easier to be a JW now? (page 4)

WTWizard

They want us donating our psychic energy to joke-hova for the purpose of damning the whole world, and its seeming less daunting is one way to trick people into doing this. Yet, they are insistent on people living in hardship and poverty. You have a decent job, you need to quit and move down even if you still attend all the boasting sessions and do the field circus each month. Then, they expect you to sell out, donate all the money into the Worldwide Damnation Fund, and laud poverty (itself a damnation working).

In fact, it makes no sense. If you have someone putting in pious-sneer hours already and making all the boasting sessions, and not doing things that are against that filthy damnation book, why do they need to live in poverty and/or hardship beyond necessary just to laud hardship? Why not urge everyone to continue working and saving, and getting silver and gold? That way, when the dollar does collapse, they can use their silver and gold to live on, retire, and go all out with a minimum of hardship. The way they have it now, most are going to die destitute and in excessive hardship when the dollar becomes toilet paper. More hardship, more psychic energy donated to joke-hova's enslavement of the whole human race, even if less time is spent at boasting sessions and field circus is easier.

Xanthippe

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

Blondie I understand from reading on this forum the midweek meeting is still two hours long even though it includes the book study? They've cut out a talk in the School and cut the service meeting down I believe.

The public talk and WT study are less than two hours I think. Someone on here said the talk is only half an hour now not an hour?

So that's two outings to JW meetings a week instead of three. They have always said five meetings a week even though it was three times that we all met. They are very pedantic people.

Thanks for telling me it's only a few specially selected people who do the cart work, Blondie, I didn't know that.

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.

Thanks sir82.

Thanks guys. Don't think there's a consensus but all very interesting thoughts on whether it's easier or harder to be a JW now.

DesirousOfChange

Years ago the religion would have been very vigilant in chasing "faders". . . . Some faders are perceived as more valuable than others. . . . But, in the long run they are trying to get active JWs to shun "faders" since they cannot control them and they see them as a danger. ~ LongHairGal

Around here the direction from COs in the past was if someone doesn't respond to encouragement to return to the flock consider them to have made their decision as we know the Bible says some "would not remain with us". Unless things have changed, Elders can't "count time" for shepherding or chasing down faders, so they are not going to waste much time on it.

Those who are "more valuable" to chase down are those who were generous with donations (and with the Elders) and those suspected of stirring up shit with active members. Yes, they'll often go to any length to chase down some one suspected to be an "apostate", especially anyone who was "prominent" and could have influence on others. But in most cases, if you go away quietly (fade into the sunset) they will most likely leave you alone. (I feeeeel the love!) . . . . . .DOC. . . . . (YMMV)

LoveUniHateExams

Easier to be a JW now? - no, I don't think it is.

The religion has recently acquired a clean, shiny exterior that gives it a veneer of respectability. This was something the WT lacked from its beginning up until the 1980s or 90s.

Born-ins are still in an impossible situation ...

BluesBrother

Easier by far.. The assemblies are shorter, the meetings are down to 2 per week. Field service, from what I see around here is either cart work or trotting around empty streets with persistent not-homes so they can have a chat to their friend. I can recall being criticised for not meeting the 10 hour monthly requirement, now they are glad if you report.

The meeting material is just 12 yr. old standard . When you want source material they just jab a link on their i pad and it is all there . No research required.

The oldies just find it very tiresome, but nobody cares about them anymore.

eewx2

I dunno. I still am not going back LOL. But their use of tablets and stuff makes me laugh. I remember back in 2005 or 2006 there was a website that you could print out the scriptures for the meetings. They (whoever they are) had a fit and told us not to use it because we needed to look stuff up in the Bible. Do they even still use Bibles or is it all on the tablet now?

pale.emperor

I remember back in 2005 or 2006 there was a website that you could print out the scriptures for the meetings. They (whoever they are) had a fit and told us not to use it because we needed to look stuff up in the Bible. Do they even still use Bibles or is it all on the tablet now?

I remember that. I also remember when tablets first became widely used there was an announcement that it's ok to use them but not on the platform. That law has gone too. One elder in my old congregation was even giving those in the pioneer school printouts of all the scriptures and references from JW books to save them time.

Easier to be a JW now?