The Modern Exodus: Perception or Reality?

by Hadriel 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Hadriel

  I'm completely new at this however just in my joining this forum and of course interacting with others I can't help but notice what appears to be a significant exodus from the organization.

  For those of you that have long been in this game have you seen this before? I'm really curious and we should refrain from the sensational, but is what we're seeing different than in years past?

  It sure seems like so so many are waking and leaving. It may take up to a year or more to truly see the effects but I believe completely it's significant, however I have nothing to compare it to. That's where you come in, so speak your peace, thx.
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  Ignoranceisbliss

  I don't think an exodus is happening YET. But as a still active dub I think it's on its way. I think the next ten years is going to be incredibly interesting for dub-watchers.
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  OneEyedJoe

  I felt the same way when I first joined the forum. I don't think what's happening could be accurately described as an exodus, more like a steady stream.

  What I do think is significant, though, is the reasons people have been giving for showing up here in the past year or so. A lot of the folks that left a long time ago cite a lack of love or bully elders, etc as their reason for leaving. Before the only big doctrinal issues that seem to have woken up a good number were 607 and blood. There seems to have been a shift of late, though. People joining often cite a few common, org-wide, reasons for being here. It's the broadcasts and zone visits giving them a look at the true GB, it's overlapping generations, and ARC. These are no longer local issues waking people up, they're systemic. I think that will add up to a more consistent stream out of the org, and I think the people leaving for these reasons are more likely to research and wake up vs those that leave because a few elders wronged them and might be convinced to return.
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  Giordano

  Hadriel back a couple of years ago some one would put up a post with the names of all the new ones. 20 ot 30 over a couple of months

  I don't think it's possible to do that any longer. So every time I visit this forum I click on Users to see how many have joined in the last 24 hours! and it seems to be 4 or 5 a day or a healthy congregation of 120 to 150 every month.

  TTATT is only a click away, advice and a warm greeting is only a couple of clicks away......... one click to get here....... one click to sign up....... one click to be a participating member. Ton's of interesting stuff to read.

  I have forgotten how many service hours it takes to convert one person for the JW's. Was it as much as 50,000 hours? people get reconverted or learn TTATT in hours, days or a week or two.....the truth self service style.

  The Society has the quaint notion that it's followers will not be curious. They now have the tool to learn on their own. The fearful and weak minded won't be curious but anyone with a brain will look and click and click.

  In an area of total information access the Society has been dumbing down the religion and it's message.
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  Divergent

  Grouped together here, it might seem that there is a mass exodus. However, the reality is that different individuals are waking up at different times at different locations all around the world. We have yet to see a mass exodus involving a large number of individuals in one place - an entire congregation leaving, for example. The last time that happened was after the failed 1975 prophecy

  The growth definitely has slowed, as evidenced by the 2015 worldwide work statistics, but there is still a bit of growth. If most countries show a negative growth & there is a significant decrease of a few hundred thousand publishers in the overall figure (which I hope would happen one day), then we are talking about a REAL mass exodus!
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  Hadriel

  To be clear I don't feel one way or the other about it honestly. I suspect most of you feel the same. Things become so firm in your mind that you don't need a confirmation.

  So that isn't my point here. More about simply are we seeing the start of something larger or not. I just keep seeing folks bail left and right and it makes me wonder but I have no history for comparison.
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  Simon

  I think it's both. Some of it is indeed perception - the organization has always been one of churn but now people who leave can easily find each other and talk about it instead of just fading away or living isolated. But the growth has slowed which could well be because the rate of churn has increased.

  Where they grow and shrink also changes - many western countries peaked and are now stagnant or in decline, their growth is elsewhere so for us we see more people leaving.

  Here's an experiment if you spent an extended period in on hall. Think about when you were a kid and go through all the people who were in your congregation. How many were still there when you left? It's amazing how many actually left before us (and may have left since) but because it's over a long period of time and other people replace them it's less noticeable and seems more static than it otherwise would be when you are still in.

  When you are out, you see all the people joining us on the outside.
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  DesirousOfChange

  I felt the same way when I first joined the forum. I don't think what's happening could be accurately described as an exodus, more like a steady stream. ~ OneEyedJoe

  I've been here about 5 years. There has always been a steady stream of new members. But back then you could tip-toe through the stream. Today, you have to swim across. Very soon, I expect (hope) you'll need a rowboat.

  Doc
  
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  Vidiot

  There's more than one kind of exodus.

  As far as I'm concerned, we are the exodus.
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  just fine

  I think I the past the organization wanted us to all be isolated even from other xjws and with the internet we are not. That takes away the shame and influence they can exert.