Give me PAPER & BOOKS every time.
There again I am getting old.
New Spiritually Weak Label: Not Using Tablet/iPhone
by Doubtfully Yours 63 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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St George of England
From the WT14 8/15 pp3-5:-
"However, you can remain spiritually strong whether you have access to our Web site or not. The slave has worked hard to provide enough printed material to keep each domestic spiritually well-fed. Therefore, you should not feel obligated to buy a device just to access jw.org. Some may make private arrangements to print a limited amount of material published on our Web site and give it personally to those who do not have Internet access, but congregations are not required to do this."
George
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SafeAtHome
I am so grateful for this site to keep me up on the world of all things JW. It explains so much of the goings on in my still in family members, like why sometimes there is a period of being shunned, then it seems to let up, then back to shunning, I guess at the whim of what is emphasized at the latest convention or magazine. I can now understand why a certain family member who for years joked about and flaunted a simple flip phone, adequate for caliing and texting, now has the latest iphone! When I heard about them getting it I thought huh? Why do they need that or how did they afford that? Well now I know it is practically a requirement. Guess they are just waiting for all the elderly to die off so they won't have print at all anymore. Can't really picture octogenarians sitting at the KH using an ipad or $600 smart phone! 📱 -
konceptual99
It's an amazing turn around really. I was spoken to after I used my tablet on the platform around 5 years ago and told it was inappropriate and could be considered a showy display of ones means of life.
I seem to recall there was a letter to that effect as well but can't be sure...
Either way, within a few short years this has completely changed to the point where not having access to technology is a hindrance to being able to consume all the JWborg material and a shiny new tablet is the most important item on the shopping list.
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Doubtfully Yours
The elder who gave the part said that it's the goal here in the States that all publishers use a 'smart' electronic device from now on for meetings and preaching. He encouraged all to follow the tutorial offered in the JW app.
The pressure is on. I already feel my usual "go along to get along", cave in attitude coming on.
And, yes... I am a technophobe, and find 'social media' just abhorrent; won't catch me dead on Twitter/Facebook/Youtube/Instagram/whatever else out there. Always have been, however, always end up using whatever technology is absolutely necessary for our times; this is how I ended up with all these electronic toys already. Sure helps that hubby and others in my immediate family/friends are so tech savvy and on board with everything 'techno', so I ride their coattails.
God dammit with this technology bound world!!!
DY
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Doubtfully Yours
St. George of England,
I'll use this info you provided for sure!
Thanks!!!
DY
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humblepotato
In my part of the US (the Mid-west), smartphones and tablets are certainty encouraged, but half of the congregation is old and doesn't want one. And nobody really seems to care or say anything about it.
Having said that, I do believe that as time goes on... there will start to be more and more pressure to get one and use it.
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purrpurr
I think this is great, the more jw's who have tablets the better. It's so easy when on a tablet to be secretly reading something else or to be browsing the internet. So there may be no need to listen at all!
I wonder if the elders will soon be instructed to watch out for members who seem to be reading on their tablets instead of listening to the meeting? My exhuse is that my tablet is password protected and needs the screen moved every minute or it will shut down and then I have to log in again just to look up a scripture brother??
There's another perk of the tablet.... Passwords! No more spying on others and their internet habits! It's all secret now!
Also if the elderly ones are getting disenchanted with the big focus on technology then I also think that's a good thing. Never a bad time to wake up and alot of these Cong's have their backbone in the elderly ones, they are also the ones most likely to die and leave money to the WT. If they start to feel that the WT has turned it's back on them so much the better
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a watcher
Doubtfully, you are not alone in this resistance. There are several older sisters in my congregation, including me, who refuse to get smart phones or tablets. We do not need an electronic gadget to serve Jehovah.
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undercover
Haven't been to a meeting in years, but watching some older family members who are zealous, active members, I assume that the pressure to conform to this technological marvel must be somewhat heavy. I've seen them purchase tablets and iPads because they were told it was the way to keep up with Jehovah's chariot (imagine, using 21st century technology to keep up with technology that pre-dates Christ by 2000 years), yet they don't own mobile phones, or have cable TV, or use a personal computer. They have no clue how to use the thing, are constantly having to get someone to show them how to download an app, update an app, find the Internet, find a website, find a file. It would be comical if it weren't so sad.