I predict bold new changes in JW preaching work..want to bet me? :-)

by Mindchild 35 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mindchild

  I’ve decided to post something I have been thinking about for quite some time now. To keep things short and sweet: I predict revolutionary changes in JW policy regarding door-to-door activity and the means of spreading their memeplex (belief system.)

  Here is a list of the changes I feel most confident about:

  Each Kingdom Hall in the developed world, including Mexico and some parts of South and Central America will have high speed Internet access.

  One half of each Thursday evening Service meeting will be geared towards teaching Witnesses to use new online interactive Witnessing techniques.

  Online Witnessing will be divided into three different methodologies, perhaps a few more in the experimental stage.

  The first type of online Witnessing will be essentially CHAT “infiltration.” Here JW’s will be taught to join “mild” and “receptive” online chat sites. They will develop friendships (on the surface anyway) with different posters. The “incidental” Witnessing will take place on an individual basis. This method will be one of the earliest forms of online Witnessing endorsed by the Society.

  The second type of online Witnessing will come from a custom-made software version of an online JW World. This may look a little similar to the current version of SIMS, with graphical avatars in a fun setting. The Watchtower Society will contract out the servers and will heavily moderate content. This method of Witnessing will also serve to keep personal JW bonds stronger (via online friendships) and will be an addictive way to keep JW’s from wandering around on the net to apostate sites. The public will be invited and encouraged to join JWW with free memberships. There will also be online MEETINGS, for all to attend to, so that “sickness” or poor health, etc. is no longer an issue for missing meetings. This online meeting presence may someday reduce the number of face-to-face meetings most Witnesses have.

  The third type of online Witnessing will be modeled off the fantastically popular multi-user online game worlds. The software package to the graphic and adventure game (perhaps something along the lines of surviving through Armageddon, or the building of an Earthly Paradise) will be offered on a contribution basis or trail basis. Witnesses will go to their local Kingdom Hall to log on to play with the “outsiders.” The game itself will teach Watchtower dogma and ideology by example.

  There will be a huge change also in the way Witnessing is done in the developing world. JW’s will realize the need for a drastic change in their strategy to attract and retain new members. They will target countries that have been devastated by AIDS and other hyper disasters, and will provide a new type of mobile care/preaching work in which JW’s from the USA and other countries, take volunteer vacations to these troubled lands to spend time doing collective volunteer work (like building quick build medical centers, schools, etc.) and of course will be Witnessing to local populations. Part of the motivation for doing this expensive work will be to get their share of government and other grants for helping in this work, but much of it will be to give JW’s pride in doing something they should have been doing all along…helping others as the Bible showed.

  I calculate these changes will begin in less than 5 years, 10 at tops. Why? It is simple Darwinian selection in the Watchtower Society. This same process has been active since the days of Charles Taze Russell and will continue until there is a win-lose game in which they cannot recover.

  Your thoughts?

  Skipper
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  Mulan

  I doubt they will do that. They have never been progressive in any of their policies. Maybe in 10 years.
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  stillajwexelder

  The last time they were truly innovative was with The PhotoDrama of Creation -- since then all new technology has been Satans tool -- the internet is satans tool - -I once heard an illustration a couple of years ago -- Brothers -- why do you think it is Called The World Wide Web -- becasue it is like a spiders web that catches a fly -- and the web is out there to catch you dear brothers -- so no - -what you propose will not happen
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  heathen

  That doesn't sound like anything I would expect to see . I think they have already demonized the web to a point of no return .
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  TD

  You can just about name the emergent technology -- personal computers, cell phones, pocket calculators, manned space flight, television, public innoculation programs, etc. and find negative articles in Witness literature contemporary with each item.

  When and if the Witnesses actually demonstrate some foresight, it will be a big break with tradition.

  Tom
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  Uzzah

  I would love to take that bet! Although some individual witnesses might take on some of these strategies it will not be a Society initiative.

  However I must decline the bet. If I am still clinging onto my JW past and still being an 'xjw' in 5-10 years from now I hope someone just shoots me. So I hope not to be around "JW related Boards" in 5-10 years.

  Uzzah - who can only steady arks for so long....

  PS - This does not mean giving up friendships made here simply no longer 'needing' to label myself as an "ex" and hanging out at JW boards. Good friends remain regardless of board continuation.
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  Nosferatu

  It doesn't go along with the bible - sitting on your ass preaching through modern technology. JWs eliminated the idea of using modern technology (megaphones on cars, phonographs, radio broadcasts) a long time ago and just resorted to door-to-door preaching.

  The Society's idea of a loyal JW is a guy who lives in a tent, has a part time job to keep himself fed, and engages in the preaching work. I doubt the old farts at Brooklyn are fully aware of how modern technology works.
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  little witch

  Keeping in mind the society is in the business of making money with printed material being it's product, the internet would seem a very unlikely tool.
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  jschwehm

  The biggest reason why JWs will not do the internet thing is because of money. The organization gets money from JWs for the literature. It is hard to do that over the net. Basically, they have a pyramid scheme in a sense with all of the money for literature going to the Society. People sitting around chatting on the internet are probably not going to be placing literature all the often.

  Jeff S.
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  jgnat

  *slamming down my two cents* bet is on! Now, who will hold the money?

  I predict that in developed countries, door-to-door witnessing will be phased out and replaced by JW call-centres.

  The GB and Co. is conservative and short-sighted if anything else. They just invested in brand-new printing presses, for goodness sakes! Already there are rumblings in the Watchtower that door-to-door evangelism not necessarily need to be effective in these last days. Besides, call-centres fit their Modus Operandi - bland, identical cubicles populated with bored peons all feeding an identical message. Just ask BerylBlue.

  WT materials will become more and more geared to a third world audience, with lots more pictures and bigger fonts. Paradise Earth will continue to be pumped as the ultimate reward for the impoverished (meek) of the earth. If they are smart, the WTBTS will get in to radio in a big way in these third world countries.

  Third world countries do not have the infrastructure to support a wide range of information sources like we do. The WT message is powerful to those living daily with uncertainty, war, and death. Printed literature has greater impact when there are no other sources of information. Several years ago, a nation of Hutu were mobilized to slaughter over a million Tutsi. How were so many people convinced to do so in such a short time? Propoganda. On radio. A single voice, with no opposition, giving direction for one tribe to wipe another out. The WTBTS will not mobilize to kill, but they could mobilize to evangelize.