The Jehovah's Witness religion has ''Jumped the Shark''

by RULES & REGULATIONS 42 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  StephaneLaliberte

  If "Jump the shark" is supposed to describe a change for the worst, personally, I'd say that most of their changes in the last 20 years have been largely positive. They are making theses changes to adapt to the changing world and are slowly becoming a streamlined religion:

  • Don't count hours for regular folks
  • Now produce a fraction of magazines compared to before
  • Beards
  • improved policy to address pedophilia (its not perfect, but it is better then before)
  • Accepting fractions of blood (before it was none at all)
  • Accepting military service if it is in none military settings (hospital, etc)
  • They don't bother parents who talk to their disfellowshipped kids as they did before
  • Vasectomies aren't a big deal anymore

  Sure, there is room for significant improvement, in particular, they should:

  • Get rid of disfellowshipping
  • Let the blood doctrine to the conscience of their folks.

  As for real "Jump the shark" changes, I can think of these two major ones:

  1) Reducing the Ministry school to a shadow of what it was. It was basically a free "Toast Master Club" that everyone could take a part of.

  2) The quality of the text used when writing articles. Now, its written for a 6 grade level and simply feels dumb.

  These last two were hugely beneficial to me and I'm grateful that the cult gave me at least that. And now its gone.
  
• 

  joey jojo

  I thought 'jump the shark' meant they had run out of new ideas, however, judging by the last couple of years, the GB seem to be full of new ideas.
• 

  Vidiot

  If they’re jumping the shark, it doesn’t mean they’re out of new ideas.

  It means they’re out of good ideas.
• 

  Vidiot

  Honestly, I’m starting to think that they just have a big bulls-eye board with their favourite ideas on post-its, and they take turns throwing darts.

  😏
• 

  Beth Sarim

  The borg has a big bulls eye on it asking for legal problems.
• 

  TonusOH

  I think the 'out of good ideas' explanation is the one that best fits the "jump the shark" theme. But it is also used to indicate that you've peaked and started on your way down.

  They've been offering a few good ideas lately to ease the burden on the rank and file. Whether this continues remains to be seen. Easing the burden may bring on a transition period where the die-hards have to face some difficult decisions, but could help the organization survive in the long run.

  I think they're at a crossroads. Becoming more mainstream may allow them to keep more people from leaving, but at the cost of their unique identity (which is not a bad thing).
• 

  Hellothere

  nowwhat. Problem with having children is they dont become " real " JWs. They not gonna support or donate as a real believer. Its dead weight that gonna discourage other JWs. Opps maeby Watchtower is already having that situation in Western world.
• 

  StephaneLaliberte

  Becoming more mainstream may allow them to keep more people from leaving, but at the cost of their unique identity (which is not a bad thing).

  This is interesting indeed. They always sold themselves so separate from every other religions and they always claimed to be so special and this is slowly fading away.
  

  • Saying no to the military even to alternative service
  • Being the biggest religious publishing house in the world.
  • Active house to house preaching
  • Strong meeting attendance
  • The theocratic school

  Now, in practice, what really sets them apart?
  

  • not celebrating Christmas, and most holidays
  • Disfellowshiping
  • no smoking, no blood
  • teaching that Jesus died on a stake

  As for some of their redeeming qualities, a lot of religions also have that

  • Strong community, sense of brotherhood
  • dress well when they go to church
  • people who attend generally try to do good and encourage each other to do good

  So, yeah, they are loosing their uniqueness and that might not help them in getting new converts as this was one of their biggest selling points.
• 

  Vidiot

  The carrot and the stick are wearing out.

  Like I keep saying, if they keep doubling down, they alienate more and more decent members, get in more and more trouble with the secular authorities, and run the risk of going broke…

  …but…

  …if they implement authentic mainstream reform (and take it to its inevitable conclusion), they eventually eliminate the very things they’ve been using to set themselves apart and “prove” they had The Truth.

  Eirher way, they basically neuter any remaining incentive to even be a Jehovah’s Witness.
• 

  stan livedeath

  • Vasectomies aren't a big deal anymore

  was it ever ? News to me.

  Back in 1984 i was considering that as a form of family planning--we had 3 kids--and that was enough for me. My born in 3rd gen extreme dub wife refused point blank to "permit " me to have it done. So--i reminded her we needed to use some form of birth control--to which she replied it was MY problem ! ( we had been jumping off the bus one stop early for most of our married life )

  But we solved the issue a few months later--she divorced me !