Why Mainstreaming Will Win and Reform Won't

by metatron 23 Replies latest jw friends

  • metatron
    metatron

    Sometimes change takes place over many years, in such a subtle
    and quiet way that those involved may not even discern that a
    trend is forming. As with Social Security and retirement issues,
    whole decades may pass by before any mass of people realize that
    anything is wrong - or that huge adjustments will be required of
    them.

    Such a situation prevails with the Watchtower Society. While many
    may speculate about 'mainstreaming' or 'reforms', a little
    attention to definitions - and long term trends - will clarify
    the subject of what the future of the organization will be.

    First, reform usually implies some kind of moral or ethical
    motivation, that changes are needed to correct past wrongs.
    Hopes that the Society will 'reform' are naive since the organization
    collectively believes (and is tirelessly taught , as the recent
    convention shows) that it is directed by God and need not listen
    to any critical input - except, of course, to voice opposition
    to it. On a personal level, consider the impossibility of
    arguing with a 'born again' that they are wrong. They reply that
    since they speak to Jesus/are filled with the holy ghost they
    don't need your opinion. Likewise, with the Society, you will
    reminded that they are the 'faithful and discreet slave' and
    your opinion is rebellious. Pointing out the circular logic
    involved will avail you naught - it's deep arrogance either way
    and aren't going to succeed.

    Some may point out that new committees may inject moral change
    but such adjustment is likely to be glacial, minor and quickly
    contradicted by some other part of the superficially monolithic
    organization. Take a good look at the waffling on college or
    multiple personality therapy - the 'rabbi' in Service says this,
    but the 'rabbi' in Writing says otherwise. Perhaps the best you
    can say is that one committee can let a cat out of a bag while
    another tries to put it back in - creating a little freedom in
    the process.

    Generally, the Society doesn't make changes because they care
    about ethics or love or kindness. They change because of NECESSITY!
    They change because of cash flow or threatened lawsuits or a
    lack of Bethel applicants, etc. This change brought by necessity
    brings us to the much speculated subject of

    Mainstreaming!
    By which I mean that the organization changes into just another
    Protestant sect. The average Witness becomes little different
    from his Catholic or Baptist neighbors. This avenue of change
    will be victorious. How do I know?

    Because it's been succeeding for a long time!

    What to become a Bethelite? Well, you're coming to stay for 'life'
    No, wait, you're coming for at least 4 'full years'. No, wait a
    minute, you have to stay for ONE year! You have to be a regular
    pioneer for several years,..... one year......you have to be
    a good publisher ..... in the 'truth' for many years, NO, BAPTIZED
    FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS!!!!!!

    Are you getting the idea, here?

    Conventions are EIGHT DAYS, no, THREE days long.

    The TM school and Service meeting are TWO hours - no, wait
    an hour and a half long. The Public talk on Sunday is 60 , no
    45 minutes long.

    Being an elder means meeting all the scriptural qualifications
    to a reasonable degree -- NO, WAIT! You don't have to be
    hospitable or free from accusation or reasonable. You also
    can remain an elder as long as everyone keeps quiet about
    your child molesting and/or adultery.(mainstreamed just like
    the Catholics)

    Pioneering? You have to put in 100 hours AND we're going to
    send you nasty letters about your low magazine placements!
    NO, wait, OK, 90 hours and no nasty letters! NO, how about
    70 hours (reg. pioneers stats still declining)

    And the future?

    The Theocratic Ministry School will be 'dumbed-down' with more
    reading aloud because brothers don't prepare AND no more Written
    Reviews - Do you remember when Written Reviews were collected
    and graded? (say mainstream, again).

    No doubt many of you will be able to provide countless other
    examples of subtle compromise by the borg over time. I'll save
    other observations on this for part two.

    metatron

  • gsark
    gsark

    I don't know why the WT has to do anything. If I had a million dollars, do you think I would be working at McDonald's? The WT has so much money, they can do what they want and when they want for the next 500 years (barring economic and political collapse) I used to believe that the shunning issue arose as a direct result of the Olin Moyle lawsuit, and that still may be the case, but I really have come to believe that also the WT got big enough and rich enough that they could START expulsions. They made money off of me at least for 27 years, not to mention others. It seems to me if they didn't make another cent, and had to sell off a Kingdom Hall or Assembly hall here or there to survive, they will be around for a long long time, they just have to keep an eye on their investments. Isn't Capitalism wonderful?

    By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    Interesting observations. I agree with most of them.

    Blood is another issue where the Society has gradually gone more mainstream. Used to be that all forms of blood going in you was forbidden; now it's only four artificial categories of blood.

    Used to be that celebrating a birthday was a disfellowshipping offense; now it's only a sign of "immaturity".

    Used to be that volunteering for alternative military service would get you DF'd or DA'd for "violating Christian neutrality"; now it's perfectly ok.

    You may have missed my request to you last week: please contact me privately at [email protected] .

    AlanF

  • Maximus
    Maximus

    Reformers should paste Metatron's trenchant analysis on their refrigerators.

    There isn't enough bandwidth to post my own examples, based on over half a century of "service" close up.

    Maximus, pensive these last days, remembering those whom he has known and not known who have been driven to the desperate act of suicide, when the pain of hanging on is more than the pain of letting go. Remembering them with love.
    ............IN MEMORIAM..............

    Pic courtesy Randall Waters

  • sf
    sf

    I can think of two reasons straight up off the top of my head:

    a. because THAT very thought was overfed and never starved

    b. because we let "it" win

    but that's just me, sKally

  • julien
    julien
    Used to be that celebrating a birthday was a disfellowshipping offense; now it's only a sign of "immaturity".

    Did I miss something? I have friends and family active in the org and I never heard anything like this..

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    Julien, this is not something that the Society publicizes. In fact, they do everything to make it appear that celebrating a birthday is still a DF'ing offense. However, you won't find any instructions to elders anywhere in WTS literature that they should DF someone for celebrating a birthday. You won't find any such instructions in private WTS communications with elders, either. For example, the quasi-secret elders manual (the Flock book) lists a number of actions that can get one DF'd, such as celebrating a "pagan holiday". Conspicuously absent is any mention of birthdays. JWs used to DF for celebrating a birthday, and their literature lists such celebrations alongside other actions that JWs don't do, and that's why most JWs today still think that birthday celebration is a DF'ing offense.

    AlanF

  • outnfree
    outnfree

    Metatron,

    I agree wholeheartedly.

    I feel the shift to becoming more like a mainstream Protestant church is also apparent in recent doctrinal changes.

    Now that "the generation" teaching is revised, and the dates compromised, can the WT become anything more than just another sect proclaiming that the Lord is coming soon?

    In fact, haven't they already begun to parse words with their [also newly] revised take on Jesus' visible Second Coming versus his invisible Parousia?? The darkened skies, the paranormal occurrences now emphasized as having a literal fulfillment instead of the spiritual fulfillments since 1914(18?) that supposedly pointed up the organization's godly standing?

    When the present Governing Body's anointed ones finally die off, I wouldn't be surprised should material be brought out in the Watchtower about how rejecting the body and blood of Christ is a Satanic ritual in which Jehovah's people unwittingly participated. And how from now on, all baptized and ordained Jehovah's Witness ministers should now partake worthily at Memorial time. (Perhaps they'll make up something to the effect that the "old light" was to allow a differentiation between the anointed and the other sheep until all the anointed were raised up to be with Jesus, but now that that has been accomplished, this "new light" is a way of uniting the departed heavenly ones with the other sheep, and the other sheep with Jesus. --- okay it's speculation, and convoluted, but convolution is a well-worn WT teaching method! And they'll still only have communion once yearly -- just to keep that "we're different" cachet!)

    The blood issue, too. Someone here has pointed out the absurdity of the WTS position as it would appear that the Organization has pinpointed the whereabouts of the "life" that is in the blood, the "soul" which could not possibly be contained in the parts of blood now allowable, or the whole premise of the "life" belonging strictly to Jehovah goes out the window. Look for them to backtrack and make the strong case that transfusing blood IS an organ transplant (allowable) and NOT eating. (So -- no blood sausages/soup in any culture, but transfusions/tissue transplant? OK That will set them apart, still, but without the risk of future lawsuits from the families whose loved ones would have died had the policy remained unchanged.)

    Pedophiles will also no longer be tolerated. Too costly in terms of cash money (lawsuits), decline in membership and bad public relations. (Can't have the Society standing still doing nothing just like those Catholics they're always childishly bashing!)

    Yes, mainstreaming is the wave of the WT future, in my opinion.

    outnfree

  • outnfree
    outnfree

    Re: birthdays?

    The elders (including the P.O.) at my hall were well aware that I went out for a birthday dinner with my children and unbelieving mate for everyone's day except mine.

    Nothing was ever said in the way of counseling/reproof/research hints -- nothing.

    outnfree

  • Englishman
    Englishman

    Maybe this explains why my Dub in the pub pal is attending by birthday barbie next week. He's an elder too.

    Englishman.

    ..... fanaticism masquerading beneath a cloak of reasoned logic.

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