The Generation Game 10 years on

minimus

Great thread!! They could simply realize a calculation was 100 years off and start again. JWs have always lived in the past. Personally, I think the religion will always have its ups and downs. As PT Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute".

willyloman

With no discernible end of "the system of things" near, and no new official end time prophecies, the organization appears to be caught in a kind of whirlpool.

Truthseeker: Very interesting post. I think you've nailed it.

New Worldly Translation

I think there are many, like my parents, who look to crumbs of comfort to re-inforce their belief in the time of the end. The war in Iraq, earthquake in Asia, rise in violent crime etc etc. Even though when these happenings are looked at statistically compared with history there's no real basis for the paranoia.

The society seem to be very careful about not mentioning dates now, even 1914, and just keep hammering on about keeping vigilent in this time of the end to keep people in fear. I always think it's a clever trick of the society to turn the focus around on unfulfilled prophecies like 1925, 1976 etc and bamboozle dubs into thinking it was an apostate teaching instead of their own. The same might happen with 1914, 1919 and so on and in keeping with the societies record of altering past publications to fit new ideas new dubs in a few years will be none the wiser.

When I left the org. I told my parents that the JW's wouldn't last another 50 years. I was maybe being generous with the timescale but I think my parents generation who still cling to a lot of the apocolyptic teachings of years ago have to pass on before a new more savvy generation realise what a crock of sherbert it all is.

blondie

I was just reading the newest WT that has 2 articles about the resurrection. I noticed over and over they emphasized that people might not survive the Big A but have to rely on the resurrection. Rather than just talking about surviving the great tribuation, they are trying to bolster people's hopes in the resurrection for JWs today...hinting or implying the end will not come in the lifetimes of many JWs.

Blondie

Gerard

I mean, only cognitive dissonance can keep reinforcing the 1914 doctrine. When that goes, it'll be dominos.

I doubt it. How many times the WT changed dates? They will do it again, without appology of course, and just fix a new date as "new understanding". The internet may very well be the catalist but only on developed countries where regular people can afford computers at home. The WT is a revolving wheel of pain that will cease to exist only when JWs use their God-given independent thinking and start living -good- normal lives away from this printing empire. Unfortunately, that's a long shot.... A possible option is an international financial scandal involving tax evasion and channeling of money intended for charity. Of course, such information must be accurate if real.

xjw_b12

What do you think? How long can this huge behemoth of a publishing company, act like a rudderless ship?

They're just tacking. Remember that lame WT explanation?

ljwtiamb

There are definitely changes coming.

The last time i visited bethel, i had the chance to speak with some of the new gb.

now that the old timers like franz, henschel, schroeder, etc. are out of the picture, the new guys are saying things like:

'theocratic is not even a bible word'; 'we need to read the bible more'; 'what does that [project, etc.] have to do with being a christian?'

the whole re-org with new corporations, etc. show that a new wave of thinking is coming.

we shall see!

JeffT

I've said this before, I'll say it again. Many, if not most, of the old-timers have to hang on to "the end is near" to maintain their sanity. After spending 40 years washing windows and waiting for God to drop paradise on their heads, they can't face the thought that they've wasted their lives. So they keep slogging along waiting for something to happen. I see them on the street holding up magazines, but not interacting with anybody. They're going through the motions because they have no energy for anything else.

From what I hear, the kids are leaving at the first opportunity. They may show for memorial, or once in a while to placate the parents/elders, but their hearts aren't in it. For one thing they've watched their parents and don't want to go down the same path. When Mom and Dad die they'll quit entirely.

In the Western world the Watchtower will largely fade to a shadow of itself.

GetBusyLiving

Whatever they end up doing - I'm just glad I'm out of the bullshit. Even if they mainstream it towards actual Christianity how could they ever begin to try to justify disfellowshipping people for disagreeing with the obvious lies of the past?

I could never patronize the one true God as being such a moron to expect people to be a part of that piece of crap organization or be destroyed.

GBL

EvilForce

Obviously, GBL you need to have your "thinking adjusted".

God is obviously using "the organization" as his spoke piece.

The borg is ever "tacking" towards the light.

If you lose faith because of "New light" you are not being spiritual.

Just like the __________________ (fill in the blank) of old who kept steadfast waiting on Jehoba. You should "throw your burden on Jehoba".

By the way GBL, I liked your mirror picture better :)

The Generation Game 10 years on - 1995