I originally posted what is written below on Jeff's discussion on shunning. This topic is a bit broader, so I started a new thread. It seems to me that the organization is completely designed to force behaviors that they want by introducing negative consequences if you do not do them.
1. Field service is an activity that no one wants to do – at least the door to door part – but they have a time counting process to enforce the behavior.
2. Few want to attend all the endless meetings – but if you don’t you are viewed as weak and some in the congregation stop socializing because the WTBS encourages association with only spiritual people.
3. If you question the “slave” – you are labeled an apostate and the organization mandates a judicial committee, which is a pretty severe consequence to what many times, are sincere questions.
4. Few want to spend their resources sitting for 3 days at a convention listening to someone read from a manuscript – again the consequences of not going are informal shunning.
5. Many would like to leave and go their own way, but the prospect of being officially shunned makes them stay.
If the negative consequences were to be removed and if members could practice free will the Witnesses would be far different and only the hard core believers would stay or at least do the "witness things" like door to door preaching, attending all the meetings, wasting three days at a conventions ..........
Interestingly, if what the Bible says about the Christ is true. He used positive reinforcement to attract people. He refreshed, healed, fed and taught. He didn’t seem to have any problem with meeting attendance – he met and exceeded the needs of those he served. I think any religion must pass the “Christ test” to be sustainable long term.
The Witness religion is a new religion that will not be around long term in any meaningful way unless they begin to provide positive things to people who do the things they want done.
zarco
