ARE JW hopes fading?

by hamsterbait 38 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  hamsterbait

  How often do you hear:

  "How much longer can it go on?"

  "I'm tired (of waiting, being ill, poor, disappointed)"

  One remark I heard an old stalwart come out with:

  "We'll keep these things as mementos SO IF ARMAGEDDON DOESN'T COME we can look back and remember when we are old."

  Even oldtimers seem to be willing to doubt their own hopes now. Is this why the weak are viewed with such suspicion - they threaten to disconfirm the certainty of the others?

  How do you think the general sense of disappointment is affecting the behavior of the witlesses?

  HB
• 

  jgnat

  According to the WT articles, they are:

  • Sending their children to college, going on vacation, investing in their retirement, buying homes and recreational toys. In other words, normal.
  • Slowing their Witness walk to a crawl, minimizing their time card entries, and cutting back on their voluntary donations. In other words, voting with their feet and their pocketbook.

  My own personal observation they are:

  • Displaying a higher incidence of depression and psychosomatic ailments.
  • More are showing signs of mental breakdown. Their minds and bodies are telling them, "enough".

  This year's theme is a huge downer for the loyal "rank and file". It's aimed at the dissenters, but the dissenters are leaving. This leaves the loyal sheep to get beaten down even further.

  Regular churches do research on this sort of stuff now, like, "What motivates a congregation member to stay and be involved?" The answer turned out to be simple, pay them back. That is, if they invest much, invest much back in to their lives. As soon as an out-of-touch church leadership turns off the taps, the followers depart. It's not that complicated. Sheep need feeding.
• 

  doofdaddy

  Excellent comment Jgnat
• 

  DanTheMan

  A comment I heard a few times was "even if Armageddon doesn't come in my lifetime, this is still the best way to live". At the time I wasn't sure if I agreed.
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  Darth Yhwh

  This year's theme is a huge downer for the loyal "rank and file". It's aimed at the dissenters, but the dissenters are leaving. This leaves the loyal sheep to get beaten down even further.

  Im not even sure I know what "this year's theme" is? Please share.
• 

  jeeprube

  Im not even sure I know what "this year's theme" is? Please share.

  This year's theme seems to be, "Stop thinking for yourselves and mindlessly follow the GB and your local elder bodies, you ungrateful swine!"
• 

  jgnat

  “Godly Obedience,” based on several Bible texts. (Deuteronomy 12:28; Jeremiah 7:23; Romans 6:17; 2 Corinthians 2:9)

  http://www.jw-media.org/region/americas/usa/english/releases/events/usa_e050527.htm
• 

  garybuss

  I asked my dad over 10 years ago what comment he had since none of his promised rewards for being a loyal Witness his whole life had been delivered. He said, "I couldn't have had a better life.". I had a slight problem with that comment, since a dozen or so years of his "good life" he and my mother made my life hell. I could have had a better life because of him and he's not a damn bit sorry. That comment pissed me off.
• 

  JH

  Their hopes of seeing the new system without dying has faded considerably in my opinion.

  I can imagine older JW couples not so happy that nothing has happened yet, knowing that when one dies, they won't be toghether anymore as man and wife together for eternity although they await the resurrection.
• 

  deb926

  This year's theme seems to be, "Stop thinking for yourselves and mindlessly follow the GB and your local elder bodies, you ungrateful swine!"

  That's what their theme has been since I was born and I'm now 48!!!