Is it me or has the WTS gotten worse?

by Lady Lee 42 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Scully

  When we first started going to meetings in the late 1960s

  • the magazines were 4¢ each and the householder was asked to contribute 5¢ each - there was a small commission built in for the publishers (similar with books and other offerings)
  • hot meals were available at circuit assemblies and district conventions
  • association and having fun within the congregation was actively encouraged
  • disfellowshipping was almost unheard of, and only reserved for the worst offenses; disassociation wasn't even invented yet - you could actually leave and they didn't punish you for it
  • it actually felt like a "Brotherhood" sometimes

  By the time we quit in the mid-90s

  • the literature was offered by way of Voluntary Donation Arrangement™ - the publisher was expected to make a donation when they received literature at the KH, and then donate any proceeds they received while engaged in the door-to-door work (effectively doubling the WTS's "take" if it had worked as planned)
  • circuit assemblies and conventions were Simplified™ - no more food or drink was made available, and instructions were given to not frequent establishments outside the convention building for meals; you either brown-bagged it, or you went hungry; you weren't even allowed to use the on-site vending machines. (We went to one convention where even the GUM BALL machines were covered with garbage bags so the kids would put their dimes into the contribution boxes instead of getting gum)
  • association is curtailed to the point where people only get invited to your home for dinner is if it is an elder and the husband is sucking up so he can be appointed; it is rare to see "widows and orphans" included in social activities in the congregation
  • you can be DFd for "not believing" the "unique teachings" of Jehovah's Witnesses. And if you get caught doing something that JWs shouldn't be doing, they don't have to give you the benefit of a Judicial Committee hearing - they can just say you Disassociated Yourself By Your Actions™.
  • the spy network among JWs is so rabid that you dare not trust anyone.... it's dangerous to have friends who are too close and know you too well
• 

  Scully

  Oh yeah and I forgot this one:

  We used to belong to congregations that owned their Kingdom Halls outright.

  In the 80s and 90s, the WTS (via the COs and DOs) pressured the congregations to rebuild the KHs and "dedicate" (WT-speak for "donate") the new KHs to the WTS.
• 

  Lady Lee

  From my understanding JWs should bring their own lunches to the assemblies. It should be packed in a cooler small enough to fit under their seats. The coolers are not to be left in the aisles or where people could trip over them.

  It is a reasonable request and a safety issue.

  But the JWs have not really been told the real reason why they can't buy food att he concession shtand or why the WTS no longer provides food.

  Since most staduims have their own concession stands the stadium contracts specify that food is not to be bought or sold on the property other than what comes from the stands. Since the WTS does not want to pay for food anymore they delete that part of the contract (Can't you see people wandering out to the concession stand during the sessions and being told to go back and sit down!!) Thw WTS wants total control over whne they eat and the money they save. So the concession stands remained closed.

  So a lot of people who came from out of town didn't have the facilities to pack a lunch every day. So, since the stands were closed they would wander out to the venders with their portable stands. Well, the concessions stands got upset. Why can people go out to buy from the mobile stands and nearby reastaurants but force us to keep the internal stands closed.

  So now JWs can't go to a nearby restaurant, can't buy from the portable stands, can't buy from the internal stands. And the WTS won't provide the food anymore.

  So the JWs either starve for the day or bring their own.

  Just more hardships put on everyone and then told it is a loving provision
• 

  ackack

  Scully: too true. the paranoia level is up. mention 'apostate', 'internet', 'thinking', 'doubts', or 'questions'.

  I believe there was a time when you could discuss doubts or questions a little more openly. Is that true?

  ackack
• 

  ackack

  Lady Lee: as I understand the overall issue, its that if concession stands where open, people *couldn't* brown bag it, and that would be an undue hardship on the poorer JW's. I think its a perfectly reasonable request. That is, I can understand where they are coming from. At least they acknowledge that JW's are typically poor. :) (hhhm... maybe free food would be nice? we can do it for hall builds)

  ackack
• 

  Lady Lee

  I believe there was a time when you could discuss doubts or questions a little more openly. Is that true?

  Well we had a couple of brothers DFed in our cong for talking about their doubts. That had to be at least 25 years ago. It happened but it was very rare.

  I think there were 5-10 DFings in the 22 years I was in that cong.
• 

  Lady Lee

  if concession stands where open, people *couldn't* brown bag it, and that would be an undue hardship on the poorer JW's

  You could be right but I think this is the excuse they give.

  The concession stands would have the legal right to be open all the time.

  The WTS would not be able to make them close during the sessions. And they would have "worldly" people sitting in the consessions just waiting for someone to get up and buy things. And lordy a bunch of worldy people listening to the indocrination??? You'd think the WTS would be proud to "give a witness" to them.

  No I suspect it is much more about controling the JWs, and reducing costs than not causing a hardship
• 

  Lady Lee

  Scully that is an excellent list. I remember all of that well
• 

  DannyHaszard

  I was born into it 1957 to hard core pioneer clan that was reproached for getting 'knocked up' with your's truly.

  What prevailed back then was HOPE because everyone was deluded with prophecy's that had not yet expired also there was a lot of cold war fear and no counter information just the obscure 'evil slave'.

  It was still the blind following the blind and all the old timers are now sadly ALL DEAD.

  The WT seemed more humble then much poorer too.Now they have bloated into an arrogant PARANOID egotistical tyranny.They are like a wounded animal backed into a corner,it's dog eat dog now.

  Forensic psychologist say control freak cult leaders like Jim Jones and David Koresh will never give up (abdicate) control they will commit suicide or die in flames.We can indeed see a like arrogance with the Watchtower leadership.

  Jim Jones started out benevolent and in the end his paranoia had spun out of control.

  A hard fast rule people imitate the God that they worship,Satan rules the Watchtower a deceptive abomination.
• 

  ackack

  It certainly seems to me that there have been two big epochs in JW history.

  1925 & 1975. I got the impression from reading Penton's book, that these two times marked a real change.

  I would predict we'll have another "1975" event coming up shortly that will galvanize JWs. Prolly a complete change from the 1914 chronology that will make the endtime close (within a decade). Those who do not learn from history.....

  ackack