Using the word "compromise" in the same sentence as "Watchtower Society" sounds quite inconsistent - yet, the Watchtower has
quietly compromised on many issues over past decades. Most Witnesses simply aren't aware of any examples. Here's some:
Oral Sex - yes, that! It took a lot of heartache and difficulty to get them to stay away from personal, bedroom conduct by married
Witness couples. GB member Lloyd Barry didn't want to give this effort up but saner heads prevailed.
Vaccination - it's a conspiracy! we're against it! Oh, wait a minute.... let's pretend this never happened!
Bethel - You come to Bethel for a) life b) four years c) one year. They demanded people who were in full time service for years,
then a year, then they accepted Bethelites who had been baptised for only six months or so ( incredible but true, at the time!)
They also started putting locks on lots of doors because of theft.
What's a publisher? Two hours a month? One hour a month? 15 minutes a month! A pioneer puts in 100 hours .........90 hours
...............70 hours a month!
Alternative Service? You have to go to prison , brother - we don't accept hospital /alternative service ............. Oh, wait a minute,
yes we do!
Blood Transfusion? You shouldn't take anything made from blood - even blood fertilizer is bad. OK, you can use blood fractions....
............ OK, you can use Hemopure - which is a sticky red liquid in a bag and contains hemoglobin.
The UN? they're a horrible counterfeit of God's Kingdom, led by Satan..................... OK, they're not that bad..........
OK, they're our buddies .... if no one finds out.............
Slander and defamation of character - We feel free to lambast anyone we feel like - OK, we changed after Olin Moyle beat us in court,
OK, we won't say what DF'd people did to get booted.....OK, we won't even use the word "disfellowshipped", we'll just say they're
not a Witness anymore and we'll hide the shunning instructions away from public view because we're ashamed and cowardly
about the subject.
So, what potential compromises lie ahead? Here's my guesses:
De-emphasis on masturbation - too much guilt thrown on young kids gives them the oppotunity to say "it's hopeless anyway,
I give up trying" Better not to say too much about this.
Look the other way on "spiritism" - Yes, "Boss" Jaracz hates this one but too many elders wives across the US are seeking the
services of various healers using things like "kineasiology" and the like to divine what's wrong with them. Now, hold this bottle
of homeopathic pills and bend your arm...... As long as it isn't actually tarot cards, it's OK. Hey, the apostles made decisions
by casting lots!
Compromise on college - notice how they seem to be accepting a two year degree while making "university" a dirty word?
Dump the Awake completely - if they keep losing contributions, this fear-mongering waste of forest products ought to be the first
to go. Hardly anyone reads it anyway - and they ran out of creative ideas for it twenty years ago. How many different ways can you
say "worse and worse" or elict sympathy with pictures of poor people - that Jehovah is going to slaughter en masse at Armageddon,
anyway?
Monolithic as they seem, the old coots who run this cult will find enlightenment when faced with a lawsuit or loss of cash flow.
metatron