by Ronnie38 6 Replies latest jw friends
Hi all,
Do you believe that the governing body, or more appropriately, the governing body's assistant 'spies' view this site?
If they do watch the site, I wonder if they have learned anything?? lol
Also, do you believe that the internet and such sites as this has increased the defection rates of the organization in the last 5 or so years? I know of no way of proving it is all or the numbers. It is a project that I would like to see done somehow.
Ron
The WTS saw the dangers of the internet years ago. They know that information is a danger to them. Control requires an ignorant following. I would think they do monitor this and other sites, as far as learning anything just the ability to keep the rank and file away from such sites. No telling how much this site has affected membership but the internet as a whole surely has...
I think they keep up with it. And as far as them forbidding the rank and file members to get on the internet and research, they simply don't trust the strength and faith of their own people. They know they have lied, falsified, hidden, flip-flopped ...you name the verb...and they would be so-o-o busted they would loose half of them overnight. (Just mho)
The sad thing is, evidently the r&f don't trust themselves either. I think some of them know deep down inside it's all a bunch of baloney, but it would turn their little world upside down and most people just couldn't handle the truth.
I don't trust the WTS facts and figures when it comes to numbers, so there's probably no way to know for sure just how many have left because of the information highway. They would never report anything too negative.
(Oh, btw, WELCOME...thanks for your post.)
I do think of the jw's as a cult as most here probably do. I remember being a jw and that the most logical, well reasoned questions I would still refuse to even 'think on'.
One co-worker asked "I am a good person, so will I and my kids be destroyed?" I had no answer for her except, "very possiby" which was a scary and sad thought. This lady was a great person.
Another coworker asked me why jw's won't look at other material especially if they claim to have 'the truth'. I had no good response.
Still, it did not stop me from the going to the kh, etc....
I would be interested in what a cult expert would have to say on the matter. Steven Hassan is the only one I know off hand. My question to him would be: "What would it take for them to THINK?" There may not be a good answer...
You are correct journey-on: The jw's have so structured their lives around the organization that it would take a huge effort to change. My sister is a jw and if you ask her what she does in her free time, it is almost always jw related. So, the problem is two-fold. First, you would have to restructure all your friends and how you spend your free time. Then, you would have to risk disfellowshipping. For many, it just isn't worth the cost I don't think. It is easier for them to float along mindlessly. It is kinda sad.
It is easier for them to float along mindlessly. It is kinda sad.
But they are not happy doing that really & as so many has said they feel guilty .I still say guilt is a destroying force. makes folks ill, & you can never have a real friend in the WT because your afraid to let a "truth" slip. ////
"Quit touching the unclean thing" is good advice
There is no doubt that the internet is chipping away at the Watchtower's credibility. The WTS cannot keep any secrets anymore. I have no doubt that the internet has increased the rate of people leaving the organization. One example is the UN / NGO scandal.
I don't think that anyone outside the UK would have ever known about the UN / NGO scandal without the internet. This one scandal alone has caused a lot of people to leave the organization.
Another thing that the internet has done is make Raymond Franz's books that much more well known. There are so many Witnesses who came into the organization after 1980 that had never even heard of Ray Franz. With the proliferation of the internet, his books are constantly being discussed and promoted.
The Watchtower Society is very well aware of all of this. At this year's upcomming District Convention; one of the talks is going to be entitled: "Do Not Follow False Stories". I am sure that this is a knee-jerk response to all of the Witnesses finding out about the UN scandal, the news stories involving Silent Lambs, as well as Ray Franz's books.
Yes.
That is very true Mouthy.
That also would be one point that I wish I could get across to jw's. Who can be happy if they never think for themselves or explore things? I never think it hurts to understand more fully this situation so that it is possible to pull others out of the mire. I was pulled out and very thankful.
