What is driving change at WTS? What is the GB? Has it failed the flock?

by yaddayadda 53 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  journey-on

  What drives them? Money and Power and the Fear that they are losing it.

  What is the GB? Figure-heads only. Lawyers and Executives run the company and set policy and doctrine.

  Has it failed the flock? Definitely.

  Here's my take on it for what it's worth. The old-timers, those that have been around since the 40's, 50's, 60's and before, those that are multi-generational Witnesses, will for the most part stick around till the "end". Some of these old-timers have nothing else but "The Truth" to live for. It won't matter what changes in doctrinal issues the WTS comes up with, these hard-core JW faithfuls will be there along with their check books, ever believing that it's because "the light is getting brighter and brighter and the FDS is dispensing the proper food in due season."

  As they slowly die off within the next 20 - 30 years, the changes will have been made so gradually, and explained so slickly, that to us, looking back, the WTB&TS as we know it today, will be unrecognizable.

  I think this is going to be accomplished through the tactics they have always used: Fear and Hope. They will continue to terrify their flock into thinking with each new revelation from the FDS "the end is upon us." They will continue to quote scripture like "he who endures to the end will be saved". They will use the "for JW eyes only" issues of the WT to continue their brainwashing techniques and maintain this "right on the edge" kind of existence for the flock.

  But you can bet that they do follow the trends and carefully "listen" to what is happening. If they are losing as many members as we think they are, I can almost guarantee they monitor sites like JWD. It's probably done by company men that aren't really interested in being contaminated by apostate thinking....all they would be interested in is what is being said and how much influence it's having, and what changes they can make to WT policy to keep the $$$ from flying out the window!
• 

  5go

  As they slowly die off within the next 20 - 30 years, the changes will have been made so gradually, and explained so slickly, that to us, looking back, the WTB&TS as we know it today, will be unrecognizable.

  I say that will happen in 2014 by nessesity. Without the GB dying off much at all.

  Pulling the tape off fast hurts less and those that don't like it of course are apostates. You want to guess how I know they will do this.

  1975
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I am starting to agree with 5go on this. I thought they might go slower, but their
  bucket of beliefs has too many leaks. They are already tweaking old light into
  new light. They need a new imminent end to this system, and a parachute when
  it doesn't come. Even if they push the imminent date off to 2034, they will have to
  get rank-and-file believing it's sooner than that without ever saying so.

  1925 and 1975 had something to do with Jubilee years. That would make 2025
  another one. (Help me if I am a little off here) They could also speculate that while
  they are right about current light on "this generation" it is still possible for the end to
  arrive imminently before the 1914 infants are gone. That could get them in imminent
  mode for over 10 years.

  It wouldn't surprise me if they work on all of these at once.
  These can be exciting times for JWD, but JW's in general won't even notice.
• 

  Sunspot

  Zack said:

  Their meassage, if you listen carefully, is not christian. It is Not about love. It is NOT about compassion and caring and forgiveness. Their message is

  about survival! Grab the life line! Get in the Ark! We are the only way! Obey us or die! It is selfisness that they teach.

  I agree 100%!

  Journey On said: As they slowly die off within the next 20 - 30 years, the changes will have been made so gradually , and explained so slickly , that to us, looking back, the WTB&TS as we know it today, will be unrecognizable.

  Yes....the weasel-words and these double-talking slick wordmasters that print their changing opinions as "bible truths", are exceedingly talented IN these subtle changes, and still manage to cleverly dupe their followers into thinking it's "from God" and MUST be obeyed as such. No wonder it is so difficult for a JW to explain their teachings to others!
• 

  Doubting Bro

  If I were on the Board of Directors of a major corp like WT, here's what I would do:

  Start off by going around all your HQ personnel and having candid conversations with the regional sales managers (COs & DOs). Of course, the main problem is getting the candid feedback which is why companies in trouble turn to consultants. That won't work here, so you would have to be able to recruit branch overseers that are well liked and trusted. Not sure if that would be easy or not.

  Once you get a framework identifying the issues as the COs see them, I would next form focus groups comprising of reform minded elders or ex-elders (low level managers of the company). Again, the main problem would be gaining confidence that nothing said would be used against you in a JC hearing. I for one wouldn't trust a guy coming in from the branch unless I had some sort of legal agreement from them saying nothing would happen.

  Finally, after getting some meat on the issues and potential solutions, I would form the last of the focus groups that would have 1) pioneers for pioneering & service related issues, 2) parents for issues surrounding kids and 3) other rank & file publishers interested in particular issues.

  You put all the input together into a plan and present back to the BOD (or GB as the case goes).

  The problem is that while this is a business that is going through tough economic times they don't have the flexibility to implant such a grass roots plan because not only is this a top down organization, it claims that Jesus is at the very top and from a theological viewpoint, getting such imput is impossible. After all, how can you reform something that is put in place by Jesus?? The only possible solution I could see is to drop the 144k being a literal number, make all JWs part of the annointed (and thus part of the "slave" class) which would then allow folks the opportunity to have input. However, the downside to that plan is you lose control. I don't think the GB would ever give up the control they have, even if it meant their own survival.
• 

  metatron

  As per GB member Samuel Herd, they can't even agree on a convention theme - and you guys

  think they can come up with a 2/3 vote to change anything??

  Why do "doctrinal leaks" make any difference? Who's going to say anything different?

  You've got legal and financial pressure - that's about it. Who's going to rebel? Where's any meaningful

  dissent that would pressure them?

  Here's my hope: forget about logic or common sense or 'doctrinal leaks'. They gradually downsize

  the "preaching work" by using tracts. They dump the Awake completely. They cut back on Circuit

  Overseers to 9 month visits. They continue to believe that their stats show a healthy , growing

  organization - while it all rots away from pretense.

  metatron
• 

  5go

  remember the crap they have done with 1914 in the past

  1914 armeggedon

  1914 the beging of said event

  1914 the invisable return

  1914 the year christ began to reign as king

  next is 1914 an important year because god chose us. Not much else, just like 75 who said anything about 75 it's those apostates trying to mislead you. Don't listen to us because in 1914 god chose us as his mouth piece. and he cinched it in 1918.
• 

  cultswatter

  Excellent thread!!

  I think there are apostates within the GB who have the real power. Not apostates against true christianity but apostates against their own teachings and doctrines. Look at how the GB/FDS is distancing itself from 1914 because some GB members know that 607 was not the date of Jerusalem's destruction. It is known that some GB members have had doubts in the past. Now I think an exact reversal to what happened in 1980 is happening now. In 1980 the GB threw out all the so called apostates to keep the Borg clean, now the real power brokers of the GB are apostates themselves.

  Next thing you know we will have a QFR that says

  "it was believed that 1914 marked the end of the gentile times......."
• 

  Paralipomenon

  They really need to adapt to the rest of the world. The more they try to control the congregation the more they lose thinking individual. Currently it looks like their plan is to grip tighter, but that's only squeezing more people out.
  
  In order to survive they need to silence the apostates. They will only achieve that via major policy reform.
  
  They can retain high control of people's minds, but need to loosen up on some of the extremist stances.
  
  What would I do?
  
  Give them holidays. Christmas, Birthdays etc. New flash of light shows that these holidays have really become commercial enterprises and lost all religious meaning. Make them a individual matter but lay down some ground rules. No nativity scenes and try not to go overboard with decorations.
  
  They need voting members. As an organization they cannot afford to be politically neutral. No politician would champion their cause because it would be representing a group that won't help him get re-elected. They could twist it that Satan is trying to control the governments to frustrate the kingdom work. With that in mind they will open voting as a form of theocratic warfare. Suggest that people only vote when trying to prevent someone with "Satan's Views" from getting into power.
  
  Drop the blood issue. Completely. Never admit it was wrong, just stop putting out medical alert cards and dissolve the liaison committee. Each witness will be responsible for their own actions. Secretly tell the BOE not to pursue judicial actions against people that get transfusions.
  
  Reword shunning. Keep disfellowshipping for control, but only advocate shunning for people that actively opposed to Jehovah's organization. This could be masterfully done by pulling references to 1950's watchtowers stating that you shouldn't shun someone for leaving the witnesses, but rather keep a distance from those trying to poison their minds with false teachings. This would make 75% of the apostates go away. Without an effective counter witness people would be more apt to stay in the organization. Really, what would they have to lose?
  
  Change the focus on pioneering to something similar to the Mormons. Push hard for children to dedicate at least one year after graduating to kingdom ministry but after that encourage them to get training via secondary education. This will result in a wealthier base and enable congregations to start to become self sufficient. JW doctors will look after patients, witnesses will petition for their children to be assigned to JW teacher's classes, JW bankers will start to look after the interests of congregation members. This would make leaving harder because the congregations would have deep intertwining roots.
  
  At this point they could buckle down for the long haul. Now would they be much different from any other religion? Not really, but they'd still have their ministry and could still condemn other religions and they'd have more of a push. The burning desire to prove them wrong would have lost it's fuel.
• 

  nvrgnbk

  The WTS, the GB, and the organization matter to us because we surrendered our lives to them for a time.

  As for the rest of the world, they are a non-factor.

  They are not anywhere nearly as important as they'd like themselves to be. The "world" doesn't hate them. The "world" could not care less. They are hated by their victims.

  Nvr