Could This Be The Watchtower's Endgame? (page 4)

Tired of the Hypocrisy

will the last person to leave the watchtower please switch out the new light

Ladies and Gentlmen ~~Elvis~~ Alden has left the building......

Good thoughts neverendingjourney. I agree we are in a transitional period. 2014 will loom large in many people's minds. The internet is drawing the new converts away before they are totally immersed in JW mind control.

If there was a split, how on earth would the average JW decide which way to go?! That would be such a dilemma!

sass_my_frass

No, no, no. I think I should say this at least once a week: WBTS is not going anywhere. They will still be operating when we're all dead. You are going to have to stop thinking of ways in which it might happen.

isaacaustin

Good thoughts neverendingjourney. I agree we are in a transitional period. 2014 will loom large in many people's minds. The internet is drawing the new converts away before they are totally immersed in JW mind control.

If there was a split, how on earth would the average JW decide which way to go?! That would be such a dilemma!

The JW views the WT as God's channel- specifically the GB. So if a split occurred those splitting would be leaving, or apostatizing from the WT. The rest would simply continue to follow the lead of the GB and not listen to the apostates who have split away.

Mary

Unbelieveable as this may sound, could the Governing Body deconstruct the organization and begin to shut down most of the preaching work? Crazy as it sounds, we need to consider that totalitarian organizations can get stuck with masses of dependent people they need to 'get rid of'.

There's no reason for the Borg to "get rid of" "masses of dependent people" like the R&F, although granted---they did just that with alot of the Bethelites. The rank and file Witness is not being supported by Crooklyn---it's the other way around. And there is no way in hell that they'll "shut down most of the preaching work" since that is one of the cornerstones of the religion itself.

I think that legal reasons do not completely explain what has happened. Something deeper is going on. Suppose the placement of books and magazines loses money. Suppose the assemblies barely turn any coin for them.

Loses money? I doubt it. It's made with cheap materials and free labour. They're guaranteed to sell a few million copies of every publication they print. Even though it's gone to a "donation basis", they're still making money on it. Plus, they've made millions from members' Wills, stocks, bonds, jewellry, life insurances, etc. etc. etc. Plus they make a ton of money in real estate----probably more than Donald Trump, simply because all their labour (which accounts for 60% of the cost of a structure) is all free.

Sorry, but the idea that the WTS is about to shut down is just wishful thinking. It's one of the 10 richest corportations in Brooklyn from what I understand, and will probably continue to grow materially, if not spiritually.

The changes they've made have to do with Thought Control. They've got two versions of the Craptower now, they've made some significant changes in doctrinal issues and they're still lambasting things like the internet, the media and higher education. As neverendingjourney has brought out, I think they're going through a 'change of life' and are putting out different thoughts and ideas to see what works and what doesn't work. My own opinion is that Ted Jackass Jaracz is a major stumbling block in any positive changes they could make, simply because he's the last of the Old Timers', and perhaps doesn't understand why people are abandoning ship like never before. I've also heard that there are major conflicts between the Writing Department and the Service Department with regards to how things are run, and we know that there is a huge problem with the blood doctrine and the continual negative press they get whenever someone dies needlessly.

What they're doing right now is more or less a trial and error phase. They're implementing these changes to see how the R&F reacts. If the reaction is positive and minimal, then they might just consider changing the blood doctrine to a "conscious matter." As for the doctrinal changes, well, they did it using the old sleigh-of-hand trick where it was barely noticable to those who attend. As time goes by they'll no doubt have more 'clarification" on these doctrines.

Interesting, I did a thread over 2 years ago about "new light". Garybuss was the first one to predict alot of "changes": http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/105983/1.ashx

It would be nice if they were making more positive changes. Instead of Saturday morning field service every week, they could encourage everyone to do chaitable or volunteer work in their local communities. Not only would this be of benefit to the communties, it would make the individual Witness feel better about themselves. Which is precisely the reason why we'll probably never see this happen.

OnTheWayOut

Shut it down!

Don't expect your local Kingdom Hall to be on the market yet.

If the conventions were not making money, they would instantly
change them or cancel them. No delay. The fact that this year's
conventions are still three days with no announced change- this
shows that they must have made money last year. But a last
minute announcement could come out that literature will not be
released this year. It would come in the form of "This year's release
is just this tract."

I would start to keep an eye on the lawyers and accountants to
see if the money is being transferred to small island countries,
but they don't answer to anyone about the money, so they cannot
really be "watched."

The next money-saver I expect is the limited release of new literature
just at conventions and saying that it is only available there, and will
not become available at the Kingdom Hall because of the limited run.
Also, the Awake will stop being printed and the "members only" mag
will switch to a computer release that locals pay to print.

journey-on

I believe they are sinking and at this point just trying to plug the leaks. When Franz died, the org. began to die a slow death.

There is really nothing they can do short of taking the money and running.....to Belize? Costa Rica? The Caymans? Bora Bora?

Most of the r&f struggle financially and the ones that have plenty of money can't support their cong and the org indefinitely.

They can continue to spin the new light any way they want, but after a while the spin is going to become obviously dizzying and

more are going to jump ship and just stand on the beach and watch the mother ship go down. (My prediction for what it's worth.)

aniron

It has been said on this board before on threads dealing with mind control " cults " - that when they see they are losing membership , or bad media attention happens , " child abuse scandals " , less meeting attendance - cults go in to overdrive in " control mode " to control and become even more dictatorial with rank and file members so as not to lose their power over these people. If you notice - especially since the November announcement of the child abuse scandals , just before this announcement it was starting as well.

A non-JW friend of mine who has been following the Watchtower saga for a while. Wondered if the WT was going the same way as the Exclusive Bretheren.

For brief overview on the EB check here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/exclusivebrethren_1.shtml

He wondered could the WT be closing ranks making members cut down on contacts with the outside world.

Making itself an "Exclusive" organisation. Becoming careful on who they admit into the congregations.

Being selective in who they preach to. Telling JWs to "target" people they thing would become a JW.

Of course they will pass it off as preparing for "the end" that only those who really want the "Truth" are admitted into the Ark.

wednesday

I too agree with NEJ I can only imagine if the Net had been around when Rutherford took over and the org switched directions. There are probably many people in the ranks of bethel who would like to see a more humane org. ( our own Barbara).

The main reason the org has ever done anything is legal. ( we all know that) The drop of DF to DA for serving in the military, blood transfusion., All legal. Not charging for literature- all legal. Anytime anything has been changed it was due to protecting the wts assets , eg taxation, or fear of legal problems mostly with the USA laws. ( of which they take full advantage of ) Most of the older jws understand this, They know they must protect "mother" - however they do it.

I totally agree that we are in a transition period now, sort of a "which way do we go?" feeling. They are probably trying to figure out how to change the "end time" doctrine without losing all but the 3+ generation hard core jws. How has the catholic church stayed alive? or any mainstream religion, eg Baptists for instance?

If we look at the jws religion now and 50+ years ago- it has changed a lot ( sad to say I was actually there 50 yrs ago so i can say that with actual real time knowledge). Would the jws of that time been willing to accept the jws of today? Maybe not, but over time, as a boat drifts out to sea ( heard that one at a convention) well, you'd hardly notice it. I recall one vivid description at a convention, the Chariot--if we don't stay on Jehovah's Chariot we will get left behind. Jehovah's chariot may take us in some unforeseen directions- will we question it or trust Jehovah and hang on for dear life?

I wish I could clear my brain of all this c*ap. It does not scare me like it used to, but I still recall some fiery sermons at the DC.There are some mean*ss CO's and DO's out there.

Flipper, that is so true about fear of the Net. I was speaking with someone recently and so fearful were they of the Net, that they would not even type in a medical name for information. They would have to wait for their spouse to do that. ( they had the Net, but only hubby can use it)

daniel-p

Anyone who can't believe that major change is in the works for this religion within our lifetime is not paying attention.

Could This Be The Watchtower's Endgame?