Why can the governing body perform a cost benefit analysis when...

by DT 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Bring_the_Light

  QUOTED FROM EASYREADER1970["I thought the whole purpose of the meeting wasn't so much to study the literature but to fellowship on a small level, to get to know the Friends, to build closer bonds," and so on. ]

  Yea, I'm pretty surprised myself. I would have guess the bookstudy would be the last to go, especially for cost reasons. The bookstudy is the one meeting which has a chance of being closer to you than the Kingdom Hall, so a little wierd.

  Anyone else notice that they tend to over-discourage fun amongst the friends. I seem to remember my first "dear god I hate this organization" thoughts were when I was 10 or so and the elders thought there were too many get-togethers and/or people had too much fun at said get-togethers. There was also the matter of break-dancing being a major scandal and sign of the devil. I thought my GOD! I can 2-3 friends in the world and I need to make sure I don't see them too often?!?!?!?! Even at a very young age, it was clear to me that they're trying to "break me down" in addition to controlling me.

  My escaped and adult theory is we weren't bad enough to keep the elders entertained. The hall down the road had a bigger population of kids and was up to its neck with alcohol, sex, bad association and apostasy.

  If I was a cult leader, I'd have 3 meetings a week and 4 parties. That's how you keep the flock happy.
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  zeroscum

  The BS has been a wonderful provision for many years, I have enjoyed the small group and deeper material. I have great memories of the bookstudy over the past 30 years. The bookstudy served a great purpose, but it has gotten harder and harder to get to all the meetings, so I think this is a welcomed change. Everyone at our hall seemed to be exited-and now it will be much easier for my family to have our family study. So I will miss the BS, it served a wonderful purpose, but change can be a good thing. I look forward to this one.
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  yadda yadda 2

  I agree. They may have opened some kind of Pandora's box with this, but only a small minority of thinking dubs, or dubs already on the edge, will notice.

  Unity (conformity) trumps everything in the minds of the GB. They fear losing their place and their nation, just like the Jewish religious leaders in Jesus time did. The pharisees were prepared to sacrifice the Son of God himself for the sake of their privileged positions and status and a similar attitude exists with the GB. They will sacrifice anything to keep their precious 'unity' and so keep the statistics up there somewhere, including the sacrifice of doctrinal truth, love, justice, and mercy.
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  doofdaddy

  I ran into a jw yesterday for the first time in yrs. He told me about the loving gb how considerate they are to remove the burden of so many meetings. He was shocked that I new about the change weeks ago as it was just announced this week.

  Also asked why I left, so I explained the generation change. He knew neither the old stand, or the new, despite being 45 yrs old raised a witness and is now a travelling speaker!!

  He said I don't look for detail I just see the love.......

  What can you do for such people?
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  WTWizard

  I have news for you. They aren't really weighing the cost/benefit for the publishers. What they are actually doing is (1) eliminating much of the remaining social aspect of the witlesses including the goodie night, (2) sanitizing the comments so there will be no borderline apostate comments, and (3) freeing the evening up so people can go out in field circus.

  I actually think there will be a Kingdumb Misery this fall "encouraging" people to use that time "wisely" (meaning going out in field circus when the people are home). The Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger will verbally hand down the commands via hounder-hounders that people who do not go out in field circus that night will be harassed into going, as if it was a meeting.

  The result is that there will be no reduction of opportunity cost to the witlesses. They will still have to pass up on jobs because of working that evening. They will still waste gas (even more gas) that evening. There will still be the dangers, all the more so because they will be out in the territory, at that when crime is most active. However, the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger will make out like a bandit when people are out in field circus that evening.