Watchtower: End Game Strategy?

by sacolton 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  WTWizard

  I can only hope they lose the end game. I am hoping that one of those "secret" societies that they have bashed (whether the one I joined or a competitor) will expose enough secrets that religion is nothing more than a scam, and all these cults will go down as people refuse to join.

  Ultimately, I think they are going to resort to physical force. They are planning a great hounding campaign next year (and I am sure more threads about that will be coming as it gets closer) for those that are inactive. Ultimately, there could be some more serious round-ups of those that are inactive, and it could get messy.

  Suicide? Some that leave do commit suicide because they are used to having someone else do all their thinking. They are totally dependent on others to think for them, and cannot make the transition between being active witlesses and going back to the world (the born-ins have it worse in that department). A certain amount of that is expected, and is a fair price to pay to prevent more ruined lives and stagnation of others that would have been suckered in. And those who are able to make the transition to independent thinking will have their lives enriched.
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  civicsi00

  I've noticed there's been a lot of talk about the future of the Watch Tower recently. My personal fear is this: In the near future (within 1-2 years), there will be some sort of "tribulation" and the "end" might seem to be very near for JW's. Right then is when the GB will announce that the "Great Tribulation has started" and they will tell all the faithful ones to partake of the "kool-aid". Then the end comes...for them. And then things resume in the world as they were before. There are still quite a few solid, faithful JW's who might partake of a "kool-aid" of some sort without really thinking about what they're doing.

  Realistically, I think it's going to be a slow, painful implosion... one with members continually being disillusioned that the "end" never came in their lifetime, resulting in the ultimate loss of faith in God.
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  james_woods

  This kind of thread usually strikes me as just so much wishful speculation on our Apostate part - hoping for an end to this mess of a religion that has caused so much harm to so many people. And, in a practical sense, I think the WTS has more than enough momentum to stagger on for longer than I will probably live.

  But then, there always is the possibility of a sudden collapse from outside forces: Remember, neither Jonestown nor Waco really planned out their own demise...an outside force suddenly brought about a major crises.

  Now, what in our modern society could bring something like this about?

  The blood issue might be one - if a more progressive society equates this with child endangerment. The child molestation coverup might be another - look what it has done to the Catholic Church in America, for example.

  The tax issues might be another - if a more secular and liberal government begins to eye such quasi-religions as the JW, Scientology, and some others as an income source. I think the WTS history shows they would try to offshore everything and hide from the U.S. Governement if they faced a serious challenge on taxation.

  Oddly enough, also I wonder if the sudden appearance of a really charismatic and reform-minded new JW leader could fragment them and bring about the kind of split that Rutherford did back in the 1920s? A lot of the JWs are so fixated on end-times, the new system of things, and the 144,000 that they might scarecely be able to tolerate a progressive reform leader!
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  Quandry

  Oddly enough, also I wonder if the sudden appearance of a really charismatic and reform-minded new JW leader could fragment them and bring about the kind of split that Rutherford did back in the 1920s?

  I like this scenario, James. And I think that it could happen.

  Right now, dubs are a bit confused by all the recent changes-no book study, yet another "new light" explanation of the generation, new crackdown on education (unless it is to further Kingdom interests somehow or is necessary for your job but cannot be to "get ahead") and of course, the one that many say is coming: no CO's?

  I know that if someone really strong and charismatic took over it could "rally the troops" and solidify the hold for the diehard, get back the old "Armageddon fever" and possibly drive the weak away; or, as you relate, someone reform-minded could fragment them, driving away the diehards (what would they do?) leaving a more moderate, washed down version of JWs more acceptable to mainstream religion and government.

  Wonder who could "fit the bill?"
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  tryingtounderstandjws

  Do you suppose there would be mass suicides from devout JWs who can't function without the Watchtower controlling them?I hope that nothing like that ever happens. I know a couple of people who are caught up in this cult and I would be devastated if they killed themselves. I don't know what is worse, standing by and watching someone destroy themselves or watching an organization destroy them. The whole experience of crossing paths with, meeting, and getting to know these people has saddened me greatly.
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  james_woods

  TryingtoUnderstand - I think that suicide post may very well have been done with a grain of salt or two, just for what it is worth.
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  Fadeout

  When the WTS was subject to the whims of one man, anything could have happened. From its founding to 1975 it was a dictatorship.

  Now, with a group of men in command rather than an individual, it's much less likely that they will go along with too "crazy" a plan. Their prudence can be seen by their ever-increasing use of lawyers. Don't be fooled, the WTS corporation is as "worldly" as they come.

  The WTS is not one man any more, it is a collective that looks out for its own survival. It will not implode, but it may bleed members and money and eventually go out of business. If it were more powerful it would gladly be The Party from 1984, but it isn't and never will be.
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  They are planning a great hounding campaign next year (and I am sure more threads about that will be coming as it gets closer) for those that are inactive.

  WTWizard: Will you tell me more about this?
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  1914BS

  Consider the worst case scenario.

  WT 1/15 09

  It was believed that the New World Government started to rule in 1914. Now it appears that the date 1914 is only a symbolic date which could be in any range of years during the end times. The bible has always pointed to the end time period and 1914 is an important year, but there is no direct proof that 1914 is the actual date.

  The important thing for all Christians today, is to heed the divine truths coming from the (((Faithful and Distorted Slave)))
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  owenfieldreams

  It's a long time from that happening. WT still sits on a goldmine, and membership through attrition and new converts is still holding steady, even with a slight increase. Don't dance on their grave just yet....