With the WTS blatantly 'stealing' the LDS practice of Family Worship (Home) Evening (see previous thread), I foresee them going even further.
[b]It's going to become about keeping the youth[/b]. Think about it, asides from 3rd world countries, there's little growth happening from the door knocking. They've already shown in the past few weeks that they're looking to boost the appearance of the annual report by allowing both husbands and wives to put 4 hours on the report slip for the 'family study'. But that doesn't solve the low growth figures.
We all know that an even more intense and meaningful family study via the Family Worship Evening isn't going to make the blind bit of difference to your average youth in the truth (that rhymes, cool). The next step will be to steal more LDS ideas. Youth 'churches', youth clubs, Sunday school-style Bible classes, youth initiatives, and so on.
I've heard tell of a CO advocating appointing MS at 17. Why? It's a good way to keep them in. But in order to get a boy to [i]qualify[/i] to be an MS at 17 they're going to have to radically overhaul the way they involve their youth.
They must see that with their impotent public ministry (door knocking on Saturdays with colorful magazines masking a crumbling 1914 doctrine) that if they've to have any future growth it'll come from within.
The growth from within - more focus on youth coming soon
by passwordprotected 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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passwordprotected
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stillajwexelder
I think the focus on youth has already started - there was an item on youth tonight and an announcement there is to be a re-release of a tract specifically for youth
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yknot
I agree the pew report got even the blind faithers gabbing.
There is a lot we could incorporate from the Mormons.
But it appears to have been on the GB minds for awhile too
JWfreak mentioned that Bro. Barr said they had been discussing the CBS arrangement for 2 years.
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jwfacts
Thanks for the excellent information.
Do you know of any links to the CO letter regarding the Family Evening and also the new 4 hours for counting family time? I had not heard about the new 4 hour rule, where has that been discussed?
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yknot
Allegedly in Sept KM.
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nameless_one
Yes and no; it seems to me there has been a rather bipolar approach to youth recently. I agree that holding on to the young ones is the only chance they have at this point, but the WTS is simultaneously grabbing them tighter and pushing them out the door. Lame attempts like the "hip" new version of the YPA book for instance, are completely out of touch. The actual stance of the GB about things like education and social interaction and means of communication/information flow will go over like a lead balloon with young people. The "plan" seems to be to trap them young, in hopes of barring later escape, but that's a pretty crappy plan IMO with little potential for long-term viability.
Now, if they did start adopting things such as youth groups, outings, social meet-and-greets, fun and vibrant activities for young people, that would worry me way more, because it could actually work to keep young people in and engaged. The Mormons do substantially better with their youth for this very reason. I will be both dismayed and amazed if that happens with JWs, though; "more family study" doesn't cut it by a long shot, and isn't going to hold young people in beyond bumping up the numbers and making it look like growth and retention on paper. But bringing back group activities and fun and genuine fellowship and association -- THAT could be the path to engaging and retaining people young and old, and making them WANT to be there. I don't see it happening though, because it's too far removed from the controlling clampdown that is the modern formula. -
eyeslice
But - they are fighting a losing battle.
I have been to a meeting in years but in the last month my 17 year old son who had been regularly attending with is mother stopped going. The kids aren't daft they can see the crack down of further education and the continued rhetoric of we must do more in the field service.
Other than the prospect of a mate in the truth and the possibility of promotion to MS for young lads, I see no attraction for the truth to young ones.
Eyeslice (4 kids none left in the truth) -
passwordprotected
@Paul - I have Sept 2008's KM and the QB features this new 'provision' to allow both parents to count 4 hours per month.
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slimboyfat
I wonder if they will start encouraging large families like the Mormons do too. That will be quite a turn around from the days when having children was seen as showing a lack of faith or irresponsible because the end is so close.
Recent WT study articles have already toned down the anti-children stance. Will they come out and actively encourage large families though? It might make some sense from a growth point of view. But it might be a bit risky if it is interpreted as a sign that the end is not so close after all and people start to slack off even more.
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passwordprotected
I'm not so sure about the anti-child stance being toned down. The most recent study article from earlier in the year was extremely negative against marriage and children, only highlighting the down-sides of family life. It was so bad at least one bro in our cong raised his hand and at length extolled the virtues of having children. He was clearly and openly offended at how the WTS was making it sound awful to bear children, when in reality having and raising children is highly rewarding and fulfilling, hence it being a gift from God...!
After the meeting a couple of 'spiritually strong' individuals commented to me that they thought the article was very unbalanced in it's view of child rearing.
A quick glance around at a typical assembly or convention shows the high numbers of young couples with young children, showing that of all things the WTS would like to clamp down on, child rearing is still happily taking place. I think it's worth noting the number of couples in their early 40s without children, as per the 1988 articles...
All in all the WTS must realise the number of children between the ages of 1 and 12. They must realise that holding on to these ones is the whole future of the Org. It has to be. The current crop of 17-24 year olds are, on the whole IMO, doing little. The ones leaving the Org, again IMO and experience, are among that age group. In the city within which I live there are very, very few young brothers reaching out.
So, the WTS will start to look to those under 12 year olds and realise that to survive past 2014 they need to nurture and develop (AKA brainwash) these youngsters to take up the reigns.
The young brothers with energy and zeal - and no family responsibilities - are leaving due to boredom and a failure to feel the WTS Trademarked 'urgency'.
Do the WTS feel they erred when the slacked off on the further education embargo back in the late 90s? Perhaps. The youngsters of that generation are leaving 'the truth' or are stagnant! So, tighten up on the education policies now so that when the current 11 or 12 year olds reach school leaving age, they'll be so set on a 'career in the truth' that they'll be cemented into the Org for at least a further 10 years. Hey, it worked before...
But maybe they've learned from some mistakes. Maybe they're now realising that to hold on to the youth they need to give them something back. Family Worship Evening may be a start, but I can't help but think there's more focus on youth coming to the KH very soon.