Sounds like the McKinleyville Hall.
The new book study arrangement...what it could mean
by undercover 36 Replies latest jw friends
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jgnat
wannaexit, I suggest that even if the society pushes that the extra evening is to be used as a "family study night", it ain't going to happen. If it's not enforced, or tracked, it won't get done. It's just human nature. Consider a barna survey that found:
Although large majorities of the public claim to be "deeply spiritual" and say that their religious faith is "very important" in their life, only 15% of those who regularly attend a Christian church ranked their relationship with God as the top priority in their life. As alarming as that finding was, its significance was magnified by research showing that on average pastors believe that 70% of the adults in their congregation consider their relationship with God to be their highest priority in life.
http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrow&BarnaUpdateID=252
Overall, I find the Barna articles to be predictive on how Jehovah's Witnesses behave as well. They are not so different than the rest of us.
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undercover
I had a discussion with a JW relative about the change and they kept harping on the fact that there still is a book study. It's on the same night as the Ministry School and Service Meeting.
This person had no problem what so ever with the new arrangement.
When I pressed on that the real issue was the the small informal group setting was going away...the group that would have to survive without the congregation or the hall when the persecution came, they kept insisting that the groups would still exist and that elders would be assigned to oversee those groups.
I couldn't get them to understand that just because a "group" exists on paper somewhere, it doesn't mean that they're still the same informal group of people building each other up with their company and studying together.
What caught my attention was the detail of an elder being assigned to small groups to "watch over" them, as it was put to me. So, I've come up with another conspiratorial theory, since my brain works that way...
Eliminate the book study arrangement...that is, the meeting together in small groups at different homes because small groups like that are harder to control. It's too easy for an apostate leaning person to interject opinions and theories that aren't approved by the Society.
Instead, herd all the sheeple back to the hall, where the meetings are under tighter control and negative information would be harder to interject into the program.
Then, this next part is part genius and part luck...create a program where elders are assigned a small group to sheperd.
This serves a two-fold purpose, thus the lucky part of the equation; it makes the followers less antsy about losing the book study group. Tell them that all you've done is combine the meetings but yet the "group" still exists and elder so-and-so will still be your "leader".
The genius part is that while they've got all the rank and file believing that this arrangement is really for their benefit, it actually allows the Society to set up a Gestapo of sorts. These elder agents will serve as a spy network for the organization. They can keep an eye on people who start to fade or who express doubts or who question doctrine or authority.
Its obvious that the Society is trying to stem the flow of people leaving the religion. Instead of allowing people to leave on their own accord, possibly causing problems on the way out or later, the Society can track the behavior and attitudes of the followers and when they see a trend, can work quicker to straighten them out...or, in the worst case scenerio, out them as apostates before they can influence anyone else.
The only real drawback to this program would be to keep the elders motivated to actually spying on their assigned group of people. The book study overseers weren't all the great at keeping up with their groups under the old arrangement, I'm not sure how they'll motivate them to keep up with this new arrangement. -
Billy the Ex-Bethelite
Undercover,
I think you credit them for more intelligence than they really have. I think it's the shortage of elders and MSs that's caused the downfall of the old book study arrangement to a great extent. In any case, I don't see this as a move that will help Watch Tower Corporation in any way.
B the X
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undercover
I think you credit them for more intelligence than they really have.
You're probably right...I like to play the "what if" game. It's fun to try to figure out what the heck they're up to and give them ulterior motives.
But...one should never underestimate the "enemy". Better to give them more credit than they deserve and be prepared than surprised.
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mustang
They can tighten up the meetings and pack more congregations using a Kingdom Hall by eliminating a meeting night. They could easily have three and four congregations to a building instead of one or two. It used it be a hassle to have three but now it can be expanded. The only problem is trying to have four Sunday meetings on one day. But they've tightened that meeting up as well. The talks are shorter, the WT study is slimmed down. Get 'em in, get 'em out.
Undercover, you have hit the nail on the head. Watch for reshuffling of schedules for the other weekday night meeting. If that happens in numerous places, you have your proof!!!
I think you are right about the fellowship; that is the more insidious implication of the "great experiment".
As such "great experiments" go, remember the "rotating eLDER arrangement"? I vaguely remember it, but I was on the fast track to fading then.
All of the thoughts here are discussing various money-grubbing, risk management types of schemes. Whichever one wins just points to one thing: desperation from Brooklyn.
You have inspired me to post regarding BS nite, also. :)
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/166947/1.ashx
Mustang
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Scarred for life
Undercover:
I also think you've hit the nail on the head. I think you've got it absolutely right. They're trying to stop the "apostates" early before they "infect" a whole book study group at someone's home. They're trying to get MORE CONTROL. They are absolutely not going to give everyone a night off.