funny how when your in (or at least mentally in) it all seems so simple. THE NEW SYSTEM IS COMING - jesus commanded we preach its coming, after all: this good news of the kingdom will be preached... yada yada yada.......
But now, when you see the evidence, and you look at the org as the business that it is, what is the objective? To survive!There is no divine intervention happening here.
the JW's have no worries about the future of the org because "its Jehovahs organization" - what can man do to us?
But can you imagine sitting at the table with the other directors watching your assets shrink, your costs escalate, your donations per publisher dwindle and compounded by growth stagnating and youth retention the lowest of any religion?
I say "directors" as the GB have disconnected themselves from the business side of things but you know the "directors" are presenting the bleak financial future of the org to the GB and laying out on the line all the back-doors they need close. The potential new "back doors" that could open and the competition they face in keeping the attention and focus of the R&F. Then add to that the "cry wolf" factor. Can you imagine being one of those decision makers? What would you be thinking????
"Oh dont worry, jehovah will fix it" - ya right!!!!!!! They print all those "Jah fixed it" stories in the WT but we all know it was from a scramble by decision makers to get things done. Here is what I think they are saying across that big boardroom table:
"Hey there GB, you need to get these people motivated, keep the R&F from leaving, get them out in service more to recruit new ones so we can show growth, do whatever you can to keep the children in the org, appeal to there desires and fears (you know, like the tobacco industry does!)
We need to cut costs, cut labour, cut volume, cut liability, sell properties, find ways to get the cong's to give us more cash - like "banking" their excess funds with us. We need to do all of this while not giving them the impression that we are slowing down or cash strapped.
We need them to get motivated by these reductions and sell-offs.
We need to connect all these cost saving measures to a "last days" scenario. We cant afford to scare anymore away so back down on the meetings per week and reduce the number of pioneer hours.
We need to keep them away from the internet, there is too much information on there about us. We need to make them scared of knowledge, the information age is killing us, we need to reinforce the evils of knowledge in every magazine and assembly theme.
We need to do whatever we can to protect the R&F from making their own decision to serve Jehovah, that is too dangerous! We need to make sure they are to scared to leave! to know that if they "slow down" the cong will view them as "bad association", and if they seek out info on the internet or even think about questioning the GB that Jehovah will know they are an apostate in their hearts and they will die at Armageddon, and if they get DF'f they will lose all their family and friends and that they wont even allow them to funerals!
If we dont act now we our numbers will decline and start a downward spiral that will create disullusionment among the R&F, they will wonder why Jehovah isnt "speeding up the work". They will tire even more and start saving for their futures. If we decrease in numbers what will we say? We will look like fools!
If i was a board member/a decision maker at the WTS right now, I dont imagine I would be "waiting on Jehovah" to fix things . I would be hussling my ass off to save the org from a financial disaster. I wouldnt be surprised if the WTS were hiring consultants from the corporate world to get them back on track. Oh but of course, Jehovah would be using those consultants to accomplish his ministry......
