Sir82 - The CO visit could likely keep the BOEs updated on what an "exemplary publisher" means in terms of hours. Also, tradition dictates that 10 hours is the right number although the national average in the US has been around 9 for some time (at least the last time I looked).
NEW KM style
by stillajwexelder 101 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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slimboyfat
You are saying that they can't stop collecting figures because the whole system operates on the basis of reporting time and measuring people against that standard.
My point is that dropping focus on the figures is precisely indicative of a massive change in how they are going to do things.
They may well still publish the annual report in the Yearbook this year but there has been a clear progression over the past few years:
1. They drop the annual report from the Jan 1st WT, now to appear in the Feb 1st issue.
2. Next they eliminate the annual report from the WT altogether, now to appear in the KM and Yearbook.
3. They drop the annual report from the KM, now only to appear in the Yearbook.
4. They stop publishing monthly reports in the KM.
There is only one step left to complete: stop publishing the annual report in the Yearbook and that's it, the reporting of figures has been successfully phased out. In fact why not just stop publishing Yearbooks altogether as that would save a lot of money and what's the point of Yearbooks anyway?
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sir82
DB -
You forgot - in 2010 or so, no more CO's! Allegedly.
But I agree with your point - I think the monthly reports will still be collected and collated at the local level, and an overall report sent the branch. They are far too control-freakish to actually lose a method of monitoring their flock.
By the way, staring in January 2009, per a recent BOE letter, field service reports are now due to the Society on the 20th of the month, not the 6th. The letter did not say why.
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garybuss
The interesting thing about the Watch Tower Corporation is that they still really only have one core message: "MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE!". They've been selling that same promise with success since 1918. They package it different, they say it different, but it's "THE" promise that attracts and keeps many Witnesses.
And it's SO obviously wrong. People who can't deal with grief, deal with reality, or are selfish and self centered, are comfortable living a fantasy life working for a sales pitch made by a dead man.
Nobody ever failed by underestimating the gullibility of the human race. -
snowbird
People who can't deal with grief, deal with reality, or are selfish and self centered, are comfortable living a fantasy life working for a sales pitch made by a dead man.
Now that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
I was once one of those types. I'm fighting hard to keep from backsliding.
Sylvia
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FlyingHighNow
I wonder if the GB knows that all the R&F hangs on their every word and every change and we are going through a period of almost "CHANGE FOR CHANGE SAKE"
Good theory. I wonder this, too.
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Doubting Bro
SBF - I hear what you're saying. You make a good point about the progression. However, why on earth would they now allow wives to count 4 hours a month for the family study in addition to the 4 hours the husband can count? I suspected it was to boost the numbers but why do that if you're going to drop the requirement? That just doesn't seem to fit into the pattern that you described.
What about pioneers & aux pioneers? They have specific hour requirements that while they have dropped over the years still need to be measured.
I recall being told more than once that the whole purpose of the congregation was to preach. I disagree with that statement after actually reading the New Testament since James and Paul seem to indicate to me that the congregation is there as a support mechanism for believers which is the mainstream view of Christianity. Remember, you can't manage what you don't measure and the point of the reporting was to make sure that everyone is engaging in the "life saving preaching work".
I'm not saying it can't happen and agree with your overall point of view that the religion is in the midst of a major transformation. It has to morph to maintain any growth. But the timing is strange because it seems the numbers have been up the past couple of years.
Dropping the reporting requirements would be the biggest cultural change within JWs that has happened in my close to 40 (ouch) years.It would turn the focus from an external top line growth prospective to an internal bottom line retention effort. I personally think that's what they need to do to remain viable and certainly think that the Mormons provide a great template on how to run a large, high-control religion and I think that's exactly what they did.
Sir82 - Interesting on the letter but if they're not going to print the stats in the KM, I guess I can see why they moved the report from the 6th to the 20th. That will certainly hurt the Aug peak giving another 2 weeks to hound the publishers to put in a report.
Another point, maybe they're losing so much money on printing literature, that they want less distribution? Therefore, no need for the endless door knocking to "place" magazines.
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Jeremy C
Here is how the french KM puts it in the News from our ministry box : From now on, only outstanding aspects of our activity will appear in the present column. Therefore, the latter won't be systematically published every month.
This is hilarious. I thought that this entire global preaching work was inherently outstanding. Now, they are only going to cherry-pick the more flattering statistics to print. It never ceases to amaze me to see the new gimmics of spin-doctoring that they come up with.
We are going to begin to see reports that read like this: "Yes friends, Jehovah is speeding up the work in His own time. We are happy to report that the island nation of Mauzakebubu had a 23% increase this last service year. Do we not see the hand of Christ Jesus directing this work?"
Get ready to see a lot of reports from countries like Uganda, Paraguay, and Maldives. Japan, Western Europe, Australia, and the U.S. will be relegated to the foot notes in back.
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insearchoftruth
Get ready to see a lot of reports from countries like Uganda, Paraguay, and Maldives. Japan, Western Europe, Australia, and the U.S. will be relegated to the foot notes in back.
In the US they may highlight the non-English speaking congregations and progress.....they are the ultimate at putting a spin on things, even when one must stretch the truth (theocratic warfare I guess) to make their point.
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SnakesInTheTower
sir82:
By the way, staring in January 2009, per a recent BOE letter, field service reports are now due to the Society on the 20th of the month, not the 6th. The letter did not say why.
three reasons I can think of:
1) the secretary sends reports via the internet now, so no more waiting for the post office to deliver
2) the 6th was always this crazy rush to get reports, thus more missing reports....the 20th gives more time to sqeeze as many publishers out of the sponge as possible
3) if figures arent being reported in the KM monthly, no huge rush to get them
Snakes ()