Is the WTS preparing for a MASS EXODUS?

by passwordprotected 49 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I think their slow leak of people is reaching a critical point for them. They know the internet is going to kill them if they were to drop down to 5 million or so in membership. Too many former members is a very bad thing for them. I see them having no choice but to "do something" and that something will be another end date. As dumb as they know it to be, they will do it.

  2014 is just a symbolic number- no real meaning. I see them going for a further-out date. Here's how it can be done. They raise the expectations of urgency as much as possible between now and 2014, they are already doing that. Just as people are getting tired of the urgency, they introduce 2034 as the "interesting date" when 120 years of the last days would be similar to the 120 years of the time Jehovah gave before the flood.

  Just as the ark only had a small number of firm believers, Satan is getting many people to abandon the ark of the organization. All current GB members will either be dead or so old by 2034 that this shot in the foot won't matter when it fails. They will pass on the problem to a new generation of leaders.
• 

  sir82

  but very short durations as the world goes back to status quo

  Just like after 9/11.

  I hear of lot of JWs attributing ultra-high importance to the world-wide recession, as in "this system just can't go on much longer!"

  It will be interesting to see how the numbers go as time goes on and the economy slowly recovers. "Oops, I guess maybe the system can go on a bit longer..." Will the disillusion finally reach a tipping point?
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  insearchoftruth

  NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The pace of economic decline slowed substantially in the second quarter, as the U.S. economy shrank at an annual rate of 1% -- far less than it did in the first quarter, according to a government report released Friday.

  Well I guess the system can go a bit longer....but we are still in the last days, getting oh so closer to the end.....
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I hear of lot of JWs attributing ultra-high importance to the world-wide recession

  Sounds silly to an outsider. Since their last days started, there was 2 world wars, several epidemics, a severe depression, many recessions.

  There has been all-out war in the middle east, there was the re-establishment of Israel as a nation, the formation of the United Nations.
  
  There's always something. The latest "HUGE" happenings don't even get a blip on the radar.

  People are tiring of this.
• 

  sir82

  People are tiring of this.

  Yep.

  In my experience, the ones talking the loudest about how "this system of things can't go on" are the ones most desperate for it to come, based on their own circumstances. Physical, financial, emotional issues. Following WT "guidelines" has screwed up their lives, and they want their reward now!

  I perceive they are trying to convince themselves of it, by repeating it over and over again to anyone within earshot. But they do it for themselves, not the listener. I call it "whistling in the graveyard" - if they make enough noise, the ghosts will stay away / the end will come that much sooner.
• 

  scotsman

  The nice thing about having an evolving "truth" is you can change with the times. JWs have and will no doubt continue to. I've come across a number of JWs whos relationship with their religion is very similar to other main stream Christians i.e. not devout, letter of the law types, with more of a social approach to their faith. They may be viewed as flakey by hardliners from within but they seem content. These may become an ever increasing component, puting in very few hours (or 15mins) each month and missing meetings for other events. These people weren't dfed in my time and don't seem to be now.

  When you leave being a JW you percieve it with fresh eyes and because you've been duped once start seeing signs where there aren't any. Cutting back on publication and centralising authority seems sensible to me, becoming a more lightweight and possibly responsive corporation. Locally they're experiencing a resurgence through immigration - but globally it seems like stagnation persists which means a gradual shrinkage may follow. Saying that, the winds of economic change may blow some into the kingdom hall.
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  wobble

  When the hole in the bucket is as big as it is,thousands leave each year in the West,the GB must have discussed this,so I believe they have a number of plans,depending on how the next 4 to 5 years go.

  2014 will be a huge problem, "has Jesus been sitting on his hands for a hundred years?" many will ask.

  So 2034 makes sense, they have never been able to operate without a limit to the "Time of the End", either a date or a generation,so they HAVE to come up with something.

  Can't wait to see what greater BS they promulgate.

  Love

  Wobble
• 

  OUTLAW

  A mass Exodus?..Unlikely..

  Some will walk away from the WBT$..

  Less will join..

  The older ones will die off..

  No one will even notice the religion gradually disappear

  .......................OUTLAW
• 

  isaacaustin

  more like a long painful death...and most of the world won't even notice.

  JWs are only important to themselves and those affected by their antics. Most know nothing of them except they don't do holidays, salute the flag or take blood.
• 

  Heaven

  but we are still in the last days, getting oh so closer to the end.....

  ... of the year 2009.

  Not sure of the mass exodus. I think decline will happen naturally as we move into an era where a large number will die off and not many will come in to replace these, coupled with disatisfied ones leaving or being disfellowshipped. Christianity as a whole is on the decline in the Industrialized nations with fertility rates under what is needed to maintain the population of Christians. The Internet is educating people now like it never has in the past and more and more JWs and x-JWs are speaking out.

  We can only hope it snuffs itself out.