How much will Watchtower publish online?

by jonathanconway 22 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  jonathanconway

  I've noticed that they have a small selection of articles online.

  However the majority of their stuff is only accessible through either the Watchtower CDROM or dead trees.

  Has anyone yet asked them about putting their entire library online?

  If their aim is to "spead the good news", then what possible reason could there be for not making the content publicly accessible?

  Since they already have it in electronic form (I believe the content is already in HTML format on the CD), the cost of doing this would be minimal, and it would probably make their website rank better in Google.

  Of course, the flip-side is that this would allow others to link to their content and discuss it openly and, anonymously, which might expose them to much more criticism than they've ever experienced before.

  But I'm wondering what their excuse would be if someone asked them "why not"?
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  Lillith26

  Hey Jonathanconway, welcome to the forum.

  Great sugestion- if they did publish everthing online from their library it expose A LOT! perhaps a few 'still ins' or 'still stuck ins' should ask this question at the next meeting
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  Farkel

  If they publish everything online, their income will dry right up. They are first and foremost a book publishing and book selling Corporation. The "Good News of the Kingdom" is only a prop for their publishing business.

  If they can't make any money publishing online they won't do it. You can take that to the bank.

  Farkel
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  jonathanconway

  Good points guys.

  As far as revenue, I think they still make a pretty large amount from donations (in fact, all from donations in countries where they "give away" the publications to active witnesses).

  Of course, I'd like to see it all online, so we can more easily pick holes in it.

  But the next best thing is to somehow force Watchtower to make a comment on why they haven't done it yet.

  What excuse can there possibly be, to not share knowledge, when A) the cost of sharing it is zero, B) you're an organization who's primary goal is supposed to be the spreading of knowledge?
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  shamus100

  What excuse can there possibly be, to not share knowledge, when A) the cost of sharing it is zero, B) you're an organization who's primary goal is supposed to be the spreading of knowledge?

  Because it's bullshit.
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  passwordprotected

  Jonathan raises an excellent point.

  What's the return of investment the WTS is getting these days, I wonder? The cost of publishing the publications on dead trees, then shipping them around the world versus what they take in via donations...Hmm... The cost of servers and bandwidth is coming down all the time, surely the fine privilege of Brother Reachingout downloading the publications via the 'net, printing them at home/photocopying them at the Kingdom Hall for the delectation of the R&F would save the Corporation serious $$$
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  alanv

  Possably one reason why most of their imfo. is not online is beacause it will allow more and more people to view the internet. The internet is their big enemy. We've already seen the younger internet generation leaving, so they don't want the older ones doing it to. Remember most of their income comes from older ones who have more disposable income.
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  MidwichCuckoo

  What excuse can there possibly be, to not share knowledge, when A) the cost of sharing it is zero, B) you're an organization who's primary goal is supposed to be the spreading of knowledge?

  Exactly Jonathan (and welcome )

  The Watchtower is very selective in which parts of its own publications it wants made public. Basically, only current publications are 'safe' (if you're not aware of it, Google 'Quotes Watchtower'). Considering the WT is, more or less, God's Word, you would think the WT would distribute it in the most efficient way, reaching as many people Worldwide in the shortest time (as, let's face it, time IS short, we're in the Last Days...again). They could reach almost every inbox around the Globe in superfast time (not to mention other better ways of preaching). No money in it yet. I expect flogging magazines serves several purposes.
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  WTWizard

  I have seen one company publish everything online, and it was far better material than anything found in the Washtowel Babble and Crap Slaveholdery. Yet, people took it and trashed it--making things up to distort what was said or to make it look like evil because they encouraged people to act as if there was no God.

  Now, if a relatively sound paradigm can be attacked like that, just think of what happens when you have a paradigm that is so crappy that just about everyone with access to the whole body of littera-trash can see the holes in the arguments. Some of the littera-trash even contradicts what other pieces of littera-trash says, sometimes even within the same article (and I have even seen it within the same paragraph). Putting it online gives people the opportunity to see blatant irregularities. Plus, they see what the Bible (remember, the Washtowel is supposed to have the monopoly on following the Bible) says about the littera-trash, and find out that the Bible doesn't say what the littera-trash claims it does.

  Additionally, imagine having the article against independently studying the Bible or verifying the accuracy of their doctrines with outside sources posted online. Just about everyone that sees it is going to not want any part of the religion. True, apostates have posted it--but posting this, and other Kool-Aid material, would result in a big drop in incoming membership. And that's the job of the apostate web sites that they lambaste.
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  Deputy Dog

  Farkel

  If they can't make any money publishing online they won't do it. You can take that to the bank.

  I remember pestering the JW I studied with, for a WT CD. When he finally got one for me, I asked him about how much to donate, he said, "enough to cover cost". I said, that's great CDs cost a few cents. He didn't know what to say.