The Rise of the Conscious Class

by truthseeker 60 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  LUKEWARM

  Well put Truthseeker - Love the "conscious class" term!
  
  This organisation was never planned to exist this long - the information age has caught up with them and they are facing the very real possibility of loosing members and growth stagnation.

  I also look around the hall, especially during WT studies such as this past Sunday and wonder why it is not dawning on anyone else that they are worshipping, professing loyalty to, and submitting to a corporation of men. And, worse yet, a corporation of men that doesn't give two hoots about them as individuals.

  That is a great point WalkTall!
  
  Wonder how many witnesses would continue to serve zealously once they fully grasped the gravity of your statement here...
• 

  metatron

  The Watchtower is an alcoholic, distant, emotionally detached parent. The suffering child constantly seeks some meagre evidence of love and rejoices over the least evidence of it. It's sad.

  I continue to hope that the Governing Frauds will at some point wonder why they bother with these childish, ignorant, donation-shy cultists and simply shut down, after securing their own personal future. You could almost read their printing operation/Paterson changes as steps in that direction.

  I also wonder if we should be interpreting their remarks about wanting defacto worship as the Grand Exaulted Masters of Time and Space may be a reaction to their fear that they are losing their grip on the publishers.

  metatron
• 

  metatron

  The Watchtower is an alcoholic, distant, emotionally detached parent. The suffering child constantly seeks some meagre evidence of love and rejoices over the least evidence of it. It's sad.

  I continue to hope that the Governing Frauds will at some point wonder why they bother with these childish, ignorant, donation-shy cultists and simply shut down, after securing their own personal future. You could almost read their printing operation/Paterson changes as steps in that direction.

  I also wonder if we should be interpreting their remarks about wanting defacto worship as the Grand Exaulted Masters of Time and Space may be a reaction to their fear that they are losing their grip on the publishers.

  metatron
• 

  moshe

  It must be hard on them at meetings- sitting on their hands and biting their lips- I know how hard it was for me to keep quiet that last six months I was still officially in..
• 

  Olin Moyles Ghost

  Great post by the OP. In addition to the "conscious class," I know lots of JWs, especially "born-ins" under age 45, who could probably be classified as "potential future members of the conscious class."

  These include the childless married couples who both work full-time, drive nice cars, own a home, and take lots of vacations. These include the parents who are encouraging their children to attend university. These include the men in their 30s who have no interest in serving as MS or elders and are happy to put in their 6-8 hours of "service" per month. They're the ones that last week's WT classified as "coasting along" in the congregation.

  It's just another religion to these folks. They don't feel any burning desire to witness to others. They don't do any personal study aside from spending five minutes underlining the WT before the Sunday meeting. Deep down, they know something is wrong, but there are forces keeping them from taking any further action (primarily family, friends, and "where else can we go?"). But when the status quo changes--for example, if a family member is DF'd--that may be the catalyst for taking the next step.

  The WTS knows that there are LOTS of these JWs out there--especially in the USA and other developed countries.
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  A comment on most of the growth being from the Third World. I agree that's the case. But that isn't what they're saying from the platform.

  They're telling the rank and file that there is a 10% increase in Bible Studies in the USA branch and the dubs eat it right up despite seeing stagnation and shrinking within their local congregation. They actually believe there is growth when the only evidence is the WTS reports. I don't believe the organization is lying; I believe the publishers are. We no longer have a separate slip for Bible Studies. We just put a number down on the regular time sheet. Also, what we're allowed to call a Bible study is incredibly flexible. There are people who, if they talk with the same person twice in the same month for more than 15 minutes will call that a Bible Study. With these new rules for reporting, OF COURSE reported Bible studies are up. Yet it's spun as growth and the dubs just swallow it, knowing they fudged their own reports but ignoring that fact.
• 

  freddo

  Conscious class member here... a very good post truthseeker!

  Remember "the tipping point"? Someone please tell me we're getting close to it.

  The real deep down truth about "growth" is - baptisms are down! Not hours, studies, mags or RV's - they can all be fudged. Even publishers can come (at age 6) and go (at age 16) and be counted in the meantime - but jw baptisms are down! Yay!
• 

  goldensky

  I've loved it, Truthseeker! Thank you very much!
• 

  Alligator Wisdom

  <--------------------- A conscious class member raises hand.

  Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously)
• 

  oppostate

  Count me in, graduating conscious class 2010.

  Thanks TruthSeeker for the well thought out, well worded article for this thread.