Discussion involving my Dad & other long timers - Mood is definately different

by Doubting Bro 98 Replies latest jw friends

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  moshe

  JWs embraced the new teaching from the GB about the overlapping 1914 generations, because they could postpone their day of admiting, that the WT religion is a complete farce and they have wasted their entire life.

  Now the reality sets in- they will likely die soon, without seeing the fruition of all the grandiose WT promises of the New System of things. Next comes depression as their mind tries to block out the truth about their sorry-ass religion- the world at large understands the WT religion is a false prophet and is dangerous to people and this instinctive fear of their false message, manifests itself as a disdain for the WT publisher/pioneer stooges who go door to door seeking converts.

  Finally, knowing that they are not going to convert anyone must be a real drag on their public preaching- in fact, the more they go out preaching, the more they are likely to meet someone (like you or me) who will successfully crack their blind loyalty to the WT org.

  I don't even have to debate doctrine with a JW to win- all I have to do is ask the JW one simple question-

  "Are you happy?"

  and the followup to their "yes" answer

  "you need to stop lying to yourself- you don't fool me and you don't fool God"
• 

  jay88

  The thoughts on this page along are priceless. WTBTS as a temp. shelter awesome!!! Are the JW really happy folk?

  good stuff.
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  bohm

  very interesting responses
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  flipper

  The thread I started on the Jan.15th WT concerning JW's experiencing discouragement and burnout , kind of goes along with this thread - with the WT society's ensuing counsel telling them to NOT miss meetings for ANY reasons, especially for just being tired - to me it indicates leaders of the WT society are really worried about the malaise going on in many Witnesses of apathy and the fact many of them aren't taking seriously the info piped down from the GB any more. JW's missing meetings, doing their own thing , associating with non-witnesses or DFed relatives or friends - all these things are a sign the WT society is losing a grip of control on lots of Witnesses . The one thing leaders of the WT society can't STAND - is losing control
• 

  Vidiot

  lisaBobeesa - "Unlike most religions, The Watchtower was not designed to meet the lifetime spiritual needs of its members."

  Recent studies have strongly suggested that the most successful religions are ones that meet both the spiritual and physical long-term needs of their members. Certain individual JW congregations may do that, but as a whole, that sort of thing is not an Organizational priority.

  lisaBobeesa - "The Watchtower was designed to meet a short term goal of getting its members through Armageddon. It was built as an emergency fallout shelter of sorts, for a disaster that was supposed to be here long ago. "

  Awesome insight.

  flipper - "with the WT society's ensuing counsel telling them to NOT miss meetings for ANY reasons, especially for just being tired - to me it indicates leaders of the WT society are really worried about the malaise going on in many Witnesses of apathy and the fact many of them aren't taking seriously the info piped down from the GB any more. JW's missing meetings, doing their own thing , associating with non-witnesses or DFed relatives or friends - all these things are a sign the WT society is losing a grip of control on lots of Witnesses"

  Slow death by a thousand cuts, huh?

  Pretty strong motive to institute increasingly draconian restrictions; it's virtually guaranteed to weed out the "lukewarm" and leave them with nothing but hardcore believers. That'll thin the herd, making it easier to circle the wagons at the new HQ. "Strange instructions that may seem hard to understand", remember?

  I've said this before, but I'd give damn near anything for a seasoned intelligence expert's take on this whole thing.
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  whereami

  I'm with Quendi on this. This organization isn't going anywhere folks. Yeah it's going to have to adapt to survive, and it will. We just have to be here for our friends and family when they're ready to leave to help them pick up the pieces.

  Oh by the way, welcome Quendi.
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  Quentin

  No Knorr, or Franz. These are the men that made the wt from the late 40s to the 75 debacle a strong, vibarant relegion, 70 to 80% of the congergations were strong, unified, viberant. Hummed along like a swiss watch. The older ones alive from the Rutherford era wern't afraid to speak there minds. They told fasinating stories about the Judge and their preaching work of his time. Proud to spend the night in jail, then go right back to fs. They too kept the r & f fired up. We used our bibles more, debating householder's with no thought to the time spent. KMS did the right job, actualy teaching how to preach the jw message. "Their helmets gleam aginst the sky. They shout aloud their batle cry, Christ reigns, Oh earth recive him"

  Disclaimer:

  I'm not suggesting the wtbts was anything more than what it's always been a repressive cult. Brooklyn controled everything. But in those days there was a hope amonst the witnesses that no longer exist. The jw of years gone by is no were near the jw of today. We've lived in the same house for over five years. Not one tract has been put in the door , let alone a door to door call. Everything that has been said beforhand is SO VERYTRUE. The average jw of today(90%?) cannot explain their own doctrine, to anyone. Ask one about 607, they can't tell you. We could. I've spent five years reading comments on this board. The one thing that sticks in my mind more than anything is: "We'll have to get back to you onthat"

  It's no wondwer a malise has struck at the heart of those who remained after 1975. Their tired, wore out and above all CONFUSED. Doctrine is changed like one who changes their socks every day. They are not being taught anything. Sadly so many stay because of family. DF/DA is an evil that grinds them down into a bondage they cannot shake off. Think too of how much harder it is for those not anglo-saxon, were family means more that the so called "truth". Have pity on the R & F, they need us today more than anyother time.
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  compound complex

  Nicely and powerfully put, Quentin.

  All that you've stated resonates with me as I was "there" with many of the anointed remnant. The spirit and dedication was so palpable!

  Thanks much!

  CoCo
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  Quentin

  Jer. 23:32.......CoCo you have a PM.....
• 

  Vidiot

  whereami - "Yeah it's going to have to adapt to survive, and it will."

  It was well-adapted to the socio-cultural environment of the 20th Century, especially the 50s.

  Not so much, though, now.

  I'm having a hard time imagining how a semi-secretive, authoritarian, apocalyptic millennialist high-control group can adapt - that is, change - to survive and accomodate the realities of the information-saturated, technologically forward, WikiLeaks-level-transparency-craving socio-cultural environment of the 21st Century, though.

  The only thing that might effectively accomplish that is "mainstreaming", which is virtually impossible at this point practically by design; it would be viewed by any active, believing R&Fers with half a brain as associating with Babylon the Great.

  In the highly unlikely event that they instituted progressive reform this late in the game, they would arguably no longer be Jehovah's Witnesses.