Do you sense that the Watchtower will implode?

by AK - Jeff 78 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  DesirousOfChange

  Past leaders were charismatic, tough-minded, or great organizers. Nobody like that is in charge now.

  And it was those past leaders who chose who would be added to their powerful inner circle of "leaders". Since they did not want to threaten or undermine their own position of power, they chose men less qualified, less charismatic, less in every (or most) qualities of leadership. Now that the older, original guys have finished their earthly course, WT is left with the 2nd string now at the plate -- who presently seem to be prone to making bad calls, striking out, and fumbling the ball, and totally botching any kind of Public Relations.

  I think JWs were once percieved as peculiar but were respected. Their hate-inspired policies are causing them to lose the respect that they once had from outsiders

  DOC
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  Yan makes a good point about why most people don't leave. I've made a similar point before.

  But people DO leave, even if it isn't a majority. Other people die. Recruitment isn't working well. And the Internet, as cedars says, is the Borg's nemesis.

  The only thing that's keeping the numbers up is the fact that the Watchtower hasn't discouraged having kids like it used to, so there is a steady rate of born-ins becoming publishers every year. Sure, there are still occasional conversions from the field serve-us, but they're more and more rare.

  We're winning. Slowly but surely.
• 

  Quendi

  It's easy to look at present trends and use them to predict what will happen to the WTS, but that can be fallacious. I'll remind everyone that thirty years ago both the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union stood secure. Who would have thought that the Wall would be breached and people stream through its fissures in less than a day as happened on 9 November 1989, or that the Soviet Union would see an abortive coup lead to its own implosion four months later as happened in 1991?

  The WTS stands today in a seemingly secure position. Yes, there is dissension within, and the barbarians are at the gates. But the organization is making the kind of adjustments that it hopes will retain its control over the rank and file. Nevertheless, despite these changes and adjustments, I am beginning to believe that its end may very well come as swiftly as the Soviet Union's did, or even perhaps like the end that came upon the neo-Babylonian Empire in 539 BC.

  Perhaps the death of a Governing Body member will do this. Maybe some court action in a Western country will. Or it could be a combination of external forces and internal pressures that will finally precipitate a collapse. But the end of communism in Europe taught us that trends don't always continue and sudden change can come when least expected. The WTS is not so mighty that its leaders feel totally secure. My hope is that when that end finally arrives, I will be alive to see it and rejoice.

  Quendi
• 

  DaCheech

  Amen, Quendi.............

  maybe some court cases where alot of elders are left to fend for themselves.

  if the word gets around 60% of the "smart" elders will resign to same from legal trouble?
• 

  OUTLAW

  AK-Jeff..

  No..The WBT$ has always been a Patchwork of crazy beliefs and..

  People who let the WBT$ do their thinking for them..

  So far it`s worked well for the WBT$..

  ..................... ...OUTLAW
• 

  factfinder

  It will be very interesting to see what takes place with the wts as the years go on.
• 

  PaintedToeNail

  No, not with the general world feeling of malaise, all the media talk of global warming with its inherent concerns such the world's forests dying off because of global climate changes, the financial mess the entire globe is experiencing, famines, terrorism, families falling apart. Plus many people feeling 'entitled' in wealthier nations causing huge strains on the working class, developed world obesity problems. AIDS, resurregence of polio and other preventable diseases. The recent proclaimation by the Harry Campings of the the world, the end of the Mayan calendar thought by many to mean the end of the world. In general, people are looking for some reason for hope and WTBTS holds out living forever in perfect health and body on a perfect planet where you can have your very own kangaroo and pester Noah by telling him how long you pioneered. Some people turn to drugs to deal with things, some to religion, some who left the Borg are terrified by what they see and return. (Sorry for any ramblings and english errors-I just took an ambien before I started this post.)

  CJ
• 

  LV101

  A second Amen, Quendi.
• 

  cedars

  To my mind, all the pieces are there - it's just up to us to make them fit.

  Wouldn't it be great if:

  • A former member of the Governing Body had left and released 2 books detailing all the flaws of the organization and exposing it as just another human religion that is obsessed with its own past?
  • Detailed summaries were freely available online, all factually based, giving those trapped within the organization the opportunity to see for themselves how flawed the Society's teachings are?
  • The organization had teachings that flouted basic humanitarian and social principles that could be easily identified and exposed, such as shunning, refusal to accept medical treatment, virulent opposition to freeness of thought?
  • The flagship magazine of the Society continued to print extremely ill-advised and hateful messages that could be brought to the attention of the world's media and authorities?
  • The organization had made serious errors of judgment in recent history, including hypocritically joining (for a 9 year period) the UN, which it vilifies through its publications?
  • We had online resources such as global internet forums where we could all come together and discuss ideas and strategies for banding together and more easily facilitating the spreading of the real truth about the organization through avenues such as the media?

  These are just a few of the many developments, many of which have only transpired (or been made possible) in the last 20 or 30 years, which weigh heavily in our favour and give us an overwhelming advantage over those in previous generations who have gone before us.

  All we need is the belief and bravery to put all the pieces together, and make it happen.

  Cedars
• 

  agent zero

  yes i do sense that, but not in a sudden way nor very soon. i imagine organizational changes and membership decline will gradually reduce it to near-nothingness over a period of 20-25 years.

  this of course for all the reasons already mentioned on this thread like low youth retention, money issues, apathy & boredom, and most of all the INTERNET. on the other hand, the combination of all these factors and what it means, is so much more obvious for us who have all the facts lined up and see it from the outside, and therefore it might appear more weighty than it is for a group of people who don't know things about the religion they're in. from a leadership standpoint, they know they're in trouble, but they can avert it to a point if they also keep members in the dark about it. on a personal level, sometimes i find the WT so rediculous that it amazes me how ANYONE could still believe this tripe, and yet i continue to see many people, including younger ones, who truly sincerely buy into it, and also the occasional fresh converts, which really boggles my mind.

  of course, it would be nice to see it happen sooner and quicker, so here's a 3rd amen to Quendi.