GB Stridency: Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink Doesn't Work Anymore

by metatron 20 Replies latest jw friends

  • sir82
    sir82
    So far, they've avoided this but you never know when a sense of frustration might break out into the open.

    I think I see a bit of this leaking through already, in the following paragraph from the 4/15/12 "Study" Watchtower, page 12. Especially consider the last sentence highlighted below:

    Consider just one example of the
    good that can come when a family loyally
    upholds Jehovah’s decree not to associate
    with disfellowshipped relatives. A
    young man had been disfellowshipped
    for over ten years, during which time his
    father, mother, and four brothers “quit
    mixing in company” with him. At times,
    he tried to involve himself in their activities,
    but to their credit, each member
    of the family was steadfast in not
    having any contact with him. After he
    was reinstated, he said that he always
    missed the association with his family,
    especially at night when he was alone.
    But, he admitted, had the family associated
    with him even a little, that small
    dose would have satisfied him. However,
    because he did not receive even
    the slightest communication from any
    of his family, the burning desire to be
    with them became one motivating factor
    in his restoring his relationship with
    Jehovah. Think of that if you are ever
    tempted to violate God’s command not
    to associate with your disfellowshipped
    relatives.

    I can envision a curled lip, flying spittle, a disapproving glare, and a shaken index finger if this were to be read out loud at an assembly or convention.

    I don't recall anything written in the past that had such an "evil stepmother" tone.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    They might be getting more desperate I guess. Afraid that they might be losing control over the flock.

    Actually, I think they're doing damage control about losing control of THE FLOCK. Yes, I realize there is still increase: foreign language congos, sign language congos, 3rd world countries, and since most JWs have given up on the Big A being "right around the corner", the young-un's are reproducing in droves -- BORN INS are the greatest (temporary) increase.

    BUT, the young-un's ain't hanging around long. 66% leave the Org. Esp the College Crowd. College teaches them way too much. Thinking ability (yeah, that's some of it), but it also teaches "sex drugs and rock & roll" -- esp if the kid "goes away" to college. Thus the attempted "ban" on higher education.

    Then, the not-so-young are burning out. How many do you know that just have tired out. They might still be there 50% of the time in body, but even those are gone in mind. They've lost faith since the "corner" has gotten to be SOOOO big (the "just round the corner", corner). Look at the quality of regular pioneers in the average congo -- they are old, goofy folks, mostly old single sisters on a good pension.

    Then, some folks are actually wising up about abandoning their kids or grandkids just because the kid got pushed into being dunked at 10 or 11 years old, and now their testing their independence (as teenagers will do) and end up getting DFd. Smart folks see that #1, it doesn't usually help bring them back in; #2, it's just not right -- it's not loving -- it's not moral -- no matter how you try to stretch some scripture around it. So they are IGNORING the shunning. No one hear writes about that here, because we only write when we have something to bitch about. So, if they don't actually up and leave, they still start tuning a lot more of it out. Think of the elders you can name who "stepped down" over their kid or grandkid being DFd.

    All of this results in fewer men bothering with serving as Elders/MS. Look at the calibur of men who still serve! Most of the "talent" is gone. They're too busy making a living, enjoying life (golfing, traveling, etc), and just not willing to put up with the crap that comes with it. Those still serving are old and/or dumb, having no other motivation or goals in life. The theocracy is still too much of a democracy -- the dumb asses still get an equal vote, so everyone ends up doing things by the rules created by the "average" thinking window washer mentality.

    Yawn. Sorry.

    DOC

  • Room 215
    Room 215

    Gotta wonder whether they're ever gonna deal again with prophecy or doctrine in their study articles....

  • baltar447
    baltar447

    Haha, Room 215, they don't have a single bonafide theologian anywhere in the borg. They will only tweak the existing crap and keep going.

  • LostGeneration
    LostGeneration

    Could be onto something there Room 215. Makes me think of the whole "toes" incident last summer, with the rumor later of a completely new book that was to be released being shelved. Maybe someone up there finally said "Screw it, were always wrong. Lets just keep things as they are."

  • metatron
    metatron

    I'm happy I started this thread. There's too much, "the Society is really cracking down" threads - and not enough stuff that understands their reactionary fears. If their nonsense was effective, why would they be nagging?

    I am a bit curious about why they keep beating the 'shunning the df'd' thing. What bothers them? What do they perceive? What are the C.O.'s telling them? I'm supposing here that their dominant source of information comes from the intinerant KGB. Who's goin' to lunch with the disfellowshipped, these days?

    Generally, Witnesses are far more skilled in shunning than showing love. Heck, they even shunned each other in Nazi concentration camps, for God's sake! These are some serious shunning people, so what's happening that upsets these Theocratic Thugs?

    metatron

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    Well, the current system of mind numbing, boring, meetings encourages Witnesses to drift off into reverie or fantasy (or porn images, hey, Satan won't let me stop thinking about that stuff) and they just shut off, mentally-speaking.

    Hey metatron - stop talking about me. Congratulations on an excellent 6000th post.

  • lisaBObeesa
    lisaBObeesa

    Heck, they even shunned each other in Nazi concentration camps, for God's sake!

    More info, please!

  • steve2
    steve2

    Hey metatron you're finger's on the button as usual...and it's not my belly.

    Even when I was an active JW up until the early 1980s, I marveled at my dear spiritual brothers and sisters ability to completely not hear so much of what was read from the platform. I used to think that maybe I was a sensitive soul who heard everything. Perhaps I was too flattering of myself. Sure, I'm sensitive, but not overly so.

    No, it was more that the rank and file were bored and numbed out of their skulls - even back then! So, when I see blatantly direct instructions in the pages of the Watchtower, I do not gasp, "Shock, horror! Look how bad it's become!!" Instead, I say, the local rank and file are still sleep walking thier way to an Armageddon that never arrives. The GB realized decades ago: The decreasing number of bums on the kingdom hall seats need to be spoken to as if they're naughty children. And they still do not obey!

    Hell, if every parent still bothering to go to the kingdom hall froze all contact with their chidlren who've been kicked out, the countryside would literally freeze over. No body would be talking to anybody - a slight exaggeration but with more than a grain of truth. Fact is - startling exceptions aside - JW parents keep in contact with their "bad" kids and it infuriates the GB so much that they have to come up with mock scenarios to try to beat those parent into frozen submission.

    Good try. It didn't work three decades ago...and it certainly won't work now. Gotta go now, just got a call from my dear JW mother...

  • cofty
    cofty

    Classic example - despite the latest Watchtower rant, my uber loyal elder dad and super JW mum are coming to visit my wife and I next Saturday. I invited them by text message and was amazed when they said yes.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit