The Predictions Thread

by cedars 49 Replies latest jw friends

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  cedars

  Hi everyone

  I thought it might be interesting and fun to have a "predictions thread", where we set out our predictions for events to unfold concerning the Watch Tower Society (or Jehovah's Witnesses in general) over the coming years/decades.

  It strikes me that so much has happened in the last ten years, most of which has defied expectations. Here's just a few of the developments that I can think of:

  • The abolishment of group book studies in favor of a "family worship evening"
  • The creation of a "Study Edition" Watchtower
  • The halving of monthly magazine printing commitments
  • The unprecedented closure/merging of branches (16% reduction in branches last year)
  • The Menlo Park scandal, a body of elders removed for resisting a refurb of their kingdom hall
  • The lawsuits in Victoria, Australia - the Society taken to court concerning child protection laws
  • Courtroom admissions about the Faithful & Discreet Slave and similarities with the Catholic Church
  • Increased hate speech against "mentally diseased" apostates
  • Astonishing lapses of judgment, such as the "Selma and Steve" study article
  • The ditching of Gilead as a school for missionaries
  • Ambitious construction plans for a new world HQ (with or without Jehovah's blessing!)
  • The fire sale of Brooklyn real estate (often at well below the asking price)
  • Plans to embrace the internet with an improved single website rather than 3
  • New songbook, elders' manual and theocratic ministry school guidebook
  • The exposure of the Society's toxic waste scandal

  I'm sure I've missed loads of similarly significant developments. Feel free to add to the above list if you can think of others!

  Anyway, what's the harm in making a few predictions? They don't all have to agree with one another, and they certainly don't all have to come true. The Society has taught us that much! The beauty of this is that when things ACTUALLY happen we can say "Oh yes, that was prediction #29 by such-and-such if I remember correctly!"

  Here's 10 throwaway predictions to set the ball rolling:

  #1 Once all Brooklyn properties have been sold, the total combined sales revenue will be at least 15 million dollars below the asking price.

  #2 There will be a further reduction in branches in the next worldwide report (for 2012).

  #3 There will be a further reduction in baptisms in the next worldwide report (for 2012).

  #4 By 2016, the Society will start openly asking for more money due to a shortfall in donations.

  #5 By 2018, Awake! will cease publication in favour of a 16-page public Watchtower magazine.

  #6 By 2020, the Society will enter negative growth.

  #7 By 2022, the Society will stop publishing a full worldwide report in the yearbook.

  #8 By 2030, the Society will no longer be printing magazines. All Watchtowers will be available as PDF downloads only.

  #9 By 2045, there will be less than 5 million publishers.

  #10 At some point, the Governing Body will insist that if someone remains inactive for more than a year, they are to be shunned as though disfellowshipped.

  ***

  Sorry if a few of those predictions were grim, i.e. the one about shunning inactive ones. I would be quite happy if that particular prediction never came true! It will be interesting to see how many of the above predictions do come to pass, if any.

  Now over to you - what are your predictions? Like I said, feel free to contradict any of those above. However, try to stick to the numbering sequence, i.e. #11... #12.... #13... etc. Of course, you don't HAVE to make predictions when you post. Comments and observations about the predictions made by others are just as valuable.

  (As always, if you haven't already taken part in the 2012 JW Survey, please do so!)

  Thanks!

  Cedars
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  Aussie Oz

  11. By 2030 most governing body members will not be annointed.

  Oz
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  cantleave

  I predict Armageddon won't be coming!
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  cedars

  lol cantleave, I think we can treat that as a given - at least not according to the Society's ideas! Something involving an asteroid and Bruce Willis, perhaps...

  Great prediction Aussie Oz, let's keep 'em coming!

  Cedars
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  Rob Crompton

  Over the past several years access to information via the internet and the creation of cyber-communities, like this one, have played a major part in increasing the flow of defectors from the WT. The next phase in this process, which will ironically be assisted by the availability of WT pulblications online, will be the formation of independent groups of Witnesses gradually distancing themselves from control by the Society/GB.

  Rob Crompton
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  Aussie Oz

  I'm sure the whole watchtower gaining control of all kingdom halls (assets) etc is with splinter groups in mind.

  ''Let them split, they will have nothing and we will sue their arses off if they try to use any literature or assets anyway''.

  Oz
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  dontplaceliterature

  I could see them requiring publishers to Auxiliary at least once a year to be considered "In Good Standing," especially with the hour requirement dropping to 30 once per year. This would not necessarily be announced from the platform, but it would be sent via a letter to the BOE from the branch. Then, over the course of time, it would become public knowledge.

  It seems to me there has been a more frequent push to pioneer, or at least Auxiliary in the last couple of years. There have been many more talks on conventions, experiences, and Service Meeting parts guilt tripping people for not simplifying their life to be able to enter full-time work. Eventually, they will start punishing people for it.
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  breakfast of champions

  Next couple years:

  Paper Awake! mags will go the way of the dodo. It will be entirely online.

  Although the downsized WT may still be offered in the D2D work, the focus of the work will shift to the distribution monthly single page tracts.

  DCs will be downsized to 2 days.

  The worldwide report will no longer be explicitly published; it will be more of a 'best of' list. Partakers number goes away.

  2014 - 2018:

  Growth goes negative in developed countries with high Internet penetration.

  Conscious class and newly awakened LEAVE, with or without family and friends. Anti-apostate rhetoric increases to historic high.

  Weekday meetings get reformulated to enhance the culty 'thought reform' aspect. Perhaps a highly downsized School and service meeting in favor of a more intensive Bookstudy session a la more culty WT loyalty, faithfulness, anti-apostate indoctrination.
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  oompa

  I predict another divinely inspired movement forms to paint the word cult in pink on all kingdom halls/and or send all the Faithful and Discreet Slave straight to heaven so they don't have to suffer on this wicked earth...and i know exactly when it will happen but will put that on a new thread...........oompa

  NEVER get involved in this movement when it occurs as these acts are unlawful...and would greatly reduce the number of new Annointed willing to step forward and lead
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  Borges

  - Baptims will made by the elders in the congregations. No more discouraging baptism talks on assembleys with no one to get baptised.

  - Nor more bread and wine at the memorials (just a talk, nothing else). Anointed ones will be appointed by the GB with special arrangements for them to take from the symbols

  - New light regarding the "inner rooms" (Isaiah 26:20). More separation, more shunning, more mind control.

  - New explanations regarding Armageddon. They will choose a date in wich it has allready (invisibly) begun. Implying that everyone, who dies today is judged as in Armageddon. No resurrection for apostates.