Apathy is apathy is apathy. Witnesses have a well-developed ability to lack motivation to school themselves up on anything remotely "spiritual".The result is hardly earth shattering but it is resulting in a progressively reduced commitment. Anecdotal reports indicate meeting attendances are down and field ministry numbers are slackening off.
JWs no longer taking the Governing Body seriously.
by kneehighmiah 49 Replies latest jw friends
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stillin
A local elder confided in me his being upset over the fact that the letters from the Organization which are constantly being sent to each congregation are NOT being read as they should be to the congregation. He is upset because it puts our congregation "out of step" with the GB.
So all of the lip service honoring the GB is hypocritical. That's his conclusion. If the rest of the local BOE really wanted to uphold "God's Arrangement" they would do as they are directed.
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Vidiot
steve2 - "Apathy is apathy is apathy"
Apathy is... * shrug * ...whatever...
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Vidiot
metatron - "It seems to me that the Faithful Slave used to be nebulous and now, it specifically focuses on 8 old guys. They're it. The whole thing. I wonder if that changes the dynamics."
Sure it does.
The same way that towards the end, the WCG was (arguably) all about Herbert Armstrong.
And look how that turned out...
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DesirousOfChange
What's the difference between ignorance and apathy?
I don't know and I don't care.
So there.
Doc
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kaik
Interesting posts and I would definitelly agree with Magnum that the knowledge of JW in the Scripture went down. Back in the 80's, people still conducted small groups studies and prepared for meeting and field service. As we were behind the Iron Curtain, not everyone had WT and we had to share, including books. Later that decade, the private studies were banned and discouraged. I notices that my JW family over the years lost much of the knowledge they had in the Bible. When I ask something, they could not even locate in the New Testament. I was very suprised that my family was not even familiar with the story of Jesus and [promiscuous] Samaritan woman at the well, which is one the most known topic of Christianity. But they know everything what is published in the year book, or in WT. I think the dumbing down over the years had made impact on the organization and its member. Additionally, people really do not care anymore about studying the same subject like King of the North and South as it is changing every decade depending on the global politics. Russell believed that the king of the North was Napoleon and later Great Britain. We were told in the 80's that it was USSR. The crowd stopped to care.
I do not think that GB is running out of tricks. They just will invent another. Suckers are born in every minute. They will come with new light and new prophecies of the end of the time and another native individuals will join in. Also I would agree with blondie that back in the older days only officially published words had authority. One elder was DF after he analyzed what was told at the convention by DO. He used it in the KH and was brought up in front of JC and DF with words that they do not care what another brother had said in the convention but only matter what was published by WT.
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DJS
kalk,
Excellent post. I used information from a letter I received from the Borg (assuming the GB) in a meeting with elders and they just about had a heart attack. The WT it seems was the final say on everything. I had written the GB and strongly expressed my disagreement on a WT personal matter point and 'kindly' asked them to mind their own effing business. The GB's letter to me included a confimation that my viewoint, which was not expressed in the WT, was correct but that I should be doing what they say because more was expected of me, being an elder. The local BOE were not amused.
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daringhart13
The vast majority of witnesses are completely living in 'chosen ignorance'......they are terrified to break social circles.
I'll never get over how people continue to choose stupidity.
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metatron
To make my point a little clearer, I think there is a difference between an ill-defined, nebulous group and 8 old guys in common perceptions.
With only 8 guys being the FDS, if they are eccentric, pompous dolts, then a distinctly negative opinion is more readily obtained. Unlike a big mostly faceless group, the Organization is stuck with these guys being seen and heard as the entire Faithful Slave.
metatron
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cofty
I think Metatron is right.
Once you can put a human face to the commands for obedience it loses a lot of its power. Their hubris may be their downfall.