Secular JWs: The future of the organization?

by kneehighmiah 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  kneehighmiah

  I was raised in a Jewish community. The secular Jews greatly outnumbered the Orthodox Jews. Like JWs they had a tight knit community. Judaism was more of a culture to them than a religion. There many Jewish people who were athiest and even participated in Christmas and other secular holidays. Yet they still kept their traditional holidays and customs as these foster a sense of community. However, the negative aspects of the religion have been toned down. The mosaic law which once mandated death for sinners is no longer enforced.

  As the JW teachings trend towards buffoonery and the end continues to be delayed, could the GB stem the tide of brain drain by loosening up? Even though I am no longer a believer I would still be willing to attend meetings on occasion if given the option. Instead I'm forced to attend every meeting or be threatened with an inquisition because I'm still an MS and it's hard to resign. We throw some nice witness events in our area and it would be so nice if people could attend these events without having to satisfy a meeting and service quota. I think if the control was loosened many people would stay. It seems here that most posters want to still be with their families, yet they aren't allowed to be. People care more about the sense of community than the beliefs. If the GB encouraged college and betterment of oneself they would see many JWs attend and still stick around the organization. Instead the GB has really forced my hand in the matter. Eventually I'll have to leave, so they're losing out on someone who would have been willing to stay and support the local community. I enjoy building projects, donating clothing, cooking meals and tutoring witness kids in school. Many on this board do too. Took bad we've been forced or take our talents elsewhere. If the JWS became more secular, many would stay.
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  Phizzy

  I think many are really "secular JW's" in the sense that they do not really believe all of it, and only stay for social reasons.

  We had a big bunch like that in my old congo, many of them had moved to the congo for the parties etc, and only did desultory DtoD and were frequently absent at meetings, but attended every social event.

  The problem for the WT is that they have all but destroyed the social fun we used to have, and they have never really had much of a culture, in the sense of traditional JW "festivals" etc, they simply expected the Conventions to be enough.

  Which was rubbish, and still is, the only bit about Conventions the young ones enjoy is the after-party at a Pub, and the subsequent shin-digs later that Sunday night.

  If the WT would secularise, they would not be the WT, i.e a high-control, mind-control, apocalyptic cult.
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  Bob_NC

  kneehigh, I think your post makes the case for the JW religion behaving as a cult vs. the Jewish religion not.

  The Watchtower (aka the GB, aka the FDS) should allow for "secular" JWs. Secular JWs would be people who are not opposed to the religion, they are not trying to tear it down, but they also do not participate in all the activities. As Jesus told the disciples, leave them alone, if they are not against us they are with us.

  GB/FDS, how about it? Creating a new class of secular associates would do wonders for the morale of faithful members. Some people just want to stop all the activities but they pose no threat to the harmony within the organization.There are plenty of Biblical parallels you could draw from to make up the non-publishing supportive associates. Come on, think about it.
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  snare&racket

  good question..... The JW's are an authoritarian group however. Most religions are formed on a relationship of teaching and spiritual interaction. People attend meetings as JW's to receive instructions. Their is no room for opinion in such a dictatorial group and this is maintained via authoritarian structure. why is evolution not true? because you have been told it is not! Watchtower really offers very little but this, if you removed it, what would be left? Jews have rabbi's, but rabbi's do not police their followers like elders do, they 'teach' and discuss the bible.

  Lastly Watchtower is again different in what it teaches, follow us or die. the punishment of death is serious and they use this to harvest control and fear, this again is to maintain their authority. few religions teach global genocide of the disobedient. for WT to relax the religion, they would have to dilute the threat. they won't do that for it will cost the, their authority.

  This organisation has lots of cash on hand at the end of a recession.They are about to become super rich as they have a history of stock market investment. They are about to become a serious financial institution with REAL power. I think as time goes on they will pay less attention to their religious activity and more to their financial.

  They are already giving financial status a priority to promoting their beliefs with reductions in meetings, literature, assemblies, bethels, overseer positions, rbc teams.... these are all overheads. there is no justification in removing them, without questioning the spirit directed decision of them existing in the first place..... what has changed? my opinion....their goals have.... from being prophets, to the profit$....
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  Vidiot

  Kneehigh, what you're describing is called "progressive reform".

  At this point, it's far too late for that sort of thing; the WTS has painted itself too tightly into its ideological corner.

  The only direction left to take is climbing the walls (which, incidentally, is a euphemism for going batshit crazy).
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  metatron

  Well, maybe. Jews have refined that sort of thing into an art - but who knows? Witnesses may be generating a home grown version of it.

  metatron
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  Vidiot

  metatron - "Well, maybe. Jews have refined that sort of thing into an art - but who knows? Witnesses may be generating a home grown version of it."

  How?

  The WTS sure isn't gonna teach that kind of skill.
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  JustVisting

  The JWs will never progress in this way because unlike the Jews, the JWs have always discouraged education and

  the few intelligent or educated ones enjoy being congregation scholars, ie., they are called on to define uncommon terms and answer the "profound" WT paragraphs. The educated JWs I know are either regular pioneers or high-profile DC talk-giving elders.
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  prologos

  we certainly have the critical mass to have 'secular jws', reform jws, critical mass of bright minds: witty:

  S&R:" from prophets to [climbing] profits "

  vidiot: "[climbing] the walls after having painted yourself into a corner"

  many of wt's good contributors are already practising in a way that is far from the life-style wt instructions would suggest.
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  wearewatchingyouman

  I find that a lot of the more "secular JW's" and those who have a background in education anre moving into the special needs category. i.e foreign language congregations.