How the organization can survive and thrive in the 21st Century

by kneehighmiah 20 Replies latest jw friends

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  DATA-DOG

  Progressive reform can't happen in a cult. All that happens is more and more bat-shit craziness, followed by implosion and death for some. The ORG can NEVER undo shunning for the same reason that it can NEVER undo the blood ban. The floodgates would open.

  Imagine being a parent who shunned a child. Take my Mother for an example. She has shunned my DF'd bro for 20+ years. She has virtually zero contact with the grand-kids. The natural bond that should exist will never be. She was robbed of that by the cult leaders and their stupidity. She will NEVER get that back. She will NEVER be "Grandma" to those kids on an emotional level.

  Now imagine finding out that all of the shunning was for nothing.

  DD
• 

  Ucantnome

  but it does matter
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  It's all a Catch-22 for WTS.

  1) -- If they stop shunning, that means JWs talk with their "apostate" family members. Talking means trying to understand WHY they left. Understanding why they left means they come to understand TTATT. Understanding TTATT means more members gone. That's why shunning works. Information Control.

  2) -- It messes up the Numbers Game. Yes, they could rationalize the 50% one-time loss as a "sifting out" of wicked or weak. However, the supposed reason for the delay is so that more can be saved. If growth stops or falters, then how do they explain why Jehovah is delaying? This is why children are being baptized -- to keep up the excitement for growth. Also, even weak members who only attend once per year, can give money. Often this may be guilt-driven, but it's still money.

  4) -- Door2door keeps them BUSY. It makes them feel important and involved. It also gives status to those who do more such as pioneer. Many JWs have no other way to have any status in life. They are poor, uneducated, and odd. As are their kids. Thus, pioneering and having all of their kids pioneer (or go to Bethel -- most are kinda odd there too) gives them status.

  5) -- Education will not mean more financially successful JWs who can donate. It will be LESS JWs and less donations. This is why they FEAR education. It can't keep them dumb and down on the farm if you send them off to school. Reality is, they will leave (the religion) and never return.

  6) -- Spot on. Blood is already transitioning to a conscience matter. Must step cautiously here so as to avoid lawsuits from all the past deaths.

  Doc
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  OUTLAW

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  The Chances of Reform in the WBT$..

  

  ............................................................ ...OUTLAW
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  Phizzy

  I will be long gone, though there may still be a lingering Phizzy smell, but I predict that by the end of the 21st Century the WT/JW setup will be a thing of the past. So will the LDS/Mormons.

  There may be lingering pockets of belief, and some organised religion, Islam may survive that long, its modus operandi is already working well, but anachronistic 19th Century religions that do not know how to successfully Rebrand, like the JW's, Mormons, Adventists, Amish etc etc will dry up and die.
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  "1. End strict shunning of those who no longer believe the watchtower."

  This WT's single most powerful weapon for holding JWs hostage. If anything, look for an even more hardline stance.

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  "2. Ex-members will be shunned "spiritually."

  Ummm, if you are an "Ex" JW why would you care about being invited to a JW-only gathering? I think most ex-JWs would rather have a root canal than spend an afternoon talking Theocratic-ese with a bunch of uber-Dubs.

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  "3. Create membership perks"

  WT manages to hold 8 million JWs captive without any "perks" now whatsoever. Why would they need perks to continue to hold them hostage??

  .

  "4. End door to door or severely scale it back"

  End the treadmill of busy work?? It's the only thing that keeps JWs from realizing how much their life sucks and the fact that Armageddon still isn't here after 100 years of anticipation. Plus, WT is not going to retire 8 million willing-to-work-for-free slaves.

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  7. Create a statement of beliefs. Variation of personal belief within the framework allowed.

  "variation" in beliefs completely undermines the GB's status as "god's sole channel of communication". Freedom to hold a differing view means the GB do not speak for god; if they do not speak for god then there's no reason to follow them. Game over.
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  Vidiot

  Data-Dog - "Now imagine finding out that all of the shunning was for nothing."

  No kidding.

  That's full-on nervous breakdown territory right there.

  (not that some don't deserve it)

  AndDontCallMeShirley - "If anything, look for an even more hardline stance."

  Nailed it.

  Which will, in turn, wake up more; so in a weird way, it'll arguably be a good(ish) thing.

  Hell, there's even Biblical precedents (if that's your thing) that support that forecast; Pharoah, Reheboam, etc...
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  After 2014 comes and goes uneventfully, reality will hit hard for many

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  The same can be said for 1914, 1925 and 1975.....yet WT, like a virus, never goes away, and a new crop of suckers is born every minute. Such is the sad nature of large numbers of non-thinking people who worship men- no amount of bad news or disappointment dampens their desire to remain a slave.
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  Vidiot

  AndDontCallMeShirley - "WT, like a virus, never goes away, and a new crop of suckers is born every minute. Such is the sad nature of large numbers of non-thinking people who worship men - no amount of bad news or disappointment dampens their desire to remain a slave."

  How they gonna stay a slave if the "master" withers away to virtually nothing?

  The impending fragmentization/decline absolutely has to have been anticipated by the GB by this point; it's all but inevitable by now.

  That's why I suspect that they've made the decision to adopt policies that cannot help but push the remaining wishy-washies out.

  Easier to reign in one or two million loyalists than it is six or seven fence-sitters; and they'll stuill be able to maintain their lifestyle.

  (for a while, anyway)
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  Euler173

  Unfortunately, this will never happen. The WTS is successful because it sells hope to those without hope. It offers a path to power and control over others, even if your sole skill in life is washing windows or cleaning toilets. As long as there are ignorant, desperate, depressed, lonely, and power hungry people there will always be groups like the JDubs.