The WT Isn't Going Away (sorry got long)

by LostGeneration 46 Replies latest jw friends

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  LongHairGal

  Lost Generation:

  The only thing that matters is that I went away from them.

  In time, the religion will become less relevant as more JWs find out about their hidden history on the internet. JWs will join their place along other numerous sects and groups that nobody thinks much about. Anybody seeing their origins and how they made date prophecies decades ago will see the ridiculousness of it all.

  All the failed prophecies, scandals and the recent changes should be a wake-up call for any intelligent people still there. However, some will stay for various reasons and that is their choice but I cannot feel sorry for them.
• 

  TTATTelder

  In time, the religion will become less relevant as more JWs find out about their hidden history on the internet. JWs will join their place along other numerous sects and groups that nobody thinks much about. - longhairgal

  I totally agree.

  Many that are still in, I would say thousands, are trying to figure a way out that brings them the least amount of emotional/financial damage.

  I am in that category.

  There is much attrition ahead in the coming years.

  -TE
• 

  problemaddict

  Guys lets not forget something I believe is key. JW's are just like everyone else. I eman there are good and bad, but MOST are good. Good people, kind hearts, love others, etc... They just have a wacked out belief system, most of us used to share. So we are aware of the double standard, but many "in" JW's just look the oither direction. For every father shunning their child, there are 5 who refuse. Why do you think they make it an issue int he WT or assemblies.....because it isn't a problem?

  We just hear the bad. I will never forget something my wife said. When it comes to our toddler she said, "Be carfule with him around JW's, because he is a really tender kind kid, and the community of happy people that reach out even ont he surface, will make him want to be around them." (My wife has clearly made progress out of the religion).

  Sure enough, a family member was watching him and took him to a meeting, and my kid says "Jehovah people so nice!" Now he sees people with suits and calls them Jehovah people. From ONE MEETING.

  So don't underestimate the value of community in this scenario. A community based on bad tactics but loving at the surface, is still more of a cimmunity than alot of people have.
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  [It] is still more of a community than alot of people have.

  And it is the greatest asset they have to offer.

  Most people have nothing in the way of a network of people/friends/family that can compare to the JW Community.

  But cross the line and you have NOTHING.

  Doc
• 

  kneehighmiah

  The next step is to sell Kingdom Halls. If congregations are not big enough to generate income, the best option would be to merge it with another congregation and to sell the building of the unproductive hall. Remember all building decisions now come directly from the branch, not the RBC.
• 

  kaik

  kneehigh, I did not say that they collect 2.2bl, but theoretically they could. Oubliette had good calculation on this topics two weeks ago. I was told by my parents and my siblings (both attending different KH) that their KH pledged 30000 CZ crowns per month (1 USD = 20 CZ). Their KH is long paid off since 1990's. Except utilities and some maintenance, which can be less than 1000 crowns per month, the rest of the money goes out into mother. Some people donate up to 100 dollars equivallent per month. If there is 250 congregation in Czech Republic, you can do the math. I will ask my relatives in Slovakia how much they donate in Euros. I only pointed out that Czech Republic is not rich nor poor country; it is in middle income bracket like Portugal or Greece. If WT is capable to get such money from these countries where average incomes are around 1000-1500 per month per individual, how much money they get from wealthier states like Germany, UK, or Canada.

  Not sure how is the demographic world wide. In CZ based on the census from 2011 average age for JW is 38. The age would be much higher if the WT did not kick 1/6 of its members there in the 1990's due flip flopping doctrine on alternative military service. Between 1992-1996 majority of males who were avoiding draft and were not successfull to get into industry waving draft like mines could do civic service for two years in hospice or elsewhere. These people were kicked off in mass. It was actually the largest cleansing of JW in CZ republic, much larger than during A.H., Stalin showtrials in 1951, or JW split there in 1968.
• 

  Vidiot

  TTATTelder - "Many that are still in, I would say thousands, are trying to figure a way out that brings them the least amount of emotional/financial damage."

  Pretty sure it's more than just "thousands".

  In fact, I suspect the actual number might surprise even us.