by MrTheocratic 52 Replies latest jw experiences
Ignoranceisbliss, I agree that a lot those that are already in and are interested in Bethel aren't rejects. But, as I mentioned, I don't think anymore of that kind are coming in from the outside.
I really don't know what it will take to wake this group up.
I've given a lot of thought to that and I don't know, either. I've got some family members like that. I'm hoping that the passing of time with no new world and more changes in the org will nudge them out of their trance, but I don't know.
Oh, I have no doubt this meeting was jam packed. The spiritual competition is ON! "Our little Johnny is So much more spiritual than your little Susie."
Has anyone seen the RC talk on bragging? They show a video on how one Brother tells how he has a part on the Convention. He brags that the part is 10 minutes long and he is on the part for 6 minutes , so the part is more focused on him than anyone else on the part. Then after the talk, the Speaker announces the next part...."The next Speaker is a 30 year whatever and is serving at Warwick." How ironic...a talk about not bragging and then you end the talk with a resume on the next speaker. How appropriate!
Incredible and sad!
I can't help drawing a parallel in my mind, with those keen to go to Bethel, and with the idiots who go and join ISIS.
Both are very small groups of fanatics, and no real measure as to the longevity of the whole movement.
I agree that although there were enough deluded people to fill a room with enthusasism. The org is in decline both in quantity and quality of people.
A personal experience here. There was a young couple coming to the meetings. He owned his own business and she had a supervisor position in a government department. These were good people who would of been a credit to any any organisation they joined. I remember them saying that they were going to discuss what they were learning with the pastor of their former church. Never saw them after that. Fast forward a few years and while I was awakening from my indoctrination I happened to see them in town, and asked them directly what happened. They didn't even have to go to the pastor as a relative Google JWs on the Internet. The child abuse was what bothered them.
In the whole time I was JW particularly in the later years, the few converts that I saw did come in were people with serious issues, and would probably believe anything. The elders, MS, and probably all the ones at that bethel meeting would of been inter generational born ins. From my observation the WTBTS is even stuggling to retain the born ins. I believe future success (that's if it's not to late already) lies with a better focus on its existing members,particularly its youth. Well at least the mentally stable ones anyway.
Just a thought, based on the apparent direction the unprecedented changes & practices appear to be leading us: The Org is adopting the Darwinian mantra of "survival of the fittest", and they view those who have "reached out" for privileges, i.e. appointed men, as being the strongest in the spiritual gene pool. Therefore, such ones' offspring will be in the Org's crosshairs as the primary target for recruitment to Bethels around the world, resulting in more pressure on appointed men to intensify the indoctrination of their children, aided by Sophia & Caleb!
If you go to the top of the bottle, you're bound to get the cream
Hard-core J.W.'s will remain loyal to their gods at WTBTS (present and future) during and after the current 'consolidation' of the assets which have been "acquired" over the past couple of years. Most will not awaken!
As much as I'd like to see the WBT$ crash and burn and the GB put in prison, one has to be realistic. That isn't easy when all one has is opinions. My opinion is that the WBT$ is built to survive, even if it downsizes, it'll be here in 50 years time and our great grandkids will be telling the same stories.
The best we can do is educate the non JWs as to what a dangerous, head messing cult it is. Warn them to keep children away from the congregations too.
Just to echo previous points, your experiance, in and of it self, dosent 'prove' anything. How big was your comvention (attendance) and how big was the room...? It was packed, but waht of the room was 6x6 and had 10 people out of an attendance of 100,000? Its all subjective without numbers to add context.
the org simply isnt doing well with retention and an a few other key areas. However the truth is theres a sucker born every minute and its not going away anytime soon....but a few clowns showing up to a meeting who bethel would never invite dont prove it is alive and well.
If Scientology can survive, how will the WTS not do so?
The appeal to disaffected folks in society will be the same if not stronger in the future, I think. The WT religion has had 100+ years of refining their recruiting techniques and their controlling practices.
But they know they need to change with the times. So far they've been quite adept at changing doctrine to fit their needs.
The JW,org flashy enticement is a way to reach out to the next generation, the tech savvy, smart-phone-in-hand crowd.
The older generation is passing away (and so is it's desires of living forever in a paradise earth without having to die). The WT is moving on and leaving these folks behind.
My feeling is it will definitely be (and already shows signs to be) a different WT religion--more techy, more flashy, less demanding of Bible knowledge and more loyal to the hierarchy.
Yes - especially in US and UK where bigger storehouses are being built all the zealous and deluded go to Bethel and building projects. (But where they closed the Bethels and kicked them to the kerb - well tough.) It's like a long gap year lasting between a year and several years when many are burned out or booted to the kerb.
Meanwhile lots of congregations who lose these zealous and deluded have good old boys running the show and watchtower articles begging them to train up what youngsters they have left!
But this show will go on in some form or another as mentioned above - it will be about "listen-obey-be-stressed-and-depressed" - so don't hold your breath for a collapse.
