This is how I see it: The WT is not going anywhere soon. This dawned on me as I sat in a KH one day and looked around and noticed who was there, mostly the very elderly and the very young and new to the WT ( post 1990). While there are certainly many older true believers, I think a lot of the older ones see the inconsistencies but stay for fear and social/ family reasons and thinking it would take too much to start over building relationships. For many this is all they have.
The young and the new are just that, young and new. These are ones that have not been through the full cycle of hope through to disillusionment ( I think this cycle is crucial to having a complete understanding of the whole picture, and while experience is not always the best teacher it can be a pretty effective one). Most that I see have come in post 1990 and don't have the first clue about the WT of the 60s 70s and 80s. They have no clue about 1914 and its significance (or ramifications), and might not even care. If there is a change in the blood policy, while it might effect long-timers who understand the history, most now will just welcome it as new light. Malawi, what is that? Food service at conventions that last from sunup to sundown, I feel like I'm talking to strangers. I know one person who read COC, and doesn't have a clue of the significance of some of the doctrines and how deeply lives were affected at one time (nowadays I feel the grip is loosening as newer ones aren't willing to forfeit certain freedoms- just a product of the culture). Most new ones come at critical times in there lives to a place where they have built in friends and a feeling of love (albeit conditional, but this realization does not come till later).
The point is the WT is evolving, whether they like it or not. Gone are the glory days of nose to the grindstone field service, doctrinal discussion, looking to bethel as Valhalla for brothers, or pioneering for sisters. Also, nowadays things are getting tight for WT in a way because the turnover ratio is tremendous. As a result it is not uncommon in some congs. for a brother to be baptized and 3 months later be handling mikes, 6 mos later be asked to help behind the counter, 1.5 years later ( if he keeps his nose clean and has 10 hrs./mo) be appointed MS, and within another 5 yrs be an elder. If he is exceptional and a good speaker, and if he is in the right cong. and in front of the right people in 7-8 he could be speaking at an assembly. As a result, many are not seasoned, are concerned about organizational procedure ahead of all else (go to any elders school and compare time spent on Bible discussion with time spent on procedure), and some could be categorized as being very close to corporate ladder-climbers jockeying for position.
The WT worst enemy right now is information. And we live in a Society that is information driven. The internet is here to stay, you need it at school, on the job, if fact it is getting to where it is impossible to function without it. If the WT was not worried about it, (and really wanted get the message out) there is no reason each and every issue should not be online. And yes, I feel they greatly underestimate how technology savvy people, especially young people (even in the WT), are. I also believe there may be some validity to the assertion of a wish to present a public face on the internet, and another one in the KH.
Doctrinally, they can't shed some things fast enough (revisionist history, etc). It will be tricky and there will be casualties, but it will survive. For my purposes though it would be enough as those I am close to and still in KNOW the history and the doctrine. They have been there for the whole cycle. I think that if persons walked away today and went back in 15 yrs. they will not recognize the religion or the faces.
Edited by - Axelspeed on 30 December 2002 13:39:34
