JW Broadcasting is the likely end of the road for JWs (page 2)

Divergent

JW's condemn "wordly" people for telling their children about Santa Claus & making it seem like he is real when he is in fact merely a fictional character

BUT wait... aren't they doing the SAME to their kids with Caleb & Sophia???

steve2

Well composed OP - with important reflections on the poor fit between being a JW as conceived by JW.org and being a youth in the local congregation.

I recall a rumor from the late 1970s- early 80s that claimed some high-ranking brothers had approached headquarters Bethel with a proposal for a youth program spurred out of concern for the attrition of young people from the organization. These brothers were portrayed as proud-minded and were told to 'wait on Jehovah'.

If my memory serves me right (!), James Penton wrote about this issue in Apocalypse Delayed.

That's coming on three to four decades ago.

This has always been a religious organization that looks much better 'on paper' than it does in practice in your local congregation. Now we can say, It looks much better on line that it does in practice in your local congregation. Young people dont need to ask about this grim reality; they are faced with it and leave - and we know that 'leaving' takes many forms.

The "brothers" at headquarters still have trouble recognizing the inadequste fit between glossy presentations for young people and the reality of everyday life for them in the organization

BluesBrother

Have to agree with the O/P. Sticking your kid in front of the tv to be entertained by Caleb & Sofia is no substitute for a close explanation of things by mum and dad. Kids get videos all the time. Are they more impressed by the WT ones than the tv ones? Can the young ones tell the difference?

Today's WTS is shallow, lacking intellectual depth and just spoon feeds the "milk of the word" to the flock. The reason ,according to Geoffrey Jackson when in Australia , is that it is easy to translate. The have non scholarly translation staff at offices around the Earth and it has to be within their capabilities.

The cost of this is the disaffection felt by older ones who require more from their meetings than videos and material in simple sentences. I predict that it will backfire on them. As oldschool said, the kids will still grow up to leave , without proper grounding, loyal oldies will die off . Will their be enough new ones to replace them? Perhaps it will all be 3rd world? At the last Circuit Assembly I went to - only 2 were baptized

xjwsrock

I agree with your basic premise that the org doesn't know what the hell it's doing with kids and that is a long term handicap.

It's what you get from a doomsday cult that refuses to admit it's a religion.

If they had any common sense they would also get more involved in the community. Ever heard of charity? How about a food drive or something? How about taking up some money for that family across town that lost their home in a fire?

They are too preoccupied with trying to be God's Paul Revere to figure out that they're just another church and their members actually want/need that.

Doubtfully Yours

If they survived the 1975 huge hype and let down, even more than tripling the ranks afterwards, they'll survive whatever else happens.

Never underestimate the power of the Dollar God, and in this Org, the Dollar God sure is mighty.

Oh yeah, they'll survive just fine.

DY

redvip2000

However, to simply broadcast ideas through video is not to create memorable and lasting experiences children carry with them through life.

Yes i don't really think it will create a great impact. The Washtowell is coming to the digital space very late in the game, and they simply can't compete with the scores of content available to young kids. I imagine perhaps in ages 2 - 5, parents control content totally and can put a kid in front of the TV and they will watch whatever is on, but I think once kids hit school age and they have some control over the TV remote, they will logically lean towards content that is truly entertaining. Washtowell content, even these kid videos will be looked at as just more boring stuff, just like sitting in a meeting with a magazine in your hand.

oldskool

If they had any common sense they would also get more involved in the community. Ever heard of charity? How about a food drive or something? How about taking up some money for that family across town that lost their home in a fire?

Disaster relief, especially hurricane relief work, was one of those things that older JWs I used to speak with talked about fondly. They valued the act of getting out there and "doing something", and were completely behind it once the avenue was available for them to do so.
After hurricane Katrina I was waiting for this sort of moment to occur. A message would go out, and JWs from around the country would get together and do something. Instead it was rather lack luster. Reports were read that the Society had a response, but your job as a pub was to send in money.
Another thing that Mormons do better. I think the comparison between JW and Mormon is striking, because they are both American religions but only one seems to understand this reality.

This has always been a religious organization that looks much better 'on paper' than it does in practice in your local congregation. Now we can say, It looks much better on line that it does in practice in your local congregation. Young people dont need to ask about this grim reality; they are faced with it and leave - and we know that 'leaving' takes many forms.

I think that defining Jehovah's Witnesses as an experience for members separate from the image projected in their books is an important distinction that can't be overlooked. The WTS has always published a fantasy regarding what their organization actually is doing. At various points, I think the fantasy was much closer to reality, especially in the 60s/70s when growth was big and there was much to show. Since the mid 90s to the current time it appears the fantasy version of their reality is in high gear.

LV101

Oh OUTLAW - EXACTLY! LOL -- you're the best!! They'll do anything to believe and belong.

The cult would certainly make more money and entice more males if they installed a few poles.

oldskool

great comments redvip2000

Kids today are participating in an incredible amount of screen time. The one place the WTS could differentiate is to create a place where screen based activity was less important, and social activity was more important. That was probably the WTS's biggest advantage, in terms of their pre JW.org days.

They have proven to be rather inadequate at understanding the needs of their followers.

I recall a rumor from the late 1970s- early 80s that claimed some high-ranking brothers had approached headquarters Bethel with a proposal for a youth program spurred out of concern for the attrition of young people from the organization. These brothers were portrayed as proud-minded and were told to 'wait on Jehovah'.

I remember this being posted here years ago. I tend to believe the story, but even if it didn't occur it sounds true enough to the WTS's mindset anyway.

Those that lead the group are in a massive bubble. JW.org feels straight out of the bubble. They have never learned to listen to their members. That tradition seems to continue on if full force.

oldskool

JW`s would Go Along to Get Along..

The sister in your video is simply working on her Bathsheba talk in the ministry school

JW Broadcasting is the likely end of the road for JWs

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