The Borg going out of biz or a ruze, a time line.

Crazyguy

When one connects the dots it's very intriguing.

I don't have all the details or in order but here's just some of the events.

2008 global financial melt down

Borg lays off some workers and starts selling properties, this may be do to major losses by them on Wallstreet.

Move headquarters to a remote area ofcountry, cults tend to do this when in trouble.

Gilead graduates no longer assigned to foreign lands.

Missionarys no longer supported monetarily by the borg

More branches being sold all over the world.

Cash grab from all congregations

Magazines downsized to save money.

DOs laid off.

Begging for money becomes more obvious.

Loans are deleted in favor of pledges

JW TV introduced apparently to help persuaded people to donate more.

Royal commission investigates the Borg

Major Borg beg for money telethon

All construction except Warwick stopped

More bethel layoffs and possible major reduction in special pioneers.

Another reduction in magazines.

Is this a ruZe or are they really going broke? This list is very telling.

vinman

Wow! This really has been going on for some time! I knew these things but was not awake . So what we see now is not the beginning of the end. We might be seeing the second to the last stage.

Magnum

I was just thinking about the missionary thing earlier today. It does seem that something's been brewing for a while.

So, given what we know...why then did we get the talk about the super building project? Why did the elders have to attend a special kick off meeting last January about the increased building work? Remember the letter stated that we were going to begin the biggest construction project the world has ever seen?

How did we get from then to now? It is just barely fall and the winter meeting is completely reversed?

steve2

By amazing contrast, 2014 was a triumphant year for the organization, capped off by a string of publicity-attracting international conventions. Who can forget the embarrassing you-tube merriment, including dancing in kingdom halls and in front of busloads of international visitors?

I could never have imagined the large scale of the cutbacks during that celebratory year.

In retrospect, 2014 may well be the last publicity successful year for the organization.

No, the organization won't disappear - but it will be kind of downhill from here...

The Searcher

Excellent summary regarding the Org's "earthquakes!"

Either of these scenarios:

1) "major losses by them on Wall Street" - Time to pay the piper - and that's what forced them into the sale of Brooklyn properties, and the unprecedented money-grabbing on a global scale, coupled with the 75% reduction in magazine production.

2) The worldwide money-grab from congregations for K.H./Ass. Hall construction was just an elaborate con.

I favour No.1 very strongly - based on the old saying, "Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures" - because what the Org has being saying and doing over recent years, defies even their usual logic!

I hope - and firmly believe, that they have been forced into what they've been doing, but Plan 'A' has not been successful, so we are going to see Plan 'B' implemented.

If I'm right, I expect to hear/see even more desperate measures in the coming 6 months.

mana11

I agree with you Searcher!

Half banana

I agree with you Crazy guy with the telling symptoms you have observed.

I think the trend as seen most carefully by those who watch them closely (us)...is that they have peaked and are now on a decline.

Everything is against them:

1/ Apparent serious and long-term cash-flow crisis.

2/ The general decline in Christian belief in the West and a tendency towards a private, personal spirituality.

3/ Their loss of income from their historical source of revenue namely printing.

4/ The openness and transparency of internet information which easily exposes cultic behaviour especially to newly contacted people.

5/ Negative publicity regarding child abuse cases and their attempt to keep their name clean at the expense of, and with total indifference to the welfare for the abused.

6/ The total failure of their most cherished eighty year long hope in the arrival of Armageddon within the life- span of the generation who saw 1914.

7/ The attempt to explain away their failure of the 1914 generation doctrine with their ludicrous "overlapping generations".

8/ The increasing loss of faith in the decisions of the GB resulting in a reluctance to contribute financially or by deserting the organisation completely.

(Please add if you can think of other ideas or better ones).

mynameislame

I was wondering about the effects of 2008 as well. Could they have thought it was the end and sold all their investments at the bottom?

I have questions\thoughts on unemployment among the JWs.

Did a lot of the high earners lose their jobs and have to cut back on their donations?

Or maybe lots of JWs in general lost their jobs and can't afford to donate much of anything anymore.

And since college is almost a requirement to getting a job these days maybe a lot of the younger ones that actually stay are going to college instead of getting a low paying job. And now they have to put off donating because of it. If reddit is any indication the dubs are actually encouraging college by telling the young ones they shouldn't go.

the girl next door

JWs arent donating anymore because they know its all a scam. The are just playing a role until when and if.