Is Watchtower beginning to buckle

Truthexplorer

Is WT beginning to buckle under the weight of everything that is happening? Heavy criticism from the media and the plethora of websites and youtube videos popping up; and now the obvious issues with finances clearly evident. The pressure for change must be immense and therefore necessary!

tim3l0rd

It seems obvious to anyone who will look at all of the data that their changes are to lower costs and could be because of lack of funds. The problem is that JWs don't look at all of the data. In the US, almost none of them are aware of the Australian Royal Commission or even the Conti or Lopez cases. Other than the elders or some of the MS's, most are unaware of the money grab from the KHs and are unaware that donations are down. They swallow the spin from the org that reductions/changes are to focus on the preaching work because the end is so near.

OnTheWayOut

I have been all over the map with "What is Watchtower doing?" After reading and contemplating, I am pretty sure they are not just hiding assets. It won't work, first of all. They can see that it won't work, so it's too much trouble to try to hide money from governments and lawyers representing victims.

I am pretty sure they are spending too much money on Warwick.

From past JW history, I know that members don't tend to donate money hand-over-fist. If you get a big donation in one place, it reduces a donation in another place. Example: Congregations hear that they are sending a monthly amount and need a few hundred more bucks this month, and next month at the assembly the same dubs give 5 dollars because they gave so much back at the congregation box.

I am positive from their laid back cart work that Headquarters doesn't care for the members to "place" high numbers of magazines. But I also know that dubs have been trained that spirituality is tied to high placements and they have to be untrained about that.

All the operations problems have got to be getting noticed even by the average members who know only to "OBEY OBEY OBEY." The organization took all their local money and talked about a great building program then kept saying they don't have enough money. Magazine production keeps getting less and less and members are expected to use the internet to get their meeting supplies of literature.

Watchtower is definitely buckling under all of this. Australia's Royal Commission, pedophile lawsuits, negative numbers on money, the need to sell Brooklyn at lower numbers than they expect, whispers among the members, and top it all off with apostates knowing everything they do before they announce it.

What does it mean? If they can't dazzle members with brilliance, they will have to baffle them with more bullcrap. A totally changed midweek meeting is not really totally changed. It seems like a repackage of standards with an opportunity to give members more Q&A and video and makes it easier on all the members, be they speakers or just attenders, because they don't have to open a bunch of study materials but just download the meeting materials. The time of this just makes for a huge distraction. Instead of whispering about problems, they are talking out-loud about exciting changes. Expect more things like this. C.O.'s might be getting the axe soon, expect it to be some exciting new program. When Kingdom Halls are sold off, I doubt they will just move congregations over to the next hall. Expect some heavy rumors about how great it is to rearrange congregations and territories and to widen out and meet more JW's including new potential mates in larger congregations while doing this small sacrifice to support the building work in some "other" part of the world. Expect negative growth numbers to be spun into how the great tribulation must be starting soon.

Will all this work? To some degree, many will be baffled enough by bullcrap. But more and more are waking up.

XBEHERE

I do think that the JW's parent organization is beginning to show signs of buckling, that much is clear. Problem is even with the letter read at congs yeterday most JWs simply dont get it.

Comments that I heard after the meeting yesterday included: "what a nice change" "the organization really knows what we need at the proper time" "its more appealing...I think kids will relate better to the midweek meetings now" and so on and so forth.

I am sure many of these people were simply saying what they thought they should say and then feel differently in private but its obvious that the GB succeeded again in making a major change (1 magazine a month..WOW) and not causing a ripple.

Its being seen as progressive.

Room 215

Sure, there are unmistakable signs of financial stress; still, the Brooklyn Eagle cited proven matters of record on file with local realtors of their property sales in Brooklyn Heights amounting to $500 million, yet most published estimates I've read on any of the individual WT projects are in the tens of millions... so where's it all going and why the sudden shift to austerity mode?

steve2

Anyone who is responsible for running a business will be motivated to either keep it viable or forestall worst case scenarios such as bankruptcy.

JW organization is no different.

The number one purpose of the changes is motivated by protecting the organization's future.

As many others here have argued so well, the series of streamlining changes and cutbscks suggest an organization that has been compelled to trim the fat. It does not in and of itself suggest a terminal state but instead an organiization intent on maintaining viability.

Predicting its end is a tantalising variant of predicting the end of the world. We should know better but are drawn to it every time.

done4good

It is more about long-term sustainability than anything else, but...

1. Negative legal pressure and bad PR is hurting them.

2. Money is a problem. The 25 year old "donation" arrangement is very long in the tooth, and beginning to show real signs of stress. JWs are not big donators to begin with, (most don't have much money to give), and those that do have the means are smarter than to give away money they see has no purposeful use.

3. The are rapidly becoming irrelevant in a better informed society.

They will be around for a while, but I am, (almost), convinced a real corner has been turned. The WTS does not like to appear to capitulate easily, and it is clearly appearing to be very desperate.

d4g

Half banana

They may have significant losses of $82 million shortfall over the last three years if Flipper's figures are right, with big investment losses on top from the stock market down turn from 2008. Abuse cases threatening more expenditure compounded with a big downturn in donation enthusiasm among the ranks. Then we have humiliation in front of the Royal Commission, it all adds up to unprecedented pressure on the credibility of the JWorg.

WTBTS must be at a low ebb... and from Tight Pants Tony's last appearance on the JW TV extravaganza, I think they must feel like they are sitting on a volcano. He made the broadcast looking like he was hiding in the studio whilst the mafia were pacing up and down outside for not receiving the monthly payments. His body language betrayed his lack of belief in the script he was reading! This approach will send subliminal messages to the rank and file that all is not well in HQ. Bethel members will do the same in the congos to which they are assigned and however they spin it, the sensitive ones will recognise a loss of confidence and withdraw support. Within the investment circles they will also lose respect, sic transit gloria mundi.

TheListener

The WTS can only mask the issues so long before the average publishers will know something is up. Most likely most dubs will believe that the symptoms are a sign that Armageddon is imminent but once that doesn't come they'll slowly become apathetic once again and exhausted from the intense waiting.

Beth Sarim

Totally doubt it will buckle anytime soon. The Borg is very clever at changing things, ie meetings, videos and guilt/fear tactics. Plus, like someone mentioned elsewhere on these boards, the Borg is entirely TAX FREE, an enormous monitory saving. Just can't see the Borg buckling.

Is Watchtower beginning to buckle

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