Are JW's heading for the exit?

by pandorasbox1914 16 Replies latest jw experiences

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  pandorasbox1914

  Are JW's heading for the exit? After lurking on this site for a year or so I have noticed a number of new poster's including me. But does this indicate a massive departure for the exit? I do not believe so, let me explain.

  In the congregation I attended (until last July), over a 20+ year period very few left the ORG, also during that time very few new converts (in fact I can only think of one family). There were of course deaths, families moving out of the area and new ones moving in, families having children and those children being baptized (often at a very young age).

  I think JW's in general have invested so much of their life to the ORG that they either have no where else to go or it has become a habit.

  An interesting word Habit, one definition is "something that you do often and ​regularly", clearly something that applies to most JW's. So how easy is it to break this habit?

  HABIT

  • Remove the “H” and you still have “ABIT” left.

  • Remove the “A” there is still a “BIT” left.

  • Remove the “B” and “IT” is still there.

  • Remove the “I” and the “T” is left.

  • Only by removing the "T" can you be free of the HABIT.

  Another explanation for Habitual behavior is:

  "Habitual behaviour is a form of automatic and routine behaviour. It is behaviour that people repeat, because this behaviour is easy, comfortable or rewarding. Habitual behaviour is demonstrated by the fact that it is often started by a cue or a change in the situation. It is efficient to do something by habit, and not to constantly reason with oneself about what is the best thing to do. The intrinsic advantages of the behaviour outweigh the possible disadvantages. ‘Intrinsic' because, in the case of habitual behaviour, there is no constant weighing of pros and cons".

  So I believe, based on the foregoing, that there will be no mass exodus from the ORG of people in general because it is easier to be habitual rather than alternative. For many they have no where else to go, and then of course there is the old chestnut, "....even if the truth is wrong it is still the best way of life"
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  Mad Sweeney

  Mass exodus? No. Steady outflow of members? Always has been, and is increasing in lands that are plugged in to the Internet. The amount of increase and how badly it will affect the Borg is the question. More and more people are leaving, but there are also more and more JWs, so it sort of evens out. Growth is pretty flat though.
  
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  slimboyfat

  By reducing the meetings from 3 times a week to 2 times a week they made it just a little bit easier to get out of the routine and to kick the habit.
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  the comet

  Interesting post. I believe we're never going to see a mass exodus. Why? The cost of leaving, for most, is to high. You lose your "friends" and for many your family.

  what I do see though, especially amongst the 25 and younger crowd, is they aren't becoming as mentally invested in the religion as previous generations. Sure, they still pioneer, help with construction projects, and many still reach out to become servants or elders. Ask them anything related to doctrine? 607bc what? Jesus isn't my mediator? What's a mediator? They aren't invested in the doctrine anymore. They don't follow the rules as strictly as older ones did. Yeah they'll follow some rules, but if rules inconvenience them, well then not so much.
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  joe134cd

  I believe they are, and it's the internet that is causing it. Since I left 3 years ago I have bumped into 3 couples i knew as a jws who I would class as knowing TTATT. Oddly I actually meet one off this Web site. Interestingly 2 were elders and 1 was a ministerial servant. I would say 2 of those 3 leaving was a direct result of information from the internet and the other was a result of unfair treatment and because of it got on the internet. Interestingly one of these elders was telling me about the last time he step foot in a KH. It was the TM school and he was reading CoC on his tablet during the meeting. He thought that's it and picked his bag up and walked out. In the past I have known ones as been pillars in the Org and then for no reason in the world have just abruptly stopped. Which makes me wonder if they were also secret apostates.

  The point I'm trying to make is. If these are ones I know of in such a short period of time how many are there we don't know of.
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  Landy

  I think it's also the only social circle they have for most. They don't think about the doctrinal side enough to have doubts.
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  Beth Sarim

  **By reducing the meetings from 3 times a week to 2 times a week they made it just a little bit easier to get out of the routine and to kick the habit**

  Easier to fade.
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  DesirousOfChange

  I think there is an Exodus. Otherwise we would not have the "Return to Jehovah" brochure. This was not addressed to DF/DA folks. This was addressing the problem of inactive "faders". Frankly, a lot of the people "missing" at the KHall are not true "faders" they are just apathetic.

  For any older ones, The End hasn't come and they have given up hope. (They will come running back (tho temporarily) if there is another terrorist incident just as they did for 9/11.)

  The younger ones are gone as a result of apathy. They never really were "believers". They were just following the family religion as do most Catholics. Anyone who "broke the rules" and also made "worldly" friends are gone forever (2/3). Others may straggle back in when they start families and want to provide their children with "the best possible life".

  If the recent CA$H GRAB is not just to hide assets from pedo-lawsuits, then it is an effort to build up a significant nestegg to be self=perpetuating and self-sustaining even if donations drop off considerably.

  I think the mad dash for money is an indication that the HQ knows there is an ongoing Exodus and that it could escalate dramatically and rapidly.

  Doc
  
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  Makemeanunbeliever

  No.
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  Beth Sarim

  ''I think the mad dash for money is an indication that the HQ knows there is an ongoing Exodus and that it could escalate dramatically and rapidly.''

  I think they see potential an ''Exodus''. They have to ratchet down the fear tactics in an effort to curb the doubters from leaving.