by pistolpete 77 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
'Rona represented perhaps the first time in decades (if not ever) that being a JW had a more-mainstream/manageable burden...
Weary JWs are not likely to quickly forget that relief.
I expect that we will hear reports/anecdotes about congregation attendance plateauing at a fraction of previous numbers. More KH selloffs are inevitable. Even a messy war can't/won't inspire the fear they've enjoyed in the past.
The malaise is quite palpable. This will have to be a controlled descent.
Keep in mind that difficult times are often very good to millennialist cults like the JWs. People start to feel anxious and unsure about the future, and many will be quick to hedge their bets when someone tells them that the scary times are the precursor to paradise on Earth. We like to have comfort and assurance that things will be alright, and this feeling is heightened when circumstances seem the most dire. "Bad news" is great recruiting fodder, which is why many JWs seem obsessed with telling you how awful everything is, all the time.
And, boom! Just like that, they pulled the announcement. It's no longer on the website.
No explanation given.
My first thought, when it appeared on Wednesday, is that some schmuck in Bethel IT pressed the wrong button and a draft copy got posted sooner than they wanted. But then it stayed up 4+ days...a goof up would surely be fixed before 4 days, right? Until Sunday, then one moment it just disappeared.
The rank & file are reeling a bit. I'd say it was about 50/50 between great joy at the prospect of returning, vs. fear & anxiety & "is it too soon"? Couple that with absolute radio silence to elders & COs about any plan whatsoever, and now apparently it's "oops, never mind, forget we said anything, carry on".
Something weird is going on at the compound. Anyone have any Warwick contacts who can give us the real story?
Yesterday at zoom the elders seemed confused. They never got any direction from the branch yet. Seems like we might not go back quite yet or maybe not go back. The old people seem eager to attend meetings again. Another 1975 moment for them I guess.
Well well well ! They have taken down the notice . Iād love to know what is going on behind the scenes ā¦.
"we never said it's time to open up the meetings, obviously it was well intended rank and file that ran ahead of Jehovah's chariot!"
Hey- gas is too high now -- remember when they cancelled the home bible studies? Their reasoning then was higher gas prices... what now? All the money to be spent on gas won't go into the coffers
checked the march announcements and nothing there re April 1 -- only says some locations may open- not all and not without approval
Seems like there is different input from GB
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/tdyk60/getting_back/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
Locally supposed to start back April 3, last word. Nobody in my limited circle is in on the elders thinking or meetings.
As a practical matter everything else locally is normal. Churches in session, restuarants open, door salesmen coming by. There is no reason to not resume the treadmill.
I still have heard only one person who is thrilled to go back. A delay will cause more anguish
There was the instructions released on how to.
The odd thing is the providers of latte didn't get a heads up. Usually we can read the announcements complete with the secret stuff before the elders.
