Prediction: no more changes for a long while

by slimboyfat 86 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Journeyman

  Yes, the congregation monthly donation arrangement will cover over any inbalance in publishers' donations for a while, since the burden is spread across all.

  So for example, you might have only say, 10-20 out of a congregation of 100 giving a substantial amount each week, with maybe a similar number putting in change and the rest, nothing. But the 10-20 giving the most will mask the lack of contribution from the rest when taken in aggregate as a monthly donation to the Org. For a while at least.

  But over time, if the number of those willing to donate larger sums continues to fall, and assuming those who currently donate most are middle-aged to elderly, long-time Witnesses who have limited outgoings and sufficient finances to be able to make larger donations, such ones will continue dying off and not being replaced by ones with very stable finances (even younger ones with a half-decent income are more subject to changes in their fortunes, due to family issues, job market, inflation or recession, etc, so less likely to routinely make substantial donations), the shortfall will eventually be noticeable even at a congregation level.

  At that point, even the "congregational monthly donation" arrangement will be insufficient for the Org, so they'll have to think of something else by then.

  I suspect it will be tied to individual donation arrangements via online using the JW org accounts, which they are gradually trying to get everyone tied into. You already have one of these if you are an elder, MS or fulltime servant, or someone who has volunteered to do any construction work or other projects through your local Bethel. Probably won't be long before they expect everyone to use a JW login account. Then they can monitor individual financial contributions and give targeted "encouragement" to anyone not thought to be giving enough (even though scripturally, Christians are not supposed to do that!)
• 

  ThomasMore

  Nowwhat - you nailed it.

  Since then, cong pooled giving has decreased too so WTC is almost panicked trying to cover expenses. NOTHING goes back to the congs - NOTHING.

  if you doubt this, ask someone to give you an example of WTC sending a cong a check. Let me know what you find…
• 

  slimboyfat

  I’m not surprised if the stipulated congregation donation has dampened donations overall. If people think that the costs are covered by the congregation donation then of course they’re going to stop contributing individually on top of that. Plus if you stop handing out practically any books or magazines at the Kingdom Hall then people start wondering what it is exactly they are paying for - a few online videos and to keep bethels open, for what? The whole point of branches used to be to produce and distribute they literature. If they are reduced to a few offices and filming studios then why should they cost so much?
• 

  ThomasMore

  Slim - yes - I recall some asking what they needed money for when everything was going online. They were reducing costs and asking for more. I think this woke some up, but it convinced many that they could stop contibuting.

  Later I learned how many CSA suits they were settling out of court. The puzzle was solved.

  About the same time, I learned that Warwick ran WAAAAAAAAAAAAY over budget and they opted to not finish one of the last constructed buildings. I knew they had money troubles, then an unimpeachable source confided that they were spending a lot more than they could control. Not long after, another source I trust with my life confirmed that they were deep in the hole. Selling KH's was just the tip of the iceberg. After a KH was sold, most in the cong stopped contributing - a natural response.

  I am sure that a lot of true believers at the Bible House also knew this but as a whole, they were still keeping the secret. That amazed me how indoctrinated they had become since I left - more than ever.

  When close friends started getting sent out like bad chicken, I was convinced that they were one big lawsuit away from a cash gap.

  Especially Treasury B'lites - they were not the brightest Bethel had to offer, but by god they were loyal.
• 

  NotFormer

  Especially Treasury B'lites - they were not the brightest Bethel had to offer, but by god they were loyal.
  

  Loyal versus capable: interesting trade-off. 😳
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I have only read the opening post, not the comments. So maybe y'all got it covered.

  I have been away from doctrine and changes of any kind, lost interest- a cult is a cult regardless of whether the anointed will die before Armageddon or not or if members can grow a beard. But changes drew me back concerning all the kinder, gentler rules.

  What I read and see from YouTube whistle blowers is to keep expecting big changes. Stat tuned for blood doctrine drop, birthday drop. Maybe many others to retain people, combat the Norway problem.
• 

  LongHairGal

  ON THE WAY OUT:

  So, I guess you’ve seen all the recent changes in the JW religion.

  What did you think about the one about the R&F no longer needing to count time or submit a slip? Naturally, this was never a biblical teaching. However, I was judged over this hourly time counting because I worked.. It made me positively ill to see this change and I was so right that I never listened to the religion!

  I seem to remember reading that the 1995 Generation change got you to realize you needed a decent job for retirement benefits.

  The point is that many thousands of Witnesses everywhere have reached retirement age totally unprepared because they spent time in the ministry.. Even those who didn’t get pioneer hours still wasted time that could have been spent in a decent job that would provide for them.. Instead, they were led to believe Armageddon would have come to ‘save’ them.

  Meanwhile, the religion just did away with this teaching with the stroke of a pen!
• 

  Vidiot

  ThomasMore - “…an unimpeachable source confided that they were spending a lot more than they could control…”

  Precisely the kind of strategic blunder made by someone who’s convinced of their own exclusive divine favor…

  ...i.e. you start thinking you’re invincible and destined to prevail, no matter what.
• 

  ThomasMore

  Vidiot - my source was very disturbed that God was not coming to their rescue. He/her/them saw money as an indication of divine favor. It perplexed him/her/them to see it disappearing so rapidly.

  LHG - I hit dislike by accident with my gorilla thumbs. Sorry!
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  LongHairGal asks me:
  

  ON THE WAY OUT:
  So, I guess you’ve seen all the recent changes in the JW religion.
  
  What did you think about the one about the R&F no longer needing to count time or submit a slip? Naturally, this was never a biblical teaching. However, I was judged over this hourly time counting because I worked.. It made me positively ill to see this change and I was so right that I never listened to the religion!
  
  I seem to remember reading that the 1995 Generation change got you to realize you needed a decent job for retirement benefits.
  
  The point is that many thousands of Witnesses everywhere have reached retirement age totally unprepared because they spent time in the ministry.. Even those who didn’t get pioneer hours still wasted time that could have been spent in a decent job that would provide for them.. Instead, they were led to believe Armageddon would have come to ‘save’ them.
  
  Meanwhile, the religion just did away with this teaching with the stroke of a pen!

  Yes, the 1995 Generation change got me to realize I needed a decent job for retirement benefits. Many will wake up with every change at Watchtower, but so many waking are older and will remain PIMO because they are older and set in their WT ways or don't want to lose friends and family.
  
  They may be pissed off, but only a handful will leave over such things as doing away with counting time. So many left in the past because of the need to count time. Changes always cause some problems.