I have often had similar thoughts. If you ever figure out a way to find out, let us know!
Which way will the Society go because of the Internet?
by be wise 47 Replies latest jw friends
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Gerard
They chose option one. They can't demonize it to much though because they are on the net as well. Like television it can't be stopped...they tried in the early days, calling the TV Satan's eyeball. Did it help? No. Nowadays every dub has one or more...
I rather read a good book than watch TV but there are good educational channels out there. But the GB got another "new light" so the TV has been degraded to: Poison to the Brain
Poison to the Brain
Many people who may carefully monitor their physical diet indiscriminately gobble up whatever mental food is served to them through the media. For example, have you ever heard someone say: "There's nothing good to watch on TV!" Some seem to be mesmerized, endlessly flipping through channels in the hope that something worthwhile will turn up. The thought of turning off the TV never crosses their mind! In addition to consuming so much time, many shows feature themes that Christians would want to avoid. "Besides profanity," says arts writer Gary Koltookian, "controversial and sexual topics are making more appearances on screen today than in the past." Indeed, a recent study in the United States found that scenes with sexual references appear an average of 27 times per hour during prime-time viewing hours. http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1999/7/8/article_03.htm -
be wise
Zoewrex,
Maybe the biggest way to counteract the JW is to educate the public. Honestly, many people think JW's are harmless people who dress alike and enjoy studying the Bible.
I was posting on a religious board the other day and one of the moderators on the JW section posted some stuff from the ‘True peace and security’ book that she got off her gran I think – dissing religion calling it bloodguilty - I told her about the changing policy on blood t ransfusions . People on the board don't know anything about JW’s but the few who post there are starting to know more now I’m posting. But honestly people really haven’t got a clue!
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Vanant
I think the days of growth among the English-speaking territories are basically over, partly because of the Internet. But there is still growth in the third world, and they don't have the kind of easy access to the Internet that we do . . . even in the US, there is a digital divide between the poor immigrants and the assimilated Americans. Hence in the Spanish-speaking congregations I've been in, the territory was always far more receptive than in the English, and those people definitely could not afford internet access. I think that as they assimilate, growth will slow down, but then there's still all those people in the developing countries getting suckered in . . . :( Mexico, for one, is doing slightly better compared to decades past, but internet access and computers are very expensive and out of the reach of the vast lower classes.
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blondie
Vanant, I posted that same point on another thread. I'm glad to see that your experiences validate it too.
Blondie
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shamus
Try this out for size...
Hi, we're going to study the bible with you! Please, don't go on the internet.... it's full of apostate lies.. thank you for understanding....
Imagine a bible study hearing that! Give me a freakin' break!
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freedom96
The more that the WTS tells its people not to look at the internet, the more the curiosity factor is going to build up.
Many will say to themselves "No wonder why. The WTS is full of shit."
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Piph
It has to make any normal thinking person wonder: Any person, group or organization that is afraid of information and what someone might find out, must have something to hide. This part was so blatently ovbious that the WTS is trying to control how the dubs gather information. Looking at it from the outside in was scary. The propoganda machine was in high gear for this part. And what was scarier was that the dubs ate it up. They swallowed it hook, line and sinker. I overheard several talking about what a great part that was and how there must be a problem with apostates spreading lies. You just wanna shake em and say, "Wake up! How do you know what is truth if you're only allowed to see one side of the story? How can you decide for yourself what is right if you're not allowed to see both sides of the issue? If the "truth" is the truth, how can real information from any other source make it false?" I have always avoided using the word "cult" to describe the organization, but after this DC, I'm seeing it more like one than ever before.
I've only been mentally free for just over a month, and now I can't believe all the mind control I see going on around me in the org....and the amount of which I've been subjected to throughout my life. Why doesn't the WT follow the example of Jehovah in how he dealt with Satan? I mean, he's the father of the lie, he's more deceitful than any human could even dream of being, more intelligent, more powerful. But if Jehovah treated him the way the WTS treats apostates and their "propaganda", then he would have had Satan abyssed outright and covered the eyes and ears of all his servants and told them never to even mention the name of Satan, because they would be fooled into turning against Jehovah! Meanwhile all the angels and the humans would be secretly rubbing their chins, going, hmmmm...why is he so freaked out about this?
No, if the WTS didn't have anything to hide they would follow Jehovah's example and let their members think for themselves and exercise free will. And the irritating thing is that that illustration is used all the time by the Society as an explanation for why God permits suffering. And yet they live in opposition to the principle themselves.
Oh, and welcome, Earthdreamer. I am new here too.
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JeffT
A couple of things here. First, I love seeing some newcomers to the board: Welcome!
Mrs. T and I left before Al Gore invented the internet (sorry can't help myself). We did our research the old-fashioned way. We hiked through the snow, uphill in both directions, to get to the library and we looked in books. OK I'm done with that now.
I can see why the net scares the %$ out of the Watchtower. The free exchange of information is the exact opposite of their control.
I want to strongly disagree with one opinion, we attend a Christian Church and we've found that at all levels there is a very strong interest in refuting groups like JW's. We've spoken many times about our experiences and how to respond when they come to the door. I think our Pastors are more interested than regular church goers. There is strong interest out there in refuting this nonsense. All of of "X's" can contribute to the public's ability to argue with them.
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Panda
I think you'll appreciate this story.
A few months ago an old friend who is still a dub, sent me an email. She asked if I would be her friend again? I told her I'd never stopped being her friend. Then I realized HEY...she didn't even have an email address 5 yrs ago when I left! Now we email. talk on the phone etc. She is fading away because of her grandkids etc. BUT the families are shunning her anyway because she's inactive!!!! EVIL BEASTS
I asked if she'd gotten onto any x-dub web pages. She had! In fact this one! Ya'll have helped these 2 old friends get back together
The internet will open up the world to jws and other cult members. Unfortunately there are still those who don't have access and will succomb.