Are these the "crucial" years for the Watchtower ? Is time running out ?

by run dont walk 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  run dont walk

  or can they keep it going another 100 years.

  Maybe I'm being a little too hopeful, but I think the next 10 years are do or die for the Watchtower.

  Is was different back in the 20's 30's 40's 50's and 60's, they could get away with changing doctrine and "new light" and new ideas.

  But today, people are different and more independent, and question things a lot more.

  The "annoited class" is almost gone, regardless of the bs figures they give,

  1914 is all but dead,

  literature is not available like it used to be,

  the preaching work is not very effective in today's world,

  the internet has raised alot more questions than answers regarding JW's,

  WE ALL know Armageddon will not come in the next 25 years.

  I just don't see how they can keep this farce going another decade.

  And how relaible are the Jw figures they tell the congregations ?

  We all know there is not many "new ones" coming in, only born in.

  So, what will they do, to spark interest, like they did in the 40's 50's 60's 70's and 80's.

  Do you feel the Watchtower is in trouble ??? or am I being a little to optimistic ???
• 

  RunningMan

  The central, unique, defining doctrine of JWs is the time of the end beginning in 1914, and all of the things surrounding it.

  This doctrine is becoming very hard to sell. It is stale.

  In addition, they are faced with a host of problems, such as the internet, bad PR, changing societal attitudes (no one really cares about the trinity anymore), incompetent leadership, an exodus of intelligent members, loss of their young members, low conversion rate. The list goes on and on.

  I do not think that they will die out, but they are facing a crises. They need a reformation, but I'm not sure if they are smart enough to either see the problems in time, or know what to do about them. They have raised a culture of followers. They promote persons based on how well they follow. Where will they get leaders?
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  garybuss

  "Jehovah Remembers the Sick and the Elderly"

  
  "The sick and the elderly will at times find it hard to hide their frustration. Many have cherished their hope of living to survive the great tribulation, and now they feel caught up in a race with time, a race that they do not feel sure they will win."
  (The Watchtower, August 1, 1993, p.27-8)
  
  
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  IslandWoman

  The Watchtower Organization is ripe for reform, imo, they will reform.

  IW
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  garybuss

  Hi IW, Have you written your predictions for the shape of that reform? I would like to read it if you can point me to a url. . .

  Thanks, GaryB
• 

  DannyBear

  run,

  ****WE ALL know Armageddon will not come in the next 25 years.****

  WE ALL know that?

  Did I miss something?

  Danny
• 

  OHappyDay

  It isn't really all that hard. Just continue the oft-touted reforms began when the Society sought to go back to primitive Christianity. We often criticize other movements that had this objective, but stopped somewhere along the way to completion. Now, we've done the same thing.

  Going back to primitive Christianity means getting rid of our "traditions of men" that invalidate God's Word: Putting an organization in the place of Christ; making rigid Pharisee-like rules and regulations; disfellowshiping people for disagreeing with mere human speculation; setting quotas (hours, numbers) for the preaching work; making non-biblical requirements for appointments of servants; making Christianity a matter of classes ("other sheep class," "anointed class") rather than a brotherhood of believers, etc.

  We haven't gone back to original (primitive) Christianity. We have established a religion with its own pecular teachings and doctrines, embellished by the traditions of men. That being the case, we are no different from all the other religions out there.
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  metatron

  I respect your feelings on the matter, Island Woman but I lost hope years ago. It's breathtaking to observe the rot

  in this organization that goes on year after year without any effort to make changes - the stale public talks, the dead "ministry",

  the mind- numbing meetings, the hack-job song book, the ennui of assemblies. Nothing ever "gets to them". Nothing they

  do is ever wrong.

  I know I've said this before but it bears repeating: The "public talk" at any assembly is an outstanding example of just how

  detached from all reality the Watchtower hierarchy really is. They don't put up placards, they generally don't print handbills

  for it, the "public" knows nothing about it and the attendance often drops during it. Yet, it's a "public talk". Welcome to the

  Watchtower Dreamland.

  The same goes for the imaginary "ministry". It's a "life-saving work" - trotting from door to door, meeting no one, talking to no one

  for hours, and often, placing nothing. It's make-believe, a continuing pretense, with adults collectively pretending that it's real.

  When and how does this fairy tale religion ever change? Who, of these inbred, cowardly company men ever objects?

  metatron
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  ignorance is strength

  I predict a massive leaving over the next few years caused by changing doctrine. But the doctrine will be changed so much that they will erase any conflicts anywhere in their publications so that the newly converted won't be able to catch on. I think they have to much money to just run out of steam, so I predict the same size organisation (with different people) and drastically changed belief system in the coming 25 years.
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  Nosferatu

  As long as the total number of JWs is increasing and not decreasing, there won't be any major changes. Once members start dropping off, there will be some major changes, but I don't see that happening for at least another 20 years. The ones who remember the original "1914 generation" teaching will have to start dying off.