Recent mistakes of the Governing Body contributing to the decline of JWs

by slimboyfat 67 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  EdenOne

  Entrenched Christian fundamentalism is hardly a trait of Jehovah's Witnesses. As I was reading an article at Bible Archaeology Review about the Nag Hamadi texts, you should see the kind of fericious comments that were made, from calling those historical documents 'apostate literature' to accusing the author of not believing Christ's divinity and the Virgin Mary and threatening with hellfire those who doubt the Holy Bible. I think that backward-thinking fundamentalist Christianity is becoming more and more fascist out of sheer dispair for the onslaught of reason.

  eden
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  Brokeback Watchtower

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandiose_delusions#Prevalence

  Grandiose delusions (GD) or delusions of grandeur are a subtype of delusion that occur in patients suffering from a wide range ofpsychiatric diseases, including two-thirds of patients in manic state of bipolar disorder, half of those with schizophrenia, patients with the grandiose subtype of delusional disorder, and a substantial portion of those with substance abuse disorders.[1][2] GDs are characterized by fantastical beliefs that one is famous, omnipotent, wealthy, or otherwise very powerful. The delusions are generally fantastic and typically have a religious, science fictional, or supernatural theme. There is a relative lack of research into GD, in contrast to persecutory delusions and auditory hallucinations. About 10% of healthy people experience grandiose thoughts but do not meet full criteria for a diagnosis of GD.[2]
  For example, a patient who has fictitious beliefs about his or her power or authority may believe himself or herself to be a ruling monarch who deserves to be treated like royalty.[7]There are substantial differences in the degree of grandiosity linked with grandiose delusions in different patients. Some patients believe they are God, the Queen of England, a president's son, a famous rock star, and so on. Others are not as expansive and think they are skilled sports-persons or great inventors.[8]

  http://nypost.com/2010/05/23/why-losers-have-delusions-of-grandeur/
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  FlyingHighNow

  A religious movement based on Doomsday will inevitably run out of time, when the doomsday never comes to fruition. The efforts of the governing body and writing department, to dance around the glaring elephant in the corner, are incredible and grow more ridiculous with time. I never knew when I was till associated, which ended with the 1990's, that the GB claimed Jesus was not mediator for the rank and file. That one piece of caca would have woke me up, bold upright in bed.
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  Vidiot

  EdenOne - " I think that backward-thinking fundamentalist Christianity is becoming more and more fascist out of sheer despair for the onslaught of reason."

  Oh, so this.

  For authoritarian followers, nothing feels more threatening than having one's worldview called into question.
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  slimboyfat

  Actually JWs flourished at the height of modernity when reason reigned supreme. It's pluralism, relativism and postmodernism that are causing JWs and other exclusivist religions real problems.
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  nugget

  One mistake has been to focus on donations and increasing financial pressure on the congregations. Anyone who has been in the organisation for decades remembers that Russell had said that if the society had to beg for donations it would be a sign they no longer had Gods blessing.

  The downsizing, calls for money and increase in the number of annointed should all be worrying for anyone who has been in the organistion prior to the 80s. This is no longer the faith they were baptised into.
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  slimboyfat

  Yes very good point!

  They used to quote Russell all the time: "if the God of heaven who owns all the gold in the world ever has to beg for money to keep this magazine in print it will be a sign to give up publication". (Very rough paraphrase)

  It would be interesting to know when they last used that quote!
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  Chook

  The rule list never shrinks, preoccupation with appearance never wanes. The biggest problem they have is they talk too much and even more stupid they put in print .

  Now they televise to show the world they do abetted circus than Moscow