Are the Dubs going back to the KH again? (Covid-19) (page 2)

OnTheWayOut

They have to get their abacus out and calculate what will be best- sell the Kingdom Halls or continue to fleece the flock a little at a time.

I have a feeling that selling the Halls will take such a long time that they will decide to send the sheep back for regular meetings in order for them to drop money in the boxes while they attempt to sell off the Halls.

iXav

I have a feeling that selling the Halls will take such a long time that they will decide to send the sheep back for regular meetings in order for them to drop money in the boxes while they attempt to sell off the Halls.

that is likely a short term solution and as you said, selling the KHs will be the long term goal. I wonder how much money the org lost due to the pandemic and people not being able to meet at the KHs/Assembly.

Will the savings on travel/magazine reduction, etc mitigate the effects of less contributions from the meetings?

Vidiot

Rocketman123 - "...a bunch little idiots following bigger idiots..."

I think Ray Franz once quoted a peer as saying that they were "followers following followers".

Rocketman123

Ray Franz said JWS are victims who follow other victims of the Org..

I think ?

Sorry I dont get all this speculation that the WTS/JWorg is going to sell off KHs and go strictly on line.

That would be a death sentence for this religious organization and they probably know that.

This organization exists and sustains itself upon eye to eye contact in imposing fear, guilt and obligation, its pretty hard to continue that by visual contact via the inter-net.

I see a gradual return to the way it was before Covid, with more video presentations directed to each congregations.

Watch the monitors brothers and sisters, what exciting times.

In this return I do see some slow down in numbers attending KH meetings, a shrinking of congregations which may induce some KHS being sold and amalgamating with other congregations.

hybridous

They have to get their abacus out and calculate what will be best- sell the Kingdom Halls or continue to fleece the flock a little at a time.

I agree with OTWO. This Covid situation presents an opportunity for the Tower. I could see another round of KH sell-offs right before resuming in-person meetings. Folks would be so happy for the association, they might hold back the grumbling about being re-assigned to another KH, now 2x as far away...

Juan Viejo2

From what I've heard and seen, most of the Kingdom Halls have been sold off to non-Witness buyers and other churches. In Oregon, where I live, only about one out of five Kingdom Halls in larger cities are still in the ownership of the Watchtower. Most of the others have been sold off to other churches or private parties or businesses.

Those who are are left among the remaining JWs must travel some distance. Then they sit in a mostly empty auditorium and watch a video play on a screen - that they could have watched at home (and maybe already had seen before their meeting.)

If you remember, a few years back I was in the middle (or muddle) of the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall fiasco. While I was never inside the building itself, and never was face to face with the two major principles involved, I was somehow drawn in and asked to report (and in some cases get involved in some minor ways) on what was really happening from the original elders' points of view. That building is now owned and used by a Spanish language and Hispanic "holy roller" style evangelical church.

But sadly even though I drove to the community, personally visited the Kingdom hall and others surrounding that area, I never fully gained the trust of the principles enough for them to actually meet with me and provide me with more background information. I made it clear that I was mostly on their side of the fiasco and was looking forward to printing updates and background information on my website that would both clarify and support their positions and experiences.

It was an exercise in futility as far as I was concerned. I really wanted to get the word out to their supporters. I got a lot of inquiries from local press reporters who thought I might be able to help them report what was going on. I gave several of them the names and phone numbers I had that might help them make the connections and help with their reporting. Several San Francisco-based reporters were hoping that I could give them more insight into what was going on. But when I told them that I had both been drawn in and ignored by the ex-elders, they made it clear that they didn't have the time to waste on a relatively insignificant situation that really did not affect any other citizens or their readers. The San Franciso papers seemed to be somewhat afraid of getting into a tangle with the Watchtower - at least at the street-reporter levels and their bosses.

Looking back from a JW and ex-JW viewpoint, this event ranks right up with the famed abuse case that was going on in northern California at the same time that exposed the depth and damage of JW child abuse cases.

A few months after I had returned to my home in Oregon, I began getting strange calls from several people that claimed to have "insider information" about what really happened in Menlo Park. Twice I drove down to that area to try to make a connection in response to their "If you can come down here by X date and meet with some of us, we will be willing to share our experiences and information." In almost every case, I agreed to reconnect with them and set up a meeting with them at some remote restaurant or motel - and never reveal their real names or descriptions. There was one contact that urged me to come down the area and meet with him. First, it was going to be at the motel I was staying at - and I actually got an anonymous call on the motel phone (I was obviously being tracked) and told to meet at a shopping center some miles away the next day. I agreed to meet with them as per their instructions. I was there with time to spare - but no one ever showed up (or made themselves know to me.) I returned to the hotel and got another invitation phone call to do the same thing the next day. So the next day I checked out of the motel, loaded up my stuff, grabbed my camera, and returned to the shopping center as requested. My phone rang and I was asked if I was at the shopping center. I confirmed that I was and that I would be there for at least 30 minutes. I waited for an hour and no one showed up. At that point, I realized that they were just playing with me and trying to frustrate me or stoke my anger. I just called my wife and told her that I would be home (in Oregon) later that night.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. But my disappointment was due to the unexplainable disregard for my time, my expenses, and my willingness to help report the facts from their point of view. Why? What did they have to gain by jerking my chain and giving me that type of a "kiss-off."

So, as we now know, the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall story was just a small part and the beginning of a major restructure and destruction of the Watchtower that was to come and expand just a few months later.

-------------------------------

I take no pleasure at all in reporting my experiences in trying to connect with the members of the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall. It was almost like other times when the saying "No good deed goes unpunished" applied to JW-related events that I was unexpectedly drawn into and then wished later that I had just stayed out of the whole thing and let fate take its own course.

But I do not like to see innocent or unaware people hurt, abused, or taken advantage of by others who are greedy or just have "black hearts." The Menlo Park Kingdom Hall" outrage was one of those times - and will (if I have anything to say) be a black mark on the Watchtower's reputation for as long as they continue to exist.

JV

Balaamsass2

:( Sorry you experienced that Juan. An old friend near the former Elders reached out to them and they were hesitant to meet him, believing it was some sort of "set up" to keep them from getting re-instated. I personally left messages to assist financially but never got a call back.

As you know, one of the main players representing Watchtower, a friend of Watchtower's corp. board member Don Adams. Bruce R. was former law enforcement and did high tech investigations and security. Is it possible you received the calls from a "spoofed" caller ID...that wasn't from the actual ex-elder defendants(the technology is cheap)? Drawing you to a specific spot for photo ID and to frustrate the investigation would not be beyond the parties involved,... in my opinion.

LongHairGal

Good that this thread was bumped up:

If anybody watches the YouTube videos of ‘Life After Religion’, you will see that he believes the Jehovah’s Witnesses really want to sell off their halls.

He believes them keeping the JWs home (because of Covid) for a little longer was to help break them of the habit of going to the hall. He even thinks the recent changes in the religion were to get people to leave especially older ones.. He thinks the religion considers them ‘dead wood’.

‘If’ this ‘eventuality’ would happen - what a rude awakening to whatever JWs would be left.. He believes the religion wants to be totally online with the end result being the average JW there will only be left with their iPad and an internet connection to the religion. This might sound shocking to many but I would not be surprised if it comes to pass!!

Vidiot

I saw that, and they do make a pretty compelling argument.

Can’t say as I’m a hundred percent sold on it, though…

…plenty of things the WT leadership have said and done lately suggest they’re anxious to keep the membership, rather than prune it down.

LongHairGal

VIDIOT:

I see what you mean, but what I get from this guy is that they want to keep whatever members they have online!

I watched a couple of other videos and this man thinks the Witness religion doesn’t care if older ones leave because they are considered ‘dead wood’.. This will be interesting to watch by those of us who are long Out of the religion.

If this happens, it will be devastating to whatever JWs are left.. They will be high & dry with just their laptops & internet connection.. Meanwhile, the religion will continue online. Imagine that? After all these people’s sacrifices! … Time will tell.

Are the Dubs going back to the KH again? (Covid-19)

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