by Balaamsass2 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
At it's most extreme, the Jobots will see it as a 'test'. If not the other extreme could be 'a loving arrangement(tm)'
I imagine most Jobots will carry on 'business as usual'.
I can't imagine it 'stumbling(tm)' many because they're all too 'idiocracy' for it.
There should be some interesting conversations if they start asking each other how many hours they did the past month. Everyone will try to stretch that 15 minutes of talking with a neighbor to 10 or 20 hours of time spent trying desperately to convert people.
There should be some interesting conversations if they start asking each other how many hours they did the past month.
Ugh. Don't get me started on that. Back when I was pioneering I used to hate it when other pioneers would ask each other "how are you doing for your hours this month?" or some similar question. None of your damned business! I never dreamt of being so intrusive and nosey to ask others about that, and when anyone volunteered such information (as some do, trying to be boastful or win brownie points, I'm sure) I used to make it quite clear I wasn't interested in that discussion and change the subject. Ok, if someone asked "can you do a couple of hours with me, I need to make up my time" or something like that, it was different, but otherwise it was none of my business and I didn't want to know. I was always uneasy about the over-emphasis on time and hours.
You could be right that this change will make more publishers (especially elders) ask each other that question, dressed up as a desire to help them achieve their personal ministry, but really to try and find out what hours they're doing and whether they feel they're doing enough or not. (The 'correct' answer of course is: you're not. If you feel you're doing enough, you're not doing enough!)
In my area of the Mid Atlantic east coast of the US, attendance is down noticeably but not too drastically. This is how its been sincce resumption of in person meetings so not a direct result of the AM new light.
My friend who is near "Jerusalem" said that meeting attendance is rather inconsistent. Some meetings its decent then some, usually the mid-week meeting, attendance is maybe 60-70% of what it should be. Whats interesting about this is he said he has several bethelites in his congregation and even their attendance in person is spotty. he says they claim they have duties and can't leave the site but my buddy is skeptical and he feels like many times he thinks they just don't feel like making the drive to the KH. Even the chosen ones are geting tired of the routine.
How is the change affecting?
No reaction in my congregation. Sincere ones are continuing the way they did before the change.
Just imagine how the congregants in the first-century congregations reacted when the circumcision requirement was done away with.
Dreary weather - what is a 'sincere one' in this instance?
I'm surprised that there is no reaction in your congregation. Surely there are many who have questions, even the Elders? Do you mean to say everyone just shuts up and aren't interested enough to ask how the change affects things?
BALAAMSASS2:
I wonder if no longer needing to turn in a FS report will have a negative effect overall?
I think this change might have disappointed many Witnesses who might not readily admit it.. I mean this is how they defined themselves. They pioneered. I worked.. If I were them I’d be more than annoyed if I spent many years getting all those hours of FS in.. Now, the sheeples there are told they don’t need to.
The change has to sink in mentally at first. After that, JWs have to adapt their behavior and habits, etc. I think it’s too early to know for certain what the end result of this will be, but it will be interesting.
'Sincere ones' - these are JWs like my mother who tow by the line and sincerely put efforts in their preaching work and count the actual time they preached, not like the fakers. She believes that nothing has changed because Jehovah will anyways know how much time you put in the work and will reward people for that.
It's her reasoning that if Jehovah can change the circumcision requirement and first-century Christians accepted it, who are we to complain about such a measly change in time reporting? and even if people (elders too) are slacking in accepting it, Jehovah will correct it too the way he corrected Peter through Paul.
Surely there are many who have questions, even the Elders?
Of course, people will have questions, but everyone is waiting for the annual meeting video that will be uploaded on Nov 6. and even if people don't accept then as the current CO said to the BOE last week - you either shape in or you ship out.
Thanks, everyone, I appreciate the feedback.
The current religion bears little resemblance to the one I belonged to in my youth (1960s-1970s). I have talked to a number of older JWs who are dismayed by so many of the flip-flops.
I just GOOGLED "Jehovah's Witnesses" this morning and skimmed the first 5 pages of websites and news headlines. Watchtower PR dept is trying to bury the negative stories with arcane PR releases small papers use for filler on slow news days, but regular stories of child rape and other abuse cover-ups still show up on almost every page. It simply boggles my mind how/why so many rank-and-file JWs still attend at all.
I would love to have a peek at the donation figures. Money talks.
drearyweather....your poor delusional mother! She would be correct if God sanctioned the counting of time and that time change to start with...but we know he didn't. I was gullible...I woke up...I hope they all do! but for now, I am both ticked off at them and pity them at the same time.
