I am seeing and hearing many, many long-time JWs openly expressing problems with either the Watchtower Society itself, the publications, changing doctrine, incorrectly living their lives as a result of bad doctrine, the behavior of the BOE and other related things. I will share some of these things in several posts, because there are just too many of them. The complaints that I hear from publishers and pioneers are many. Its best for me to relate them in pieces.
Here's one:
Yesterday afternoon after the meeting, a sister who is in the truth for about 65-70 years was chatting with me. Based on previous conversations that I have had with her, I said. "The Watchtower study that we just had was unusual. They were discussing that we should be lead by our trained conscience. Since when? They have been telling us what to do for years, and that they would tell us anything that we need to know, so don't worry about it." She replied, "I know. That study was so F*n boring. I could hardly stay awake. If we didn't do what they tild us to do, they'd throw us out." This woman is at least 75 years old. I couldn't believe her speech to me. Right in front if the KH. She could care less she is so angry with things.
Here is another one:
I am out in FS recently with a pioneer sister. We are going door-to-door. We have a very good personal relationship. We were just talking about things that came to mind. She mentioned by specific name several of the Elders, how she thinks that they are really unqualified and that through time, people dying, moving away, etc, we (everyone in the region) are left with bodies of Elders who really are unqualified, but appointed for inexplicable reasons. The result is that the meeting parts are not really good, the Sunday talks are blah or terrible, the Ministry School counsel is ridiculous in some cases, etc. Her main problem is that in the congregation and with the BOE specifically, no one cares about the "sheep" anymore. She doesn't feel appreciated for her efforts, or cared for personally anymore. She doesn't like the way things are, and she has started complaining about it.
Where I live, it feels as if many active publishers and others are feeling discontent, to say the least, and can't hold it in any longer. The "Generation" is a biggy. I hear all kinds of complaint about that all the time.
More on this subject in other posts in the future.