A poll for long time observers

by Skimmer 4 Replies latest jw friends

  • Skimmer
    Skimmer

    Here is a little poll for you. The following is a lit of my predictions for changes for the WTBTS and is presented in no particular order. The idea here is to see if there is some kind of concensus concerning in what order the changes will occur. To respond to the poll, post an article in this topic givng the order from sooner to later of the prediction numbers. If you think that a particular prediction will not be fulfilled, mark it as "never". If you don't want to go through the whole list, just pick five or so predictions that you think most likely to come true.

    The list:

    1. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the 607BC/1914AD doctrine.
    2. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the 1935 date of the "sealing" of the anointed.
    3. Allowing blood transfusions as a "conscience mattter".
    4. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the entire "anointed"/144,000/partaking doctrine.
    5. Allowing non-anointed to serve on the governing body.

    6. Dropping or otherwise radically making more liberal the disfellowship/shunning doctrine.
    7. Allowing some interfaith activities as a "conscience matter".
    8. Starting some real charitable programs.
    9. Eliminating field service reporting.
    10. Provide their own Internet service or browser software so that they can filter information to the rank and file.

    11. Have at least five consecutive years of decreasing worldwide membership counts.
    12. Start their own offical college/university with a serious attempt at accreditation.
    13. Stop the open publication of detailed statisitics.
    14. Hire out surplus printing capacity to other organizations.
    15. Starting their own radio station or network.

    16. Starting their own cable TV program or channel.
    17. Starting their own direct mail advertising/soliciting program.
    18. Starting their own telemarketing advertising/soliciting program.
    19. Publish a successor to the _Proclaimers_ book with a complete history presented in chronological order and told with candor and honesty.

    20. Drop or otherwise radically change the doctrine that all other religions are run by Satan.
    21. Start passing a collection plate at meetings.
    22. Membership drop to half (three million) of the current count.
    23. Make available nearly all literature in electronic format.
    24. Formal supported organization of youth activities (dances, camping trips, sports, etc).
    25. Allow military service as a "conscience matter."

    26. Allow flag salute or standing up for a national anthem as a "conscience matter."
    27. Elimination of nearly all judical activity.
    28. Cooperation with third party "do not call" registries.
    29. Dropping secret files at the congregation level.
    30. Dropping secret files at the branch level.

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

    Here are my answers. However, do not read then until after you have thought about it yourself.

    10 28 15 16 17 18 23 24 2 1 3 4 5 8 9 25 26 21 12 11 13 14 19 22 (by the year 2015).

    Never: 6 7 20 27 29 30

  • professor
    professor

    1. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the 607BC/1914AD doctrine.
    have done several times from "oops we forgot there's no zero year" to most recent new understanding of a generation or "oops all those people are passed away"

    2. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the 1935 date of the "sealing" of the anointed.
    nahh- there's always the earthly hope

    3. Allowing blood transfusions as a "conscience mattter".
    according to what they tell the media or in reality?

    4. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the entire "anointed"/144,000/partaking doctrine.
    nahh- they'll just be a whole lot of wine and unleavened bread passed around that no one will ever eat or drink. Perhaps in the future just a photograph of a glass of wine and a plate of bread could be passed to avoid waste!

    5. Allowing non-anointed to serve on the governing body.
    no but the governing body will probably speak from the spirit world to specially appointed "other sheep".

    6. Dropping or otherwise radically making more liberal the disfellowship/shunning doctrine.
    nahh - you can't run a good cult without this stuff

    7. Allowing some interfaith activities as a "conscience matter".
    No way! Get out of that dirty whore my people!

    8. Starting some real charitable programs.
    What for?

    9. Eliminating field service reporting.
    But then how would we know if we put in enough hours to earn our free gift of salvation?

    10. Provide their own Internet service or browser software so that they can filter information to the rank and file.
    That would only encourage more people to use the evil Internet!

    11. Have at least five consecutive years of decreasing worldwide membership counts.
    Not as long as there are still 60 minutes in each hour for a sucker to be born.

    12. Start their own offical college/university with a serious attempt at accreditation.
    No its better to keep 'em uneducated and stupid.

    13. Stop the open publication of detailed statisitics.
    There'll always be a way to make the stats look good.

    14. Hire out surplus printing capacity to other organizations.
    Maybe they could also print Catholic Digest

    15. Starting their own radio station or network.
    been there done that

    16. Starting their own cable TV program or channel.
    Or streaming video content on their website via Realplayer

    17. Starting their own direct mail advertising/soliciting program.
    its called the Watchtower and Awake!

    18. Starting their own telemarketing advertising/soliciting program.
    * http://detnews.com/1999/religion/9908/05/08050165.htm

    19. Publish a successor to the _Proclaimers_ book with a complete history presented in chronological order and told with candor and honesty.
    Candor and honesty? Don't you remember who we're talking about?

    20. Drop or otherwise radically change the doctrine that all other religions are run by Satan.
    Again: That filthy harlot is going down! Get out!

    21. Start passing a collection plate at meetings.
    Yeah they can switch off with the guys who carry the mikes.

    22. Membership drop to half (three million) of the current count.
    That's still more than 144,000

    23. Make available nearly all literature in electronic format.
    nahh.. we don't want them apostates to be sharing it on that gosh darn Internet.

    24. Formal supported organization of youth activities (dances, camping trips, sports, etc).
    Who do you think we are? The YMCA?

    25. Allow military service as a "conscience matter."
    Only if you shoot members of that disgusting vile prostitute, Babylon the Great!

    26. Allow flag salute or standing up for a national anthem as a "conscience matter."
    If you can forge a voting card, why not? We'll just be secretly sitting down and not saluting in our minds. That'll show 'em!

    27. Elimination of nearly all judical activity.
    Who would keep a stranglehold on the flock then?

    28. Cooperation with third party "do not call" registries.
    That's part of man's law that ours supercedes!

    29. Dropping secret files at the congregation level.
    How will we be able to remember 10 years from now that brother Johnson had that problem with masturbation?

    30. Dropping secret files at the branch level.
    We'll burn 'em if they are ever subpoenaed!

  • MacHislopp
    MacHislopp

    Hello Skimmer,

    you have raised many interesting and thought
    provoking point with your post. I just want to tell you that
    I share th opinion of Professor, in most of his answers and to
    conclude my two key " positions " for the WTS in the near future
    are: (1)
    numbers of " regular " publishers declining;
    (2)
    the moneoney situation, not only the assets but also how many more will be able to KNOW that a "non profit association/society has so
    much money and does almost nothing for the needy ones - forget outside
    the congregations, but even inside them -.

    Agape, J.C. MacHislopp

  • ozziepost
    ozziepost

    G'day Skimmer,

    Never
    =====
    4. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the entire "anointed"/144,000/partaking doctrine.
    6. Dropping or otherwise radically making more liberal the disfellowship/shunning doctrine.
    17. Starting their own direct mail advertising/soliciting program.
    18. Starting their own telemarketing advertising/soliciting program.
    19. Publish a successor to the _Proclaimers_ book with a complete history presented in chronological order and told with candor and honesty.
    20. Drop or otherwise radically change the doctrine that all other religions are run by Satan.
    21. Start passing a collection plate at meetings.
    22. Membership drop to half (three million) of the current count.
    27. Elimination of nearly all judical activity.

    LIKELY IN THE NEAR FUTURE
    =========================
    5. Allowing non-anointed to serve on the governing body.
    11. Have at least five consecutive years of decreasing worldwide membership counts.
    28. Cooperation with third party "do not call" registries.
    29. Dropping secret files at the congregation level.
    30. Dropping secret files at the branch level.

    LIKELY IN THE MEDIUM TERM
    =========================
    1. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the 607BC/1914AD doctrine.
    2. Dropping or otherwise radically changing the 1935 date of the "sealing" of the anointed.
    3. Allowing blood transfusions as a "conscience mattter".
    7. Allowing some interfaith activities as a "conscience matter".
    8. Starting some real charitable programs.
    9. Eliminating field service reporting.
    10. Provide their own Internet service or browser software so that they can filter information to the rank and file.
    12. Start their own offical college/university with a serious attempt at accreditation.
    13. Stop the open publication of detailed statisitics.
    14. Hire out surplus printing capacity to other organizations.
    15. Starting their own radio station or network.
    16. Starting their own cable TV program or channel.
    23. Make available nearly all literature in electronic format.
    24. Formal supported organization of youth activities (dances, camping trips, sports, etc).
    25. Allow military service as a "conscience matter."
    26. Allow flag salute or standing up for a national anthem as a "conscience matter."

    After doing all that, we are left with one question, So what? !
    Seriously, the list is relevant amd from what we have seen and experienced, change ('light getting brighter')is inevitable.

    Cheers,
    Ozzie

    Freedom is not having to wear a tie.

  • professor
    professor

    I had a lot of fun with this. Thanks Skimmer.

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