What changes would JW.org need to make to become a normal Christian denomination.

UnshackleTheChains

I am interested in getting people's thoughts on this. On average 40 thousand people leave the organisation yearly for one reason or another. The experiences all over the media are proof of this. So obviously something is seriously wrong.

Like scientologists and the moonies, Jehovahs Witness, appear to be stigmatized as a 'cult' by Joe Public

The religion of Jehovahs Witnesses is clearly anything but normal. So in your opinion, what would the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society/JW.org need to change

A/ to become a normal Christian faith group in which its members are a happy AND proud to be JW's

B/ to stop the haemorrhaging of its members.

C/ to rid themselves of being stigmatized a cult by Joe public and thus more appealing as a Christian organisation.

Anony Mous

The changes are simple, just like the Mormons, the Scientologists etc. if they don't want to be a cult they need to stop being controlling, stop the bad treatment of ex-members and allow people to come and go as they wish. Something about Tarkin and the galaxies in his hand.

btlc

Too late, you can't put toothpaste back in the tube. But, I would insist on:

- admiting and apologizing for the misleads and errors both the past and the current
- putting "the organization" on the right place (just an administration tool, not a golden calf)
- respecting people's rights (no shunning, no restrictions in medical choice, no restriction in educational and proffesional choice)

and i would welcome any of the following:

- rearrange meetings to be really educational, not a brainwash seanse
- promote researches, education, free minds
- spend some of that 1 billion $ to help further education of talented JW kids worldwide (better investion than building babylon in warwick)
- stop publishing crap, better publish 1 publication per year, but with longer lifetime (recent publications didn't last more than a few years)
-many little things we'll never see

scratchme1010

Interesting. If they want to become a mainstream religion, in my humble opinion, I'd say:

A/ to become a normal Christian faith group in which its members are a happy AND proud to be JW's

Stop the practice of shunning. Stop brainwashing their members to believe that not being part of their loved one's lives is a good thing.

B/ to stop the haemorrhaging of its members.

Same way than in the first one, but growing the same way that other religions do, not by exploiting people and make them work for them for free.

Or there's the option of becoming a non-growing, yet, solid religious organization out of being a supportive, loving caring organization, not being there for the money as they are now.

Also, become professionals. If they want to have people make important life decisions, at least have a clue by having professional counselors, early child education people, mental health professional. That means that they have to completely change their "magic Jehovah" attitude that service or their Bible translation is the answer to everything.

There's a lot more they could do, but that's a good start.

C/ to rid themselves of being stigmatized a cult by Joe public and thus more appealing as a Christian organisation.

They are not being stigmatized as a cult. They are a cult. So this one is simple, just stop being a cult, and show it.

UnshackleTheChains

They are not being stigmatized as a cult. They are a cult. So this one is simple, just stop being a cult, and show it.

It's interesting that you say this scratchme101

The very first time I saw Jehovahs Witnesses was when I was about 15 years old and with friends on our housing estate. We heard some commotion and saw an elderly couple at the door of someone we were aquatinted with. Another older man who looked like a grandparent was physically pushing the older man away from the door.

That's what drew our attention. I asked one of my friends who they were. He said something along the lines ' they are jehovahs'. I Immediately remember thinking they must be some sort of cult.

I think for the organisation to end people's view of them as being a cult, they would really need to make some radical changes. Some have already been mentioned, but I think the top ones are

That the GB accept constructive criticism

Review their endless rules

Stop promoting the shunning of family members.

Allow individuals the right to their own conscience when it comes to the blood issue, birthdays, holidays

Allow people to end their membership with the organisation without the fear of being shunned by family and friends. Allow people to come and go.

Welcome sinners back who have repented like the father did in the story of the prodigal son. Not wait 6 months or a year etc before Congregation members can actually speak to them!!

Allow men to wear beards.

Stop the suits and skirts only rule

Allow individuals the right to choose if they want to attend college or university

Make the meetings more interesting

Stop pushing Jesus aside and referring to him simply as the ransom; but rather remind everyone that Jesus IS our Messiah, Our reigning King. This needs to be promoted at every meeting. He is our Lord and saviour.

Stop being intrusive, restrictive and controling.

These are just some of the changes watchtower would need to make to normalise the religion as a Christian faith group imho

honest

They need to stop the shunning practices. Allow people to resign or leave or be disfellowshipped without the loss of family.

Chook

Allow members to freely visit other church's, no DFing, no guilt trips, blood, normal church hangs a cross, the list would include hundreds of JW bylaws.

OnTheWayOut

Hey, don't forget to end Hospital Liason Committees and tell members that Watchtower is not a medical organization so it should not have any say so in any blood issues.

It's really too late. Even if they did all the things we ask, there would be so much winking from the platform when they say stuff like birthdays are your business, college is your decision.

Spiral

All of the above. Plus (if not mentioned) a total stop to the preaching work. And, instead of the meetings as they are, offer youth activities, senior activities, events, helping at soup kitchens, etc. Stuff that really matters to people. AND - quit talking about the destruction of the world, and stop the bunker videos.

There would be nothing left that any of us would recognize.

Ding

They don't want to become a normal Christian denomination.

That would mean admitting that the claims they have been making throughout their history have been a delusion.

What changes would JW.org need to make to become a normal Christian denomination.

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