An interesting comment given by an older brother during the prayer yesterday.

by My Name is of No Consequence 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  My Name is of No Consequence

  I have been a regular visitor to this site for several years now. I never really felt the need to set up an account and post…until now.

  At the close of yesterday’s meeting, an older brother gave the prayer. During the prayer, he mentioned that some of the older friends are having a difficult time with computers. He said that “computers just don’t compute” sometimes with the older friends and asked Jehovah for help because computers are an invaluable tool in helping others to learn the “truth”. I chuckled a bit as did several others, but it was not funny. As I drove home, I could not stop thinking about what he said during the closing prayer.

  It is sad that this older brother is having a tough time making the transition, and probably feels that he must to stay relevant. I am sure that he is not the only one that feels this way. This religion has changed so much just in the last 5 years that many of the older friends are feeling that Jehovah’s chariot is passing them by as they watch helplessly.

  I can only imagine how frustrating it is for people who several years ago did not feel the need for such “gizmos and gadgets”. Now it seems that all of the friends are pressured into buying tablets and downloading info off of the website. There are more and more people in this religion that are dismayed, bewildered and disappointed at what it has become.

  Very sad indeed.
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  JeffT

  When I got out of college for the second time in the early eighties (as an accountant), desktop computers were just coming into widespread use in small businesses.  Because I was just out of school I had received some good training in using the computers.  I worked with a lot of old-school green eye shade type accountants who had a really hard time adjusting to the new technology.  Some of them took night classes and tried to keep up, a few decided they were washed up and went into a different line of work.  For those not used to them, it can be a very hard transition.

  I can only imagine how frustrating it is for people who several years ago did not feel the need for such “gizmos and gadgets”.

  It's worse than that.  A few years ago the WTBS was telling them they should not learn this technology, that it was unneeded, a waste of time, and would lead to apostasy and porn addiction.  Now they're being told to use it in field service and they don't know how, nobody is teaching them and I'm sure they feel like the older accountants I knew, washed up.  Another tragic example of the Watchtower screwing up people's lives.  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
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  galaxie

  Hi and welcome...yes indeed the manipulation and compliant vulnerability of the JWs is quite staggering. 

  If they were told by the hierarchy that the internet was still taboo, he would be praying for protection from it....how gullible!!

  Best wishes .
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  Londo111

  My Name is of No Consequence: Welcome!

  
  

  In the late 90's, I pushed to get a personal computer in the Kingdom Hall and many were quiet resistant. It languished in a backroom unused. 

  After many years of stalled technological progress, the rebranding into JW.ORG has accelerated changes faster than any time in my lifetime. What will be interesting is hearing about the new Kingdom Hall designs that will be unveiled to all elders in the US branch tomorrow. 
  
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  Finkelstein

  The underlining reason for this push to Digital technology involves money.

  The WTS. money crunchers have concluded that if they can send the Watchtower and Awake magazines online they would save a huge amount on printing costs. This partially is the reason why the organization has sold off many of its branches abroad. Its so much more cost effective to create an full magazine in digital format and post it up for ones to download it on their own. That's why you see so many people carry Tablets to Kingdom Halls these days .   

  They still print out the magazines though so why do the elderly who aren't so Tech savvy have to learn how to operate a Tablet ?  ...... and these things cost money to purchase as well ????  
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  Giordano

  Welcome!

  One one side most JW's seem exited to be online like it's a gift from Jah. Of course when some of these older ones do get online and by mistake land on an ExJW web site....then what? Most will probably close their eyes or look away as the try to get off of Satan's web site. 

  But they may be drawn back for a peek.

  We will just have to be a little more patient and kind if they come here to visit.
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  sir82

  It continues to puzzle me, how the WTS seems hell-bent on alienating all the old-timers with their sudden and strident emphasis on new technology.

  80+ % of the kids leave, never to return, and now they are marginalizing the old-timers who they are counting on to leave them their estates when they shuffle off this mortal coil. And all this after marginalizing thousands of middle-aged Bethelites, sending them unceremoniously out "to the field".

  If they're not careful they'll soon run out of people to screw over.
  
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  StarTrekAngel

  We have an elder in our cong that is not letting technology stop him... that is, by means of stumping down on any attempt to remark its usefulness. His first mandate, after returning from the 2014 assembly was that, despite GB member Jackson using a tablet, no one should read the bible from a tablet. The books, yes, bible no. This brother has a history, at least with me, of always taking any progress that humans have made, and shine it on negative light. He too probably feels too old for this and can't find a way to keep up.
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  Finkelstein

  I can see the eventual occurrence of big screen monitors in Kingdom Halls patched into the JWorg. web site, perhaps there are some already who have this installed.

  BIG BROTHER is coming to every Kingdom Hall and he's going to be instructing the members and watching you ! 
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  joe134cd

  Yes I remember a time when the internet was literally a tool of Satan,  full of apostates wanting to entrap the R&F. I even remember a recent assembly part  with the theme " occupying our time with unnessary gadgets" (or something to that effect) where it was mentioned that these gadgets were occupying our time that could be used in serving Jehovah.  I even remember been given council when I gave a bible reading from a print out of the Nwt.  My what a reversal.  The thing that I find rather thoughtless is the burden that is now been placed on the  R&F to now have to pony up to buy these gadgets. For a family of 5 even for the cheapest tablets you are looking at a couple hundred bucks.