The message has changed . . . or am I wrong again?

by garybuss 46 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  avishai

  When I was a kid I stood on dirty street corners and tried to deliver magazines to strangers. I was told the strangers who accepted the literature in my bag were sheep and the ones who did not accept the literature were goats. The reason I was on the corner was to vindicate Jehovah's name and to warn people they had to join our Society in order to have a chance to be saved at the imminent Armageddon.
  
  What happened to all that?
  

  Hmmm, lemme see, Dateline, Child molesting scandals in the paper, UN scandal, parking lot scandal, the internet, etc. They're pulling the wahabi thing, or amish. Technology BAD!!! FDS GOOD!!!!

  They need to cover their asses because before, you actually had to LOOK for apostate literature, nobody else gave a shit. Now, though, it comes right in thru your TV or computer!!! Ain't life grand!!!
• 

  Brownboy

  What are you basing you findings on Gary? Assemblies, literature, all of the above..........?

  BB
• 

  avishai

  What are you basing you findings on Gary? Assemblies, literature, all of the above..........?

  Gee, Brownboy, probably!!! He has the right to make conjecture, just like you. And it's probably quite a bit more accurate than the pseudo prophetic "911" drivel that you peddle around here!!! what are ya, CT russel?
• 

  heathen

  Garybus they aren't even calling the UN the beast or the catholics whores anymore .
• 

  Country Girl

  In my estimation, and I've had both, goats are far more intelligent than sheep. Sheep will fall off the cliff following other sheep, but goats will just stand at the edge of it and look at you like you're crazy. Then they'll eat your rose bushes, fruit trees, and garden, and then you'll have to call the newspaper and put them up for sale and watch all your rose bushes, fruit trees and garden vegetables die...

  #($%@#%$*&%@#!!!!!!

  Country Girl
• 

  garybuss

  
  
  Brownboy, Thanks for the question. I read the Watch Tower Publishing Corporation's literature, talk to Witnesses who have attended assemblies as well as weekly meetings, listen to taped talks, and pay attention a little to comments here as one example.
  
  The trend is unmistakably to justification and defense.
  
  Witness literature and preaching used to be directed at people on the outside. Now it is changed. Witness literature and preaching is directed at Witnesses. There is little if any "public" appeal or marketing anymore. That fact may well account for some of the stagnation in the numbers.
  
  In the past the Witness group has grown by sales to non Witness customers followed up by invitations to "public" meetings and social invitations. The initial product was literature describing the "dream". Everything built on expanding the dream. Eventually the dream included being an active member in the local group.
  
  Now the message is missing. The focus is on the current members. The old "dream" of living in a painless new world and petting lions has been replaced by threats of death at Armageddon and rigid control of the current members.
  
  The Witnesses used to grow by attraction. I think the current leaders missed that completely. There were good people and fun times and the messages tended to be either ununderstandable or happy and bubbly. It seems like the company owners identified everything that made being a Witness fun and eliminated it and expanded on everything that was the not fun part about being a Witness.
  
  They are confused. Many of us were not Witnesses because we believed the dogma. Heck, most of us didn't even understand it, let alone agree. We were not Witnesses because we liked long boring meetings or Saturday mornings in service. We were Witnesses because there were fun times and a network of friends.
  
  The fun times and social emphasis was why and how new recruits were made and how we endured the unfun parts. The message was, come join us because it's fun. Now the message is go do it because you "should". Am I wrong?
  
  Country Girl, Love your post:-) Thanks! GaryB
  
  
  
• 

  Blueblades

  Or am I wrong again? Gary, you were never wrong. And you are not wrong this time. It is what it is, the CULT has shown its true colors and we are not color - blind.
• 

  Cicatrix

  "Then they'll eat your rose bushes, fruit trees, and garden, and then you'll have to call the newspaper and put them up for sale and watch all your rose bushes, fruit trees and garden vegetables die... "

  Or they'll pull all of your wet wash off the clothesline and climb all over the hood and roof of your father-in-law's brand new Oldsmobile,lol.

  I agree with you, Country Girl, goats are definitely smarter than sheep
• 

  Sunspot

  There used to be a doll that when you pulled the string, it would say, "the end is right around the corner, the end is right around the corner, the end is right around the corner".

  Very annoying doll.

  I hear there's a new one now, that says, the Watchtower is our conscience, the Watchtower is our conscience, the Watchtower is our conscience."

  Who are they kidding when they say in the literature---"it's a conscience matter" and then proceed to say why any JW shouldn't REALLY DO whatever it is that's being mentioned. (birthdays, voting, etc)

  I think the WTS is our conscience would have to be "right up there" on your list, Gary!

  hugs,

  Annie
• 

  garybuss

  Annie, I love the doll thing.

  Still laughing about the goat deal . . . what a blast!