THE WATCHTOWER HOW LONG DO YOU GIVE IT ???????????? (page 7)

Tim Horton

I think the society will be around for a long time. I'm not quite sure why. It's just a feeling that I have. I know that like Simon had said, there are those who need it as a crutch. Like my mom due to her Muscular Dystrophy. Other people need it for either physical or emotional reasons, until they grow and find that, hey this religion isn't what I really need in life. They realize what they need and can fill in the blanks. People depend on so many other things, like, religion, people, circumstances, situations, in life when really they should be depending on themselves for the answers. You yourself are the only one that will get you through thick or thin. Please don't forget it. It's a very hard learning curve, but a good and important one. (((((hugs)))))) Panther

kgfreeperson

Does anyone know the affect the internet has had on Scientology's recruiting efforts and their ability to hold on to their members? (I cannot imagine that if people can believe Scientology that the Watchtower is in any great danger of losing all its followers or of being able to recruit new followers.)

blondie

The Catholic Church has been around for at least 1700 years; having survived the pagan hordes, the dark ages, the Protestant revolution, and inroads by philosphy and evolution. It just adapted.

Religions adapt; the WTS has changed almost 180 degrees since the time of Russell.

Even David Koresh's group continues, Jim Jones' followers still exist, and Heaven's Gate followers are still out there.

Why not the WTS?

Blondie

jgnat

I do think it possible, Blondie, that the WTS would end up being a shadow of its' former influence. Just as the Soviet Union was quickly carved away by special interest groups. Imagine a dozen "David Koresh"'s trotting off to create their own spinoff, coaxing as many followers away as they can. I think we are witnessing the birth of one of these splinter groups right now, www.e-watchman.com .

heart2heart

This is a very interesting topic, with many great responses. I have to agree with those who have said they feel it will remain for a long time because there will always be people who want to buy what they are selling - it is what they are looking for. However, at the same time, I also agree that the WTS will probably undergo some major changes in order to stay alive. We know that JWs don't take big changes well, and that many will probably leave because their expectations have been let down. Also, with the information available in books and on the internet, it is highly likely that many more will leave once they find out "the truth about the truth" - unless the WTS can come up with an effective way to prevent people from looking at sites like this one (they try so hard at every convention and assembly, through the mags and from the platform, but it's not likely to stop everyone). There are those, maybe the older ones who have been in forever, and those who really rely on the WTS or who are happy being JWs that will likely not leave, who will refuse any reasonable evidence against the WTS. The GB has some serious thinking to do if they are going to stay around for a while. People will get tired of waiting, tired of putting everything off in anticipation of the end. With costs rising, people need better education to get jobs that pay enough to cover their needs. More and more people in the developed nations have access to information they never dreamed of. That is going to cause a major setback for the WTS. With all the news coverage of the blood issue, child abuse, etc., I could see more bans on JWs.... but the diehards will just see this as persecution, as proof that they are right and we are wrong. I think in this way, the WTS will keep control over everything. They will twist anything they can to make it fit their ideas of what is going to happen in fulfillment of prophecy. Maybe one day the WTS will completely dissolve, but I think it will be around for a long time to come, even if in a completely different form, even if it shrinks to barely nothing. There will always be a scripture they can use to "support" their doctrines, to show the masses that they have the truth, and unfortunetly there will always be people who believe it.

2

Wallflower

For all you WT doom and gloom merchants, please think on this. The WBTS is a corporate entity with it's own goals and aspirations. It will do all it can to survive in whatever circumstances it finds itself. It is a flexible and manipulative creature who uses the promise of eternal life on a paradise Earth to lure unsuspecting, weak and selfish advocates into it's snare. It will adapt and use it's enviroment to fund future fears and issues to ensure it's own survival. It is utterly ruthless, the salvation of the organization comes before religious truth, spiritual morality and individual rights. The WT will cover it's tail by lying about it's past, twisting the present and polluting the future. We have seen all this. Being able to adapt to changes in current thinking and trends it will continue to be a minor cult with little influence, except over it's members, which is what it wants, so I see no end to it's machinations.

BTW I found a 15 March 2122 copy of the Watchtower in an inventors waiting room the other day :

Russel is spinning in his pyramidical grave with what this rag is printing today.

metatron

Your logic is sound, Blondie. Religion's survival is not to be measured by ordinary rationality. Otherwise, the Catholic

church would long be gone in preaching that Jesus appears in crackers served by priests.

That said, the Watchtower has several obstacles to its survival. Biggest among these is what one elder admitted to me.

"This organization has no infrastructure!". They have no hospitals, no college, no formal charities to speak of, no school

of theology, no day care, no weekend basketball, ..............

As such, they must depend - like parasites- on the world around them to provide the services they are unwilling to produce.

What little 'services' they offer are being reduced - free literature, dumbed down meetings, no food service, no subscriptions

and so on. Even older Witnesses are getting tired of this climate of magazine peddling demands - while withdrawing

organizational support.

Are they cold hearted enough to downsize themselves out of existence? I hope so!

metatron

formerout

We all know about how when the JW's are banned they look at is as even greater proof that they are the chosen ones and are spurned on to preach even more and attract even more psychologically messed up people into their ranks.

So as much as I have hoped that if they lost their "official religion" status and tax breaks etc., it would put a damper on them, it may have the opposite effect, should it ever happen.

But what about a lot of the other SLOW changes that are coming about? In my case, the Judge ordered that my children are no longer allowed to attend the JW meetings. I know of other cases where Judges seem to be realizing that a NON-JW parent almost automatically looks out for the kids' best interests and grants them custody.

I admit that it may just be wishful thinking on my part because I truly believe that it would be best for humankind if JW's, Mormons, Scientologists (as religions, not individual people) , etc. were wiped away from society, but do you think these threats of losing children and other rights and joys with it will persuade a great number to leave and also prevent others from joining, since some of these cases are getting a fair amount of exposure?

Brad

seattleniceguy

Very interesting thread so far.

I think young people will drive the fate of the Society. With more and more access to real information and education, young people will demand that the Society change, or they will leave. Both of these outcomes are positive. I think ezekial3's schism scenario has some potential, too. A schism would be great because I think a lot of young people would be released in the process, neutrons from a splitting uranium atom. (Forgive dorky joke.)

SNG

Euphemism

I would call the WTBTS 'uranium' only in the sense that it's like something that comes out of Uranus...

(Okay, I really need to beg forgiveness for that one.)

THE WATCHTOWER HOW LONG DO YOU GIVE IT ????????????

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