Are strict religions more succeseful?

by Gollum 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Sunspot
    Sunspot

    You're right on target once again Gary! I love your posts!

    Annie........from the GaryBuss fan club...

  • DanTheMan
    DanTheMan
    I just don't think the dubs are offering enough in trade to many of their members.

    Yeah, the death of Fred Franz and the Generations New Light was the one-two punch in the mid 1990's that IMO ended Watchtowerism's run as an enthusiastic mass movement. Now it's all stick and no carrot. Who wants that? The Evangelicals and Pentecostals are selling the rapture hard, and getting the converts JW's used to get.

  • Evanescence
    Evanescence
    Didn't read article but the first thing that comes to mind is are they followers because of love or fear?

    I know that catholics are followers because of love, the priests are always saying to not be afraid etc...

    One of the catholic schools have as their saying "Be not afraid"

    A nun told my friend "When judgement comes don't be afraid remain faithful and loving"

    So as far as i'm concerned the catholics try to discourage fear

    What does the Jehovah's witness organisation do?

    Evanescence

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    Good article. I have been thinking along these lines for years, while slowly drifting from the JW version of "truth" to an increasingly personal and, logically, lonesome path.

    Nuances, questions, doubts, awareness of the history of thought and language, highlighting ambiguities and aporias, multiple interpretations, in one word relativism (as pointed out by Ratzinger), do scare most religious people, appealing instead to those who actually don't need religion (and helping them realise they don't need it): both way it results in dropping attendance and support.

    Unfortunately the rituals which could have maintained religions socially while allowing for some theological fluidity were the first victims of relativism, at least in the Western world. The "successful churches" here are mostly of the high-dogmatism and low-ritualism kind (JWs among other Protestant sects) -- which also suggests their success might not last.

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