With regard JWs becoming a more mainstream religion, haven't they already started that?
I haven't attended a meeting in well over a decade. While I'm shocked at the things they now permit and do, members on this site who attended even 4 or 5 years ago, often state the number of changes even since they last attended. This 'religion' does not resemble the one many of us are accustomed to, although there still remains a few of the old practices remaining (ex: DFing). Even the blood doctrine has drastically changed with the acceptance of blood fractions.
If WT implemented too many changes, too fast, long term JWs might start to raise a stink. Instead, changes are morphed and accepted a little at a time, although to us looking in from the outside, those changes appear pretty rapid.
As so many have awaken but remain attending and submitting time sheets so as to continue acceptance by their family, it would be interesting (and shocking) if all those people stopped and walked away at the same time. What would the attendance and membership then be?
Do you think that would drastically change the attendance and preaching hours that are published in the Awake, or would WT continue to count those not attending as active JWs so as to not highlight concerns and to save face? I think they would likely stop publishing the specific numbers but have COs imply growth in general terms while not indicating where.
In reply to the OP where it was stated they continue to roll on almost unscathed, I guess that depends on where you are located. Would JWs in Russia, France and a few other countries have that same viewpoint?