BALAAMSASS2:
Yes, I believe it is possible that they could join the ranks of other defunct U.S. religions.
But, I believe the tenacious Witness religion will go the televangelist route and see how long that lasts!
new york times 9/5/24.
" there are only two shakers left.
they've still got utopia in their sites.. "by jordan kisner.
BALAAMSASS2:
Yes, I believe it is possible that they could join the ranks of other defunct U.S. religions.
But, I believe the tenacious Witness religion will go the televangelist route and see how long that lasts!
all this political banter is exhausting, so i want to ask a question that has probably been asked before, so here it goes….
let’s try to keep this non-partisan - just give your opinion and why you think that way.. i’ll go first.
i think jws would generally lean to the right, but not by a whole lot.
Even though mentally many JWs would lean to the right, it would not be in their best material interest to vote this way.. That is not the party of handouts.
Too many JWs are dead-beat city, so I expect they would vote democrat.
apparently, the downsizing is still happening and from what i read those let go are over 50!.
sad because these people expected to be lifers.
now they have to make their way in the world at an advanced age with no education or desirable skill!..
BALAAMSASS2:
I tend to agree with your last statement even though some on here will not like it.
I also agree that there is ‘too much fear of man’ in the JW religion. People won’t stand up for their principles or what is right and wrong. They are fearful they will be criticized or be viewed as ‘independent thinkers’ OR God forbid an apostate! ..[ I saw fear of man taken to stupid levels in the congregation when an elder mispronounced a word and some stupid younger brother would repeat his mistake (well not me - I would raise my hand with a comment pronouncing the word correctly).]
I also hate to say this but I had heard that some bethelites made very derogatory remarks about responsible people in the workforce. When 9/11 happened and it was learned some JWs died - it was rumored that some bethelite/bethelites said “that’s what they get for not being out in the ministry” or words to that effect.. So, am I supposed to feel sorry for people that have a mentality like this?? Well, I don’t.. Not to mention, whose contributions did these geniuses think was supporting them in bethel??
Thanks for everybody’s great comments and a shout out to Reddit where I saw this.
apparently, the downsizing is still happening and from what i read those let go are over 50!.
sad because these people expected to be lifers.
now they have to make their way in the world at an advanced age with no education or desirable skill!..
BETH SARIM:
I just looked him up and, yes, he’s the one who got billed for lunch.
I watched three short videos of his ‘laying off’ from bethel. How INTERESTING that when he was talking to an elder about what happened to him - he was instructed to keep it quiet and not tell anybody! (What goes on at bethel stays in bethel.) Meanwhile there were young brothers who wanted to ask him all about bethel.
The religion apparently doesn’t want people to know there are layoffs or any unpleasantness going on and if you are unhappy about how you were treated.
This was nine years ago and I hope he’s doing okay now.
When I was in the JW religion I got the sense all was not well at bethel. When someone came back from there they were tight-lipped and didn’t say much and you couldn’t get anything out of them. That was a red flag to me, not that I ever would have wanted to go to bethel.
apparently, the downsizing is still happening and from what i read those let go are over 50!.
sad because these people expected to be lifers.
now they have to make their way in the world at an advanced age with no education or desirable skill!..
BETH SARIM:
I don’t remember the name of the guy but it seemed he had an upbeat attitude and probably would do well. I guess being a young guy he should consider himself lucky.
Don't know if I remember why he was dismissed(?)
Yeah, the story about him getting a bill for his last lunch in bethel seemed over the top petty. So, I can believe nobody even gave him $20 not that that would get you very far.
Anybody still remaining there now has to be prepared.
apparently, the downsizing is still happening and from what i read those let go are over 50!.
sad because these people expected to be lifers.
now they have to make their way in the world at an advanced age with no education or desirable skill!..
FEDUP JW:
I can see how the first batch of bethelites who were let-go some years back were taken by surprise.
But, I imagine this should have served as a warning to every other bethelite still there of all ages.. I forget how many layoffs bethel has had so far.
It should also have been noted how these dismissals were done:.. a letter slipped under the door initially; was there any severance pay?🤣 I don’t think so; was there money for a train or bus? Not sure but I doubt it unless someone knows better... I even saw a You Tube of some young brother who was dismissed and who got a bill for the last lunch he had in the cafeteria! You can’t make this stuff up.
Anybody still there should have had a list of numbers and people to contact and also stashed away money for a cab/commutation ticket when the fateful day came so they at least walk out dignified instead of feeling sucker punched.
Of course, this does not solve the other big problems about making a living, etc.
How this all drastically differs from the ‘worldly’ secular job that I was used to where people get severance pay and other things!
apparently, the downsizing is still happening and from what i read those let go are over 50!.
sad because these people expected to be lifers.
now they have to make their way in the world at an advanced age with no education or desirable skill!..
BETH SARIM:
Yes, that’s it, Dan & Angela!
In your post above that you are correct that the ‘Borg’ has created the present bad situation with the older bethelites that they have let go! First, they enticed them in when young (make it their career there), then they kick them out because Armageddon has not come and (surprise) these bethelites have gotten old!
It is the religion who is responsible for these people - not anybody else. They housed them and employed them. Never mind what anybody says. And it makes me angry that more ex-bethelites don’t do anything about it and suffer in silence. I certainly would not be suffering in silence!
If all the ex-bethelites are worried about is what the ‘friends’ in the congregation think about them - it’s hopeless.
apparently, the downsizing is still happening and from what i read those let go are over 50!.
sad because these people expected to be lifers.
now they have to make their way in the world at an advanced age with no education or desirable skill!..
VIDIOT:
“Controlled Demolition” might very well be what is happening there. The end goal being them being totally online - eventually. Meanwhile, they still need people there for the time being. But, they are being very callous in their letting the older ones go!
I am in agreement with the YouTuber “Life After Religion” who feels this is the direction the JW religion is going.
apparently, the downsizing is still happening and from what i read those let go are over 50!.
sad because these people expected to be lifers.
now they have to make their way in the world at an advanced age with no education or desirable skill!..
THOMAS MORE:
Thanks. Even though you did not mean it, they most certainly DO and will expect handouts from the rank & file…Maybe brothers feel more pity for these kicked out bethelites (as you have described you have tried to ‘soften the landing’ of those let go).
You certainly did not have MY experience in the Witness religion - and maybe not sympathetic to what I went through as a working person.
From how I have described myself (treated like garbage in the congregation, and whose life would have been absolutely ruined if I had listened to the JW religion).. Do you really think that I would throw money at these people - many of whom scorned me for working??? You’ve got to be kidding.
I will bet that many JWs don’t care what I went through and just want somebody ELSE to also contribute… Again, this is another reason why I am Glad to not be in the religion anymore.. You would be hit up for money every step of the way, like an ATM machine.
Also, this is not 30 years ago in the congregations where you would get somebody a bag of groceries until they ‘got on their feet’. NO, with few exceptions these people are NOT getting on their feet again and will be literally expecting handouts until they die. That IS what is going on here!!!
Again, I would not presume to tell other people what they should do. I just know what I will not do.
perhaps we could post the pictures the wt have presented in their literature that depict their version of paradise here for comment/discussion:.
from: spirits of the dead—can they help you or harm you?
do they really exist?.
BIAHI:
Thanks. You develop a thick skin when you are on a public forum because there are all types and some will not like what someone says.
Doesn’t mean it’s wrong or untrue. They just don’t like it or can’t accept it.