These are all excellent points. Real experiences are so much clearer than just theories.
This whole period of adjustment is the very reason why they are not assigning these guys right into circuit or district work. wts needs to be sure that they stay true outside of the constant wt control. the few who past this new loyalty test will certainly be rewarded, but not too soon.
keep in mind that a frustrated bethelite can bring down quite a few, but a guy with real authority like a co or do on the loose, can cause severe damage.
Amnesty Vendor
JoinedPosts by Amnesty Vendor
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Cognitive Dissonance and WT downsizing
by Lady Lee inthere is a discussion on the board new jwd members on the horizon!
that suggests many of those who were pushed out of wt headquarters will leave the wts and some may find their way here.. i hope that is what happens.. but i have a sinking feeling that the opposite might happen.
in leon festinger's book when prophesy fails he states:.
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Amnesty Vendor
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New JWD members on the Horizon!
by Sign oTimes insoon (if they haven't already) local congregations of jws will welcome newly disillusioned former members of the bethel family.
the most potentially dangerous have been paid off already (but what do you mean?
weren't we all given severances equally proportionate to our years of devoted service?
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Amnesty Vendor
Welcome Sign!
u_b: I agree that the wts has taken as many precautionary steps as possible, but keep in mind these recent changes are reactionary measures to mounting legal pressures.
Their hand has been forced. Disgruntled volunteer workers is the lesser evil when compared to the heavy fines of the EEOC and US Department of Labor. -
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New JWD members on the Horizon!
by Sign oTimes insoon (if they haven't already) local congregations of jws will welcome newly disillusioned former members of the bethel family.
the most potentially dangerous have been paid off already (but what do you mean?
weren't we all given severances equally proportionate to our years of devoted service?
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Amnesty Vendor
Welcome Sign! u_b: I agree that the wts has taken as many precautionary steps as possible, but keep in mind these recent changes are reactionary measures to mounting legal pressures. Their hand has been forced. Disgruntled volunteer workers is the lesser evil to the heavy fines of the EEOC.
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Bethel Downsizing - Management Discussions
by core in.
the spin on downsizing is apparently "go out into the field" yet when the gb initially considered this it must have been presented as a practical problem - too much surplus hr capacity/ too expensive to maintain - or whatever and yet they turned it into a positive matter by stressing the return to the field - all those in such discussions are clearly able to deceive themselves as much as they try and deceive the "flock" - what do you think - did a discussion on a practical problem have to have a positive outcome and how did they twist their minds so as to sell it as such - for years they begged people to stay in bethel service (make it your home for life) and now they cast them out into the world with the thin veneer of "speedin g up the preaching work .. etc".
all those at the top must have been involved in turning this huge embarrasment (jehovah will provide etc) into a positive spin - they should try out for a marketing award "downsizing - the only way to grow!
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Amnesty Vendor
I am not able to give out too many details without revealing my source(es).
However, the reason(s) for "downsizing" is directly related to recent court cases involving questions of 'employees vs volunteers'. Every business owner & congressman knows the delicate path to tread on these issues. Just imagine if you could have a "volunteer" come to your house everyday and perform any function that you assign. Since they volunteered you are not liable for unemployment insurance, minimum wages, taxes, etc.
WT has for years tried to dodge these issues. One step was by getting bethelites to sign a vow of poverty. In time, even this would not protect them from litigation. How loving it was for god to shine his new light on the legal team to guide the governing body toward such a compassionate decision.
Basically, if your bethel work is NOT clearly related to missionary work (or aligned with the wt non-profit corporate charter), you must be reassigned.
In time more of these facts will be revealed. -
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Jehovahs (Hidden) Message Revealed (Why no TV ministry?) Terry Walstrom
by Dogpatch injehovahs (hidden) message revealed
by terry
walstrom
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Amnesty Vendor
Randy et al.:
Although I appreciate the ideas presented here, I have wondered about this for sometime myself. Who benefits from this money trail?
Having spent several years at bethel myself and knowing many in other branches, all of the jw top brass live pretty meagerly. It's true that there are benefits to being in the upper crust, but in general all the VPs, GBs, don't live too far above the rest.
To this point, is the fact that when Ray Franz left, he had nothing to fall back on. No golden parachute either in or outside bethel.
I think that maybe the corporation takes on a life entirely its own. Maybe the corporation is the monster & all individuals are expendable.
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Heading to Maui for vacation
by Champion inthis will be our first trip to hawaii and we are flying from the northeast usa.
we will be staying about 8 days only on maui.
if anyone has any suggestions or info about resturants, places, or just fun stuff, i would love the input.
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Amnesty Vendor
Why the heck are you going 'To Maui'?
If I were you, I would leave ToDay!
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Ok, so I'm going to my first church service this Sunday.......
by WingCommander ini thought it appropriate that my 100th post be about the attending of my first "worldly" church service this sunday.
it is at a friends methodist church.
they are having an open house, so i thought it the best day to go.
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Amnesty Vendor
Are JWs the only religion to punish you for just attending another service or reading other religious literature?
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When i was a JW
by KW13 ini remember i was in high school and i really wanted to get on the theocratic ministry school.
i was making progress, started getting responsibilities like the microphones, helped do little jobs e.t.c and slowly i was being brought into the center of the congregation.. i went for my "interview" to get on the theocratic ministry school and...... they knocked me back.
told me 'someone' had told them i was swearing and even if it wasn't true they wanted me to spend more time upbuilding my faith.
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Amnesty Vendor
Isn't amazing how little (absolutely nothing!) all of that means in the real world?
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Do you think the real reason why Elders don't make shepherding visits is...
by XJW4EVR inthat they can't count the hours?
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Amnesty Vendor
You guys are making such good points!
Just imagine how pitiful our lame 'elder schools' were.
We sit reviewing the most obvious material from the society.
It's a sad, vicious cycle.
Eventually, those few sincere elders get frustrated, quit and are replaced by incompetent glory seekers & everyone suffers even more! -
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Do you think the real reason why Elders don't make shepherding visits is...
by XJW4EVR inthat they can't count the hours?
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Amnesty Vendor
Come on have a heart folks!
Although there are many, not all elders are jerks. When I served as one, it was not an easy job, if you tried to do it right. I'd come in from work, catch hell from my theocratic wife, work on talks, have to go out in service, study for my own meetings, go to an infinite number of useless, unproductive elder meetings, take private calls from lost sheep, pick up the slack for the lazy, jerk elders, catch more hell from my theocratic wife complaining about all the other stuff I'm doing instead of focusing on her, ... you get the picture!
No wonder I left all these wonderful blessings behind!