Doubting Bro

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Posts by Doubting Bro

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  138

  LEAKED: WHQ Accounts: 2016-2020 Budget

  by Fay Dehr in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 1 of 5] https://youtu.be/g08tw2v3b4s.

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 2 of 5] https://youtu.be/rpceb5v0vbe.

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 3 of 5] https://youtu.be/2xa08ukc_6i.

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  Doubting Bro

  Marking for viewing later. This looks interesting.
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  78

  So What Drastic Money Change is Next?

  by OnTheWayOut in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  okay, they cheapened the product by getting rid of hardcover books.

  they reduced printing of mags.

  they drastically reduced the number of pieces of printed paper that members would "place" in people's hands in various ways, the biggest one being that they put them on a cart and don't encourage people to take them.they cut d.o.

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  Doubting Bro

  I would overhaul the entire thing, create special programs for youths and other special interests, fundamentally change service to include community service that inspires members instead of being a dread, change Patterson to be a small private university (get it accredited) similar to what the LDS does with BYU, encourage careers to help members increase their net worth and institute tithing to take advantage of that new found wealth.

  The average JW is apathetic and going through the motions and not donating much. They could shake that up but their end times belief get in the way.
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  78

  So What Drastic Money Change is Next?

  by OnTheWayOut in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  okay, they cheapened the product by getting rid of hardcover books.

  they reduced printing of mags.

  they drastically reduced the number of pieces of printed paper that members would "place" in people's hands in various ways, the biggest one being that they put them on a cart and don't encourage people to take them.they cut d.o.

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  Doubting Bro

  Their "business" model has always been to maximize revenue from publishers. When the borg was growing at a fast clip, their revenues increased year over year. Plus they had converts who were more materially successful than an average born-in. Now that the convert rate has dropped to almost nothing in the 1st world, the growth is coming mostly from births and 3rd world converts with little cash.

  Because they were not very good at business, they over built ignoring the steady drop of new converts which translated to increased revenues. All the cuts were probably necessary just to right size the organization. At some point, the cuts will either stop because they will end up cutting muscle as it were.

  They could do a bunch of things to create a new revenue stream but I think they believe their own BS that Armageddon is coming soon and all they need to do is hang on. They aren't going to dump CA or RCs because they make a ton of cash off of those. I could see them moving the RCs to 2 days and save a little cash that way. Also, change the CO to a part-time local CO position and reestablish the DOs to oversee those folks.

  Definitely, they will come up with some way to charge for the website or create a tithing system. That will at least provide a regular source of revenue. The congregation per publisher "contribution" is already tithing light and I think provides them with a pretty stable revenue stream. What we don't know if really how much money they need. The downsizing along with the congregational monthly contributions + the worldwide cash grab may have been enough to allow them to stabilize. Since they aren't transparent with their finances, we have no way of knowing. Their behavior is amateurish is it's difficult to read too much into it. They simply are bad at business.
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  46

  Season 1 Episode 1 A&E Cults and Extreme Belief (Video)

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  https://www.aetv.com/shows/cults-and-extreme-belief/season-1it will post soon on site..

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  Doubting Bro

  Watched with my wife. She's of the mindset that while JWs are not the only true religion, they are just like any other religion. She's definitely what I would call a social JW. As we watched, we discussed. Both thought the story was real without any over dramatization of what happened to this lady. The program consistently calling JWs a cult bothered her. I explained some of the things groups labeled cults do and the control they exert which is why people put JWs in that category. After going back and forth, I said I prefer the term high control religion which she agreed with.

  The ending was a bit dramatic for me. But, that's because I knew there was no way in hell that anyone at Warwick much less the GB would agree to met with this lady and a camera crew! As they were driving, my wife said the same thing and that they are doing it for effect. I agreed but pointed out that to someone not a JW, it would seem reasonable that a church leader would want to met with someone who was so distressed and offer reassurance that things have changed. I think that point really sunk in.

  At first, I thought the exchange at the gate was fine. The guard was polite and called for someone. We both thought the first part was fine. It's after 40 minutes where the truck was just sitting there and they gave up that was a problem. The "guard" couldn't have handled that much worse. I get that this guys overseers are cowards and should have come out to address the lady and left him hanging in the wind. But, he should have shown some compassion. That part really disturbed my wife.

  What I thought was interesting about my wife's reaction is while she took offense that the report was implying abuse is wide spread, saying that wasn't her experience as a born in, she then proceeded to give me several examples of her friends that were abused. In one case, by an elder who is STILL an elder. She got kinda quite after that.

  Barbara, if you happen to read this, please know that your hard work and sacrifice are not unnoticed.
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  40

  Upcoming Tidal Wave of Media Onslaught targeting Jehovah's Witnesses ahead...

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  at least three media venues have undertaken the daunting task of unpacking the insidious dark side of jehovah's witnesses' organization.1.

  douglas quenqua is a writer based in new york.

  his work has appeared in the new york times, wired, redbook, and cnbc.

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  Doubting Bro

  Remember, this will air tomorrow night (10pm Eastern US time) on the A&E network!!
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  40

  Upcoming Tidal Wave of Media Onslaught targeting Jehovah's Witnesses ahead...

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  at least three media venues have undertaken the daunting task of unpacking the insidious dark side of jehovah's witnesses' organization.1.

  douglas quenqua is a writer based in new york.

  his work has appeared in the new york times, wired, redbook, and cnbc.

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  Doubting Bro

  That's huge. I doubt it wakes up many JWs but certainly puts a damper on the recruitment side.
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  110

  If you're expecting a mass exodus anytime soon, FORGET ABOUT IT!

  by nowwhat? in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have to make a token appearance at the k.h.

  once a month or so and this week went to a different hall.

  and believe me they are all still totally oblivious to all the negative news about the pedophiles and shunning that have come under scrutiny by the media and other governments.

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  Doubting Bro

  slim, it's difficult to have a reasonable discussion when basic word meanings get changed. Your use of collapse is similar to the WTS use of generation. Collapse is sudden. 80 years is not sudden.

  If you want to say the will go into a decline and the numbers will soon stop growing and move negative, then fine. That's just not collapse in any sense of the word.

  It's fine, believe what you want.
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  16

  Cults and extreme belief

  by Butyoucanneverleave in

  1. social
  2. current

  a&e has a new show this season called cults and extreme belief.

  the second episode will air on 5/29 at 9:00 pm and jehovah's witnesses will be featured.

  hopefully they do a good job exposing them for what they really are.

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  Doubting Bro

  Nice, can't wait to check it out!
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  110

  If you're expecting a mass exodus anytime soon, FORGET ABOUT IT!

  by nowwhat? in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have to make a token appearance at the k.h.

  once a month or so and this week went to a different hall.

  and believe me they are all still totally oblivious to all the negative news about the pedophiles and shunning that have come under scrutiny by the media and other governments.

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  Doubting Bro

  Here's the part that I just don't get. I'm clearly in the "Borg's going to be around awhile" side of the debate. Do they have long term apathy issues that will need to be addressed? Yes. Do I think they will address those issues? Not in a meaningful way since their response is always to double down on their pressure. Will they continue to experience slow growth and likely shrink in a significant way in the decades to come? YES. Will JWs be around in some fashion long after I am dead? Yes. Maybe they will shrink to just a handful but all you need is a small hard core set of believers.

  Yet, when I see these debates, I see slim taking multiple sides. Look at this thread. 1 hour slim says

  Actually I think just now is exactly the time to expect a mass exodus. We are at a major turning point.

  Literally, the next hour, he says this

  And I’m curious how Morph will react in the months and years to come as the organisation continues to disintegrate.

  This is what I'm not getting, which is it? Is the org going to have a mass exodus and collapse or simply disintegrate and slowly shrink.
  

  Some of the treads today, slim is clearing stretching things to fit his view. Look we all do that from time to time, but today it seems a little more. Not trying to call you out slim but I face palmed a few times today.

  For the record, one thing we all can agree on is that we would love to see an imminent demise!
  
  
  
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  27

  Weird, weird. Newest internet debate, Laurel or yanny?

  by James Mixon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i heard laurel and the wife heard yanny.

  maybe someone can post the spoken word..

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  Doubting Bro

  I only heard Laurel.