re changing the blood policy to a "conscience" matter - I agree with Skeeter that is a real possibility. They've already set the stage in the August 2007 Awake about blood when it refered to blood as a "liquid organ" (which is what I would consider blood). So, if organ transplants are a "conscience" matter, it is an easy step to say the blood is as well. Still have a prohibitation on eating blood and use the same reasoning as they use with organ transplants. The only thing I think is holding up this change is the potential litigation from those whose families died refusing blood transfusions. However, that hasn't stopped them in the past.
Doubting Bro
JoinedPosts by Doubting Bro
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28
What do you thing the next big announcement will be about?
by 5go inremoving a another meeting.. doing away with door to door and concentrating on business and phone witnessing ( my guess ).
new light.
new something else..
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28
What do you thing the next big announcement will be about?
by 5go inremoving a another meeting.. doing away with door to door and concentrating on business and phone witnessing ( my guess ).
new light.
new something else..
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Doubting Bro
Good thoughts and I agree with them all. A few more include:
I saw slimboyfat float the idea of a change in the CO arrangement. Either 1) make the circuits larger and cut the CO visit from twice a year to once with a interim visit from a local non-WT employee (I'm thinking like the city overseer or maybe a substitute CO). That interim visit could be just meeting with the elders and observing a meeting as well as taking care of any "situations" that arise. OR 2) eliminate the CO position altogether and have the substitute CO handle the visits with the occassional DO visit or guest Bethel speaker for the assembly.
Replace regular door to door- This is highly ineffective as we all know. You could replace the regular door to door with special quarterly campaigns. These would be tract campaigns. The first quarter would be the Memorial invitation. 2nd quarter - 4th quarter could be front and back one page tracts with bible study invitations. Pioneers would be responsible for handling all RVs and bible studies and the title would no longer be contingent upon putting in a set number of hours. Elders could follow-up to ensure they are making the required RVs and Studies. This change would mean that the formal reporting of time and other stats would be dropped. Benefits for the WTS would include: 1) less Bethel workers needed to process reports, 2) less printing for slips and other FS items (they've already dropped those bible study report slips), 3) drastically reduced need for literature - produce only what the r&f and RVs/studies purchase. Also would allow the dropping of the Awake, 4) huge burden lifted from BOE (pitch this as allowing more time for "sheparding" or what BS they want).
Form a for-profit division that sells literature at the KH. Make the local congo responsible for collecting any applicable sales taxes. This will allow them to build in a set profit margin and provide them incentive to produce new books (and maybe hire some more creative folks to come up with some new stuff).
If they don't make some of these changes, I think tithing is a real possibility. I believe that would completely blow-up in their faces and would be a horrible strategic move.
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Predict How JWs Will Accept The New Announcement
by minimus inwill they be disturbed?.
happy?
thinking this proves the end is nearer than ever??
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Doubting Bro
Someone called me from a SAD to give me the news. They read the letter that sounded very similar to the one posted. Kudos on the scoop!
The reaction this person gave was very happy to have an extra night off. The person said (half joking) that maybe in a couple of years, we'll be down to just the Sunday meeting!! No outward questioning or disappointment in the least. Of course, this is only feedback from one person.
OTWO, I completely agree with you on the District Conventions. The Friday attendance has been low for several years and I would bet they can make just as much money with a large 2 day as opposed to a 3 day. And, they could have them at assembly halls (as they are doing in the NYC area now and with some foreign language districts) so they can make a bigger profit.
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Reasons for change in meetings and book study
by JWRESEARCH inthere were already a few topics and posts about the motifs behind the changes, but i think we can unite them all in just one topic.. for a start i will say thar the letter that is going to be read next weekend, says that gb wants to reduce the burden (quotes acts 15:28), and adds that in many countries the gas (petroleum) is at a very high cost for some families.
then it makes a suggestion to use the same day for study at home with family.. of course that the text of hebrew 10:25 is not quoted!
- if we are more close to the end it should be taken the opposite measure!.
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Doubting Bro
JWR - If your scoop turns out to be true (and at this point I have no reason to believe it won't), you will have instant credibility.
Let me ask you, why do YOU think they're making this change? Lots have opined on the 5 million or so threads your announcement has spawned. I'm interested in your take.
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Emotional Reactions to the Loss of the Book Study
by DT ini think the loss of the book study will hit some like a death of a friend.
it will mark the end of an era.
it will forever change the religion of jehovah's witnesses and i believe the change is completely irreversible.. of course, most witnesses will be delighted by this.
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Doubting Bro
Doubting Bro,
But the people who stayed away from the book study already were at the fringes, already had low morale. They were likely the ones that were "low hour publishers", certainly they were not pioneers, elders, or MS.
That was usually a minority of the congregation though. CBS attendance, while low, is still generally at least 70-80% of publishers.
The ones who did attend, now have their "social hour" removed. The one meeting per week that was more relaxed, is gone forever. No more goody nights, no more CBS groups hosting the visiting Sunday speaker, no more hanging around after the CBS just talking...now all meetings are in the stuffy, formal atmosphere of the Kingdom Hall. Those are the ones who are going to feel deflated.
Sir82 - I hear what you're saying. But, I am willing to bet that attendence even among the "strong" is not what it used to be. I know of several instances where neither the BSO nor his assistant showed up for a CBS and the group just left. While that's an unusual occurrence, it would have never happened 20 years ago (when I was a wee lad!). 70%-80% of the publishers is pretty poor attendence. For example: 100 - publishers 5 - inactive yet may come to an occasional meeting (not included in publisher count) 15 - young children who are not yet publishers Total potential meeting attenders - 120 80% of publishers - 80 CBS attenders Number of missing - 40 Now you're talking about a 66% of potential attendees actually coming. I do agree with you that many will missing the informal atmosphere of the smaller groups. As someone who still trudges to these things, I would much rather have seen the TMS/SM done away with. Maybe I'm just thrilled to have one weeknight back that I can't possibly understand why anyone would be upset!!
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Next big announcement: All Circuirt Overseers Sacked!
by slimboyfat inso what is the ending of the congregation book study really all about?
surely the biggest winner in this new arrangement is the circuit overseer.
now he only has to take two meetings during his visit and will only "work" from thursday to sunday.
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Doubting Bro
Interesting comments. You may be on to something here. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out why the WTS would cut back to 1 midweek meeting. Although the suggestions put forth about lack of conductors (they are so desperate that I, now an ex-elder who is barely visible, have conducted several times over the last few months), and lack of homes (a very real and long standing problems) are legit, I know there's something more to it. Becoming more user-friendly? That doesn't seem to fit into their MO.
What does fit into the MO is saving money. I am convienced that everything the WTS has done in the last 20 years whether its adjusting meetings, adjusting campaign strategies, paperback books, donation arrangement, or eliminating food service at assemblies is all about improving the bottom line. So, while this will be spun as a goodwill gesture - and maybe it is to keep the r&f a little happier - I really think there is a cost savings associated.
Eliminating or reducing the number of COs is a plausible motive. Certainly, this will free up KH space and allow even more congregations to share KHs. Interesting times.
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Emotional Reactions to the Loss of the Book Study
by DT ini think the loss of the book study will hit some like a death of a friend.
it will mark the end of an era.
it will forever change the religion of jehovah's witnesses and i believe the change is completely irreversible.. of course, most witnesses will be delighted by this.
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Doubting Bro
I thought about this for a couple of days and I really don't see how this is going to drive down morale. The CBS (at least in every congo I've been associated with) is the worst attended meeting by far. I seem to recall the last time I saw stats on my current congregations attendence, it was in the 75-80% range of publishers. By contrast, the Sunday meeting was around 110% of publishers (remembering young children who aren't publishers are driving up the percentages).
I honestly think that this news will be met with relief in public and cheers in private. I know that was the reaction to the cutting of the PT to 30 minutes. There was almost applause when that was announced.
The only folks that may not be happy are the hard core old timers. But, the WTS knows that they won't leave, so why worry about them.
All in all, I see this as a move to bring them a little more into the mainstream.
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How the new "generation" study went down in the meeting today
by slimboyfat ini made a big effort to get to the watchtower study today.
i have not been to the meetings much for months, but i figured this was a pretty historic "study" and i wanted to see reactions and how it would go down locally.
well a few things struck me as a bit odd in the study itself, and in the audience response as well.
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Doubting Bro
Our's made a couple of interesting points:
1 - The WT conductor did bring up the "new light" regarding the disgarding of the 1935 cutoff but not in so many words. He said to remember that there are annointed in their 40s & 50s so don't read anything into the change.
2 - He also said that what a shame it was for people to have left the organization over the 1995 change only to have it changed back 13 years later. Yikes. Of course, I probably should have raised my hand and pointed out that this change is NOT reverting to the 1942 & 1947 understanding but rather to the 1927 understanding.
After comment #1, I was thinking maybe he was starting to wake up but comment #2 was brainwashing at its finest.
On a positive note, I had a pretty long conversation with my wife regarding this major doctrinal change. It was an awesome conversation, very calm with lots of give and take. Virtually no cult personality comments except for one about what other religion goes to war. Had nothing to do with the conversation and I reconized the statement as a reaction from the cult personality. I rattled off a list of religions that are pacifists and then redirected the conversation back to the subject at hand.
She noted that they used the word "seems" a few times and it "seems" to her that gives them wiggle room to change later. After going over the history of all the generations understandings she said that she thinks they'll just change it again when it suits them. I asked how holy spirit could be guiding them when they change so much and end up going back to a theory they have already disgarded. I also told her that is why I don't think the WTS is Gods channel of communication because if it was, God doesn't seem to know what He's doing.
All in all, I really appreciate everyone's comments here, all the research and the WTS for putting into print more evidence that they don't have God's backing!
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huge announcement after the Watchtower study on the 27 of April?
by Dogpatch inthere will be a huge announcement after the watchtower study on the 27 of april.. for what it's worth, this was just sent to me anonymously.. randy.
www.freeminds.org.
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Doubting Bro
The new OM (now called OD) book?? Do I win a prize
I agree that if it was something important, it would have been leaked by now.
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Doubting Bro
Leolaia,
Thanks so much for your time & effort. V - thanks for making this a pdf. Printing right now and will review later.