here is my reasoning on this:.
many seem to think - and apparently the society has even stated now in so many words - that they wish to lessen the 'burden' on the brotherhood by elimination of the additional night of meeting attendance.
oh, sure, they threw out some bullshit about the price of gas - we all know that is a load.
I received an e-mail from a fading JW (used to be an Elder). They were having a vist from the CO also at the time. In speaking to him the CO said that the reason for the change in meetings, was that after the child abuse cases they settled. It was found that the WT could be held responsible for anything that happens in a home were a WT authorised meeting is held.
How true this view is we can only guess. You know how JWs are on making excuses and rumour.
there has been much talk about the reasons for the demise of the book study.
the society claim rising gas/petrol prices, which of course is not the real reason.
some here think its down to declining numbers of elders and those who are reaching out.
Should we trust the elders in a spiritual sense? Yes, they are directed by God. Should we trust them with our lives physically? NOO!
Obviously you must be a new or young JW. Those of us who have spent 30 years and more in the WT organisation. KNOW what we were told on how to regard Elders. Its naive to say that you can trust an Elder in a spiritual sense but not physically. If you can't trust them with your physical life how can you trust them with your spiritual life. You had better read up on the WT qualifications for an Elder then. These were men you were supposed to feel SAFE with. That they were NOT like men in "the world" someone you could SAFELY leave your child with.
And the blood issue has nothing whatsoever to do with the elders, its a commandment made by God.
WRONG again! The blood issue is a commandment from MEN, not God. One that has been watered down through the years and will probably be dropped in the future.
sometimes i think we lose all perspective at times on here.
that we are just as prone to over-magnifying any meaning behind relatively minor changes like this in the organisation in the same way jw's are prone to over exaggerate every bit of bad news in the world to mean armageddon is near.. when you sit down in the cold light of day, this change to the bookstudy arrangement for example, is it really that much a big deal?
i strongly doubt it really, despite initial reactions (including my own).
I don't think we are "hyper-sensitive" over changes. Some may exaggerate some of the changes that have occurred, others have just had a mention in passing.
But something like the "Book study" change, makes us take notice. Especially to those of us who had been JWs for many many years. When you have constantly been told that the "provisions" provided by the FDS are constant and unchanging. That just before I left 9 years ago, that you are told that the "Book study groups" are a mainstay of the congregation. That they will be important when the Great Tribulation comes. They will be how brothers/sisters will keep in touch, because the Kingdom Halls will probably be shut down by the nations.
Then you hear that they are doing away with the groups. This is big news to some of us. A major meeting is done away with! It was the centre were the weeks field service was arranged and any other arrangements dealt with. Does the change mean that the Elder of that group is going to have to run around at the KH telling the "group" members were they are meeting? Or wil they find a mean of puuting something up on the notice board for all groups. I can just see brothers/sisters walking out after the meeting not knowing were field service will be held.
But until we actually hear how it will be done we can only guess.
Also I think that many brothers/sisters will miss having others at their home for that evening. I have a feeling that my wife will, even though the numbers have dropped in recent years. It was a time to show what a "good" hospital JW they were.
i know i'm not the only one that has been saying for years that they needed to consolidate the meetings.
i used this to open up an conversation with my elder buddie, before the "big announcement.
" it was funny to see the look on his face when i reminded him of this.
Many ex JWs have been saying how surprised they are about the end of the book study group (well you couldn't call it a Bible study). Many did enjoy it because it was a bit more relaxed. I know sometimes our group could be quite hilarious. It also seemed to be an occasion where brothers/sisters could raise a question on a subject. There were Elders who also put their own "thought" on some teachings not quite what the WT wanted.
Also there was the tea/coffee afterwards.
Can't have brothers/sisters socialising who knows what they may talk about.
They say it is because it was a "burden" on JWs, cost of travel etc. Yet the group was supposed to local enough that it wasn't to far to travel to. Most of my group were all within walking distance. Also I recall them saying that the groups would be the centre to meet at, when the "great tribulation" came.
Is it more of a case of "closing ranks" as more and more people come to know about the WT.
Is it a case of keeping control on what JWs are taught?
Over the past year or so, they have shortened the Public talk to 30 minutes. Made one Watchtower magazine a JW only edition , the Awake is only one edition a month. Now they done away with one meeting. Which will result in shortened School and service meeting sections as they combine the book study with them on that night.
Does it seem that they are trying to hold on to the members they already have?
The WT knows the numbers who are leaving can no longer be put down to "immorality" etc, but is increasingly because of "apostatsy" that is JWs are learning the truth about WT teachings.
Of course many have left because of other issues. Changes in teachings in recent times, "generation" "heavenly class"
Then there is the "UN scandal" which rocked many.
Then of course the paedophile issue, and the policy of "two witnesses" shocked many also. I know of two strong Elders who left because of this.
What will be next? Maybe the end of the Blood doctrine? That would hit many also, the repercussions from that could be great.
Or maybe the end of the preaching work for there have been those saying that Matt 24:14 has been fulfilled. So why continue preaching?
The general feeling seems to be that something is in the air, something is happening to the WT organisation.
the wtbts is trying to decide on a year text for 2009. here are the scriptures they are trying to choose from: ecc.
12:12: "to the making of many books there is no end and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh.
" luke 18:11: "o god i thank you that i am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
"The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another.
Most of the people did not even know why they were there."
Acts 19:32
why don't they admit they are wrong and stop trying to fool people??.
fav book: bible.
fav site: www.thefaithdebate.com.
FAULTS !! WHAT FAULTS ?
i talked to a dub friend of mine who said they had a new "it's a personal choice, but jehovah will kill you if you do it" article about vasectomies.
basically, the reasoning is supposedly that since jehovah gave us our reproductive organs, tampering with them is wrong if not medically necessary.
I had a vasectomy 19 years ago (1989) when I was a Min Servant.
We went for it after an Elder friend of ours had it done.
Also checked with another Elder if is was all right to have done. He said he could not see any problem over it.
Then they changed teaching after I left tothat a man cannot be a Min Sewrvant or Elder if he had a vasectomy.
Yet the Elder who had one is still an Elder.
Anyway all a couple have to do is not let on, the husband has had one.
this seems to be the topic of the week, if not this year.. out of the many points and countless threads about this topic, many have been speculative and of the reminiscing sort.
i was wondering how many confirmations we have about this.
there were only a few that sounded like confirmations that i found posted on this site.
he asked me how did I know about it? This is supposed to be secret. Then he said: "Why I bother keeping it secret, if everybody knows". LOL. He was frustrated. So, yes. He confirmed it. I didn't explained how I learned about it, of course!
I agree with that PO. When the change in not "charging" for literature came about I was Literature Servant and had to keep it to myself until the announcement at the KH. Two days before this a sister says to me "I hear that we are not going to charge for literature anymore" !!
When I mentioned this to the PO he said "There are some Elders who can't keep their mouths shut." Another Elder said that "Bodies of Elders tend to leak like a sieve."
This I know from personal experience after my Judicial Committee appearance. At a Circuit Assembly a couple of weeks later a JW Elder from a congregation 50 miles away from mine. Came up to me to say how sorry he was to hear what had happened, he even metioned things that were only discussed in the JC.
surprizeingly, i am not a jw but an observer and in partial agreement with the jehovah witnesses on many issues.
i have been to many churches in my 30 years and have studied many church beliefs, church history and the bible as well.
so why do i believe the jehovah witnesses are the one true faith of jehovah god?.
Why is it that JWs (like Tralon) always know so little about their own beliefs and history, and that of Christian faith?
dad, .
i doubt youll even read this letter since it comes from your son, a son youve abandoned over your religious views, but i wanted to write you one final letter to see if theres any hope that you can come to your senses as far as this religion goes and we can renew our relationship.
im doing this because i care for you and mom deeply and feel very much distressed that you two refuse to see anyones opinion as being factual other than your own when it concerns the jw religion.
Dawg,
If the letter comes back - send it again - if its returned -send it again.
Keep doing it untill you get your questions answered.
