Like I've said...
...sure, converting to a predominantly online presence is a major cost- and labor-saving (not to mention legal-saving) measure...
...but boy, does it make it easier for the fakers, faders, and fence-sitters to finally fuck off.
i’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks and i’m sort of surprised that no one else has introduced this topic!.
what better time than now for a fader to fade?
no meetings, no field service, no elder visits, no assemblies, no convention, and no other bullshit busy work going on.
Like I've said...
...sure, converting to a predominantly online presence is a major cost- and labor-saving (not to mention legal-saving) measure...
...but boy, does it make it easier for the fakers, faders, and fence-sitters to finally fuck off.
a hunch has just struck me.we get frequent accounts in the literature and videos of people whose dysfunctional lived have been turned around by studying with the jw's and coming to belief in the org (sorry, jehovah).
evangelical type christian groups also use similar testimony stories.here's the hunch:the purpose of these is quite different among jw's compared to other religions.other groups use these testimonies primarily to persuade non-believers.the jw's use them to reinforce the beliefs of those already in the "truth.
"any thoughts?.
The purpose of JW conversion stories are to convince the rank-and-file that proselytization still actually works (despite any stats to the contrary).
ever since i came out of the witnesses, i've become very political.. i've heard lots of arguments back and forth for many things.. in the u.s. there is the argument that it is "racist" to want to deny entry to muslims.
while there is freedom of religion, there is also the very valid concern of maintaining democracy and a justice system that is based on modern values.we as exjw's constantly quote the pew center for statistics on jw's such as: they are last place in the us for members of a religion that go to university, and second-last for poverty levels of members of a religion.
we accept those statistics and mention them as proof of how damaging the jw's are.now, let's use the same center for some very scary statistics on islam:http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/07/22/muslims-and-islam-key-findings-in-the-u-s-and-around-the-world/.
Mainstream Judaism and Christianity have had the age and experience to reach the point where they've accepted and acknowledged that they simply cannot take everything in their scriptures 100% literally.
Islam isn't quite there, yet.
this particular question or evaluation of the people who are participating jws has come up before in debate.
the more one deeply analyzes this the answer usually comes up in the affirmative yes.
when you consider the fact that jws members will abandon their own family, go as far as kill themselves under the direction of these men, it really confirms just how deep the mental and conscious indoctrination these men have gone.. .
Seriously, though...
...insane delusions are an easy habit to fall into when...
a) ...your peers insist that God whispers in your ear...
b) ...you have millions of followers who hang on your every word, and...
c) ...you're support consists solely of people who are never allowed to disagree with you.
i guess you could make a case of more families being together although that might not be the best situation.
less cars and pollutants mean we can breathe better.
if you were ever uncomfortable in crowds, this could be good news.
I've built three model kits, binged two Netflix series, and am more well-rested than I have been in months...
...but I'd still go back to work tomorrow if I could, because EI benefits are never big enough.
jehovah's witnesses are mentioned in this excellent article that begins by reporting on an especially awful mormon child sexual abuse case.
the article then discusses the issue of the penitent privilege exemption which former jws working through scaars.org are trying to influence state lawmakers to eliminate.. .
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-child-welfare/2020/04/21/bisbee-man-confesses-hes-molesting-his-daughter-church-tells-bishop-not-report-abuse/2876617001/.
"...why do lawmakers allow religious law to supersede secular law?"
Historically, authority figures who try and enforce or expand "privacy" laws tend to do so because they themselves have ugly secrets they want to keep quiet.
there was a letter read sunday at our meeting that mentioned some parts of us are starting to open back up.
however, regardless of things opening up that no kingdom halls should be used for any meetings of any kind.
also, no door-to-door ministry or any form of in-person ministry is allowed.
But... but... how will they get their Time in???
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/coronavirus-prepper-armageddon/2020/03/20/5b75d2f8-6945-11ea-b313-df458622c2cc_story.html.
What, no bunker?
I'm disappointed.
this particular question or evaluation of the people who are participating jws has come up before in debate.
the more one deeply analyzes this the answer usually comes up in the affirmative yes.
when you consider the fact that jws members will abandon their own family, go as far as kill themselves under the direction of these men, it really confirms just how deep the mental and conscious indoctrination these men have gone.. .
You don't have to be delusional or crazy to be a GB member...
...but it helps.
there was a letter read sunday at our meeting that mentioned some parts of us are starting to open back up.
however, regardless of things opening up that no kingdom halls should be used for any meetings of any kind.
also, no door-to-door ministry or any form of in-person ministry is allowed.
LongHairGal - "...I still think the religion is on its way to dwindling down to a very small sect...."
Technically, they've kind of always been a "very small sect"...
...but seriously, yeah, I have a tough time seeing how this would improve their long-term membership and asset fortunes...
...IMO, morphing into an e-religion can't help but further facilitate a decline, simply because a predominantly online presence makes it that much easier for faders, fakers, and fence-sitters to GTFO.