Posts by Skepsis

33

Wanting Less Involvement (long newbie story)

by DepthsResounding in

i was raised a jw and am currently pioneer in a foreign language congregation.

i have been unhappy on and off with my involvement in this religion and am ready to step back again.

growing up i was always active but extremely reserved and a low hour publisher.

Skepsis

Hi DR,

I started reading your OP and notice my story is quite similar: pioneer, have gone to college, serving in a foreign language congregation... I am also a MS for the moment.

I think you could do it step by step. First of all, quitting pioneering was of great help for me as I had suddenly plenty of time to think, dedicate to my career and do non-JWs things.

Then, I stopped doing the trolleys and started missing some meetings now and then.

Now I'm at that point. At first, I have to tell you that you'll disappoint brothers when you stop being a spiritual pillar of the congregation but it's a matter of time (less than you think) until they come to terms with it.

I'm planning to move to another "normal" congregation after summer as you'll know it's hard to fade in this kind of zealous congregations filled with pioneers and zealous witnesses.

Hope all will be fine in your fine. Just try not speak too much because elders and others will try to ask about your reasons and motivations. Don't explain just tell them you need time or are busy and you don't have circumstances to keep serving at that pace.

41

48% Capacity at Kingdom Halls - A post on reddit

by berrygerry in

there was a letter read this week, followed by a talk about all the changes that are coming in the next couple of months regarding merging congregations in the area (va/md/dc) - the letter said that the kh's in the area are only being filled to 48% capacity.

this was music to my ears as i have noticed the decline in attendance in all the neighboring congregations.

they will sell some kingdom halls and merge some congregations.

Skepsis

Crazyguy:

Yes, in fact they made a huge U-turn when Bethel in Spain annouced they were going to enlarge their facilities because the GB had give them the task of printing more stuff and translation so they made an announcement in all congregation for donations and contributions with a nationally produced video.

Just some months later, they annouced they stop printing even for Spain, most bethelites quit Bethel and all would be carried out from London except for basic administration.

The men in charge of Bethel in Spain were completely humiliated.

41

48% Capacity at Kingdom Halls - A post on reddit

by berrygerry in

there was a letter read this week, followed by a talk about all the changes that are coming in the next couple of months regarding merging congregations in the area (va/md/dc) - the letter said that the kh's in the area are only being filled to 48% capacity.

this was music to my ears as i have noticed the decline in attendance in all the neighboring congregations.

they will sell some kingdom halls and merge some congregations.

Skepsis

Its the same here in Spain and Southern Europe, folks.

Most congregations are full of people in their 60s and 70s but not many young ones. Body of Elders with many who would like to step down because of their age but are not allowed to do so as there are no replacements.

Those brothers under their 40s are mostly Witness In Name Only who sit there in meeting but don't show up at field service or doing something for the congregation.

There are a limited number of convinced young witness with more responsabilities each day and who as consequence are burnt out.

There's a lack of prepared brothers with skills at congregational and regional level.

I could see that when I was a truly believer and was very worry as many of them are. But now, I realise they're getting what they deserve if we consider how they've mistreated the young ones in the past: no education, only pioneering, put the Org first... And then at their 40s and 50s suffer the consequences.

People are learning from older generations.

14

guess what watchtower, books are making a comeback!

by nowwhat? in

now that the org.

has gone 90% digital, it would seem most people now would rather read a good old fashioned book than a tablet!.

way to show insight oh fearless leaders!.

Skepsis

What is great about digital publications from WT perspective is that they can delete them once they realise it's old light.

When a publication needs to be updated, they only have to make the changes online and next time a publisher consults it, he/she will never really know if a change was made.

Forget about stickers like in the Revelation book or having books and magazines stored at home with old light. They're even abandoning CDs!

Welcome the Organisational Cloud when the concept of time disappear and you can enjoy always from the last fresh glass of the Truth(tm) and where past does not exist!

44

2017 Convention Video Remember The Wife Of Lot

by pale.emperor in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0qpoelk2r4.

the dad in this is a total douche.

i dont know if the videos have become more judgemental and culty in the year since i left - or maybe im just noticing it more?.

Skepsis

As JWs are growing mainly in Africa and Latin America, what would a Latin American or African brother think while watching this video?

They're out of touch with their own demographics. Don't know how they want to appeal to real Witnesses with this stuff, just in case they really care about them and not only about first world Witnesses who can contribute funds to the Org.

10

So, you want to become a Jehovah's witness?

by nowwhat? in

ok your bible study wants to get baptised.

make sure he is aware of what's involved.

here is a checklist.

Skepsis

What I see is that brothers and sisters don't preach as enthusiastically as before.

I can't remember the last time they knocked at my door. I recall 10 or 15 years ago that we invited to have coffee to brothers when preaching in the neighbourhood.

When I visit my mother's congregation where I grew up, I see the same brothers that have been there for years.

They're always speaking about the importance of preaching at WhatsApp groups but none of them are really preaching. Many are walking during weekend mornings, having breakfast until they get their 2 or 3 hours to report but that's not the way to convert someone.

Not to speak about carts! At first they were all volunteering and now they have problems to find brothers.

44

2017 Convention Video Remember The Wife Of Lot

by pale.emperor in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0qpoelk2r4.

the dad in this is a total douche.

i dont know if the videos have become more judgemental and culty in the year since i left - or maybe im just noticing it more?.

Skepsis

I tried to watch it but I couldn't stomach. Maybe tomorrow.

I can see a trend of trying to separate even more JWs from worldly influence to keep them inside the Org, especially the young ones.

They softened the rules in the 1990s and 2000s and young ones escaped in great numbers. Now they want to limit the damage.

If they can't fix the theological mess they have without having a great exodus, they will increase the height of the wall between JWs and the world: more attacks on Higher education, shunning inactive ones, limiting even more association with non Witnesses, etc.

82

How Far Up The Ladder Did You Go In JW Land?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i pretty much did it all.

vacation pioneered as a youngster and became a regular pioneer out of school.

i became a ms then an elder.....the organization pushes you to be somebody within the confines of their realm.

Skepsis

MS, Regular Pioneer for years, serving in foreign language congregations, public talks in all the area and even 250 kms away from where I live, parts in conventions, participating in Construction of KHs and maintenance and giving technical support remotely to Bethel for other parts of the country.. Man, how much time I lost serving this multi-billion organisation thinking I was doing for God!

Had I invested all that amount of time, and effort in other things, I would have advanced in a professional career and enjoy experiences normal people do when being young.

Cost of opportunity is so high!

35

Are Jehovah's Witnesses Mind Numbingly Boring To You?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i honestly think they are the most boring people on earth!

even when they produce their so called "new light", there's no excitement.

jws just do their thing and refuse to think about their useless lives.

Skepsis

Same thing one week after another for each month, each semester, each year, each decade... Yes, it seems a bit repetitive and boring. In fact, after six months attending meetings, you already have listened to all the information you will get in the rest of your life in the meetings.

But the most absurd situation is when you dress up, take the car and attend the meeting just to listen from platform a talk about the importance of attending meetings. It's a bit circular, isn't it?

22

Most Popular Boys Name in England?

by cofty in

anybody want to guess?

for some years the office for national statistics tried to hide the answer by counting different spellings as different names.

it no longer matters.

Skepsis

I think things are not black or white.

I've been assigned for years to a foreign language congregation where most of the territory was composed by people from the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria), Lebanese...

Although it's true some of them are Muslim radicals, others are moderate who could be considered "cultural Muslims" and there are others who have migrated to Europe because they don't like the religious environment where they grow up.

I'm not so pessimistic about European future.