Posts by TonusOH

41

Pioneer Hours Update

by Bartolomeo in

regular pioneers: 600 per year, 50 on average per month.auxiliary pioneers: 30 hours per monthauxiliary pioneers in march and april: fee reduced to 15 hours.

TonusOH

ThomasMore: 2. Competive hierarchy that keeps the rank & file engaged

I think this is a big part of it, and I think they are also reaching a breaking point. The requirement that everyone go door-to-door and the encouragement for some to do X hours each month must be dragging the growth to enough of a degree that they keep finding ways to make the preaching work less onerous. But it's one of the ways to keep people busy and building up enough of a time investment so that they see it as a sunk cost.

So, if you weaken the requirements too much, the rank and file might lose enough focus to start wondering why they are doing it at all. But if you keep the reins tight, some will wear down or resist. It's a tricky balance, and I'm not sure there is a level where it works without some fallout. Or, they will keep pushing things to one end or the other, thus losing people faster each time. One can only hope.

37

Serena Williams allegedly baptized this weekend

by neat blue dog in

.

not sure if this is fake news or not..

TonusOH

That's what I was thinking. What if she decides that she doesn't want to live the JW life, after so many years enjoying everything the world had to offer (and that she would have not been allowed to sample)? How bad would the PR be if she was DF?

I'm not moved, one way or another, by her decision. She's not the first famous person to either join the JWs or get baptized after years on the fence. I'm more intrigued by how things might go if a sufficiently famous person were to have a falling out with the organization. Or if she gets interviewed and caught by surprise by questions about CSA mishandling by the WTS...

41

Pioneer Hours Update

by Bartolomeo in

regular pioneers: 600 per year, 50 on average per month.auxiliary pioneers: 30 hours per monthauxiliary pioneers in march and april: fee reduced to 15 hours.

TonusOH

I can't believe that I counted my hours so earnestly for so long. I could've been a star!

76

Front row seats watching the collapse of watchtower

by Indoubtbigtime in

i’m a pimo ministerial servant and i won’t fade because i want to keep my front row seats watching what happens next few years.. my predictions are that this current governing body will slowly die off and the current younger helpers will be the next gb.

they will eventually have new light that they were wrong about 1914 and the overlapping generations.. the new light will be something on the lines of the last days are now because of king of north king of south pushing each other etc etc.

they will do their very best to burry old literature and try to change the past trying to make it sound like they were right all along just as they have done for 150 years now.

TonusOH

They lost a large proportion of followers in the early-to-mid 1920s, thanks to Rutherford publishing end-times predictions so frequently. It was something like 65% of the following, which splintered off into other groups (some of which remain active today, if I am not mistaken). But they managed to recover and grow.

Whether they can do it now, it's hard to say. Rutherford was the leader of the organization during his term, a sort of one-man FDS. So he could make changes more quickly and efficiently (granted, this was one reason why things went downhill at the start of his term). Also, there wasn't an internet where critics could reach a massive audience and virtually "confront" Rutherford and make a response necessary.

I think that the current GB may feel safe, now that they have the '2075 teaching.' They can keep the current ideas going until they pass away, and if the effect on the organization is disastrous, they won't be around to deal with it. Let the next group of GB members try to patch the hull of the sinking ship.

76

Front row seats watching the collapse of watchtower

by Indoubtbigtime in

i’m a pimo ministerial servant and i won’t fade because i want to keep my front row seats watching what happens next few years.. my predictions are that this current governing body will slowly die off and the current younger helpers will be the next gb.

they will eventually have new light that they were wrong about 1914 and the overlapping generations.. the new light will be something on the lines of the last days are now because of king of north king of south pushing each other etc etc.

they will do their very best to burry old literature and try to change the past trying to make it sound like they were right all along just as they have done for 150 years now.

TonusOH

While I hope that they collapse soon, I am doubtful that it will happen so quickly. They are still flush with money and have a loyal base that should keep the numbers steady for a few years at least. I think it's more likely to be a slow process. But that also depends on how well they adapt to a changing world.

It's much easier now for people to learn about the WTS, including any doctrinal issues and the parts of the past that they seek to hide or ignore. I think that's one reason why so many young people --especially those born in-- leave the organization each year. The problems are out there to see, and the warnings sometimes make it seem as if they have something to hide (and a bit of searching shows that they do!).

They need to be able to manage the fact that people can now learn all about the organization's history before deciding to make a commitment. Can they do that? I'm not sure about the current GB. A new and younger GB, which is perhaps more tech-savvy, might come up with something that works. Or they could accelerate the decline. We'll see.

169

Are the statistics out yet?

by slimboyfat in

isn’t it about time they released the report for the service year?

or have they stopped publishing it?

did they released selected figures at the annual meeting as they usually do, such as the memorial attendance or record number of pioneers?

TonusOH

It makes sense that they will see some growth when times are generally difficult. Since their sales pitch is based on how things are getting worse --and that this is a sign that the end is near-- such times will lead more people to join, just in case. It may also keep some doubters from leaving, because what if they're right?

They may continue to see some growth for the next couple of years. The war in Ukraine, the economic and energy problems across the globe, the fears over climate change-- these will keep people in a state of concern or fear, and that makes the message much more comforting than it is when things are going well.

18

Got ALetter!

by Biahi in

so, my daughter got a letter from a female jw, containing a tract.

i want to respond to this woman, in a kind way.

she included a phone number, and email, return address is the kh.

TonusOH

It would be interesting to send her some info. But, once she realizes that she is dealing with an "opposer" she will probably drop any future communication. Might be a good policy for anyone receiving unwanted correspondence from them.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

TonusOH

The previous posts are describing a relationship built on emotional/psychological abuse. When Evans is around his wife, he has her under his thumb. When he isn't around, she will find ways to hit back at him. If I've got the details right, it goes something like this:

He says he wants an open relationship, and she says okay, despite what must be considerable misgivings. Given some time to think for herself (and without him there to influence her), she changes her mind and, for a change, tells him so directly. He is furious but cannot get her to bend, so he takes a drastic step and leaves for Thailand.

(This is common in abusive relationships- the abused will occasionally stiffen and put up a fight, at which point the abuser will either soften and make promises to 'be better' or ramps up the pressure.)

Free of his influence again, she starts leaking all kinds of messages and photos, and threatens divorce. He comes scrambling back to "fix" things. She starts taking his side and disavowing anyone who criticizes him, and helps him with videos and agrees to be photographed on vacation with him, etc.

...

If I'm understanding their situation at present, they are apart. So his only means of control at this point is financial, which is one reason why he must be panicking at the sight of his monetary support drying up. What is the worst part about giving up his 'activism' and going back to the 9-to-5 grind? That his wife will no longer have any incentive to hold back. And that she might have other photos and messages. If he thinks he'll have trouble getting any job better than dishwasher, it probably won't get any easier when everyone knows just how bad of a person he really is...

19

it’s all in person and only fully vaxed can go

by Indoubtbigtime in

2023 will see a big push to get rank and file back to in person meetings and ministry.

they have opened a can of worms with zoom but what they really want is only in extreme illnesses cases can someone use zoom .

the only problem is they want everyone fully vaccinated which means if you didn’t go for your latest booster in the last several months then you are no longer fully vaccinated and just the same as someone who never accepted any shots right from the start.

TonusOH

punkofnice: I wonder why they're so zealous about the experimental, non proven vaccinations?

The WTS will bend if there is enough pressure, especially government pressure. Didn't they change the blood policy in Bulgaria when the government there threatened sanctions over it? And in CoC, Ray Franz explained how they claimed to be a 'cultural organization' instead of a religious one in Mexico until the early 90s, so that they wouldn't be forced to sell off their properties.

So, if they feel the government is serious enough about enforcing COVID vaccinations, they will go along. Even Jehovah knows not to cross government regulators!

42

Have you ever been on a congregation picnic?

by LostintheFog1999 in

were you ever on a congregation picnic?

i was on several occasions.. the arrangements were often announced from the platform after the closing song and prayer by the last elder up on the platform.. sometimes it was included in the service meeting announcements as "on saturday we're meeting at 10.00am at the kingdom hall for field service, and after field service for anyone who wishes, especially for the younger ones, we will be having a congregation picnic meeting at the beach carpark on seaview road.".

well, according to the new elders manual you won't be hearing those words again.

TonusOH

My experience was similar to TD's, where we would have a few informal Summer picnics on Sundays after the meeting or field service (some years our meetings were on Saturdays) along with a game of softball if enough people showed up ready to play. These weren't set up via messages on the congregation message board (a literal, physical message board-- this was the 80s and 90s!), just word of mouth. As long as you had that one person who worked tirelessly to get things organized, it worked just fine.

They felt like 'congregation picnics' because it was only JWs attending, with possibly an interested friend/family member or active study brought along to see how much gosh-darned fun it was to be with Jehovah's people (ie, the only people who would not be gruesomely massacred in the soon-to-happen battle of Armageddon)!