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Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
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Posted on July 17, 2015
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for Watchtower?
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for Watchtower?
For many current and former Jehovah’s Witnesses who find themselves victimized by Watchtower’s cruel cult-like practices, the prospect of witnessing the end of the organization seems too good to be true.
Especially when you have spent many years being sold false promises of extraordinary future events, it’s understandable that you would be wary of getting your hopes up over something as significant as the downfall of the organization that misled you.
I obviously won’t make you any promises, because I have learned to be extremely cautious of wishful thinking in all its forms. But when I look at what is going on with Watchtower, I see an organization falling from grace at a rate faster than I could have ever reasonably envisaged.
The latest evidence of the organization’s free-fall comes in the shape of a letter to all elders in the United States branch territory, dated July 8, 2015. You can read about Watchtower’s new “master plan” yourself, but essentially it adds a further caveat to their smash-and-grab, stealth-tithing maneuvers from last year. (Thanks go to JWleaks.org for first making this letter available.)*
The new letter essentially says to publishers (or doesn’t say to publishers, because it’s an elders-only letter): “Not only are we going to make you promise to send us money every month for maintaining a kingdom hall that isn’t owned by you in any meaningful sense, we are also warning you that we might sell your kingdom hall, pocket the proceeds, and send you to go share someone else’s kingdom hall while STILL taking your money for the kingdom hall we’ve just sold.”
Rather than write an exhaustive summary of the letter, and re-hash points I have already made on this matter from previous articles, I thought I would take a different approach by adding this latest development to my list of 10 reasons why I believe Watchtower COULD be about to implode. Here goes…
1. Jehovah’s Witnesses are becoming a toxic brand
toxic-brand
The internet is more hostile than ever regarding Jehovah’s Witnesses. As the world becomes more aware of the cult phenomenon (thanks in part to the success of documentaries like HBO’s “Going Clear” film about Scientology) journalists are becoming less squeamish when it comes to highlighting the cult-attributes of the organization in newspaper articles and news broadcasts.
Ex-Witnesses have already turned YouTube into a no-go zone for believing Witnesses, and continue to explore ingenious strategies for reaching out to those under Watchtower’s spell. Even non-Witness blogs like Hemant Mehta’s Friendly Atheist are now rallying to the ex-JW cause and becoming increasingly vocal about the organization’s harmful practices. All this means it is harder than ever for Witnesses to find new converts, and easier than ever for Witnesses to wake up.
2. Less “spiritual food” is being printed
spiritual-food
The wafer-thin magazines on the literature carts testify to a huge drop in printed output of 39% for monthly magazine printing since 2005. If God’s one true organization is flourishing, why has it so drastically scaled down on its “spiritual food?” The simple truth is, printing is expensive. VERY expensive. A good gauge of prosperity for any printing organization is its printed output. If a printing company has a problem, it will print less stuff. That is exactly what we have already been seeing for some time with Watchtower.
3. Globally, the organization is in retreat
retreat
Watchtower has been shutting down branches at a rate never before seen, with branch numbers plummeting from 118 in 2009 to just 90 as of last year. The organization used to pride itself on its global footprint, and would herald the dedication of new branches as evidence of God’s backing for the global preaching work. Now Watchtower is in open retreat, using single branches to run the affairs of multiple countries. RTOs, or “Remote Translation Offices” (think of an RTO as a Bethel-lite), are seen as a way of keeping some kind of presence in far-flung territories, but the glory days of Watchtower’s relentless global expansion are fast disappearing in the rear view mirror.
4. The begging has started
begging
For the first time in the organization’s history, the Governing Body openly admitted to a shortfall in needed funds in the May 2015 JW Broadcasting episode. This unprecedented move was made despite Watchtower making 1 Billion from selling off its Brooklyn portfolio ($375 million in one transaction alone), which could indicate the Brooklyn proceeds have already been spent. After all, when there is zero accounting transparency, we have no way of knowing how indebted the organization is. No amount of revenue from property sales will be much use to Watchtower if it is all getting sucked into a bottomless pit of accumulated debt.
5. The stealth tithing has started
tithing
Expect an organization in financial peril to desperately claw around for ways of bringing in more cash from available assets. In Watchtower’s case, they are prevented from demanding money from individual members, because this would be classed as “tithing” – a practice associated with false religion that the organization has condemned since its inception. What Watchtower CAN do is tithe, not individuals, but congregations. This is precisely what the new “Local Design/Construction” arrangement has achieved.
Last year elders were forced to promise a fixed amount to be donated to Watchtower every month from their congregation account, based on (1) what the congregation was already sending for paying off a building/renovation loan, or (2) anonymous slips of paper passed around so that publishers could indicate what they could afford to pledge. Congregations were even told to send any surplus funds squirreled away for a rainy day to Watchtower, leaving just $5,000 plus three months’ worth of regular operating expenses.
Amazingly, the majority of Witnesses continue to be oblivious to what amounts to a smash-and-grab, and are instead under the assumption that Watchtower has mercifully forgiven all kingdom hall building loans.
6. Kingdom hall ‘mergers’ are in store
fuel-in-car
As already mentioned, Watchtower has instructed all United States elders as of July 8, 2015 to be ready for their congregation to be re-assigned to a different kingdom hall if the organization’s new “master plan” deems this necessary. The letter marks the green light for the downsizing we are already seeing at branch level to be soon rolled out at congregation level, and is again clear evidence that Watchtower is desperate to claw in money wherever it can and become a smaller, more financially nimble organization.
The end game would be kingdom hall multiplexes in city-center locations shared by five or more congregations – a far cry from the parochial feel older Witnesses will be accustomed to.
As delightful as it is to think of such a huge regression in the local presence of the organization, you can’t help but feel bad for all those long-standing Witnesses who have donated thousands over the years under the false assumption that they were responsible for their local kingdom hall’s upkeep. Soon, for all their kindness and generosity, such ones may face lengthy and costly car journeys to intimidating, soulless, inconvenient city-center locations allocated to them by Watchtower.
7. Personnel are being jettisoned
kicked-out
Last year district overseers received the unwelcome news that their positions no longer existed, and they were surplus to requirements. Though some will have been demoted down to circuit overseer rank, the majority will have been jettisoned by the organization to fend for themselves – an entire strata of the organization’s hierarchy dissolved, and deemed no longer serviceable or cost-effective.
In a similarly unceremonious manner, workers at branch offices subject to closure by Watchtower have been cast adrift, with years or even decades of loyal service apparently counting for very little in the organization’s quest to make ends meet. The recently-emerged story of a Wallkill bethelite who was virtually thrown out on the street due to “cutbacks” suggests that the organization’s top brass have no qualms when it comes to wielding the axe. Bethelites in Watchtower’s heartland would do well to watch their backs and plan for the worst as the organization looks to slash spending wherever it can.
8. The secret weapons have failed
secret-weapon
Despite all the fanfare and hype, JW.org has been unable to attract internet-savvy non-Witnesses – its main target audience. It is, quite literally, preaching to the converted. The 2015 Yearbook boasted that JW.org received 850,000,000+ total visits in the first two years from Aug 27, 2012 to Aug 31, 2014. This figure sounds impressive until you factor in the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses – 8 million. Assuming every active Witness visits their own website at least once per week, you arrive at only a slightly lower figure of 832,000,000 visits over the two years (8,000,000 x 52 x 2).
And despite succeeding in making the organization more visible, there has been no notable increase in baptisms in the two years since the literature carts (or “metropolitan witnessing”) program was launched. After all, getting literature into someone’s hands won’t stop them going on the internet and fact-checking when they get home. And that’s assuming anyone is interested in approaching the carts to begin with. In this Guardian article, the reporter watched some carts in a busy part of London for an hour, and the only person who approached the Witnesses did so because they needed directions.
9. The child abuse floodgates have opened
flood
As was predicted at the time, there has been a relentless stream of child abuse lawsuits filed against Watchtower since the 2012 Candace Conti verdict. In 2013, a year on from the Conti judgment, lawyer Irwin Zalkin told me he had no less than 11 lawsuits on his books. Though many such lawsuits end up being settled, the success of the Jose Lopez case and the recent victory in London’s High Court have shown that if child abuse victims are willing to dig their heels in and stay the course they can have, not only compensation, but justice served.
All of this doesn’t bode well for an organization already under fire for its cult-like shunning practices and death-dealing prohibitions on blood transfusions. And apart from the atrocious reputation, with well-informed journalists like Trey Bundy spelling out the problems of organizational mishandling in the media, the money for paying off multi-million judgments and out-of-court settlements has to come from somewhere.
Even if the Governing Body sent a long-overdue letter out tomorrow FINALLY telling elders to report all child abuse accusations straight to the police, Watchtower would still have to answer to the backlog of lawsuits from victims who suffered while the two-witness rule was (is) still in place. Such victims may well have only a finite window of opportunity to get ANY money out of Watchtower at all.
10. Watchtower doesn’t have a PR strategy
head-in-sand
You’re an international, faith-based non-profit organization with a toxic brand both on the internet and in the media. Fewer people from wealthy, developed countries with internet are joining you, and thus donations are dwindling. For all the evangelizing and promotional work of your members, a few clicks on Google can completely dismantle your organization’s message. To make matters worse, you have mounting legal costs and settlements to pay for out of an ever-diminishing revenue stream. What you urgently need is a good PR strategy to make it easier to bring in fresh converts (and their donations) – but even here Watchtower is almost comically inept.
The organization’s PR strategy is essentially two-fold: (1) bury your head in the sand and hope your opposers eventually get bored and go away, or (2) refute the claims made by your opposers using outright lies (*cough* Rick Fenton). Both of these methods may help the likes of Tony Morris get to sleep at night in the short-term, but ultimately they are self-defeating. To neutral observers, silence is incriminating when damning allegations are on the table – especially related to harming children. And when you flat out lie about your damaging policies and teachings, you only give critics like me more rope to hang you with.
The only workable strategy Watchtower can pursue at this stage is one of reform, but past experience shows that any form of “compromise” is seen by the Governing Body as capitulation to Satan’s hordes. In short, Watchtower is sinking because its deluded leaders are their own worst enemies.
What does the future hold?
I do not for one moment suggest that we will see an end to Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religion in our lifetimes. The fact that there continues to be such a thing as the bible students, who still cling to Charles Taze Russell and his discredited, outlandish teachings, tells us that religions have amazing survival abilities even when members are deprived of their leadership. Faith, after all, is a product of people’s minds. When enough people believe the same unsubstantiated thing you have a religion, regardless of whether there is a person or organization to lead it.
But while religions are virtually indestructible, corporations are not. Non-profit organizations like Watchtower are just as capable of getting into debt as any other business. And when your bank manager starts bankruptcy proceedings against you because you can no longer service your debts, it’s game over.
The organization's glory days are already behind it
The organization’s glory days are already behind it
Those who suggest Watchtower is too big and successful to go down need only look at the fact that it has already been shrinking since it reached its zenith (in terms of branches and printing operations) some time between 2005 and 2010. Add to that the desperate clawing for cash over the five years since then, and you have the omens of an organizational collapse.
The winds of change have completely overtaken Watchtower in the internet age, and the Governing Body find themselves in a whole different ball game to their predecessors. If things are really as bad as I suspect, Watchtower needs to drastically downscale its operations to, say, a handful of branches and zero printing. In other words, it needs to become like its noisy neighbor Scientology, which despite having only 50,000-or-so members (and an even worse reputation) still has an impressive portfolio of valuable property scattered across the globe and minimal overheads compared to Watchtower.
But any downsizing of that magnitude would send Watchtower into an even more vicious spiral, in which it would start hemorrhaging even the most diehard members. After all, when you have spent decades pointing to your success as evidence of divine backing, how do you explain any sudden, sharp decline?
If Watchtower were to go bankrupt, it could always try claiming that the Great Tribulation has begun and Satan’s minions (their creditors) have started overtly attacking God’s people, but this simply will not wash with more intelligent Witnesses. Whatever is left of the organization (perhaps re-branded to ditch the Watchtower name entirely while retaining the Governing Body at the helm) would have a huge exodus on its hands.
It is precisely because of all the pride at stake that, in my mind, a sudden implosion seems increasingly plausible. Unlike ordinary commercial organizations who have the flexibility to change their size and scope according to the prevailing conditions, “God’s organization” can only be seen by its members to be going in an upwards trajectory for its grandiose claims of divine direction to have any credence. Any noticeable regression would rightly be interpreted as evidence of God’s favor being absent. Thus any problems would be allowed to accumulate behind closed doors until they reach a critical mass.
Of course I could be wrong, but if that is so then Watchtower is doing an awful lot of begging and downsizing for no particular reason, and with far too much to lose by doing so. It could well be that some incredible developments are ahead as Watchtower’s predicament further deteriorates, and the Governing Body slowly discovers that Jehovah isn’t coming to the rescue after all. I had better get on with writing my book while there is still an organization to write about.
new-cedars-signature3
Translations: Spanish | French | Hungarian
Further reading…
◾JWsurvey articles on Watchtower downsizing
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89 Responses to Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
Newer Comments →
Gareth says:
July 17, 2015 at 9:27 am
Haha that last sentence begs the question: would you be happy or unhappy if your book would be obsolete before it being published? 😀 Although I think it would be useful anyway, even if only for history reasons.
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StrongHaiku says:
July 17, 2015 at 9:47 am
Really enjoyed the article, Cedars. You made my day.
You mention the following:
“If Watchtower were to go bankrupt, it could always try claiming that the Great Tribulation has begun and Satan’s minions (their creditors) have started overtly attacking God’s people, but this simply will not wash with more intelligent Witnesses. ”
You make a very good point. Claiming the GT has begun may be one of the few plays they have left, but it is a very dangerous one. If they say the “GT has begun” in order to explain what is going on, this will likely start the clock ticking in the head of some of the members. I sure hope they become desperate enough to put a “stake on the ground” and commit to an event/date.
I cannot see how they can maintain the status quo and remain vague and uncommitted to an event/date forever and recover (let alone grow). Without a clear target people start loosing their sense of urgency, wake up, etc.
If past history is any indication, what I imagine they may do is “imply” that that GT has started without stating overtly to leave themselves plausible deniability (akin to the 1975 fiasco).
Regardless, as an apocalyptic religion, they have a limited number of choices and shelf-life. And, even though many will stay with it past the “expiration date” (like my family), it may wake up at least some.
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Kat says:
July 17, 2015 at 10:06 am
Inspiring!
One can only hope this is the beginning of the end for the WT org and its GB.
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David says:
July 17, 2015 at 10:13 am
I think the WatchTower hasn’t got any economic problem. For managing assets they are masters. They have the best advisers and the american rich JWs pump lots of money in.
They have instead membership problems. I don’t think more people want to give up freedom for a cult with inhuman practices (like shunning).
Lies won’t last forever so one day they have to face reality but it will take time. Cults have a difficult time to realise what they truly are.
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peggy says:
July 19, 2015 at 10:29 am
This is a good point David, maybe not economic problems but, membership problems. Which eventually could spell economic problems. About 4 years ago my congregation was told by the CO to split a perfectly nice large congregation into 2. We went from 150 using the nice large hall to 70 people and extra utility use when they had to open it up for the extra meetings.(I always thought the move was to make the numbers of congregations appear
to be growing when membership is stagnant. I have been gone some 2 years now. And then this letter comes out about putting congregations back together when they are not using the hall to max. I honestly believe something is up. Something is amiss. And it may mean problems. Which GB may hint is a sign of the end.
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Susan says:
July 17, 2015 at 10:21 am
Great article! It’s so exciting to think that this horrible and cruel organization may one day implode! They’d shot themselves in the foot years ago when they strongly discouraged couples from having children – so think of all the ice cream money they weren’t able to extort! I imagine that many more will wake up when they are personally affected with upcoming Kingdom Hall mergers and those who are laid off at Bethel. They will experience first hand just how “loving” their organization is, and discover that JW org would rather risk losing members than losing money. Once again though, they are shooting themselves in the foot as these lost members equal lost revenue and will be another step closer to the organization’s demise.
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airborne says:
July 17, 2015 at 11:09 am
I really enjoyed the article Cedars. My gut says the Watchtower ship is sinking like the Titanic. Of course all the poor Witnesses in Steerage Class are going to get screwed.
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Searcher says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Great analogy! I think they are sinking like the titanic. Not many people believed it was sinking until it was too late to put the lifeboats out fully. Like you said, the poor steerage members of the rank and file will get left holding the bag. History always shows that in many other organization implosions.
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Alone in MD says:
July 17, 2015 at 8:58 pm
I agree with you airborne. Most of the minions are very dedicated, god loving people that don’t know or care about what rules and regulations the GB come up with. My wife is one of the brainwashed minions and can’t point out anything negative about the GB. Very sad situation.
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Dee says:
July 17, 2015 at 11:20 am
Thanks Cedar :) It’s comforting and affords hope to us when all of those points are gathered together like this. There isnt an “increase” in their ranks, and the annual report will be the next thing to go. A decrease in numbers will be explained away with the whole “there will be a cooling off” or “separation of the sheep and goats” or similar damage control responses. I for one appreciate so much what you do.
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Grace Cowie Wilson says:
July 17, 2015 at 12:07 pm
If they decide that the great tribulation has arrived they are then free to start issuing instructions thT might not seem rational from a human viewpoint.
Another thing that intrigues me is the “no show” in the Lopez case leading to a decision for damages in the sum of $13.5 million. Clearly the WTBTSB made a pragmatic decision in this case to pay up on a default judgment against it rather than risk
(i) a precedent setting decision against it that could affect settlement prospects against it in other cases; and/or
(ii) disclosure of damning documents.
The extreme lengths litigation-wise it has gone to (including a very risky strategy which failed) to obstruct the investigation by the UK Charity Commission is also very interesting.
They may have even more to hide than we are currently aware of.
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Itfeelsgoodtobefree says:
July 20, 2015 at 12:46 pm
Very well put Grace! Who knows what else they are trying to sweep under the rug…
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John says:
July 17, 2015 at 12:33 pm
I find it comical that if you want to believe the prophecies in the bible, notably in Revelation, it seems that most of the ‘fulfillments’ that the WTS applied to other religions are now more applicable to them. Keep up the great stream of articles Lloyd. Good reading for a change.
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doda says:
July 18, 2015 at 2:08 pm
Agreed, John! I have been thinking this very thing for quite some time. I also have to agree with the comment about the GT, implications that it is/has started. Oh to be a fly in the car of any car group in the USA and the UK!
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Ken says:
July 17, 2015 at 12:36 pm
First I have talked to ex -witnesses who say that the organization today is unrecognized in its form every one says –
It’s not the same sect I grew up in .. That’s what everyone who left are saying . Most of those who left were of the so called 1914 er generation who grew up back in the 1970 and 1980s saw hundreds baptized at conventions . The decline today is obvious . It’s no getting away from that ,secondly is the constant shifting doctrines , the literature decline only means they don’t have enough educated people to write as they did back in the 1950 – 1970 era because the org was able to mass produce books , and magazines . One has to only hear Anthony Morris anti eduction rant on JW.tv . Obviously the decline is a self inflicted wound. As a teen I saw a prelude of it back during the 1980 s when the first secret elders book came out , along with how people were treated at the Kingdom Hall. The loving so called atmosphere was replaced with judge mental talks from the elders . Things were unraveling then . The future , the only way to save the Watchtower is a revolution from within , removing the entire governing body , and shift the sect back closer to the Adventist movement where it sprang.
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Carlos says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:19 pm
In Buenos Aires the Watchtower administers a huge geriatric complex. Older people sign off their pensions, property, and anything their family may inherit. Then the Watchtower promises to take care of them until they die. Knowing the Watchtower record on fulfilling promises … this is not going to end well. I imagine they will leave the country and stick the old geezers to the care of their congregations after taking everyone to the cleaners. Mark my words!
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Chris says:
July 19, 2015 at 1:15 pm
Do you have any links with info about this?
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Cedars says:
July 19, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Links are in the article. :)
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Carrie Bee says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:33 pm
Fantastic article John!!!
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Searcher says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:43 pm
Good analysis of the situation! As I said a while back, the internet and education are the GB and WTS’s worst enemy. It’s really beginning to take it’s toll on them. Why do you think they are so dead-set against higher education and having their members question what the leadership says?
The “organization” is in a tail spin, retreat, and downsize mode for now. However, don’t think they are going to go anywhere anytime soon. They will regroup as some evidence is shown. The will pull “bunnies out of the magic hat” as Dee has said earlier. There are some loons that will believe their drivel now matter what. Basically, people believe what they want to believe, even if it’s ridiculous paradise earth visions that have no logical substantiation.
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Searcher says:
July 17, 2015 at 1:47 pm
My apologies to anyone that have family members still in. I didn’t think before hitting the send button. “Loons” is not a good term, since these are loved ones to some of you out there. People are to be respected. I don’t want to lower myself to the name calling that the Watchtower has done for so many years. :/
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Bonnie says:
July 18, 2015 at 5:43 am
The people formerly known as MY family who are still in this hateful cult ARE loons. No offense taken here.
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Grace says:
July 17, 2015 at 2:36 pm
This is one of the best articles I have read.
Narcissistic, Psychopaths always find a way to survive. The top end will make sure that they have some strategy to stay afloat. Those that will stick by them will be the vulnerable who aren’t necessarily unintelligent but can’t think of a life outside of the cult.
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yawn says:
July 17, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Really hoping you are right, but in some ways I hope it lingers on. Why? I just think about all the people who would be completely devastated if it ever folds. I managed to get out in my late teens. I can’t imagine what its like for people who are farther on in years and suddenly have their one figurative crutch removed. I don’t know which is worse! I’m some ways I think they deserve it but in others I just feel bad for them. And unfortunately the men benefiting from this scam will never see justice. :(
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J*L*C*R says:
July 17, 2015 at 2:52 pm
“Down, Down, Down, in a burning ring of fire”.
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MYSELF 3.1 says:
July 17, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Dear Cedars,
Thanks for your balanced and well thought article, which got my attention as a run a management consulting firm. Here some observations.
On one side the financial issues are pretty evident, yet JW are once more proving very able to make smart business moves: they are cashing-in and reinvesting in real estate, securing and centralizing ownership of properties, ensuring constant incoming cash flow through what you described as tithing, reducing costs of printing, facility management and human resources.
They also seem to have understood the need for a re branding by pushing the jw.org logo above both Watchtower and the name Jehovah, which incidentally is quite sad because they proud themselves of being better than ancient Jewish who adopted abbreviations and replacements for The Name, and now they are doing pretty much the same hiding The Name behind jw.org… the only difference being that the scribes did it out of reverence, the WT is doing it out of shame. Still, though, a sound marketing move.
Are these good signs or bad signs? Are JW doomed or rather successfully engaging in a new strategy? It depends on what the objective is. If the purpose is to remain in existence and safeguard the comfortable life and annexed ego of few, then they might indeed succeed. This means that we will see more changes and a total re branding of the organization, to the point of making it unrecognizable from what it was. I envisage even a possible change of name, and perhaps the jw.org campaign is a prelude of this. The hard activities will gradually be eliminated, following the trend of reducing pioneering hours, convention days, magazine pages and number of meetings. The junior management will be made happy by taking away the burden of preparing talks, living them free to enjoy their role play as little managers making petty decisions. The meetings will feature just broadcast sessions, which will increase uniformity and further reduce critical skills. To be a JW will involved attending weekly shows, like going to the movies, and enjoy tiny bits of local power and strong social acceptance within the group. Altogether very appealing for right wing bigots, left wing idealist, people seeking the comfort of social acceptance, people without any secular fulfillment enjoying putting on a tie and playing to be a mini-leader, people in need of channeling their unaddressed psychological issues and conspiracy theory style folks that love the cheap elitist of knowing a secret alternative truth.
In my opinion the current organisation looks like the typical company that has good consultants but a structural inability to apply sound advice. Hence, the contradiction between sound business strategies and terrible PR, such as the rambling of the current GB members, the insistence in policies that are a total marketing disaster such as ostracism, blood issue and abuses cover ups. Who will prevail, the business wise component or the inadequacy of the leaders?
I wish to see them imploding but I think that it will take some external help and activism on the part of us former members. We need to expose the brutality of their mind control methods and their dangerousness before they implement a re-branding and before they cleverly take distance from their own history. To flood the Internet with the TATT is just one of many ways required to facilitate the implosion and I am glad to join this forum posting my first comment!
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Ted says:
July 17, 2015 at 4:19 pm
Unpalatable instructions to elders, always include some devious
phrase, to ensure their compliance.
Re- the letter regarding utilising K, Halls. Elders are appealed to
As “Spiritual Men who recognise that the K,Halls belong to JHVH.”
So the not so subtle implication is, as JHVHs Org, we can do what
the hell we like with them.
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SR says:
July 17, 2015 at 4:37 pm
I am going to start saving up for when they auction off Jehovah’s Chariot. I am going to slap an orang triangle on it’s backside and pimp it all over town.
Sadly, no matter what happens there will still be some incapable of accepting they have been tricked. David Koresh still has followers.
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Imacountrygirl says:
July 17, 2015 at 4:38 pm
Great article Cedars!
I have a sort of different take. I don’t think WT is necessarily running out of money, I think they are quietly moving the money around and putting it in safe places/accounts, sort of like squirreling it away. If it’s in a protected account, it can’t be touched by lawsuits. I think they are attempting to get as much money from the pubs as they can while they can. Now that they have taken over ownership of all those KH’s, it would seem WT is about as wealthy as they have ever been, imho.
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John Plummer says:
July 17, 2015 at 4:41 pm
Great article…except such pessimism re the life expectancy of the Watchtower Society. Don’t forget, THE driving force for ordinary Witnesses is the imminence of Armageddon, and when exactly is that coming? Before the generation that overlaps the generation that witnessed the year 1914 passes away. And who said this? Jehovah God, in His, “increased light”- information transmitted directly between God and the Governing Body and reported in the April 15, 2010 Watchtower. When “increased light” is proven to be false it can’t be dismissed as “speculation” by “Jehovah’s people” or blamed on “over enthusiasm” by Watchtower writers… when the “overlapping generation” passes away (with no sign of Armageddon, of course) Witnesses will be left with the stark choice: either Jehovah lied or the Governing Body lied. Either way, the religion is screwed! How ironic for the Watchtower Society – they are about to be annihilated in a corporate Armageddon!
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Queen Elsa says:
July 19, 2015 at 10:48 pm
, I couldn’t agree that
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Queen Elsa says:
July 19, 2015 at 10:48 pm
More
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Ted says:
July 17, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Great read Cedars. Who says there’s not much good news
these days.? can’t think who they might be!
Reply
Mama Joy says:
July 17, 2015 at 5:55 pm
Do you have a copy of the elders letter?
Reply
Gareth says:
July 17, 2015 at 11:54 pm
@Mama Joy, there is a link in the article: “letter to all elders…” is the link.
Reply
Mike Morris says:
July 17, 2015 at 11:28 pm
I think that the organization is mirroring what is happening to Christianity generally, and will be left with an ageing membership that will decline over the years. All the points made in the article will have an impact of course. Particularly the effect of the internet and sites like this one.
Reply
sally1914 says:
July 18, 2015 at 1:23 am
Wow! I think this is your best article ever! SO encouraging! I thought I was getting my hopes up, and was trying not to, then I read this article. Your points are dead on accurate, watchtower surely seems to be hurting financially! It’s so exciting to think that this horrible and cruel organization will one day implode!
Reply
Bonnie says:
July 18, 2015 at 5:38 am
One can only hope. However, even if there was a mass exodus, there is always a handy scripture from the J Dub Translation to explain it. “The love of the greater number cooling off” comes to mind. They have scriptures to explain everything away.
Reply
MrFair says:
July 18, 2015 at 6:08 am
Great article! As far as printing operations are concerned, there is a HUGE amount of waste. Kingdom Halls almost always have a massive stockpile of old magazines in the attic, basement, etc. The publishers have loads of them laying around their house, garage and cars. My neighbor, who is a special pioneer, cleans out his car trunk monthly and inevitably ends up with a large box of unused and now damaged literature. He burns it in a fire pit to avoid the embarrassment of it all being dumped at the recycling center. At some point they will catch on and reduce the printing amounts. I would have done it years ago. They did at one point ask for publishers to bring back any undamaged, placeable literature to the hall. Now what are we going to do with this box of “Truth” books and Awake! Magazines about the dinosaurs? The whole thing is an absolute circus when the spell breaks and you see it for what it is. I hope they do declare bankruptcy someday, morally, spiritually and financially.
Reply
Braveheart says:
July 18, 2015 at 7:13 am
Wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments Cedars, but for a different speculative reason. As you say, because of the Org’s financial secrecy, we can only guess at what is really happening within the Org’s chambers.
My take: the money grab, followed rapidly by the promise/threat to merge congregations, (not to SHARE a KH) has been too dramatic to even think that this is a CHOSEN course. I’d suggest that the Org has been forced into such unheard of, draconian action because of the 2008 financial collapse. Its investments & hedge fund speculations have collapsed big-time and exposed them to bankruptcy, thus demanding such punitive measures on congregations.
The flock could never be told that their beloved Org almost gambled away “God’s earthly organization.”
Reply
John Z says:
July 18, 2015 at 8:57 am
I am no trend setter. For my wife and who were very devout mid thirties born in jws. Now facing shunning and dfing I’m not alone many are waking up! I hope the org crashes and burns!
Reply
James Broughton says:
July 18, 2015 at 10:47 am
A well-written article, worthy of being produced in the form of a tract. Just as in the 1930s there could be a new movement with a new title rising out of the ashes but it will be full of the old heresies and bad practices that will continue to dupe unsuspecting people.
Reply
Ted says:
July 18, 2015 at 11:06 am
The WT, often bragged about the millions of mags, it distributed,
but how many were actually placed with the public, and how many
we’re junked? MrFair’s comment is so true.
I more often than not had difficulty placing my quota, in fact
sometimes I came back with more mags, than I went out with.
Making back calls on previous placements, the h,holder would
come to the door and thrust the literature back at me, saying
“I don’t want this rubbish in the house.”
And the hard backed books, you’d carry them about for weeks
then end up throwing them in the junk cupboard.
The con, here was that you paid up front this stuff, you didn’t get
it on a “Sale or return basis” , so it was a no lose system,”For them”.
I worked for a company, selling brushes, and polish, they used
the same no lose method. You’d pay in advance for what you
needed to fill your orders, then some of the customers would
change their mind. So instead of wages to feed the kids, you
we’re left with several toilet brushes, and a few tins of floor
polish. ( it’s a good job my kids were not fussy eaters. )
Reply
JJ says:
July 18, 2015 at 12:35 pm
I hope you’re right!!! It would solve so many of my problems if this stupid cult would crash-and-burn.
It would be fun to watch, and maybe even be a part of taking down this huge, vicious group of deluded men. Then finally seeing my wife and children freed, not to mention many other friends and family members.
For sure, without a doubt, JW.Org-land is going through some serious problems. Let’s see if they can reinvent themselves? I doubt it. Will some people stay in to the end??? Yes, some will. I think the vast majority will slowly slip away like cowards on a battlefield. They won’t talk about it and they will deny that they ever really believed it. The old hard-arses will not know what hit them as they see their “flock” get smaller and smaller every month.
It will be fun to gloat!!!
Reply
Paola says:
July 18, 2015 at 3:03 pm
Very well written Lloyd. It is very sad to see how blind people can choose to be even when you try to share and just get them to ask questions from their organization. Love that last line! I’ll be in line to get your book. :)
Reply
Wanderer says:
July 18, 2015 at 4:25 pm
I can’t see them going broke. They have sold off their Brooklyn assets, they are ramping up on donations and they get their Kingdom Halls built at construction materials only prices paid for by the R&F and sold off at any time by the Society. They would be one of the only religions that don’t have any charity expenditure.
I can’t see how they can lose with that business model.
Reply
jakemon75 says:
July 18, 2015 at 4:53 pm
Nice work. Your recent pieces have been especially good! Please keep finding the time to put these together.
Reply
Ned Holcomb says:
July 18, 2015 at 8:59 pm
This is my first comment on a site like this but your thoughts on the org’s finances made me think of another problem they may be having. The practice of shunning ones children caused many to send their estates to the Borg when they died. Why give it to those awful kids who left Jehovah when you can send it to God himself.
Many of us who spent our life in this money hungry religion have no inheritance to give to anyone because of “putting God first” and not getting a career and not planning for retirement.
It would be nice to see them as broke as many of us are as a result of there horrible advice and false prophecies.
I think though that so many are so terrified of these men’s threats of destruction of those who oppose them that they will stay and support them no matter how bad they get because ” where do we go away to” is so instilled in there heads.
I did love your thoughts and hope it happens.
Reply
Tim says:
July 18, 2015 at 11:26 pm
Great article and very perseptive. In each congregation there are real die hard believers who feel in their hearts god speaks via the governing body. Seeing GB members speak on their own TV channel is akin to seeing god speak. For this audience JW can do no wrong.
I think imploding is a long way off. What is more likely is a reduction in active membership to core believers and lots of fear inducing talks, Watchtower study articles to make core believers get the faders and stragglers onside. My wife, not very active, is impressed with videos shown at mid week meetings. This is evidence, she and others believes, that god is modernising the organisation.
On a completely different note, how many kingdom halls have windows? Any other public building without windows would make people dubious.
Reply
Idontknowhatodo says:
July 19, 2015 at 2:17 am
I find myself hungrily devouring every word you write because finally after a lifetime of being duped I have woken up….I always had times of periodic doubt but suppressed it because of various avenues of indoctrinated fear…I reg pioneered on many occasions…but over the last two years and especially since the monthly broadcasts on jw.org Ihave seen what I and my parents and siblings have dedicated our life to…an evil lie…now I am to old at 57 to build a life that can give me financial and personal fullfillment satisfaction…the opportunities I have tossed aside because of the direction of the organization…ones that would have meant such a happy and satisfying life…Im sick at heart…I am so in love with my spouse but they are totally duped and will listen to no reason or any argument against the organization…and would report me to the congregational elders ‘for my own good’ if thought needed…Im petrified of shunning because my whole family and all my friends are witnesses and I would be so alone…though sometimes I feel alone in a sea of people…in one way I have such relief…I no longer believe in God or a Devil..but I am utterly depressed because the best years of my life are gone…how can they do this to people?
Reply
Excelsior! says:
July 19, 2015 at 6:04 am
Idontknow…,
I am truly sorry for your situation. I hope that the WTBTS implodes soon, but I think it will be around for a good while yet in some form.
If I were in your situation, I would try to see my “theocratic” responsibilities as a role I had to play. What is the minimum you can do and still be “in good standing” in your situation? Find that level, and try to average around that. Another good tip is to use good old cheap words to your advantage. A few hearty “Isn’t Jehovah God’s spirit-directed Organisation wonderful?!”s and other similar statements will help convince the elders that you are in the fold.
I would reccomend reading the “Shepherding the Flock of God” elders text book. It is a cheat sheet for just what the elders will be looking for and knowledge is potential power for you to play them at their own game.
It’s a wretched situation, but these tips will hopefully help you. The only place where any human being can possibly be free is within their own minds. You are free, but your loved ones are sadly not.
These tips are how I would tackle this tragic situation. They may not work for you, but they may be of help to you. They come from a genuine feeling of compassion for you, and all those who face this awful dilemma.
All the best to you and your family.
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
Reply
Idontknowhatodo says:
July 19, 2015 at 7:10 am
Thank you Excelsior
Its great that your advice comes from a sincere place and not a ‘words by rote’ mindset…
I think I will follow your advice for the near future and though Im no spring chicken try and alongsode it create a life for myself…
My loved ones are for the moment imprisoned…
Im happy my mind is not…
Thank you for bringing that to my attention..
Peace be with you also
Reply
peggy says:
July 19, 2015 at 6:13 pm
Idontknow….I am 54 and recently told my family I am inactive. It took a long time to do it. I gradually woke up. My mind belongs to me now and that is more valuable than anything. The tips given to do as little and say the right “theocratic lines” helped me as I was leaving. I was angry the best years of my life were wasted, too. But, many new opportunities await. We can make it happen. It is funny , but the first thing I stopped doing was contributing money. It felt great.
Reply
Searcher says:
July 20, 2015 at 10:03 am
@Idontknowhatodo
I really feel for your situation and it is touching. Don’t feel that all is lost. You now have your own mind and no one, not even the JW organization can take that from you. Of all things that Nazi concentration camp victims said: They would say that the Nazi’s could take their freedom, but not the freedom of their mind. You can rebuild yourself and move on even at 57, just not as some in greater society would think. You are free in your mind and that is something to be proud of, because freedom isn’t free.
Reply
mandalay says:
July 21, 2015 at 11:14 am
Idontknowwhattodo:
I woke up two-and-a-half years ago. I stopped contributing two years before I actually stopped attending meetings. I am older than you and understand your pain because I’ve been there. There are so many things I want to do with my life now and can’t. But I’m completely over it now. I’m just happy as ever to be free, to start thinking instead of learning. I am never lonely. I use the internet extensively and read books–everything I can get my hands on, i.e., science, technology, sacred books and bible, history, politics, economics, conspiracy, mythology, theology, the paranormal… I am beginning to construct a different world view, which oddly enough, is not altogether taking me into the atheistic-evolutionist camp I thought it would, but that’s another story.
Reply
Lou Cee says:
July 22, 2015 at 7:39 am
Mandalay, I love your attitude and am doing the same thing! It is wonderful to be free!
Reply
Gameisover says:
July 19, 2015 at 2:42 am
Thank you for a superb article, Cedars. You’ve said it all, and so well. I know many “friends” who still attend meetings for the love of their families. The great silent revenge is they have stopped contributing completely.
They also write 1or 2 hours in their monthly report so as not to be considered inactive. How sad to have to resort
to those strategies in order to conserve ones family and friends! (The number is legion).
Reply
Idontknowhatodo says:
July 19, 2015 at 3:20 am
Really…is it that many?
Im not alone then
Thank You
Reply
Alicia says:
July 20, 2015 at 11:20 am
I was baptized at 13, was contacted at 25 by Jon Mitchell, a friend at Brooklyn Bethel, regarding the shake up involving Raymond Franz and others (didn’t listen), and finally, at 50 and unhappy, I read Crisis of Conscience and In Search of Christian Freedom (became inactive).
That was 10 years ago. I just read “Exiting the JW Cult: A Healing Handbook for Current and Former Jehovah’s Witnesses” by Bonnie Zieman. I can’t recommend it highly enough. I wish I had this info when I was young enough to make a real life outside JW.org. But whatever time I have left can be better. All’s well that ends well.
Reply
Lou Cee says:
July 22, 2015 at 7:43 am
One of the things us older folks can do is comfort the df’d ones online who come to these forums. Perhaps we can make a difference in the awful suicide rates of the df’d. If they just hold-on, they will find new friends and even “family” here on the web.
Reply
Excelsior! says:
July 22, 2015 at 9:52 am
Lou Cee,
What a lovely and kindly idea. One of the things that makes human beings so amazing is our ability to show compassion to others, even though we have never met them.
We have all found solace and respect here, and on other sites on the web.
It makes me happy to think that there are so many ex Jehovah’s Witnesses who really want to help current and ex JWs to find a way to live a full and happy life after the cult.
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
Queen Elsa says:
July 19, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Yep, me too!
Reply
anonymous says:
July 19, 2015 at 3:41 am
When you read between the lines of that letter to the elders, you can see the Society is losing ground but true believers will see that it’s a smart move to close down Kingdom Halls where attendance is low and drive to distant Kingdom Halls.
What the rank and file don’t see is that the Society will get the money from these fire sales and sock it away in their off-shore accounts where nobody can get their hands on it or they will reinvest it in more and more property.
What I also foresee, is faders and old people dropping out when they have to start driving long distances to their new Kingdom Halls and having to pay for the gas and getting home so late. I think it will be a good excuse for the faders and doubters and old people and people with young children to stop going and with fewer and fewer people attending, it will be more and more discouraging for those attending and then as the old ones die off and the younger set going on the internet and seeing the “truth” for what it really is, I see it dying off in maybe 20-30 years. By that time, the Governing Body will be all dead but the Watchtower corporations will be the richest organizations on the earth with the sale of all their Kingdom Halls and assembly halls and branches.
Reply
JWIntellect says:
July 19, 2015 at 5:34 am
Superb article!
Reply
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Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
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Posted on July 17, 2015
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for Watchtower?
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for Watchtower?
For many current and former Jehovah’s Witnesses who find themselves victimized by Watchtower’s cruel cult-like practices, the prospect of witnessing the end of the organization seems too good to be true.
Especially when you have spent many years being sold false promises of extraordinary future events, it’s understandable that you would be wary of getting your hopes up over something as significant as the downfall of the organization that misled you.
I obviously won’t make you any promises, because I have learned to be extremely cautious of wishful thinking in all its forms. But when I look at what is going on with Watchtower, I see an organization falling from grace at a rate faster than I could have ever reasonably envisaged.
The latest evidence of the organization’s free-fall comes in the shape of a letter to all elders in the United States branch territory, dated July 8, 2015. You can read about Watchtower’s new “master plan” yourself, but essentially it adds a further caveat to their smash-and-grab, stealth-tithing maneuvers from last year. (Thanks go to JWleaks.org for first making this letter available.)*
The new letter essentially says to publishers (or doesn’t say to publishers, because it’s an elders-only letter): “Not only are we going to make you promise to send us money every month for maintaining a kingdom hall that isn’t owned by you in any meaningful sense, we are also warning you that we might sell your kingdom hall, pocket the proceeds, and send you to go share someone else’s kingdom hall while STILL taking your money for the kingdom hall we’ve just sold.”
Rather than write an exhaustive summary of the letter, and re-hash points I have already made on this matter from previous articles, I thought I would take a different approach by adding this latest development to my list of 10 reasons why I believe Watchtower COULD be about to implode. Here goes…
1. Jehovah’s Witnesses are becoming a toxic brand
toxic-brand
The internet is more hostile than ever regarding Jehovah’s Witnesses. As the world becomes more aware of the cult phenomenon (thanks in part to the success of documentaries like HBO’s “Going Clear” film about Scientology) journalists are becoming less squeamish when it comes to highlighting the cult-attributes of the organization in newspaper articles and news broadcasts.
Ex-Witnesses have already turned YouTube into a no-go zone for believing Witnesses, and continue to explore ingenious strategies for reaching out to those under Watchtower’s spell. Even non-Witness blogs like Hemant Mehta’s Friendly Atheist are now rallying to the ex-JW cause and becoming increasingly vocal about the organization’s harmful practices. All this means it is harder than ever for Witnesses to find new converts, and easier than ever for Witnesses to wake up.
2. Less “spiritual food” is being printed
spiritual-food
The wafer-thin magazines on the literature carts testify to a huge drop in printed output of 39% for monthly magazine printing since 2005. If God’s one true organization is flourishing, why has it so drastically scaled down on its “spiritual food?” The simple truth is, printing is expensive. VERY expensive. A good gauge of prosperity for any printing organization is its printed output. If a printing company has a problem, it will print less stuff. That is exactly what we have already been seeing for some time with Watchtower.
3. Globally, the organization is in retreat
retreat
Watchtower has been shutting down branches at a rate never before seen, with branch numbers plummeting from 118 in 2009 to just 90 as of last year. The organization used to pride itself on its global footprint, and would herald the dedication of new branches as evidence of God’s backing for the global preaching work. Now Watchtower is in open retreat, using single branches to run the affairs of multiple countries. RTOs, or “Remote Translation Offices” (think of an RTO as a Bethel-lite), are seen as a way of keeping some kind of presence in far-flung territories, but the glory days of Watchtower’s relentless global expansion are fast disappearing in the rear view mirror.
4. The begging has started
begging
For the first time in the organization’s history, the Governing Body openly admitted to a shortfall in needed funds in the May 2015 JW Broadcasting episode. This unprecedented move was made despite Watchtower making 1 Billion from selling off its Brooklyn portfolio ($375 million in one transaction alone), which could indicate the Brooklyn proceeds have already been spent. After all, when there is zero accounting transparency, we have no way of knowing how indebted the organization is. No amount of revenue from property sales will be much use to Watchtower if it is all getting sucked into a bottomless pit of accumulated debt.
5. The stealth tithing has started
tithing
Expect an organization in financial peril to desperately claw around for ways of bringing in more cash from available assets. In Watchtower’s case, they are prevented from demanding money from individual members, because this would be classed as “tithing” – a practice associated with false religion that the organization has condemned since its inception. What Watchtower CAN do is tithe, not individuals, but congregations. This is precisely what the new “Local Design/Construction” arrangement has achieved.
Last year elders were forced to promise a fixed amount to be donated to Watchtower every month from their congregation account, based on (1) what the congregation was already sending for paying off a building/renovation loan, or (2) anonymous slips of paper passed around so that publishers could indicate what they could afford to pledge. Congregations were even told to send any surplus funds squirreled away for a rainy day to Watchtower, leaving just $5,000 plus three months’ worth of regular operating expenses.
Amazingly, the majority of Witnesses continue to be oblivious to what amounts to a smash-and-grab, and are instead under the assumption that Watchtower has mercifully forgiven all kingdom hall building loans.
6. Kingdom hall ‘mergers’ are in store
fuel-in-car
As already mentioned, Watchtower has instructed all United States elders as of July 8, 2015 to be ready for their congregation to be re-assigned to a different kingdom hall if the organization’s new “master plan” deems this necessary. The letter marks the green light for the downsizing we are already seeing at branch level to be soon rolled out at congregation level, and is again clear evidence that Watchtower is desperate to claw in money wherever it can and become a smaller, more financially nimble organization.
The end game would be kingdom hall multiplexes in city-center locations shared by five or more congregations – a far cry from the parochial feel older Witnesses will be accustomed to.
As delightful as it is to think of such a huge regression in the local presence of the organization, you can’t help but feel bad for all those long-standing Witnesses who have donated thousands over the years under the false assumption that they were responsible for their local kingdom hall’s upkeep. Soon, for all their kindness and generosity, such ones may face lengthy and costly car journeys to intimidating, soulless, inconvenient city-center locations allocated to them by Watchtower.
7. Personnel are being jettisoned
kicked-out
Last year district overseers received the unwelcome news that their positions no longer existed, and they were surplus to requirements. Though some will have been demoted down to circuit overseer rank, the majority will have been jettisoned by the organization to fend for themselves – an entire strata of the organization’s hierarchy dissolved, and deemed no longer serviceable or cost-effective.
In a similarly unceremonious manner, workers at branch offices subject to closure by Watchtower have been cast adrift, with years or even decades of loyal service apparently counting for very little in the organization’s quest to make ends meet. The recently-emerged story of a Wallkill bethelite who was virtually thrown out on the street due to “cutbacks” suggests that the organization’s top brass have no qualms when it comes to wielding the axe. Bethelites in Watchtower’s heartland would do well to watch their backs and plan for the worst as the organization looks to slash spending wherever it can.
8. The secret weapons have failed
secret-weapon
Despite all the fanfare and hype, JW.org has been unable to attract internet-savvy non-Witnesses – its main target audience. It is, quite literally, preaching to the converted. The 2015 Yearbook boasted that JW.org received 850,000,000+ total visits in the first two years from Aug 27, 2012 to Aug 31, 2014. This figure sounds impressive until you factor in the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses – 8 million. Assuming every active Witness visits their own website at least once per week, you arrive at only a slightly lower figure of 832,000,000 visits over the two years (8,000,000 x 52 x 2).
And despite succeeding in making the organization more visible, there has been no notable increase in baptisms in the two years since the literature carts (or “metropolitan witnessing”) program was launched. After all, getting literature into someone’s hands won’t stop them going on the internet and fact-checking when they get home. And that’s assuming anyone is interested in approaching the carts to begin with. In this Guardian article, the reporter watched some carts in a busy part of London for an hour, and the only person who approached the Witnesses did so because they needed directions.
9. The child abuse floodgates have opened
flood
As was predicted at the time, there has been a relentless stream of child abuse lawsuits filed against Watchtower since the 2012 Candace Conti verdict. In 2013, a year on from the Conti judgment, lawyer Irwin Zalkin told me he had no less than 11 lawsuits on his books. Though many such lawsuits end up being settled, the success of the Jose Lopez case and the recent victory in London’s High Court have shown that if child abuse victims are willing to dig their heels in and stay the course they can have, not only compensation, but justice served.
All of this doesn’t bode well for an organization already under fire for its cult-like shunning practices and death-dealing prohibitions on blood transfusions. And apart from the atrocious reputation, with well-informed journalists like Trey Bundy spelling out the problems of organizational mishandling in the media, the money for paying off multi-million judgments and out-of-court settlements has to come from somewhere.
Even if the Governing Body sent a long-overdue letter out tomorrow FINALLY telling elders to report all child abuse accusations straight to the police, Watchtower would still have to answer to the backlog of lawsuits from victims who suffered while the two-witness rule was (is) still in place. Such victims may well have only a finite window of opportunity to get ANY money out of Watchtower at all.
10. Watchtower doesn’t have a PR strategy
head-in-sand
You’re an international, faith-based non-profit organization with a toxic brand both on the internet and in the media. Fewer people from wealthy, developed countries with internet are joining you, and thus donations are dwindling. For all the evangelizing and promotional work of your members, a few clicks on Google can completely dismantle your organization’s message. To make matters worse, you have mounting legal costs and settlements to pay for out of an ever-diminishing revenue stream. What you urgently need is a good PR strategy to make it easier to bring in fresh converts (and their donations) – but even here Watchtower is almost comically inept.
The organization’s PR strategy is essentially two-fold: (1) bury your head in the sand and hope your opposers eventually get bored and go away, or (2) refute the claims made by your opposers using outright lies (*cough* Rick Fenton). Both of these methods may help the likes of Tony Morris get to sleep at night in the short-term, but ultimately they are self-defeating. To neutral observers, silence is incriminating when damning allegations are on the table – especially related to harming children. And when you flat out lie about your damaging policies and teachings, you only give critics like me more rope to hang you with.
The only workable strategy Watchtower can pursue at this stage is one of reform, but past experience shows that any form of “compromise” is seen by the Governing Body as capitulation to Satan’s hordes. In short, Watchtower is sinking because its deluded leaders are their own worst enemies.
What does the future hold?
I do not for one moment suggest that we will see an end to Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religion in our lifetimes. The fact that there continues to be such a thing as the bible students, who still cling to Charles Taze Russell and his discredited, outlandish teachings, tells us that religions have amazing survival abilities even when members are deprived of their leadership. Faith, after all, is a product of people’s minds. When enough people believe the same unsubstantiated thing you have a religion, regardless of whether there is a person or organization to lead it.
But while religions are virtually indestructible, corporations are not. Non-profit organizations like Watchtower are just as capable of getting into debt as any other business. And when your bank manager starts bankruptcy proceedings against you because you can no longer service your debts, it’s game over.
The organization's glory days are already behind it
The organization’s glory days are already behind it
Those who suggest Watchtower is too big and successful to go down need only look at the fact that it has already been shrinking since it reached its zenith (in terms of branches and printing operations) some time between 2005 and 2010. Add to that the desperate clawing for cash over the five years since then, and you have the omens of an organizational collapse.
The winds of change have completely overtaken Watchtower in the internet age, and the Governing Body find themselves in a whole different ball game to their predecessors. If things are really as bad as I suspect, Watchtower needs to drastically downscale its operations to, say, a handful of branches and zero printing. In other words, it needs to become like its noisy neighbor Scientology, which despite having only 50,000-or-so members (and an even worse reputation) still has an impressive portfolio of valuable property scattered across the globe and minimal overheads compared to Watchtower.
But any downsizing of that magnitude would send Watchtower into an even more vicious spiral, in which it would start hemorrhaging even the most diehard members. After all, when you have spent decades pointing to your success as evidence of divine backing, how do you explain any sudden, sharp decline?
If Watchtower were to go bankrupt, it could always try claiming that the Great Tribulation has begun and Satan’s minions (their creditors) have started overtly attacking God’s people, but this simply will not wash with more intelligent Witnesses. Whatever is left of the organization (perhaps re-branded to ditch the Watchtower name entirely while retaining the Governing Body at the helm) would have a huge exodus on its hands.
It is precisely because of all the pride at stake that, in my mind, a sudden implosion seems increasingly plausible. Unlike ordinary commercial organizations who have the flexibility to change their size and scope according to the prevailing conditions, “God’s organization” can only be seen by its members to be going in an upwards trajectory for its grandiose claims of divine direction to have any credence. Any noticeable regression would rightly be interpreted as evidence of God’s favor being absent. Thus any problems would be allowed to accumulate behind closed doors until they reach a critical mass.
Of course I could be wrong, but if that is so then Watchtower is doing an awful lot of begging and downsizing for no particular reason, and with far too much to lose by doing so. It could well be that some incredible developments are ahead as Watchtower’s predicament further deteriorates, and the Governing Body slowly discovers that Jehovah isn’t coming to the rescue after all. I had better get on with writing my book while there is still an organization to write about.
new-cedars-signature3
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89 Responses to Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
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ruthlee says:
July 19, 2015 at 8:04 am
dear i dont know what to do ive just come from a dead meeting all those little lost sheep with nothing of substance to say for themselves and i attended fs meeting afterward 2 elds 1 real pio not the pretend young who never support anyone but themselves see it for what it is and have hope in time you will see the path you need to be on meanwhile people like lloyd and others help you realise you are not going mad i too in 50s and frittered away my life but i hope and still believe in our creator and ihope the smashing instrument comes first to those who declare they have Gods authority the rot really has set in and the house will fail just dont let you and your family get caught in the crossfire and this site has helped me so much im truly grateful that like minded people exist and are willing to be kind
Reply
Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 12:45 am
Ruthlee, this is really hard to read. After a couple of words I gave up. I don’t want to be snotty, but with punctuation marks and maybe a paragraph here and there it is easier for the eyes to follow your words.
Thus giving them the attention they deserve :)
Reply
Kellyanne says:
July 24, 2015 at 3:10 pm
I just had to say that I think this was the most polite and appropriate corrective comment I have ever read. Thank you for being a good person on the Internet. You’ve made my day and inspired me to respond to people in a similar manner. :)
Reply
It'sJustMe says:
July 19, 2015 at 11:24 am
“If Watchtower were to go bankrupt…..”, Lloyd dixit, ….I would not hesitate for a second to celebrate this happy event with champagne.
Reply
Pam says:
July 19, 2015 at 1:52 pm
Hi Cedar,
Thank you for this information. However neither my friend or I could open the letter to the elders. Is there some other way to view it?
Thanks in advance,
Pam
Reply
Cedars says:
July 19, 2015 at 2:09 pm
Hi Pam! I’ve just checked again and the link above does work.
Be sure to click the blue rectangular box that says: “Click here to start download from sendspace.”
Thanks.
Reply
Cognitive Loop says:
July 19, 2015 at 7:06 pm
How I opened the elders letter linked in this article:
Go to site linked in article. Click the download link. There should be a pop-up box asking how you want the file: save it? or open it? Select “open”.
But here’s the trick: it requires a file reader such as Adobe/Acrobat Reader. Perhaps that is what is gumming up the works on your end? Or maybe a firewall/permissions setting?
Reply
Finn Sawyer says:
July 20, 2015 at 12:09 am
Looks like Watchtower had the link to the elder’s letter removed from the JW leaks site server. The URL is null.
Reply
Cedars says:
July 20, 2015 at 3:26 am
Yes, the JWleaks/sendspace link no longer works. Fortunately the letter can still be read on this link… http://imgur.com/Ng4CYXy
Reply
Erik says:
July 20, 2015 at 1:56 am
Or…downsizing CAN be explained to the flock as a sign that we are sooo deep into the last days, all religions are under attack, even this one now. So soon Jehovah must act, because now Satan has turned his wrath onto His organization. Any negative happenings can be explained away like so!!
Reply
Lou Cee says:
July 22, 2015 at 6:44 am
Or, perhaps they will claim that the “sorting work” is nearly over. (face palm)
Reply
alain says:
July 20, 2015 at 4:06 am
Hi Lloyd,
Thanks for this sobering article…
But, about these facts:
1) the huge building process in Warwick ( the new JW worldwide headquarters)
2) the crucial need of more and more Kingdom Halls?
Looking forward to hearing from you the soonest,
Kind Regards
Reply
Cedars says:
July 20, 2015 at 5:47 am
Hi alain
The building project in Warwick is a property flip. They are building their new headquarters at a fraction of the cost of what they are making from selling Brooklyn, so it’s a money-making exercise rather than a statement that the organization is financially stable.
As to the stated need for kingdom halls, for this to be a “crucial” need, you would need to see a corresponding surge in the numbers of those baptized. Instead the growth figure has been hovering around the 2% mark for the last five years, indicating growth is stagnant and any perceived need for new halls has been there for many years.
Lloyd
Reply
Rae says:
July 20, 2015 at 6:40 am
Cedars
You’re spot on with so much you have to say about the Watchtower Society… my own experience… but to disavow the existence of the maker of all things because the messenger has become apostate itself…? No condemnation here at all. Just a suggestion for a little rethink. Is it possible that God has become ticked off and decided to do something about the falsehood in the Society?
Yours… Rae
Reply
Cedars says:
July 20, 2015 at 6:46 am
Rather than being based on my experience with the organization, my reasons for no longer being religious are due to the lack of evidence for a theistic God, but thank you for your concern.
Reply
Idontknowhatodo says:
July 20, 2015 at 7:32 am
Me too Lloyd
Im certainly not replacing all I have rejected with another ideology…
Evidence points in one direction only…
I refuse to ignore my powers of reasoning any longer…
Please never stop writing or doing your videos…
They have been an enormous help to me…
Helping me free my mind.
Reply
Free Thinker says:
July 20, 2015 at 7:10 am
Has anyone else noticed the use of the phrase “master plan” in paragraph two of the letter. How many dictatorial powers have used that phrase and come to nothing.If it goes wrong they can always blame the “master plan”.Imagine now Vincent Price laughing manically in the background.
Reply
LOL says:
July 20, 2015 at 8:50 pm
What a bunch of pathetic losers!!
Reply
Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 12:56 am
Probably (hopefully?) most elders won’t get fooled into thinking that WT is soo thriving that they don’t know where to put all the new sheep in (ha ha).
A sobering thought for me is: IF this letter would get to be known to the rest of the congregation, would they draw the false conclusion that this move is made because of exploding growth?
Oooh the organisation needs money to build more kingdom halls but it is still not enough! We also need to move closer together! Oh all the growth. Jehova must surely pour his blessing over the congregations…..
Isn’t that probable that JW people will just distort the facts to soothe their perception?
Reply
Everyday Explorer says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:47 am
What an incisive article. Thank you, Lloyd.
Reply
ScotWm says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:39 am
Over half of the 10 items listed as evidence that the Watchtower is headed for collapse are related to financial problems. Item 9, “The child abuse floodgates have opened”, appears to have the power to eventually destroy the Watchtower.
My attempts to obtain a realistic total of all Watchtower child abuse settlements has been unsuccessful. There are a number of confidential settlements, for which there are no amounts stated, as well as many multi-million dollar judgments listed as being appealed by the Watchtower legal department.
Regarding a recent California child abuse case: “In the Lopez trial, the Watchtower refused to provide its list of perpetrators, in violation of an order upheld by the California Supreme Court. It also refused to provide the longest-serving member of the Governing Body, Gerrit Lösch, who was subpoenaed.” The judge awarded a $13.5 million default verdict which the Watchtower cannot appeal. However, the Watchtower is currently appealing the amount of the judgment.
https://www.revealnews.org/article/jehovahs-witnesses-use-1st-amendment-to-hide-child-sex-abuse-claims/
Candace Conti was awarded $28 million, but the punitive damage award was reversed, leaving only $2.8 million in compensatory damages. There is no record of the Watchtower having paid Conti any amount at this time.
In any event, the number of child abuse cases is growing, the Watchtower’s delay tactics are becoming ineffective and the bills will eventually come due. The Watchtower will need a lot more than its children’s ice cream money to cover the child abuse judgments.
Reply
RK says:
July 23, 2015 at 4:29 pm
I’m curious about this desperate need for Kingdom Halls. They say they give money or money is needed for these halls. But I’ve seen them close down halls of older ones in Pennsylvania only to make them travel farther. It’s not like they gave the money back. They kept it. We live in the poorest area of Pennsylvania and still have to pay for our Kingdom Hall. So who is getting this donated money. Even the poorest areas and Kingdom Halls are self supported by their own donations and have to pay their own bills and loans from the society. So when they say there is an urgent need for Kingdom Halls. Where is this need? They act like they just give the money to those in need. But it generally is a loan. Even in a foreign 3rd world county. They don’t build an $800,000 Kingdom Hall. They build a cheap ass brick hut. That cost next to nothing and even those people have some funds to contribute. In fact, if they did not have funds on their own they can’t build a hall. So who is getting money to build a hall when it’s all loaned and not given. They have these people thinking it’s given to them for free to build. But again, I live in the poorest part of PA and not one of these halls gets the free money. In fact they all do this new tithing! They pay even when the loan is paid off. And again to re-state. They are an extremely poor area.
Reply
Pickled brain says:
July 24, 2015 at 9:00 am
@RK . Your comment is Spot on . You are SO Right.!! Even the poor JWs are expected to fund their own halls . So WHY Aren’t we JWs given a PROPER ACCOUNTING SHEET to show where OUR DONATIONS are Going . I suspect millions of dollars of our Donations are paying those CHILD ABUSE Victims which would be VERY EMBARRASSING to print out on a balance sheet!!
I suspect also the Governing a Body WASTED Millions on BAD INVESTMENTS in Stocks & Shares & Hedge Funds which We are allowed to invest in as JWs which is LAUGHABLE as the Stock Market is the BIGGEST CASINO in the World.!!
I know if each Individual JW knew the VAST DONATIONS that had been Squandered then they would stop donating tomorrow & the Watchtower would collapse that’s why the GB doesn’t print Balance Sheets except at an individual congregation level!
REMEMBER these Donations are HARD EARNED money from many Poor Brothers Who Have PAID their TAXES & are STRUGGLING to Survive or its ICE CREAM MONEY from millions of JW CHILDREN!!!
DISGUSTING & OBSCENE!!!!
Reply
goneforgood says:
July 24, 2015 at 11:53 pm
I left in October 2014, finally, after trying to convince myself the last 20 years it was me, not them. Nope, it is them. Thank you for all you do Cedars, you put into words so eloquently the things that need to be said. For all the ‘growth’ they talk about I didn’t see any in my local area, not since the 80’s. The local congregations here are mostly ‘old timers’ who are getting quite elderly. My father was an elder during my teenage years and I heard hushed talk and whispers of accusations about abuse here and there, nothing I can prove or have any facts on, but I have a feeling once it starts really coming undone, it will be a massive exodus out of the organization, if it hasn’t started already I would be shocked. The fear tactics they use make it difficult for us to reach out to each other in any meaningful way for fear of being labeled an apostate. What a terrifying and lonely existence to never be able to speak your mind or ask a question, to have to hide yourself in fear 24/7. I really think many are just lingering on the fringe out of fear of losing everyone they have ever known, I did. Until I saw behind the curtain, noticed all the rabbit holes that lead to lies, corruption, and disgusting behaviour. I cannot be associated with such an organization anymore. In a way I am grateful, I know the truth, and it has definitely set me free…
Reply
anonymous says:
July 25, 2015 at 4:23 am
I haven’t gone to a meeting for a little over a year and yesterday I ran into a “friend” from the Kingdom Hall at the grocery store and she hugged me and asked me where have I been, practically crying about it and I told her that I’d never go to the Kingdom Hall again and that I am the happiest that I have been in the last 50 years and she said that is what Satan wants you to think and I said no, that I am the happiest that I have been in 50 years and I told her that the JW religion was the worst religion I could have chosen etc. and she could see horns popping right out of the top of my head and she couldn’t run away from me fast enough.
I forget how I was when I was first waking up. I might have done the same thing 2 years ago but once I have gotten fully awake, it is so clear to me now. I must remember what it was like for me 2 years ago but in a way, I’d love it if she went to the elders and turned me in for apostasy. They are afraid of me. My husband said that it’s because they don’t know how to handle me. But I do think they don’t want to disfellowship me. I sure wished there was a way to discuss with them in an intelligent manner without them thinking that I am the Devil now. It is so clear to me how they are under mind control. I was too and now it is so hard for me to see how under mind control I was all those years.
Reply
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← Is Watchtower imploding? 10 reasons why the end could be nigh
The Unexpected Kindness of the World
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Posted on July 21, 2015
Random acts of kindness by "worldly" people are not as rare as most Witnesses might expect
Random acts of kindness by “worldly” people are not as rare as most Witnesses might expect
As a Jehovah’s Witness child, our religious community was seen as a spiritual paradise in contrast to all other organizations on earth. This mindset was routinely emphasized in Watchtower publications.
One Watchtower assures us that “[God] has made it possible for honest hearted ones to move out of the wicked world, figuratively speaking, and into the spiritual paradise that he has created.” (“Dwell on What Jehovah Has Done for You,” Watchtower, 15 January 2011)
Our worldwide brotherhood did seem rather impressive to my young mind. Wherever we were, it was no rare thing to find ourselves staying over and sharing dinner with new Witness “friends.” Over a home cooked meal we’d swap “How did you come into the truth?” stories, make small-talk over the latest Watchtower publications, and after us kids were hushed away to listen to taped Bible dramas, the adults might engage in gossip over those that had recently succumbed to the world.
“The world” was JW jargon to encapsulate everyone that didn’t happen to also be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Faithful members were encouraged to be vigilant, because any number of demonic lures could snatch a loyal Witness from Jehovah’s organization into the clutches of the wicked world. A hushed mention of the term was enough to carry my mind to Live Forever book illustrations; I mentally transposed the faces of the disfellowshipped over those of opium addicts, disco harlots, and gay cowboys.
1982_Live_Forever_Pg_131
Live Forever book, page 131
1982_Live_Forever_Pg_182
Live Forever book, page 182
This condemnation was not exclusively reserved for the unreligious. Other Christian faiths were considered to be part of the wicked world. And our religious publications seldom wasted an opportunity to contrast the JW version of Christianity with our competitors.
For example, the 2014 Yearbook contains the account of a Somali woman who accepted an invitation to visit a Kingdom Hall. There she grew angry when no one welcomed her and stormed out of the door. Later when she told her experience to the Witness that had invited her, they all realized that she had mistakenly visited another church building. The anecdote ends by sharing that the Somali woman eventually found the Kingdom Hall, was warmly welcomed, and became a regular attender.
Accounts like this are used to infer that even among the religions of “the world” there is no kindness like that of the Witnesses. There is another undercurrent that runs through this and similar JW anecdotes. A warm welcome is merely the first step in the conversion process.
As an adult, I began to see that the JW version of kindness didn’t always match the Watchtower picture. The initial love bombing was soon replaced by a sort of caste system that celebrated those that held position and disregarded those that didn’t live up to the heavy load imposed by the Governing Body. And those that ran afoul of any number of the religion’s rules might be expelled.
Witnesses that once rushed to embrace someone entering through the front door would as quickly turn away from someone shoved out the back. I experienced this myself when I was disfellowshipped for the crime of not agreeing.
After separating from the Witnesses, I accepted invitations to visit other churches. In attending some of these religious rivals, I couldn’t help but notice similarities. As I entered old churches, converted theaters, and the occasional dank basement, I was bombarded by smiling, Holy book-holding people. Questions such as “Who are you?” and “Are you visiting?” were quickly followed by invitations for Bible study and baptism. The jargon was different but the experiences weren’t far off from my JW background.
It also wasn’t rare for those groups to claim exclusivity due to the love they showed one another. An acquaintance that was raised in a high control group, commonly called the 2×2’s, talked about how his own childhood was marked by religious-vacations to stay at the houses of various “friends.” His mother was proud that they could count on anyone of their faith to take them in off the road. It sounded like my own family.
After I separated from the JW religion, it was sometimes a challenge to integrate into the world. A discomfort or awkwardness lingered when associating with people of different backgrounds. The stigma was all on me due to my upbringing. But over time I widened out and met people of different backgrounds – some of whom became real friends.
Recently I took a trip to western North Carolina, a scenic area on the east coast of the United States. My girlfriend and I were hosted by a couple who lived half-way up a tall mountain with gorgeous views of the scenery. We were complete strangers, just introduced online. We made shrimp and steak tacos for our hosts as a small thanks for the paradise-like accommodations that would have rivaled the most exclusive resort. As we drank frosty bottles of Negra Modelo with our new friends, we learned about their incredible lives.
mountain_home
The North Carolina mountain retreat where we stayed
He was 60’s student who enlisted in the military to serve in the Vietnam war before getting out as an objector after a crisis of conscience. Back home he became a street flower vendor before opening his own shop. She was an ethnobotanist that toured the world conducting research for National Geographic. He told us about the local foliage. She told us that cannibals loved SPAM, because it allegedly tastes like human flesh.
For example, many use tobacco, chew betel nut, or take drugs for recreational purposes. – “A Godly View of Life”, What Does the Bible Teach?
And she told us about betel nut. As a JW, betel nut was considered another of Satan’s machinations that could catapult an unsuspecting Witness straight into the world. It was up there with marijuana and tobacco, though no one seemed to know exactly what it was. Our host told us that betel nut was chewed by islanders from the age of nine onward. It resulted in addiction and the loss of teeth. Thanks to the Watchtower I dodged the bullet on that one. I could have had dentures at eleven!
The couple enthusiastically explained that they had made hospitality their way of life since touring Europe as young adults. Although decades had past, they vividly gave accounts of being approached to share a tent, roof or meal. When they returned to the States, they wanted to do the same and have continued to open their home to others passing through.
As we toured the local downtown an Eastern-European girl approached asking for directions. She was working as a counselor at a rural summer camp and was planning to walk back. The couple insisted they drive her. As we dropped her off and waved goodbye, we exchanged smiles and waves that transcended language. And there were no religious tracts exchanged.
We only stayed two nights, though our hosts implored us to stay more. Instead we set out to explore the local area, camping high in the middle of an expansive forest. By day we ventured down into the valley towns and city. One night we ended up staying too late enjoying cocktails and local music. A greeting to another couple led to another invitation to stay over.
The next afternoon another set of new acquaintances took care of our lunch bill. Beyond hospitality and food, we received housing advice, job leads, personal tours, conversation, and more. All came without an expectation of anything in return, not even a visit to a church building.
In religions like JW’s, kindness is not free or without conditions. When directed toward outsiders it is with the anticipation that it will lead to a conversion. But as easily as it is given, it quickly goes away whenever someone runs afoul of the religion. It’s true that in many places in the world kindness may be rare, but to insinuate that it can only come within one tiny Christian sect is simply false. It’s a lie told to enforce us-versus-them style thought control.
The more I’m exposed to the world, the more I’m exposed to genuinely kind people that give from the heart rather than religious obligation. And like my hosts, it motivates me to want to show similar kindness to others. Have you ever experienced unexpected kindness from “the world?” Please share it in the comments.
anthony-signature2
Anthony Mathenia is the author of a new JW fiction novel Happiness, Next Exit, to be released August 24th. Follow him on Twitter at @armathenia.
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58 Responses to The Unexpected Kindness of the World
sally1914 says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:30 am
The experience I’m sharing was my daughter’s. She and her husband went grocery shopping, gathering just over $100.00 worth of food. When they went to pay, every one of their credit cards/debit cards were declined! Close to tears, they had a stranger come along and pay their bill. They gave thanks to the Lord for providing. She has plans to open a room over the garage in her new home, for the homeless. They told me of this with wonder and tears.
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Angus Robertson says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:51 am
Great article. Since leaving have experienced so much unconditional kindness from neighbors and strangers alike. The support offered when my wife and I were DF’d (again for not agreeing) was incredible. You don’t need religion to be a good person and cults certainly do not hold exclusivity on hospitality.
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Kat says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:54 am
Being and older citizen and don’t drive because of a disability, my neighbor is always asking if they can take me to help with my shopping, this terrible worldly person asks nothing in return, however if I don’t ask JW they wont offer.
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Andrea says:
July 21, 2015 at 5:54 am
This was one of the eye-opening things for me when I left the JW community.
I had previously thought that there may not be a lot of kindness or generosity to see outside the org. How mistaken I was – so many people, some complete strangers, have turned out to be so kind or helpful without any agenda or expecting anything in return. I’ve similarly have met mean people, but I’ve also experienced the same from within the organisation… Truly, kindness or meanness is not determined by religion or lack thereof.
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Jill Hileman says:
July 21, 2015 at 6:28 am
It seems we all have the similar experience of shock and some level of dismay when “worldly people” prove to be so much more than the religious stamp assigned to them, so much more than the stark portrait painted to keep us distant and fearful.
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Thinking of leaving says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:10 am
To be honest I found the way I was treated when exiting to be some what perplexing. I was actively involved (well at least superficially as a publisher)for 4 decades in the religion.On finding out TTATT and beginning my fade I had not one elders visit, and only 3 publishers on 2 separate visits could be bothered to knock on my door to see how I was. In my life time I knew 1000s of witnesses and it still blows my mind to think how they will mindlessly go D2D knocking on empty houses and yet give so little attention to those exiting out the back door. Well it’s not like I’m complaining however. Keep up the good work Watchtower!!
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Ken says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:31 pm
I had a shepherding call from a ” Sister” I knew from my childhood Kingdom Hall , she knocked on my door in 2008 after my father passed on . Strangely we left the J Ws back in 1985 . So think how long it’s been since I have actually seen a Jehovah witness ! It took them almost 20 years to remember me and my mother . It shows how leauk warm they are.
By the way Iam still waiting for the Saturday morning knock…..
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StrongHaiku says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:25 am
That was a great article and resonated with me. You asked the question ‘Have you ever experienced unexpected kindness from “the world?”’. I would answer with an unequivocal ‘yes’. Further, I would say it wasn’t until I have been out for a while that I learned how I had been indoctrinated to be xenophobic, sexist, racist, classist, etc. by this religion and the God it follows. And, this makes sense as one of the central tenets of religion is to make the in-group feel privileged and special by dehumanizing and demonizing the out-group.
If you have left the JWs, you may be happy (and feel smart) that you no longer follow a corrupt organization. However, you may still have a lot of work to do to reconnect with your humanity. Take the time to revisit everything you believe (and assume) beyond the theology. You may find you are still carrying a lot of bad ideas and baggage.
When I compare who I am today vs. who I was before, I am ashamed. Based on how I see things today, I don’t think I was truly a good person then, but I am working on it…
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Steve McRoberts says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:37 am
Great point, StrongHaiku. I feel exactly the same way.
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Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:58 am
I feel the same and appreciate you bringing that out in hte open!
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Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:59 am
the… typo. :-)
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Grace says:
July 21, 2015 at 3:41 pm
@StrongHaiku,
Everything you said in that comment was so true & how much I observed over the years myself too. I couldn’t have said it any better than that. “Xenophobic, sexist, racist, classist”.
I happened to be watching the original 1984 movie with my nieces the other day. We go to the bit where the crowd were watching the big screen shouting “hate! hate! hate!” & I turned to my niece & said this is like the outward aggressive version of being a Witness. You’re subtly indoctrinated to hate. Hate the world, hate gays, hate other religions, hate anyone that is not a JW & sometimes even hate those that are, hate the disfellowshipped but most of all, HATE APOSTATES!!!!
And they can deny that they hate but at the end of the day, they are wishing for all of these people to be dead one day.
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anonymous says:
July 21, 2015 at 8:40 pm
Grace, a couple days ago, my husband’s exact words were: “I revel at the thought of all those people dying at Armageddon”. He was talking about anybody who isn’t a JW. I repeated to him what he said in a question and he repeated it and said it again “Yes, I revel at the thought of all those people who aren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses dying at Armageddon.”
The Bible says that God doesn’t want anybody to be destroyed (2 Peter 3:9)
Marty says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:32 am
I experienced this when the JW I worked for, along with his son, suddenly let me go after 15 years of hard graft without as much as a “Thank You”.
Struggling financially I finally had a job offer from a “worldly” person for full time employment. The reason he asked me was that the guy he had before was unreliable, lazy, incompetent and a liability. That guy was, and still is a JW!
So, yes there is such a thing as genuine kindness in the “World”!
P.S All the folks I have met since leaving this toxic cult have proven far more loving and sincere individuals than most of the JW’s I knew for the 23 years I was “in”
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Steve McRoberts says:
July 21, 2015 at 7:33 am
Great post, Anthony!
Changing names, but here’s a true story.
Paul and Mary were in the same congregation and kept in touch by mail after he had faded and she had disassociated. There was no romantic ties, as there was a big age difference, and Mary was married: they were just friends. One day Mary wrote to Paul that her daughter, whom she had at 16 and had given up for adoption, was now an adult and had tracked her down. She and her daughter corresponded for a while, and they desperately wanted to meet in person. The problem was: they were both poor, and lived across the country from each other.
Paul, though he was working part-time as a janitor, bought a non-refundable round-trip plane ticket for Mary to visit her daughter, and mailed it to her. Mary was overjoyed and she flew to meet her daughter and had a tearful reunion.
A sad postscript: Shortly after this, Mary went back to the Witnesses and immediately cut off all contact with Paul.
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John Baptist says:
July 21, 2015 at 8:30 am
First of all good article Anthony. These are subjects that are good to cover in order to see the True reality of this Man made Religion that requires you to serve their leaders unconditionally but yet in return they put conditions on you being accepted in to their fold. How Sad and completely wrong.
True Love and compassion is UNCONDITIONAL!
And there are countless humans in this “WORLD” that display this on a daily basis.
But when your a Billion dollar toxic cult that indoctrinates its members by throwing out LABELS and hoping they stick, you really realize how far off base and out there they are in their thought processes.
I have been that child who was required by force to conform since the age of 10 and was forced to be baptized at 15 or else.
Since not agreeing with their false prophecy’s but remaining a Christian i was ousted out and what ensued was beyond belief. And they call this LOVE?
My then wife told me i was not worth investing in since i was not part of the religion anymore and degraded me and forced me out of the relationship. Again a relationship based on conditions as well as a relationship with a organisation based on conditions.
So there i was tossed out like garbage and falsely accused of horrendous drama filled accusations without proof. Again is this unconditional Christ like Love in operation? Absolutely Not!!
The life that followed was of abrupt change to which i am so thankful and have not one regret.
Since being ousted to the “World” i have regained my mental stability in reality. Yes there are folks out there that are bad to be associated with but there are just as much inside those four Kingdom Hall walls who disguise it with their own dual personality. One when their inside the hall and one when their outside. We all know what i’m talking about here.
Since 1992 i have relationships with people who are really “Honest Hearted” and who to this day wouldn’t hesitate to call on for help and they would give it unconditionally. This is true love based on relationships that have stood the test of time.
In my circle of friends i would trust any of them and they likewise with me. And they all come from different faiths and backgrounds.
Its no wonder the Watchtower Society paints literally in their publications such worthless propaganda when it comes to the “World” because they hold you Hostage from seeing the Real “Truth” about it.
Wake up Folks and regain your own life back from this ever indoctrinating religion that TRULY wastes your life and time!
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anonymous says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:09 am
All the fifty years I was in the “truth” I was made to feel bad if I contributed to any charity that wasn’t the Watchtower organization. In the United States there are hospitals that take sick kids and they never receive a bill. There’s all kinds of charities for children with cancer and all kinds of illnesses that parents don’t have the money for. Even McDonalds has Ronald McDonald houses for parents to stay when their child is being treated for cancer.
When one of the three times after I stopped going to meetings, two elders stopped by to talk to me, I brought up that there are a lot of worldly people who do many good things for people just because they are good people and the two elders looked at me blankly and denied it and implied I was lying.
There are charities for children, animals and veterans from the military. There’s charities to help people live in homes that they can’t afford to buy. People start charities for people whose houses have burned up in fires and have suffered from floods. The list goes on and on but Witnesses turn a blind eye to it.
They turn their backs on anything that might help their fellow man and think that if they have an extra dollar in their pocket, the only honorable place to put it is in the contribution box at the Kingdom Hall because they think with that dollar, just maybe somebody might get a Watchtower magazine and read it and it will give them everlasting life in the new world. Their kids are even made to feel guilty if they don’t take their allowances and put that in the contribution boxes.
Now that I have left the Organization, I see those charities as what they really are. They are real charities, unlike the fake charity of the Watchtower Organization. The Watchtower Organization’s only charity is to take money for themselves so they can buy more property.
If anyone of Jehovah’s Witnesses comes into hard times, the Society will put the guilt on the Witnesses’
close friends to help them out.
You will never see a video from the Society where the Organization will help out the motherless child or the widows or the person who lost his job so he could attend the meetings. It ain’t never gonna happen. Not in our lifetime.
What Witnesses are told to do is put their trust in Jehovah. If Jehovah doesn’t help them out of their hard times, it has to be because Jehovah isn’t blessing them because they are doing something wrong and they will turn a blind eye to their problems.
If a Witness needs food or rent money or anything else, they will have to go to a worldy food bank or ask for charity from one of Christendom’s charities and this will happen, no matter how many years of free voluntary service that Witness did for the Organization.
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a jones says:
July 22, 2015 at 7:15 pm
Hi have a look on youtube to see what ABCnews and Good morning america have to say about Goodsearch.com a charity search engine and so that people use it rather than any other search engine it donates half the profits of each search to charity
Over $11 million to charity and the same for the company
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Holly Chu says:
July 25, 2015 at 12:41 pm
I have never seen my own personal thoughts on charity outside the Organization and the “non charity” inside the Organization put so crystal clear as your post. I was born-in 60 years ago and after the upcoming summer 2015 Convention will make my quiet and final exit. Good luck to anyone in need, financially or otherwise, in the JW organization. And now the GB is asking for all out commitment of members funds and time at Kingdom Hall and Wallkill building work. Free labor I might add to those who are not aware.
Please keep up your spot on posting.
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Average Joe says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:25 am
There are good people both inside and outside the JW organisation. JWs don’t have the monopoly on being nice, loving people. However, the other can be said too. Not every JW is a heartless self-centred individual either. It all boils down to who you are as a person, at your core. If you are a decent individual then that will shine through no matter what religion or creed your profess.
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Gameisover says:
July 23, 2015 at 12:55 am
Of course there are good people, potentially.
However when an individual is brain washed, fully indoctrinated, they will turn into monsters, practice shunning with their own children or parents and really believe that they are doing the right thing to please God. No exceptions.
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Gameisover says:
July 23, 2015 at 1:40 am
P.S. Also these potentially good people
never engage in any type of volunteer work in their communities. The sick, the homeless, the elderly, have only “worldly” people to care for them.
Last but not least, how good are people who are not horrified at the worldwide
slaughter promised by JW.Org?
They even go around parroting it to anyone that will listen.
I’m ashamed to have been like that for nearly 50 years. But it’s never to late.
In my case the change was almost immediate. I was willing to lose everything
and I did.
Since then I have found people that really care, that want nothing in return.
I work with the homeless in my city. There are thousands;we work with a group of 500 men. The degrade, the sorrow, the injustices, pale into insignificance with what some of us have suffered. They so appreciate every little thing. I have many little gifts from them, notes, even poem.
All the years in the full time work never gave the feelings I have now. Never the love, friendship, compassion, kindness, to this degree.
The homeless may be scary to begin with but as one gets to know them well unsuspected beauty unfolds. Like a Pearl
of great value…….
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Gameisover says:
July 23, 2015 at 1:40 am
P.S. Also these potentially good people
never engage in any type of volunteer work in their communities. The sick, the homeless, the elderly, have only “worldly” people to care for them.
Last but not least, how good are people who are not horrified at the worldwide
slaughter promised by JW.Org?
They even go around parroting it to anyone that will listen.
I’m ashamed to have been like that for nearly 50 years. But it’s never to late.
In my case the change was almost immediate. I was willing to lose everything
and I did.
Since then I have found people that really care, that want nothing in return.
I work with the homeless in my city. There are thousands;we work with a group of 500 men. The degrade, the sorrow, the injustices, pale into insignificance with what some of us have suffered. They so appreciate every little thing. I have many little gifts from them, notes, even poem.
All the years in the full time work never gave the feelings I have now. Never the love, friendship, compassion, kindness, to this degree.
The homeless may be scary to begin with but as one gets to know them well unsuspected beauty unfolds. Like a Pearl
of great value…….
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Catalina says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:29 am
Anthony Mathenia I agree with you. In religions like JW’s, kindness is not free or without conditions. This article is awesome. Please let me share my experience with you. The august 15, 2000 watchtower has an article called, The Only Way to Eradicate Hate. This article shows three sisters of James Byrd Jr are Jehovah’s Witnesses. In 1998 three white men dragged James Byrd Jr behind a truck for two miles because he was black. The coroner’s report showed James Byrd kept his head up while he was being dragged until he was killed. James Byrd Jr’s sisters feel Jehovah God and the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion is their haven from the outside world, (satan’s world). I can’t imagine how his sisters feel. I can’t imagine the thoughts they must have. If I was them I’d want to kill every white man I’d see. My father became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1943. His family is very bigoted and racist. For example : My dad’s sister is not a JW, she is baptist. Her daughter teaches in sunday school. She and her daughter speak very negatively about colored people. They call all colored people niggers and are hateful towards them in public. I was with them one time when we saw a white girl with a black man at a movie theater and they made rude comments to the couple. I felt very uncomfortable. The couple got really offended and angry. I said to the couple, I’m sorry you guys, I don’t feel that way. They asked me why I hung out with them. If my father hadn’t become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1943 he would have continued to act like that. I’m glad I was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses because I really did get something good out of it. I have problems with the religion but I have problems with all religions and I disregard all religions. My psychiatrist wants me to remember the good things I’ve experienced in life, love my JW family, forgive them and move on. I know I don’t want to be like my non JW family because they are creepy and hateful. My JW family is a lot nicer. I visit my jw family and they don’t know anything about my private life. I keep my financial situation, my sex life, my political views and my religious views to myself because I know those issues aren’t anyone else’s business. Fortunately I live in a different state from my family. I don’t get to pushy with my JW family. I know when to shut up. I’m learning how respect is given and received in therapy. My psychiatrist says it takes two things to be happy in life. 1.) Don’t expect everyone to agree with you. and 2.) Don’t expect everyone to like you. I’m in therapy for emotional abuse. It is helping. The idea of being a jw and being separate from the world helped my dad with his bigotry. My dad moved us to California in 1964 to get us away from his family. I’m glad the JW religion helped my dad improve his attitude with bigotry. My dad encouraged my brother to date a colored sister when my brother expressed he liked her ! my brother did so. Everyone is fighting their own battles in life. I’m learning from the group therapy. It’s rare to find a non dysfunctional family. People use religion as a crutch. Religious leaders abuse their power. Therapy teaches us to stay away from a particular family member who adds stress to our life. I’m not alone. In therapy I’ve learned this is what happens when people can’t agree to disagree. Articles like the one you wrote helps people a lot. Thank you.
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Average Joe says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:29 am
On a side point Anthony, I’d totally forgotten about the “Gay Cowboys”!
If Jehovah disapproves of Disco then I’m in big trouble given my hefty vinyl collection of Bee Gees, EW&F, Sly & The Family Stone etc! :)
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kofybean says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:37 am
“The world”. What a joke. The shoud of bigotry and racism stand before you.
“And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” -Matthew 5:47
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Hakizimana Jean de Dieu says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:40 am
“worldly people” are naturally beautiful as they do not read JW Publications. Hateful teachings that Watchtower instills subtly into Jehovah’s Witnesses’ minds constitute a vibrant evidence than one can transform humans into animals so easily using hateful publications:
*** w07 7/1 p. 13 par. 4 Highlights From the Book of Ezekiel—I ***
We do not need to let our eye feel sorry for those who receive God’s adverse judgment or feel compassion for them.
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Queen Elsa says:
July 21, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Sounds like a sociopath.
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Average Joe says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:43 am
@kofybean.
Excellent use of scripture and a very valid point!
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Criticus says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:05 am
All,
I can only add what others & myself have said repeatedly by now:
The worst people I ever had to deal with are JWs; the kindest individuals I ever came across are “bad worldly unbelievers”, including those whose humanity, religiosity, and TRUE spirituality would let some of the most raging fundamentalist-JWs look like godless brutes.
It is as simple as that. I could append this with a long biography, relating my experiences as a long-time “Full Time Servant”, including work at several foreign branch offices. What I was forced to witness and to suffer there beggars all description; in general, it was rotten and corrupt; in part, it was criminal. Beyond my “glorious” Bethel experiences, I witnessed (and still do) recurring arrogance, conceit, self exaltation, hubris, vanity, sheer stupidity, coupled with crude and outright abuse of power on the part of very small and low characters across a number of congregations half around the globe. This has nothing to do with occasional “human imperfection”, as is the standard Watchtower excuse to brush aside those gross and intrinsic “failures and flaws” of the Watchtower system. The more I was exerting myself acc. to the book and by the letter in all that I deemed was laid upon me as my “sacred duty”, the more I got treated like crap within the sunny “spiritual paradise”. Even if you are a “model-JW”, this is no guarantee that you “are in ‘good standing’ “, and you still may get whipped, spanked, rebuked, berated, reprimanded, “counseled”, depending of who doesn’t like your face or your nose or may simply feel challenged by you or your very existence. Wherever I go, wherever I look within the “divine organization by its own grace”, I see the same distinctive spirit floating around and permeating it like a bad stench: One of arrogance, conceit, haughtiness and superiority. Needless to state that this is not the “spirit from above”, but it is “earthly, unspiritual, demonic”, James 3,15. It is not God’s Holy Spirit that is breathing through this manmade entity called “Watchtower”, or “JW.Org”, or whatever its fallible human leaders who deem themselves gods may still call it.
In contrast, during the past few years I had the pleasure and the privilege to meet people – non-JWs, “worldly people”, “unbelievers” by WTS-standards – who show respect, decency, politeness and appreciation, not only for a job well done, but for you as a person and a human being. Happily, it is suchlike people I am now having dealings with on a day-to-day basis, and it didn’t take much to realize what humongous cognitive dissonance any JW is hauling around who gets pounded into his brain by Watchtower/JW.Org that “we are the best, we are the only ones showing true Christian love” – really??? Just because “we” don’t take up arms to go to war? Read up on this and educate yourself, to see how many more there are who didn’t and don’t go to war – not bec. of being told by a human Central Committee, but bec. of TRULY being human, using their own god-given mental faculties, based on their OWN well-cultivated convictions. And how about this “weapon” – the “tongue that stabs like a sword” – isn’t this a weapon too? And oh how busy it is among all those gossiping, chattering, backstabbing, pettily critical, judgmental Witnesses who are talking behind each others’ backs, knowing exactly when, how & where Witness Such-And-Such miserably flunked and failed to live up to petty little manmade standards, “not doing enough” and not “being exemplary”.
“4 legs goooood – 2 legs baaaaad – JW goooood – non-JW baaaaad” – not in my book any longer, dear comrades & fellows.
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anonymous says:
July 21, 2015 at 8:16 pm
@Criticus, I have to say I agree with your assessment of the majority of the Witnesses that I am aware of in my old congregation and your description sounds an awful lot like the majority of the Witnesses that I know.
I know of a lot of Witnesses who are some of the nicest and humblest people you will ever know but the majority are just as you described, as far as the ones that I know and have worked in service with and been at meetings with.
So many times, I felt put down and not respected and going to meetings and service was really hard for me to do as it felt more like a punishment than anything else. I always felt like I “owed” it to the congregation to be an “encouragement” to the rest to go to meetings but every meeting made me feel depressed instead. When meetings make a person dread going and make you feel depressed, you should realize there is something really wrong with that religion. It took me going online and seeing how others like yourself that feel the very same way is what made me not depressed anymore. Thank you so much for your assessment of most of the JW’s that you know with your experience. Now I know, it was never me. It was the religion that makes people like that or else people like that are attracted to a religion like the JW’s. The majority are just not nice at all and very arrogant and judgmental. True, true, true.
About ten years ago we had a sister who was dying of breast cancer and the elders assigned a bunch of us sisters to take turns and go and clean her house for her even though she had teenaged children living at home who wouldn’t lift a finger to help her out. Her husband was an unbeliever and I think it was to impress him but the sister knew that the only reason we came was because we were assigned to do it.
A person can tell when the “love” is forced and not from the heart. She could tell. That poor sister was dying and the sister I went with, had no feeling for her at all at what she was going through.
Knowing she was going to die at such a young age and not being able to see her kids grow up had to be so terrible for her, but the sister couldn’t feel her pain and to her it was like oh well, she’ll be resurrected and we will see her again in the new system so what’s the big deal?
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Criticus says:
July 22, 2015 at 8:25 am
I appreciate your feedback, anonymous. Thank you. And you are right: There are, of course, JWs who are truly good people through and through – but not bec. they are JW, that cannot be stressed enough. Their being “good people” is no “seal of quality” for the WTS, which I will henceforth call JW.Org, to “keep pace” with God’s “progressive” org. that is “moving ahead” (oh yeah? Quo vadis, WTS?). If there are “good” JWs, that’s because they have preserved a certain amount of individuality, sanity, humanity, intellect and good & common sense, despite JW.Org’s incessant rants as to “You must totally obey the GB, be humble, be submissive, don’t question; only if you are 1000% in line with our commands you will be saved at HM; showing love means going from door to door spreading our org-rules; you must do MORE MORE MORE ever MORE” etc. There are indeed some JWs who remain, and are still HUMAN.
It happened to me in my “exemplary JW”-heydays that I got commended by “worldly” people, and I, in my “You must bring nothing but praise upon JHWH’s organization”-delusion, “giving –a-good-witness”-OCD, “proudly” exposed myself as a JW to “use this opportunity” to present “Jehovah” – thus Watchtower – in a “good light”– and the curtains dropped: People would ADAMANTLY refuse to “connect the dots”, i.e., they did not accept making the combination of “Being a JW” with “Being a good worker, being a likable person” etc. Back then, it caused me to be huffy – now, I do understand.
Reply
rob says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:51 am
I absolutely hate the term “worldly people” and after leaving the witness religion I have made friendships with many people who are kind, spiritual and charitable and who are extremely trustworthy.
I knew some very wonderful people who were witnesses but unfortunately for many of those individuals friendship came with a caveat ” the witness religion comes first and friendship can only be conditional on being friends with those who follow the witness rules”
When I faded these individuals faded from me because I no longer was a witness. Makes me sad to think that people will allow themselves to be told who they can associate with and who can be a part of their lives.
Reply
Ted says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:51 am
While still entrenched in that awful religion, and indoctrinated
to think those outside were godless and selfish, I experienced
kindness from a total stranger that gave me pause.
On my way to work one winters morning, my old car stalled.
I lifted the bonnet ( hood) to check for any apparent cause,
when an expensive looking car going in the opposite direction
pulled up on the other side of the road. A well dressed man
came across to me asking if I needed assistance? which I did.
Between us, we decide the problem was a flat battery, he asked
if had a towline and he would pull my car to get it started, but I
did not have a towline.
He then produced from his trunk what looked like a small rug
and wrapped it round his front bumper ( fender) and said,
“As he couldn’t pull me along, he would push me.
He then turned his car around, in the opposite direction to his
intended journey, and without concern of damage to his own
vehicle, he pushed me along for several hundred yards till my
old banger sparked into life, Afraid to pull up, in case it stalled
again, I kept on driving, never even having the chance to thank
him. But all these years after I still remember his kindness.
Cult driven misanthropy is false. There are millions of genuine
Good Samaritans out there.
Reply
Darlene says:
July 21, 2015 at 11:03 am
I have always despised the term “worldly people!” I was brainwashed into the org for 40 years! My family and I have experienced some of the worst treatment from jw’s than I care to remember now. When I left and began to visit different Churches, I was always welcomed and encouraged! Not only the first time, but every time!
Reply
It'sJustMe says:
July 21, 2015 at 11:47 am
The seven pharisees of the “governing body” and their appointed underlings have much incentive to make people “in the world” appear as most unkind as possible in the eyes of their flock, violating outrageously on one hand some basic human rights, and manipulating on a second hand their flock to encourage them to remain without puting a question mark over their spiritual competence, making them swallow their “new lights” gluttonously.
Reply
Markw1509 says:
July 21, 2015 at 1:52 pm
My wife’s parents have been witnesses for over 50 years. They are now invalid and in their 80’s.
They desperately need help and the only help they get is from their daughter, my wife. Also, their local neighbours help them out whenever they need it.
As my wife and I are no longer witnesses, no-one in their congregation helps out at all, not even with visits.
The witnesses are selfish and do not display Christianity in any way. The neighbours, many of which are atheists, cannot do enough for my wife’s parents.
If my in-laws had to rely on witnesses to help them, they would have died of neglect years ago.
Pitiful and shameful!
Thank goodness for the neighbours!
Reply
Grace says:
July 21, 2015 at 4:02 pm
Remember how we were always told that no one else but the Witness have the love that we have as to give up our life for another. What a load of hot air!
Just to show that human kindness is out there, this story proves that one man was willing to put his life on the line for his mate. Julian Wilson, a pro surfer was emotional over not being able to get to Mick Fanning when the shark attacked his board. Scary stuff.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-21/fanning-returns-home-after-shark-attack/6635540
Reply
It'sJustMe says:
July 21, 2015 at 9:26 pm
If I compare during the last fourty years on one hand the respect and the kindness shown towards me by my various not JW employers (bosses) and colleagues , and the respect and the the kindness demonstrated towards me by the various “elders” in various congregations in various countries during that same time, I can say that the balance clearly weighs in favor of “worldly” people not trapped in the Watchtower cult. So happy to be 100 % out of the WT cult, now officially dissociated since five months.
Reply
Newlyout says:
July 21, 2015 at 10:04 pm
I left the organization when I was pregnant with my first child. Because we were striving to lead ‘simple lives’ my husband and I had very little extra money. I thought of all the baby showers I had attended as a witness for over 30 years and felt some sadness in realizing that I would not have that experience.
We had no close friends outside of the organization because we followed the counsel not to associate with the world. I had turned down many invitations from coworkers not only to their baby showers but also to their birthday and holiday parties.
One of the women at work who knew my story and who also had a baby at home mentioned my situation to her wife.
Her wife organized a baby shower for me. My work donated a wonderful venue to have the shower. Before any of this happened my husband and I had registered for gifts just in case any of our family still wanted to send gifts. (Many of them actually did and we were grateful). We went to the shower very happy just to have people gather together to celebrate with us but not expecting very many presents. We were shocked to see that nearly our entire registry of presents had been purchased.
Another coworker knew that we didn’t have a car at the time and loaned us his for free for several months after the any was born.
Several months later I was attempting to buy a crib on craigslist as our son had outgrown his Pack n Play. The woman selling it learned I didn’t have a car and delivered it to my house for free and included a very nice mattress for free as well.
I was completely amazed because when I left the organization I did so because I realized that they didn’t have the truth, but because of the propaganda which I had been taught from infancy and still believed I fully expected the ‘world to chew me up and spit me out’. I know that every experience I have won’t be as amazing as the ones I’ve had, but so far it hasn’t been anything like I feared that it would.
Reply
rusty says:
July 22, 2015 at 3:28 am
Example of watwatchtowers influence from Australia.http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/07/22/19/25/man-who-poisoned-fellow-church-members-milk-with-weed-killer-begs-to-be-spared-jail
Reply
DavidR says:
July 22, 2015 at 8:34 am
The whole myth about how wonderful the witnesses are to new people is entirely false.
What they mean is that if you show up in street clothes and are easily recognized as a non witness then they will put on their Love Bombing facade and play the part of the welcoming JW.
However, show up to a meeting dressed up like they expect, so that you look like just another JW that they just don’t know and you will see the real face of the organization. People will most likely avoid you and not have anything to do with you until they see an Elder/Servant/Pioneer talking to you. You might get one or two people say hello as they politely walk by, but you are not welcomed until there is some sort of confirmation that you are “safe”.
I wouldn’t have thought this until I moved a few times and was treated like I was radiated until my letter came and told them how wonderful I was. Then everyone wanted to talk to me and invite me over. It was really eye opening to how people are treated in the organization.
Reply
thebluepill says:
July 22, 2015 at 9:15 am
One of the last parts at the meeting that my wife had was entitled “How our unity and love is full-filling prophecy” or something to that effect. It was based on the psalm 133:1. The point was to show how dispite our different backgrounds, witnesses are the only group doing showing love and unity. We were already mentally out and this was going to be our last meeting ever. I told her I would write it for her and give an apostate leaning twist. I started with the “householder” (yuck!) stating how someone was rude to her and how she cant wait till Jehovah destroys all the worldly people ( how many times have we heard that before!). She mentions how awesome it is to be in an organization that is united and loves one another and quotes that scripture. My wife then mentions ” Well, is loving and caring for only our brothers and sisters really that big of a deal?” She replies with waht do you mean. My wife then quotes that scripture from Matt 5:47 that says basically its not a big deal. The talk then went on to talk about helping others and how preaching should not be the only way to show love for all.
I was sure that the elder in charge was going to counsel us and wonder “are yall apostates?” Throughout the talk I noticed the audience nodding their heads in agreement. They loved it. One sis said that it was one of the best talks she has ever heard and very refreshing.
This proves two things: this religion is filled with many who would reach out to ‘worldy’ people and other charitable orgs if allowed and , 2) are instead commanded to ignore what their savior has specifically commanded.
Reply
Excelsior! says:
July 22, 2015 at 9:39 am
What an excellent article, thank you Anthony!
I like the way you are writing a fiction about a fiction!! Very meta-textual!
We were taught to fear. We needed to fear. Without the fear, we would be swallowed whole by Satan, or if he was busy at the United Nations, one of his demons. No one should have to live that way. It’s just not right.
Eventually, that fear of the Other, or “worldly person” caused us to forget that they were a person. We were able to stomach that worldly person being killed in the most brutal way with no qualms whatsoever.
Christians, please read 1 John 4:16 – 19. The fear of “worldly people” is a restraint to any kind of compassion for people who are just like you.
For us atheists, we need to remember that fear, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. It is a survival mechanism, and is jolly useful if coupled with a reasonable assessment of danger.
The WTBTS, and other cults, ramp up the fear as a very efficient control technique. Control through fear of the Other is as old as the hills.
The sooner we all discover that most people are decent, the happier we will be. Obviously, there are a small minority who will want to harm us, but the vast majority of people are pretty nice.
It was really refreshing to read all of those positive stories. Human kindness is one of the things that keeps us all going.
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
Reply
airborne says:
July 22, 2015 at 10:30 am
Thanks for the positive article.
Reply
Mama Joy says:
July 22, 2015 at 5:00 pm
“The World” saved me from the JWs abuse.
Reply
Wild Olive says:
July 22, 2015 at 9:34 pm
This is a post I have to make.
My son has been epileptic since 18 mths old and he has not long turned 18.
I have lost count over the years how many times he has been ambulanced to hospital,in all the times he’s been in hospital, and it’s hundreds of times, not once has he been visited by an elder or a member of the cong.
I can forgive that because everyone has their own problems and often can’t find time to see others,I spend most of my time recovering from his previous visit till the next episode.
However I began to see things differently when the government sent someone too see us ,to find ways to better care for our son, this person arranged all sorts of things that we could never have got, one in particular was oxygen donated by Anglicare,a Christian charity that gives assistance to those in need, I brought this matter up with my elders and asked them what where the chances that the WTBTS would give something toward my sons care,that was met with blank stares and a timid no.
What’s even more enlightening is Anglicare sends a representative to us every year to see if we are being looked after,he’s been here more times than the elders to check on us and our son.
Considering the millions that have been spent by org over the last few years and considering that they are asking for more donations, I can confidently say that not one cent has gone toward helping me or my son,and any help that has been received is from “worldly” people.
It has been most refreshing to look the elders in eye and say that the world is not the place that the org paints it to be.
Reply
Brian Muscat says:
July 23, 2015 at 1:06 am
It is interesting just like those TV adds the product that cleans brightens and whitens like no other so the WT claims how welcome people are made at the Kingdom Hall i have been to quite alot of meetings at Kingdom Halls and what was quite obvious to me was the total lack of love and the unwelcoming attitude i was shown and if you complain about it they just so oh you have got to make an effort however if you said how cold people were at any other faith they would immediately say how bad that was and say oh come to our KH instead just double standards as far as i am concerned.
Reply
Queen Elsa says:
July 24, 2015 at 10:55 am
So true, Brian.
Reply
GEM says:
July 23, 2015 at 1:28 am
It wasn’t like this in the mid-’60’s when my Father signed up and before the Elder arrangement arrived in 1972..
I remember quite vividly during F.S, an elderly lady came to the door with the palms of her hands sliced open, a kitchen accident. Dad is a highly trained First Aider and bandaged her up.
As he searched the kitchen cupboards for lint and plasters he noted that the poor Dear had virtually nothing in her cupboards. So, off we went to the local Tesco stores and he filled a large cardboard box with basics like Milk and bread…the essentials…We drove back, he placed the box on the doorstep, rang the bell and we pulled off in the car when the lady looked to see who had left the box on her door step.
The Servants of that congregation were very kind…but it kind of came to an end one day when Dad and some others bagged up some Coke from the local Council depot and distributed it amongst the needy.
Of course, it was against local Smog control regulations as it was used Coal! The council tracked the Servants down and reprimanded them. But, it was done out of love, even if the local area suffered choking emissions for a week or two.
Whoops!
Reply
Wanderer says:
July 23, 2015 at 5:18 am
Is the Watchtower Society the only religion that does no charity work?
How do they receive charitable tax exemptions if they do no charity work?
Why are they begging for money when they do no charity work? Similar sized religious organisations have their own charities and don’t overtly beg for money, I don’t understand how they have mismanaged their funds so much.
Reply
anonymous says:
July 23, 2015 at 7:35 am
I think they can get charity status because Witnesses don’t ask for a certain amount of money they leave with the householders and the elders aren’t paid a salary.
There is a lot of unpaid labor (charity) but it isn’t exactly voluntary, since if Witnesses don’t go in service, spending their money on the gas and cars etc. , they think they will be killed at Armageddon. The reason it isn’t exactly “voluntary” is because they are guilted into doing it or die at Armageddon.
The Witnesses are guilted into putting money into the contribution boxes to pay more for the upkeep of the Bethels and the Bethelites and the Kingdom Halls because they are told that everything belongs to Jehovah anyway and so whatever they have doesn’t belong to them anyway and belongs to Jehovah and they equate giving to the Organization as giving Jehovah back what He owns anyway.
All those Bethels and Bethelites and new digs at Warwick and the Kingdom Halls cost a whole lot more than it does for those cheap little magazines that people “place” with individuals.
One hundred years ago the Watchtower printed out that literature and sent it to people through the post office and the Society was still able to make money on it. You know they made money because of all the Bethels and branches they built with that money in those olden days. They accomplished a whole lot more in those days with less Witnesses in Bethels compared to what they do today with thousands of Bethelites and hundreds of branches. The magazines were 32 pages and the writing was packed into those pages. Now there’s more pictures and very little writing and hardly any true “meat”. Today, the money is going for all the Bethels and Bethelites and branches and all the trucks and heavy equipment and upkeep of the Kingdom Halls etc. The amount of money for the upkeep of all the Society owns and supplies food for those people running all those places, has to be staggering.
In the old days, Witnesses didn’t own their Kingdom Halls. They rented small buildings and they rented school gyms for assemblies. They paid for their own Kingdom Halls and they paid for the upkeep. They paid for the literature at the back of the Kingdom Hall as there was a set price for everything and then when they “place” the literature, they “sold” it for that price and the money was to be put in the contribution box so the Society was getting paid two times for that literature. That is how they made money.
When they couldn’t charge the Witnesses anymore (charity status being taken away then), the Witnesses were still told to put that money in the contribution boxes for the literature anyway but it was done in a subtle way, not overtly. The Society is still making money on the literature but it’s not enough to support all the building work and the Bethelites and the branches and all the upkeep etc. so they had to come up with more and more ways to “trick” money out of the Witnesses without passing the “plate” like they had always promised they would never do.
The money to make the literature pales in comparison to all that that has to be paid for but the placing of the literature is supposed to be the reason for the season but really, it’s just an ends to a means. The means is acquiring more property. As long as they take that money and put it into more “religious” property, they can still keep calling themselves a charity.
That is the way I see it.
Reply
Wanderer says:
July 23, 2015 at 6:20 pm
I still don’t know how they can’t do any charity work at all, do they not read the bible or seek to follow the example of Jesus?
I overheard some family saying how fantastic it is the Society direct debits from their bank accounts, now they will never forget to contribute. Hearing that made me feel uneasy that they are giving their hard earned money to help pay for the child abuse settlements.
Reply
Svete says:
July 23, 2015 at 6:40 am
Great article and yes I can confer that only after leaving did I notice the genuine selfless generosity of every day individuals, doing good deeds with no expectation of anything in return. Not doing it because it was the expected thing to do – but rather was because they wanted to and the right thing to do.
One of the things that I noticed is that as a JW you don’t oftern receive kindness from “worldly” people, and that re-enforces the “them and us” view of everyone in the world essentially following satan.
The reality is that JW’s appear so unfriendly, aloof and superior to others that other people don’t feel inclined to other kindness to them. Imagine a group of JW parents in the school ground picking up their kids. They don’t talk to anyone besides the other JW’s they dont volunteer, or invite other kids back to their home. Their kids don’t go to other kids homes etc etc. This unfriendly view they unwittingly create for themselves is the reason people often don’t offer kindness out to them – why would they?
It has nothing to do with them being in the “world”
The reality is that as soon as I stopped going those same people were honest with us, and then offered the same kindness they showed to everyone else – and it was truly genuine.
Add to that how many of them are genuinely happy and satisfied in their lives, their not gossipers and materialistic – compared to the JW’s who don’t realize how unhappy they are following an empty ideology, materialistic and forever gossiping about everyone, you see how genuine and normal these so say “worldly” people are.
Reply
Cherie says:
July 23, 2015 at 7:43 am
This post really resonated with me. My parents were inactive for many years. One of the reasons was they way they were treated in the congregation. I remember my mother saying, “Sometimes you find the people of the world are pretty nice.” She was right. That’s been my experience, too.
Reply
Bret says:
July 23, 2015 at 5:06 pm
The guy in the picture from page 182 of the live forever book is a Circuit Overseer by the name of Daniel Cukar.. Once you get to know him he is true to the picture on the right hand side.. Or at least his personality fits that picture of the looser.. He finds all the Elders who love to kiss up and pad his pockets otherwise he will have little to do with you..
Reply
Melka says:
July 25, 2015 at 5:54 am
I loved this article. It’s such a good reminder to always be on the lookout for ways to help people.
Before I left, I would have helped people that I saw in need, and I even gave money to the homeless, but if I was ever in the presence of another witness, I would usually end up feeling guilty. Not being able to donate or volunteer for groups who actually help people is something I never understood, nobody ever actually could ever tell me a clear answer why we couldn’t, and that never sat well with me. So I did it on the sly and thought I would die at Armageddon. Talk about ridiculous.
I find people everywhere who do simple things to help people around, or little gifts to show they think of you. People aren’t very wealthy in my community, but the friends I have now and my neighbors, would do anything for me, because they tell me that! “If you need anything, just let me know.” And they know the same goes for me. No witness besides my mom and dad ever uttered those words to me in my life.
When people give us things, like for instance this summer already, one of our neighbors gave us a nice tomato plant, some extra amusement park tickets, another neighbor brought us a bunch of sweet corn on the cob, and another neighbor comes to tell us to help ourselves to her garden and fruit trees and bushes, and someone leaves baskets of veggies, I’m sure it’s our neighbor with the large garden, but it’s not when I’m home, and she denies it. I am surrounded by loving, wonderful non-JW’s. It’s hard to repay people, but if I ever think of something nice I can do for them, it’s always met with “You didn’t have to do that!!!”, because people like to do things for other people. And from my personal experience since coming out of the org., the most fulfilling and joyful part of life is finding ways to help others, just to help, and not to get anything in return. That’s the kind of attitude I am finding on the outside. And to me, these people around me are making the world a better place by being here, and they make the people that they know better people. I could never say that about any JW besides my mom, but including my own family. I know they’re out there, but while they’re stuck in the org, they don’t have the freedom to actually reach their full potential, that’s very sad and tragic. And how can anybody claim to be a Christian when they’re not helping the needy or less fortunate? I just don’t understand.
Reply
Kevin says:
July 25, 2015 at 12:07 pm
The meanest people I’ve ever met in my life were JWs.
Reply
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KtotheRAD "Konrad" says:
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October 27, 2013 at 5:27 pm
Continue the good work on this site that expose what Watchtower Organization really are — a fanatic end-time driven cult that only serve interests of its leaders. I left this
cult three years ago for good. My only regret is that I had not left the Watchtower Cult earlier! On Easter Sunday this year, I was baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit and received into Eastern Orthodox Church, apostolic Church that preserved the Faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
Cedar, you have my blessings of your work on this site that
will yet help millions of JWs to see the truth of so-called ‘Truth’.
Reply
Fred says:
November 2, 2013 at 12:09 pm
Forget taking your numbers from a 1974 yearbook if you question the amount of those killed, interned, etc get the numbers from the Holocaust museum. You forgot to mention the ‘JEWS’ were and its quoted several times in the Watchtower publications as it is related in the bible, “ONCE GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE” but they did not remain that because of their actions. Your quotes from WT publications are based on the latter that they fell out of favour in God’s eyes. They therefor were NOT written in an anti-Semitic nature. Many Jews have become JW’s over the years are they lesser beings because they were of Jewish blood?…ABSOLUTELY NOT! All races are equal so this video in my opinion is twisted in its presentation. Not to mention the ridiculous claim of Rutherford’s so called love letter to Adolf Hitler. No blinders on here, I have checked the facts. Sorry but this video paints an untruthful twist of events and statements about the WT as regards the comments on the Nazi’s and Jews.
Reply
Palma says:
February 28, 2014 at 3:48 am
Hi everybody! Hi cedars!
I found this article about a discovery in egypt that brings light to the origin of story of joseph in the bible.
What do you think?http://www.davidovits.info/the-lost-fresco-and-the-bible-my-new-book-in-french/
Reply
Idris says:
March 27, 2014 at 8:12 am
Thank you for this page, it has been a great help to me, as I seek the truth of the word of God, however I noticed in the video ‘Does the Bible speak of ‘Paradise Earth’ the speaker quotes Luke 21v43 twice, regarding Jesus word on the cross, there should be a correction note as the verse he mentions is in Luke 23 v 43.
Keep up the good work
Reply
Julia Orwell says:
July 17, 2014 at 3:47 am
Been to internationals before and this elaborate souvenir thing is entirely new. The last one I went to in 2009, the last ones they had, had nothing like this so it’s not a matter of you having not noticed it in the past, it’s a matter of it being a new phenomenon.
I theorize that the wt motives for this involve keeping the masses busy and therefore obedient. Jws would volunteer to do this because there are no other legitimate outlets for creative expression. Armageddon being near has nothing to do with it: it’s about keeping the sheeple busy and happy. Making stupid trinkets is also a team building activity as it involves jws working together, thus reinforcing the herd mentality jws have.
Reply
frankie fernandez says:
February 27, 2015 at 4:44 pm
dear friends I was baptized in 1974. Thank God I am no longer a member of the WT. Free at last and oh what a relief it is. A member of my former congregation who I considerd my best friend molested a minor. There was a big argument amognst the elders on the judicial committee. One elder who was a maverick, wanted to notify the police. But, instead they followed the instuctions of the society. They kept this crime against the child, hush hush. So as not to tarnish the name of Jehovah. But in reality it was a coverup to protect the wt’s reputation. Meanwhile this poor child that was raped has to carry the heavy burden of a victim for the rest of thier lives without compensation and without justice. While the abuser has remaind a member in good standing. The congregation he is attending now has not been notified that he is a sexual preditor.
Reply
Kirtley W. Burggraf says:
March 11, 2015 at 11:16 am
Tell me, since governing body members are elected (replacing someone who dies) at what point do do they become “divinely inspired” or “spirit guided”? Were they always thus in the lower ranks or does this just “happen” the moment that they are appointed? What’s Watchtower’s take on this?
Reply
Alone in MD says:
March 31, 2015 at 6:00 pm
Regards your video on the Memorial Service. I am one of those “non believers” married to a baptized witness. I go to just keep the peace but I’ve made it known that I consider this service one of the worst religious ceremonies that I have ever been to. “Anointed What”. Also it was announced at last years meeting that “this may be the last memorial service”. They are at it again. Thanks for the great videos.
Reply
frankie fernandez says:
May 10, 2015 at 9:50 pm
IF CHRIST WAS ENTHRONGED IN 1914, WHY ARE THE WITNESES STILL CELEBRATING THE MEMORIAL? CHRIST SAID THAT AFTER HIS ARRIVAL NO ONE WAS TO CELEBRATE THE MEMORIAL .ALSO HE SAID THAT THE DAY OF HIS PRESENSE, IT WILL BE LIKE LIGHTNING FROM ONE POINT OF THE EARTH TO ANOTHER. LIGHTNING TRAVELS AT THE SPEED OF 3500 MILES PER SECOUND. SO IT WILL TRAVEL AROUND THE GLOBE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. HE ALSO SAID THAT ALL EYES WILL SEE HIM. NOT LIKE THE WTS THAT SAYS WE ARE IN HIS INVISIBLE PRESENSE.
Reply
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