Changes

 

Some relatively well informed speculations about the recent turmoil in the Jehovah´s Witnesses. 

The JW´s apparently lost a court case in Norway due to their shunning policies (in particular shunning of minors). The JW organization lost its status as a "charitable" institution, and also lost the ability to apply for grant money from the Norwegian state authorities. Similar court cases might be pending in other nations. A leader of the Watchtower Society in Brooklyn who vowed to fight back has been mysteriously dropped from the Governing Body (in itself an unprecedented event) with no explanation. Meanwhile, the rest of the leadership have changed some longstanding JW policies, although it´s not clear at this point how far-reaching the changes really are.

Shunning policies have been somewhat relaxed, presumably to make it easier to convince ex-members to come back into the fold (since the Jehovah´s Witnesses are losing members). Also, it will be a bit more difficult to excommunicate members, especially legal minors. Certain theological doctrines have been changed, too, arguing that *some* seemingly unrepentant sinners might actually be saved at the last moment (during the Great Tribulation preceding the apocalypse). Once again, the real point is to win back ex-members. Jehovah´s Witnesses are also allowed to grow beards (if male) or wear trousers (if female). Presumably to look less "cultish" to outsiders.

As an outsider, I don´t think the changes go far enough, and as the third clip points out, some of them are actually *very* weird. If interpreted literally, the new instructions for Elders seem to suggest that proven child abusers shouldn´t be expelled ASAP. Child abuse is also compared to apostasy and "scheming to end a marriage", as if these were similar offenses?!

It will be interesting to see how the New Light will affect the membership. If the leadership got everything wrong for generations, how can they be trusted at all? Logically, the Jehovah´s Witnesses should lose even more members due to these changes. Even a small change might have this effect in an organization where the leaders are seen as infallible quasi-prophets and Bible exegetes. However, a certain percentage of the membership are probably too old or too brainwashed to make their move and leave.

Another interesting question is whether Norway or other nation-states will accept the changes at face value. And why where the Witnesses taking money from the Norwegian government in the first place? I assumed the Watchtower Society regarded all nation-states to be Satanic? 

It seems they changed some doctrines long ago...