Posted by Seeker to ALL: [Seeker] on November 17, 1999 at 06:56:47 {xx2d.1sWpQtDlUsHAETc79YAW9JMpc}:
In Reply to: The future of the WTS posted by Seeker on November 16, 1999 at 18:44:24:
I want to thank all of you for your thoughtful answers. It's refreshing when people on all sides of an issue can deal with ideas, not personalities.
I'm not sure what the consensus answer turned out to be, but perhaps a mixture of the two scenarios I posited. That is, there will be the usual cycle of ups and downs in the organization, but this time the availability of information does change the rules. The WTS can cower only so many people into not reading the facts. Many, many other Witnesses are checking out the Web anyway.
I happen to think the WTS will try to become more mainstream over the decades to come. Blood will become a true conscience issue. Door-to-door preaching will give way to informal witnessing. 3 meeting days a week will give way to 1 or 2. This will help stem some of the losses, IMO, since it will become 'easier' to be a Witness. And many of those who remain Witnesses will be like the folks of Witnesses.Net -- somewhat aware of some of the issues, but firmly set against them, even if they have to mischaracterize the issues in their own minds and tell untruths about "apostates" in the process.
Seeker