IS CHINA THE NEXT BIG FIELD FOR JWS?

JH

I don't think that the JW's can pierce Communist territory or Islam

I used to think yes, especially since China is a rapidly changing country. But then I realized something.
The Watchtower only will grow in areas that allready has had Christian growth from other denominations. They are kind of the 'post' missionaries. They come in after the fact and convert christians to their dogma, not simply convert people to christianity.
Right now there are many Christian groups that are allowed to operate in China. More than anything else people are distributing thousands of Bibles in China, and they are allowed to do this. But they are not allowed to start building a religious structure of worship. This is what keeps the Witnesses out. The JWs could be placings tens of thousands of BIbles with the people over thier, getting them ready for the possible day that the country becomes more open to Christians, but they are not doing it. Instead they are just waiting for the day they can move in and create followers, build Kingdom Halls, Branch offices, ect. They only want to do organizational expansion, nothing else. And that is why China will not be the next big field for them, they threw away their big chance.

blondie

There is quite a large group of Catholic and Protestant groups working underground as well as with the government. There were missionaries there before the Communists took over that spread the"word."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-11-16-china-churches_x.htm

At a January Religious Affairs Bureau (RAB, the government body responsible for oversight of religions) conference, delegates were told the number of Protestants in China was 25 million. A leaked report from China's security organization -- the Public Security Bureau (PSB) -- put the total at 35 million.

http://www.worthynews.com/news-features/compass-china-survey.html

The WTS had quite an impact in Japan too without that missionary base (as I remember anyway). But are now decreasing.

I don't think this information means that the WTS will have a big impact...they don't feel pressured to preach to "every individual."

Blondie

Inquisitor

Let's not forget that there are also a large number of Chinese students studying overseas. These are exposed to JW evangelism in their host countries, some even returning to China as baptized JWs. China may still frown on organized religion, but there are ways around that.

The Watchtower only will grow in areas that allready has had Christian growth from other denominations. They are kind of the 'post' missionaries. They come in after the fact and convert christians to their dogma, not simply convert people to christianity.

"Post missionaries" - That's an interesting thought, drew sagan. I've never looked at it that way before. However, I think that this does not always hold true. I've seen Chinese students (studying overseas) with no religious background whatsoever, wholeheartedly embrace JWism.

In answer to your question, badboy, I would say "Yes". I think China has the potential to be the next big field. Did you know that work is already underway?

I mentioned in a previous thread how I would love to strike a small blow to the underground work by exposing JW missionaries whom I personally know. Many on this board reacted very quickly to this suggestion by warning me of the repercussions for innocent JWs, which is the sole reason I haven't acted on my thoughts... yet.

INQ

eyeslice

The answer is no, I can't see it.
You have to realize that even in the USA where tha 'good news' has been preached for over 100 years, JWs are still a small minority and many people still no nothing about JWs.
I was an elder in India for a time. The majority of the success there is with converting other Christians to JWs. In place that are Hindu or Islam there is very little growth.
Eyeslice

BluesBrother

40 years ago a C/O told us that China would be the next big field to open up "When Jehovah lifts the bamboo curtain". We are still waiting

skeptic2

I say no too, China's government will be too threatened by the JWs, look how they cracked down on the Falun Gong.

IvyWalker

As far as I know Chinese people have a conviction even though most of them are raised as communists. Their belief is that you should not reject any God that might be there. I mean, if they come into contact with a new religion (for example JW oder other) they are friendly against this 'new' God because they want to show respect for this God.

But this attitude is shown everytime they get to know a new religion. So they are willing to hear the 'good news', but they are not willing to become Jehovah's Witnesses.

This is, at least, what I have learned from Chinese people themselves. For some time I had contact to the chinese group in Munich (Germany) and moreover I know chinese people from my work.

Ivy Walker (out of the woods since 1999)

skeptic2

Here's why I refer to Falun Gong:

Falun Gong lays emphasis on its interpretation of good moral nature. Practitioners are required to emphasize virtue (de), be a good person in all environments, and always think of others before doing things.

Doesn't sound very threatening does it?

In July 1999, the Chinese government declared the practice of Falun Gong illegal. Several weeks earlier, for 12 hours on April 25, about 10,000 people gathered at the Central Appeal Office at Foyou street,[17] outside Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of Chinese government and lined up along a 2 km stretch. The practitioners dispersed peacefully after they received word that Premier of the People's Republic of China Zhu Rongji had agreed to their requests. Nevertheless, it was widely reported by the Chinese media that Falun Gong practitioners organizing a protest in the heart of the Communist Party of China alarmed many senior leaders, particularly Jiang Zemin.[17]

There has been international response to the suppression. According to the Falun Gong-run Falun Dafa Clearwisdom.net, there are, as of June 3, 2006, 2,898 reported cases of Falun Gong practitioners dying in police and government custody in mainland China[18], giving rise to allegations of torture and police brutality.[19][20] The report also alleges that hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained, with more than 100,000 sentenced to forced-labor camps. Moreover, there are more than 30,000 documented cases of persecution.

I'm sure the Chinese government would view the Christian Congregation of JWs as even more threatening than the Falun Gong. They could only survive if they kept very very quiet, which would mean no property ownership for the Watchtower.

IS CHINA THE NEXT BIG FIELD FOR JWS?

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