by RULES & REGULATIONS 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
The last time I went out in service was 8 years ago. I hated field service. I made my short presentation of the Watchtower or Awake Magazine. The response was either,''I have my own religion'' and ''I'm too busy right now'' or '' I'm not interested.''
What is the respose today? Are people better informed when Witnesses come to their door?
This is a good question. I think that the general response of JW's has also changed in those years, because I don't see as many as when I was active.
They've only been to our trailer twice (since 2004). Once before I had found this place and was dealing with the cult issues, and once since. The first time, I took the mags and gave them a dollar. I tossed them in the trash. The second time my brother answered the door. He took the mags and I threw them in the trash.
APATHY, APATHY AND MORE APATHY
Good question. I have long believed that the very biggest problem facing the Witnesses today is not apostasy; that's way down the list of concerns. The biggest problem is apathy, both of the rank and file witnesses themselves and of the general public. This is especially the case in developed countries.
In the 1970s, we were thoroughly combing the territory every 3 or 4 weeks. Nowadays, I can go for months without seeing witnesses on the street anywhere. In the 1970s, we repeatedly chased up every not-at-home until we got somebody home. Nowadays, I'd never know they called if I'm out because there is never any follow-up to find me home (I'm anonymous in the district in which I live - so they're not avoiding me because I'm an ex. They're just not out in the street at all...
It has been said before and I have now found this to be true: Witnesses have an over-inflated view of their significance in society.
I have not been visited by Witnesses in a year. Since they last knocked on my door, they have subsequently failed to follow-up (some stuttering, elderly sisters left mags, I couldn't bring myself to "engage" them in a discussion or reveal my identity).
Friends who discover my religious background happily enquire about JW beliefs. "Happily" because they know that they are not at risk of hearing a sales pitch from me. Most of my friends know very little about JWs other than their door-knocking compulsions and birthday aversions. Speaks volumes about the success of their "God-given" assignment, really.
INQ
Witnesses have an over-inflated view of their significance in society.
Yes, the pitfall that most believers fall into who belong to groups claiming to uniquely have the "truth".
It has been said before and I have now found this to be true: Witnesses have an over-inflated view of their significance in society.
Likewise I agree with the above statement.
Since the first Watchtower magazine in 1879, nearly 130 years have passed. Think of the millions, maybe billions, of pieces of literature have been printed, magazines, books, brochures, tracts etc. Then add to that the billions of hours of preaching, door-to-door, assemblies, conventions etc.
Most people know of "Jehovah's Witnesses" because they have been called on. Or they have been in the news, usually for the wrong reasons lately, someone dying because of the blood issue or pedophiles.
Yet you ask anyone what they know of JW's and you usually get the following basics.
They knock on doors. They don't have blood. They don't celebrate Christmas or birthdays.
I've asked people "Do you know what JW's believe?" I usually get blanks looks.
The other thing the JW's go on about is that the clergy of Christendom are frightened of them.
Again having spoken to various clergymen, even some of them have about as much idea what JW's teach as anybody else.
Those that do know anything, usually see the JW's as misguided people, led away from Christ.
The clergy of many churches have enough to worry about than JW's.
Yet the JW's seem to think that everyone is talking about them. That they are always in the thoughts of the clergy.
Unless some article appears in the media, 9 out of 10 people never give them a thought.
Again having spoken to various clergymen, even some of them have about as much idea what JW's teach as anybody else.
Those that do know anything, usually see the JW's as misguided people, led away from Christ.
The clergy of many churches have enough to worry about than JW's.
Yet the JW's seem to think that everyone is talking about them. That they are always in the thoughts of the clergy.
Unless some article appears in the media, 9 out of 10 people never give them a thought.
Very true...at times I'll run the dealership courtesy shuttle. If for some reason the conversation turns to religion, I'll mention that I am a doubting JW...and many times I'll get--especially from the more successful folk--
"Who are Jehovah's Witnesses?"
No clue. And for those who've heard of them, no one knows what they are about except the door knocking. No one knew about the whole cult thing. Hell, I can't even get them to recite the things JWs don't believe in.
130 years. Billions of pieces of literature in hundreds of countries. And yet they call it "The Greatest Preaching Campaign the World Has Ever Known" in a recent KM, and the "Greatest Cavalry Charge In History" their recently overhauled Old Light Revelation book.
With all the web sites exposing the scams the witlesses are pulling, I can only hope more of them are getting pxxxed and putting up those No Trespassing signs on them. And I can only hope for more embarrassments for the witlesses, hopefully leading to spikes in holiday decorations and other items that identify people as worldly.
