EMPTY KINGDOM HALL

by thebigdebate 53 Replies latest jw experiences

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  RubaDub

  The growth is primarily in the Spanish congregations.

  A brother I know nearby here (Miami area) told me that there is a brand new tri-plex just completed, less than 3 miles from 2 other tri-plexes. That will take some of the pressure off the buildings that already have 5 congregations meeting in them (and tri-plexes with 15 congregations).

  I think there has to be a higher percentage of witnesses here in south florida than anywhere I have ever seen. A few English, but literally hundreds of Spanish congregations.

  Tenga un buen dia.

  Rub a Dub
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  ozziepost

  G'day thebigdebate and Welcome Aboard!

  It's great to have yet another poster from downunder.

  Your report of meeting attendance is very interesting (encouraging!) ~ my impression is that mid-week meetings of all kinds (book study included) are becoming a wasteland as far as attendances go and your report seems to confirm it. reminds me of the saying, "Suppose someone called a war, and no-one came!"

  Service overseers putting in dummy reports is not an isolated occurrence - many do that, not just for their relatives either!

  Cheers, Ozzie
• 

  NewYork44M

  It is hard to make generalizations based upon one kingdom hall. Attendance generally follows economic development. As small towns die due to the lack of jobs addendance drops. However, areas that see a lot of economic growth and development will see halls expand.

  Spanish congregations appear to still be seeing growth from the field. Added to this is the growth from families moving to the US from less developed countries.
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  dogon2

  I hope that as the internet just gets more available to the masses, that people start to crytical think for themselfs. I argue or used to argue with christians here in the south, they have some of the dumbest beliefs, Like Oil is being created as we use it, the earth was completely created in 7 24 hours days 6000 years ago, blablablabla. I gave it up, you can not help those who want to drink the kool-aid.

  I hope that people will start to drop away, the problem is or used to be as soon as you educated one some young dumb and full of you know what took their place. All gung ho ready to spread this new revelation that they just heard.
• 

  garybuss

  The Watch Tower did it to themselves. They made it so unfun, so hard to be a Witnesses, that a lot of people are saying "No thanks!".
  
  It's kind of hard to expect people to be attracted, to want to do volunteer work, for an error prone company where the job is socially unpopular, personally not fun, and financially expensive. Where's the payoff?
  
  All the Watch Tower was ever based on was the threat of doom at Armageddon. In the last century they were able to sell the concept that safety from a murdering god was available for sale by doing door to door book sales for a United States based book printing company. I'm not really sure that's gonna work very well in this century.
  
  It's not working in my family.
  
  
• 

  mouthy

  also know that many (i used to do that too) don't go into field service but turn in some 2-4 hours every month. Did the devil tell you to do that

  I was a very faithful counting time. In fact I did MORE time than I sent in because I saw a few who sat in the Coffee shop longer than they should of & counted time for it .I wanted to make us a true order...LOL Yes I was a very judgemental JW
  Now when I think of it ....I can see were I had SUCKER in big letters across my forhead....

  Welcome to the board thebigdebate
• 

  elder-schmelder

  I think that the NEW UNDERSTANDING, REUNDERSTANDING, and CURRENT UNDERSTANING of the GENERATION THAT WILL NOT PASS, is a very big part of why people have been leaving. I know that it was a big part of my thinking.

  I grew up thinking that this system can only go on 1 or 2 years at most becuase people that were born in 1914 were already 80 going on 90 years old.

  Then I read the info on 607BCE and the 1914 and It all started to fit together of why we were wrong about so many things.

  I think that because of the internet you can research and check into these teachings and get to the real truth. That is why so many people are leaving.
• 

  oompa

  Mouthy: also know that many (i used to do that too) don't go into field service but turn in some 2-4 hours every month. Did the devil tell you to do that

  Funny, I lunch yesterday with a poster here on JWD an old friend...we got really caught up....anyway...he tells me he always turns in six hours a month...goes out one....and never knocks on the doors.....his wife asked him why he turns in six hours...why that number.....He used to be a MS and they wanted to make him Elder....so he figures that six hours is not enough to be recommend back to MS...and not low enough to "need encouragement"....6...the perfect FS number...lmao.......oompa
• 

  NewYork44M

  so he figures that six hours is not enough to be recommend back to MS...and not low enough to "need encouragement"....6...the perfect FS number...lmao.......oompa

  I wonder how many six hour publishers there are for the exact same reason. I generally reported 6 or 7 hours for the same reason. But it did me no good. The recommended me for elder anyways. Damn.. the holy spirit.
• 

  bluesbreaker59

  My aunt told me that the old congregation is looking REALLY empty. At one point there were like 100, when I left it was about 50, now there is about 30 - 40 depending on the meeting. I think its GREAT!!! There are tons of people around my age leaving the Borg on a weekly basis, if not DAILY basis. This last month my old drummer and my old sax player told me they are leaving.