MEMORIAL AT THE KINGDOM HALL OVERFLOWING WITH NEWCOMERS?

by steve2 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  steve2

  This is a question for those brave souls who, for whatever reason, attended this year's memorial:

  Who else was there? Was there any evidence that the witnesses are still attracting a large crowd of "newly interested ones" (to use their awful phrase) or even complete strangers drawn in by the door-to-door work.

  I hear lots of comments about how poorly attended some of the weekly meetings in the Halls have now become, so I'm curious about what you guys may have seen when you attended in the past day or so. Many thanks. steve2
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  MrFreeze

  I was told attendance in my old hall was around 240, I believe usual for the first Memorial (our hall would have two) is around 270 I believe.
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  Joey Jo-Jo

  Mine was lower this year as well but dont know the exact figure, I did see new faces though.
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  sabastious

  A spike in newcomers would not surprise me in the slightest. The state of our current world gives life to doomsayers. I hate to spread a cliche, but history is just repeating itself.

  -Sab
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  redsoxfan1393

  I got back from mine, didn't get the exact amount of people there. I didn't see any people who just came because they were invited off the street. Just the normal crowd.
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  Anony Mous

  The normal crowd here too. Same interested ones, same people having studies, some that haven't shown in a while, smaller numbers altogether. A lot of people from 'Christian' background were ticked off though by the talk and somebody loudly complained they couldn't eat the body of Christ.
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  steve2

  Sab - you're observation is warranted: there's been a clsuter of shaking events around the world. here in New Zealand, our second biggest city, Christchurch (population over one-quarter million) has been shaken by a number of violent earthquakes with masive destruction and a death toll of close to 200.

  Having said that, I think the JW "appeal" to those from non-JW backgrounds is no where near what it once was in its heyday (late 1960s - early 1970s). They continue to have a big hold over those born into the religion but much less so on those contacted "fresh" from door-to-door work. The religions I see growing big at the present time are the "Pentecostals" and those in non-denominational "Life" churches: They're packing 'em literally in the droves. Of course, I'm open to any evidence that the Jws are attracting lots of new people!
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  yknot

  Tonight we cleared over 300......

  Here are my observations......

  non-JWs attending...I noticed 4 studies and the rest were folks who have relatives or acquaintances that are JWs and were just being polite.

  JWs...(actives) Well my KH growth is largely due to JWs who moved in recently..... though we did have one 'visiting family' and the father picked up a cracker but after the mini gasps he decided to forgo the wine....felt bad for him.... hopefully I will run into him in Service.

  JW (inactives/actives who are born/raised) .... this was my biggest eyeopener......majority were' firstborns'

  JW (inactives who are converts)........, people who just didn't find a social niche and for a night will be treated kindly and welcomed semi hoping they will be embraced and given acceptance beyond the occassion.......I dont expect any to make it past second week in May.....(if that)

  We just aint never been a hotbed of 'newcomers'........even the 'letter' at the end sounded awkward and contrived.....

  BUT I must say this ..........we had a 'beloved' speaker, a man who I like, everyone likes........his 'talk' was a good one, it utilized the outline but didn't allow it to frame his talk entirely and went way beyond the 12 Jesus' mentioned in the outline. ( http://www.sendspace.com/file/6kpepz ).....I can honestly say I enjoyed the presentation and didn't find myself eyerolling as much as I did the previous years....... I reallly really really really really like him and he would make an excellent Ex-JW and JWN poster!!! I suspect he had a good nudging awhile back and hope he lurks here..... if not I strongly suspect he has been given the direction to older publications........dayum....just thinking of him waking up makes me giddy and giggly and full of unbriddled hope!!!!!

  OMG... I did have a good time ! (but I am not losing reality beyond this koolaid binge)

  Huggles
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  JustHuman14

  I guess I'm from the brave ones!!

  Well actually I didn't notice any overflowing. Most of the people I have seen, are the same persons who come every year, due that they have JW relatives, or close friends, or a JW boss!!!
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  im stuck in