"They have people in China, don't worry"

by sabastious 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  sabastious

  I had an argument with my mother over the phone because she was trying to tell me that the Witnesses preach the entire world. I asked about China and it stumped her. Several days later we were talking (arguing) on the phone again and she told me that "she asked an elder and they said the reason that China is not in the annual report is because it's all underground there."

  So there is no reason arguing if they are just going to bring up unfalsifiable claims. Even if they had a thousand people there, which I highly doubt, it would serve no purpose other than to endanger the lives of the thousand.

  -Sab
• 

  rebel8

  IIRC they routinely include "underground" countries in the report.
• 

  aSphereisnotaCircle

  The religion originated here in the states and most people know practically nothing about the witnesses.

  How can an "underground" be anywhere remotely as effective/noneffective?

  The idea that the "preaching work" is near finished is just plain insane.

  Most of the world knows nothing about the JWs.
• 

  sabastious

  IIRC they routinely include "underground" countries in the report.

  Hmm I'm not sure about that. Remember the public edition of the Watchtower is very new. For the vast majority of the Watchtower's history the Annual Report has been included in Watchtower's that were freely distributed to the public. If you have an underground operation in China regarding Christianity you don't want to publish the results in such a public place.

  -Sab
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  They used to have an "Other" category in the report, Sab, that included countries under ban. It was never a significant number. I think that's what Rebel8 refers to.

  Maybe they still do that...I don't remember what last year's looked like.
• 

  sabastious

  They used to have an "Other" category in the report, Sab, that included countries under ban. It was never a significant number. I think that's what Rebel8 refers to.

  Since "Other" is not defined it's not a valid account since it points to: unknown. I wonder if anyone has any information as to how the value of this "Other" category was generated?

  -Sab
• 

  breakfast of champions

  Dude, I remember asking about frigging China 30 years ago as an 11 year old kid and it was the same then.
• 

  sabastious

  Dude, I remember asking about frigging China 30 years ago as an 11 year old kid and it was the same then.

  It's never a pleasent conversation and it never has any actual closure; frustrating.

  -Sab
• 

  NewChapter

  Don't they have numbers for "under ban" anymore? There is no way to quantify the under ban numbers, it was just one number and included all countries.

  I guess I always thought the China numbers were there. They made a big deal about communism falling in Europe and so they were having thousands of baptisms a day--which was proof that the preaching work had been going on under ban, and now that they could have a convention it proved the interest was there all along.

  But seriously, have you seen the great disparity in numbers? In WT eyes, more residents of 'christian" nations will be saved than "non Christian" nations. That's problematic.

  NC
• 

  NewChapter

  Don't they have numbers for "under ban" anymore? There is no way to quantify the under ban numbers, it was just one number and included all countries.

  I guess I always thought the China numbers were there. They made a big deal about communism falling in Europe and so they were having thousands of baptisms a day--which was proof that the preaching work had been going on under ban, and now that they could have a convention it proved the interest was there all along.

  But seriously, have you seen the great disparity in numbers? In WT eyes, more residents of 'christian" nations will be saved than "non Christian" nations. That's problematic.

  NC