JWs came to my door asking for deaf people

by sabastious 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  sabastious

  Two ladies came to my door asking for deaf people. It was a wham-bam-thank-ya man type of approach, they seemed eager to get to the next door.

  All I gathered from their presentation, if I were just a normal householder, was that they were from some sort of religious group (they did not give their name) and that they wanted me to freely give out names and phone numbers of the deaf friends I know. I said I didn't know any deaf people and they were on their way.

  I knew exactly what was happening, but for most people it would just be an odd break in their daily routine. Deaf people? Huh.

  It's obvious to me now that the deaf are prime targets for the Watchtower formula. They are physically segregated from the rest of the world and probably have many questions that can only be answered by people who know their dialect of sign language. Their must be more desperate souls dwelling in the deaf community possibly looking for an ideology to cling to for hope and strength.

  The problem is that the Watchtower is the last group they really want to see.

  -Sab
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  MrFreeze

  That is very bizarre. I guess they weren't interested in saving you then huh?
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  ballistic

  yeah, they came to my door and used the term, "hard of hearing" which is something in England you will not hear anywhere else. Of course, I responded, with my hand to my ear, "sorry?"...
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  ballistic

  Darn it, I seem to have attracted ads for "Date Arab Women" on this site, some of them look very nice, but I sure was and am not looking to date Arab or any other women for that matter.
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  White Dove

  Did you see my post about JW's coming to my place of work repeatedly looking for me and my kind?

  UGH! It hasn't happened in a long time, though.

  I remember doing this same thing when I was in.

  We'd canvass an area for deaf people to invite to meetings and study.

  That is one of the main ways we got anyone to come to the meetings.
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  Scott77

  I think, even if JWs know ASL, I doubt they will succeed in converting large numbers of deafies to their side. For one thing, the Watchtower's authoritative structure is such that Deaf culture and Deaf history would be in conflict with them. For example, deaf culture is not all about learning ASL as its now the major preoccupation of JWs. There is more to it than meet the eye. Many Hearing elders lead many 'ASL congregations' but in reality, 'ASL congregations' are composited 98% hearing JWs but only 2% are Deaf JWs. Is this really a true ASL congregation as they want us to believe? Go to any 'ASL Convetions or Asseblies' and count how many deafies are there. Socially speaking, many Deaf JWs are worse than hearing JWs. They are extremely controlled, paternalized and isolated, yet being a linguistic minority group, Deaf people have a strong desire for socialization. Think about that, the Watchtower-sponsored version of the truth, strongly discourages its members from socializing with non JWs. The question therefore is: Given their tiny minority status, whom and where are Deaf JWs to socialize with?

  Scott77
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  Black Sheep

  It's obvious to me now that the deaf are prime targets for the Watchtower formula.

  Bollocks

  It was a couple of apostates getting their hours in without have to 'spread the word'.

  Next time, invite them in for a 'chat' before they get a chance to escape. We need them here.

  Cheers

  Chris
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  White Dove

  Nope, we really are targets as the WTS is desperate to get new deaf members to show how "with it" socially they are.

  I think the WTS is just showing off. There is so much to Deaf Culture that they are wilfully blind to.

  I believe it was the year 1988 that set the tone for how it's been and how it will be.

  The WTS is sooooooo far behind!

  Yeah, Scott, they won't win this one.

  There is no way in HELL that deafies will shun each other.

  They/we are just too interested in a functional social life.

  It is our priority.

  With the deaf slim pickings in general society, there's virtually no deaf JW's.

  Besides, I was in an ASL congregation, and I didn't even like some of the deafies there, as is true of how hearies are with each other.

  Can't be friends with someone just because we are thrown together.

  Deaf JW's will still seek out other deafies, JW's or not.
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  EntirelyPossible

  The best man at my wedding (who now shuns me) is part of the ASL congregation. I went to an ASL assembly, it was amazing how many more people were there that weren't JWs as compared to a hearing assembly and how they were proud of the fact they lured most of them there by simply claiming to be showing movies and having a convention for the deaf.

  Lie much?
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  clearpoison

  I don't see much difference here to how foreign language congregations operate. In areas with significant amount of bi/multilanguages and where you cannot define the language spoken in household by their name or other attributes, foreign language publishers will call any door asking if their specific language is spoken there. If not, they will politely disappear. Sometimes they get advised that this and that neighbour is from target group. Been there, done that.

  CP