It's BACK - the 2011 Global Survey of JWs!!

by cedars 122 Replies latest jw friends

  • cedars
    cedars

    I need only 4 more responses before I hit 650 and publish the results.

    Is anybody out there who can help??!!

  • cedars
    cedars

    2011 Global Survey of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    Results as of 7 th October 2011 (85 days remaining)

    Number of respondents: 650

    Current status of respondents:

    Active…………………..15.6%…..101

    Inactive………………..35.9%…..233

    Disfellowshipped….14.8%…..96

    Disassociated……….26.0%…..169

    Never baptized…….7.7%…..50

    “Calling” of respondents:

    Anointed*…………….3.7%…..16

    Great Crowd…………33.1%…..143

    Neither………………….63.2%…..273

    Note, of the 16 who claimed to be of the anointed, 6 are active witnesses.

    Reasons for leaving organization:

    I broke a bible command……………………….9.1%…..30

    I went against the policies of JWs………..14.0%…..46

    I disagreed with the teachings of JWs….71.0%…..233

    I would rather not say……………………………5.8%…..19

    Positions of respondents:

    Ministerial Servants…………………….6.1%…..33…..(19 are active)

    Elders…………………………………………..3.9%…..21…..(11 are active)

    Circuit Overseers………………………..0.0%…..0…..(0 are active)

    District Overseers……………………….0.2%…..1…..(1 is active)

    Branch Committee Members………0.0%…..0…..(0 are active)

    Gilead graduates / missionaries…0.0%…..0…..(0 are active)

    MTS (or BSSB) graduates………….0.7%…..4…..(1 is active)

    Bethel volunteers……………………….0.9%…..5…..(1 is active)

    Regular pioneers………………………..3.5%…..19…..(10 are active)

    Special pioneers…………………………0.2%…..1…..(1 is active)

    None of the above……………………..88.8%…..483…..(63 are active)

    Beliefs/practices disagreed with (most contentious in bold):

    Shunning…………………………………………………………….93.5%…..605

    Blood transfusions………………………………………………87.9%…..569

    Paedophilia – judicial matter rather than crime.92.4%…..598

    Paedophiles not barred from serving as elders…82.8%…..536

    Paedophiles – two witness rule………………………….88.4%…..572

    Paedophiles - names kept confidential……………..84.9%…..549

    Bible prophecy…………………………………………………….82.7%…..535

    Governing Body as God’s sole channel……………..90.3%…..584

    Governing Body – no contact with remnant……..74.8%…..484

    Increasing light concept……………………………………..90.0%…..582

    Stance on higher education………….………..94.9%…..614

    Stance on extra-curricular sports……………………….88.6%…..573

    Only anointed partake of emblems…………………….62.9%…..407

    Treatment of women…………………………………………..73.7%…..477

    Masturbation………………………………………………………..77.3%…..500

    Birthdays……………………………………………………………..89.0%…..576

    Beards………………………………………………………………….88.6%…..573

    Apostates = mentally diseased…………………………..89.6%…..580

    Fall of Jerusalem in 607 BCE………………………………83.6%…..541

    Christ only a mediator for 144,000……………………80.8%…..523

    Evolution……………………………………………………………..60.4%…..391

    Others not mentioned………………………………..………28.4%…..184

    Agree with Governing Body*………………….………….2.2%…..14

    *Of the 14 who ticked that they agreed with the Governing Body, 8 appear to be genuine, based on their other entries on the survey. 6 evidently ticked the box mistakenly.

    The UN / NGO Scandal:

    Knew about it………..73.7%…..471

    Didn’t know…………….26.4%..…169

    Of the 169 who said they didn’t know, 20 were active publishers.

    All comments are subject to review and will be posted separately if it is appropriate to do so.

  • james_woods
    james_woods

    Just as a matter of interest, do you actually believe the one person who says he is a district overseer?

  • Found Sheep
    Found Sheep

    i did mine a while back but didn't put i was a pioneer and i put that i knew about the UN. I'm not a pioneer now and learned about the UN here...

    If there is a DO hope he is here and makes waves as he leaves!FS

  • cedars
    cedars

    Hi James - I have no reason not to. I read his response, and he appears to have been a Watchtower apologist. He ticked to say he agrees with the Governing Body and left no comment. He ticked both the DO and Special Pioneer boxes, which checks out because technically DOs and COs enjoy Special Pioneer status (to my knowledge). I think he was genuine. Quite what he was doing on this forum I suppose only he will know.

  • MeanMrMustard
    MeanMrMustard

    @cedars:

    Here are the comments received from active elders (spelling mistakes not mine):

    • i appreciate them
    • They were sincere men just trying to do their best. But as Jehovah had to discipline ancient Israel - and her kings - for 'going beyond the things written', so today he will discipline the Governing Body. I am very sad to see how these once sincere men have become so filled with their own importance that they "strain out the gnat but gulp down the camel". (Matt 23:24)
    • People have made life decisions based on their writings - then things change. No apologizes or acknowledgement. The tone of the magazines is very harsh and unloving.
    • I wish and pray that the Governing Body will stop putting themselves in the place of Jesus. I am trapped. I want to leave the organization but cannot for fear of being disfellowshipped and losing my family. Thank you for this survey and I hope it reaches the ears of the media
    • I think they are sincere believing men, not able to see the mistakes of their precursors.
    • The GB has created an organization that represses individual expression and free thinking. Members are stifled and must conform to the many written and unwritten rules or be labeled weak or unspiritual.
    • Our Governing Body need to walk in our shoes for a while!

    I found these comments very interesting.

    Thanks!

    MeanMrMustard

  • cedars
    cedars

    MeanMrMustard - thanks, it is interesting to hear what active elders are saying about the Governing Body they represent.

    We are now on 660, a little disappointing. Any newbies on here, feel free to take the survey! Your opinion matters!

    Cedars

  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat

    I answered the survey. Some of the questions seemed to assume a Christian persepctive however. I failed to tick the box about Jesus being the mediator for everyone and not just the anointed, not because I agree with JW teaching on the issue but because I don't believe in Jesus at all so it does not make sense for me to express a view. There were a couple of other questions like that too but I forget.

  • cedars
    cedars

    Thanks for the feedback slimboyfat - I'll try to make the 2012 survey more sympathetic to a greater variety of beliefs for those who have left.

  • soft+gentle
    soft+gentle

    I suspect that many in positions of authority within the org feel the same as the DO who shared his views in the survey.

    as for myself I am reluctant to share my ip address so I have not replied to the survey. I wonder if others feel like this.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit