I need only 4 more responses before I hit 650 and publish the results.
Is anybody out there who can help??!!
by cedars 122 Replies latest jw friends
I need only 4 more responses before I hit 650 and publish the results.
Is anybody out there who can help??!!
Results as of 7 th October 2011 (85 days remaining)
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 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.
Just as a matter of interest, do you actually believe the one person who says he is a district overseer?
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
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.
@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
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
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.
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.
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.