20 new ASL congregations every year

Joker10

There are some 18,000 American publishers who belong to congregations in American Sign Language. The number tripled in just 6 years.

It is difficult to know how many people us ASL to communicate, but the estimates are between 500,000- 2.5 million. If we were to say there are 2.5 million who speak Sign Language, that is still 1 publisher per 139 people; it has become 3rd most used language by Witnesses. The number of ASL congregations now stand at 190. There are dozens of other ASL groups across the country.

Gayle

do jws count time while they are learning ASL?,, using sign language and learning is quite the thing now across our whole culture (not just jws), not just for deaf but for speech developmental needs too.

tresdecu

ASL is the new 'cool foreign language' to learn. 25 years ago all the gringos wanted to learn spanish to 'serve' the spanish field....now it's ASL. We have an ASL congo where I go. Moved in about 6 years ago. Word is they whined to the RBC about a bunch of changes in the KH they needed to be able to get more out of the meetings (or something to that effect) Large TV Monitors near the stage, relocation of year text, new paint etc, and I'm pretty sure there was more involved too. Some of the same brothers that were tasked with the work were pretty irritated, due to the fact that the hall had been recently remodeled before the ASL. So there was a lot of wasted time it turns out! I know one elder that was pretty pissed.

Another funny thing, I really don't think there are that many "native" ASL pubs, a lot our ones who want to do something new and shiney. From the WTS standpoint, it seems like a good group to go after. I'm sure deaf people are pretty isolated and lonely, so here's this great love bombing group of people that show up at your door, with 75 new friends that know your language.

james_woods

It was one of the few things that "sisters" could do (in my day - circa late 60s, early 70s) and actually get up in front of the circuit assembly.

Quite pathetic, really, when there were no sign people in the audience.

JRK

Looking forward to more comments on this, as I think the JWs look at this as a fertile market.

JK

Shawn10538

I have commented before that a lot of young people from the ASL congregations are doing street work here in long Beach. They just come out and stand there on the corner of 5th and LB BL. When you go up to them to talk to them they decline saying they are there only to talk with deaf people. One time I asked them how they know they are going to run into a deaf person just standing there on the street unannounced. They say that they run into deaf people "eveery now and then." I told them there are a lot of better ways to talk with deaf people other than just rolling the dice and walking out on some random street corner. they didn't seem real interested in finding ways to actually meet deaf people.

I think that there are two things that make them prefer to just go out and stand on the corner. One is that they can get in a whole lot of hours by just standing there in a large group talking with one another, plus they stay encouraged as long as they are with their fellow JWs. So maybe tyhat's a third reason.

the other reason is they probably think Jehovah is going to magically send them the right deaf people no matter where they stand or go. So they are pretty confident that it just doesn't matter is they use a metghod that is effective or not. Going to the north pole would make just as much sense to a person who believes that Jehovah is going to send them the right people magically.

On a side note, I think it is sad that the Watchtower Society is targeting people with special needs on the selling point that they will be able to hear one day right here on earth. Plus I can imagine that deaf people might miss out on communication through some channels that would inform them that the Watchtower is a scam. So I think they are more vulnerable than some groups, hence, the Watchtower pounces on them and takes advantage of their free labor.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

ASL, as well as British Sign Language, and all the other Sign Languages in other countries have been a somewhat fertile field for JWs, but have been more for "bragging rights" than anything else. The videos require more work and expense. Look at all the Sign Languages they have...

http://www.jw.org/index.html?option=QrYQFVTrFRYYNrT

Click in the dropdown box and look at the list.

Realistically, Watchtower receives little financially from ASL groups/congregations, not enough to come close to "breaking even". Well, at least that was the case back when I was still in bethel. I doubt things have improved with the economy down. I don't know of any ASL congregation that has their own Kingdom Hall. They are always 'associated' with an English congregation.

the truth is mine

I had to laugh when I saw this thread. In one of our neighboring congregations they have an ASL group that meets for a public talk once or twice a month and then they do the TMS and Book study, I mean Bible study from a WTS book, every week. The group is made up of about thirty witnesses all Pioneers, Elders and MS. They are almost all between the ages of 19 and 35. They are married with no children or they are single, and they are all the “Cool” Witnesses. You know the kind that have nice things, dress nice and can do no wrong and have no personalities. If an “uncool” pioneer or MS wants to join their group they are told that they are not taking anyone new right now.

Anyway the funny part is that not a one of these people are actually deaf. They spend their time going to meetings and in service using ASL when every single person in the group can hear. What a colossal waste of time.

DesirousOfChange

From the WTS standpoint, it seems like a good group to go after. I'm sure deaf people are pretty isolated and lonely, so here's this great love bombing group of people that show up at your door, with 75 new friends that know your language.

The groups that are growing in the WTS are all primarily isolated and lonely people. Look at the new recruits in any congo, excluding born-ins -- isolated, lonely, weird people that didn't fit in anywhere else in regular society. JWs refer to them as humble and "unlettered and ordinary".

Doc

metatron

Let's make a prediction here: if the Society keeps seeing low cash flow from these congregations, they shut them down and merge them with hearing congregations, just as they did with the foreign language groups.

It's about the money.

metatron

20 new ASL congregations every year

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