JWS moving into the 2010s: GREATER FOCUS ON "PUBLIC' VENUE PREACHING

by steve2 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  steve2

  Increasingly, JW.org and its print publications show lots of pictures of Witnesses preaching one-to-one to "interested" passersby in public venues in contrast with fewer pictures depicting the door-to-door work. Sure, d-t-d is still the organizatrion's mainstay activity - but clearly it pushes at every opportunity the need for the rank and file to "go" public.

  This push could be a two-edge sword: There is obviously a hard core of Witnesses whose dispositions draw them to this type of social outreach: They almost rush out to do this public-venue work, prefering it to d-t-d. But I'd hazard a guess that for the bulk of those in local congregations, the public-venue witnessing would be a total turn off.

  To date, in New Zealand, I have seen no evidence of JWs doing this public venue witnessing - despite the huge push on JW.org and in the publications. Kiwis just don't seem inclined to put themselves out in public places - or if they do, it is in a kind of very muted way (i.e., almost out of sight and unobtrusive).

  This site has shown that in a few places, including Mexico, at least a few of the more publicly zealous Witnesses are doing the public work big time.

  Is the public venue preaching happening elsewhere, such as Asia? Europe? North America? Australia?

  What are your conclusions about the public-venue push in the publications? Do you think it will revive the Watchtower's stagnating fortunes?
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  Gayle

  Remember back in the day, doing "street' witnessing? Approaching people with WT & Awake, or just standing there personally displaying the literature? It was awful. Most JWs did not like it. Especially, if you lived in a small to middle town size. Also, we went into small businesses to offer literature. They were always too busy, of course. Terrible! Few JWs can handle that kind of "public" exposure. Going door-to-door is so much easier now,,just a walk around the block, nobody home.
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  steve2

  Yes, I have memories as a preschooler of standing with my JW grandfather on the sidewalk of a small rural town in New Zealand as he displayed the Awake! magazines at passersby - he was actually a very kind-hearted man whom people liked. Apart from the odd occasion as I got older, I did not do street witnessing - and nor was I expected to. The push was always for d-t-d work and you're right Gayle - as hard as d-t-d work is, it is relatively more accomplishable than street witnessing. I had my own magazine route before age 7 - that was back in the day when my JW parents thought nothing of training my older sister and me to go alone on our monthly magazine route. I daresay allowing a child to go d-t-d alone would never happen now.
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  J. Hofer

  street witnessing is something only few of the old timers did or still do. i've never seen some young brother or sister standing in the streets holding the mags.

  i once participated in a street witness-style operation, but it wasn't with the mags, it was to announce/promote a JW focussed holocaust exhibition in town. i still hated to stand around and pass flyers to people, i just never got used to this kind of thing.
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  steve2

  Yes, if it's hard to motivate the rank and file to go d-t-d, it's gonna be even harder to motivate 'em to street witness!
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  Phizzy

  I agree that 99.9% of JW's hated the old style street work. I was well known as a "street preacher" doing it in the dolldrum period between when they used to just stand there holding up a couple of mags, and the reborn time when it was advocated that all did it and actually approached people.

  Myself and some friends were the only ones doing this at the time, finding people where they actually were , rather than knocking doors at empty houses.

  We "placed" more mags than any other JW and had some real discussions, even with Vicars and Priests, and once I placed mags with a Bishop ! we used to charge for them in those days, I gave him "trade discount" LOL.

  For a long time I was the only one doing this work, I used to go for an hour or so before joining the normal F.S group. Eventually a couple of sisters took up the work too.

  Then the WT said all should have a go, very few did, and even the C.O who came round pushing the idea confessed to me that he hated it. The reason I liked it was that you could choose who you spoke to, if they looked miserable, or wishing to scuttle past and avoided eye contact etc, I just let them go by.

  Knock on some miserable old sods door and you simply had to talk to him/her.

  Looking back I feel that most JW's are actually slightly embarassed about their religion, and what they are doing, so they prefer to go DtoD where no one but the person they last found at home knows for sure what they are up to or who they are.

  They do not like to stand on a Public street, and display to all that they are a member of a Loony Cult. Hence only that couple of sisters still did the work after I ceased.

  If they were convinced they had the truth and it really was a lifesaving work they would all be out there on the street all the time.

  This new push will only find favour with the few, and they do not have to approach anybody ! just sit there and gossip unless an unwary member of the public asks them what it is all about.

  Pathetic.
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  nugget

  I saw one of their stands in Fareham yesterday. The sisters behind the stand were talking to one another and paying no attention to anyone around them. It was early and there were relatively few passersby but they made no effort to engage with anyone. My daughter offered to go and get some literature but since I have recently purged the house of all books and magazines I was adamant I did not want any, plus I didn't want her wasting any time with this cult.

  I don't know whether it is deliberate but those things blend into their surroundings they are not in the least eye catching I nearly missed it. The person selling the "big Issue" was much more effective couldn't miss her.
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  steve2

  Looking back I feel that most JW's are actually slightly embarassed about their religion, and what they are doing, so they prefer to go DtoD where no one but the person they last found at home knows for sure what they are up to or who they are.

  Astute observation Phizzy. Even at my most zealous, I always felt vaguely uncomfortable about the more 'out there' aspects of being a JW. I think youths in particular are often very embarrassed by their JW-upbringing (mind you, it does not take much for youths to be embarrassed about alomst everything!)

  I don't know whether it is deliberate but those things blend into their surroundings they are not in the least eye catching I nearly missed it.

  You're right nugget. Shoppers are surrounded by myriad sales pitches and loud advertising - which often obliterates from view the smallish literature displays of the JWs.
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  NewYork44M

  Even at my peak of zealousness, I was embarassed of my religion. If presented with the opportunity to "man" a cart, I would rather get a root canal than participate in these public carts.

  I suspect that more than a few current jws feel the same as what i describe.
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  Julia Orwell

  We had business territory in my last cong, where we would go into shops and offices and offer the attendants magazines. I really liked that, much better than door to door because I could also look at the nice things in the shops. The staff also had to be nice to JWs walking in because we could be potential customers so there was no expletives or shut doors.

  When I lived in Cairns however, we would do the Esplanade and I hated that, absolutely couldn't approach strangers out on the street with a tract. I can't say I was thrilled about d2d either, but it was much easier to have a door frame around someone when talking to them. Some JWs here love the public witnessing though, like the ones who buy an all day bus pass and spend the day riding the busses and witnessing at the passengers. Most people aren't into that sort of thing; only the more confident and gregarious ones. It's like only certain types of people go into sales and direct selling. Most of us don't have the personality to pull that sort of thing off.

  Now here on the Gold Coast, Australia, I've not yet seen those carts or stands. I can imagine some JWs would like that because they sit there all day doing nothing, and can easily rack up the hours. I personally would not like to sit at a stand because I don't want to be where everyone can see me. People who value privacy would probably be put off that sort of thing.