Why are they still going door to door?

by Euphemism 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  gingerbread

  At conventions and assemblies a select group of full time pioneers are always interviewed. Over the last couple of decades the focus has changed from experiences of bringing new ones into the 'truth' to 'how has pioneering benefited YOU personally'.

  It's a way to get members back into the hall, to give the illusion that they are participating in meaningful activity...and it advertises to a community that Jehovah's Witnesses exist in their town.

  "Advertise, advertise, advertise .... JW.org".

  The tagline for 2014 !!!

  ginger
• 

  DATA-DOG

  I have heard the same comments about the ministry being for YOU. WTH?? Since when was preaching about ME??? Since they know it doesn't work well, they have to do something. The GB are painted in a corner. They have to keep the rank and file busy, like soldiers in a camp. You have to keep up morale in the worst case scenario. What's that? When a war NEVER comes!

  So why won't the GB stand up for their beliefs on the radio or on T.V?!?! It's simple. They cannot defend their dogma. They would be exposed for the World to see. They are like politicians that refuse to answer a question. It's far better to have a small group that they can control as opposed to a larger following, if they could get one that is.. Even JW.Org is a crock. There is not place to ask questions, no forum. No advice column. No way to reach one of "Christs' brothers" for help. I guess you can call World Headquarters! LOL!! That way they can reference a WT article in answer to your query about the very same WT article. Watchtards.....

  DD
• 

  BluesBrother

  I echo the thought that the main reason is to keep 'em busy and feeling important . What other religion gives YOU a part in "saving lives" " a once only work to honour Jehovah's name" "to show him you love him" "to be directed by angels" etc etc.

  If they pulled the door to door work, it would have a knock on effect on meetings and the overall zeal of people. Plus, a lot of converts are those who are not internet savvy, some don't bother with newspapers to see ads. The personal approach still works although it is grossly labour intensive
• 

  redvip2000

  seem to remember reading some years ago about a study suggesting that this was, in fact, the most effective way to do it.

  The most effective way of doing it? You're kidding right?

  To put things plainly, JWs are salespeople who are going around selling a message - in reality selling memberships to the group. Now, this is the msot effective way of doing it? If this model is the best way, it's strange that all other corporations aren't doing the same.

  No, this is the CHEAPEST way of selling, which is different. Convincing your sales team to buy your product upfront, then go out for free and selling it using their own resources is a brilliant idea, but not the most effective one.
  

  It is a colossal waste of time, but it doesn't matter. The GB knows that they don't rely on preaching to grow. The product is bought by the sales team, and new converts come from kids and family of existing JWs, so preaching is just to keep everybody busy and entertained in "life saving " work.
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  keyser soze

  It's busy work for the rank and file, as others have stated. It's also how the elders and those higher up are able to keep tabs on the rank and file. A JW's spirituality, and thus their qualifications for 'privilges' in the congregation, are gauged in large part by how many hours they spend preaching.

  It isn't about gaining converts, it's about proving themselves to other JWs.
• 

  steve2

  The question the GB dare not answer is: If the rank and file didn't go d2d - or didn't feel feel guilty about not doing it even more - what would they do? Thee is already a growing apathy among the Witnesses without making it even easier to drift. So, d2d remains firmly in place regardless of its efficiency or lack thereof in bringing in new ones.
• 

  Ding

  Someone left a Watchtower and an Awake at a motel free literature rack where I was staying.

  I couldn't believe how small they are these days and how little there is in them.

  (Don't worry. I disposed of them so no one will get sucked in by them.)
• 

  Mum

  They sell a lot more books and trash literature by going door to door. It's harder not to buy something when the salesperson is with you face-to-face.
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  Separation of Powers

  The D2D work is absolutely fruitless! I believe a poster on another thread mentioned that he had just one person baptized at his CA. If that is the case, and believe me it is not much different in my neck of the woods, then the preaching work isn't worth the effort. Other churches are growing much more rapidly than the JW's and they don't preach at all! In fact, if the ORG was SOOO concerned about preaching to the masses, they would have embraced TV, Radio, and the Internet long ago. Do what works people!

  No, the purpose for the D2D is a little more insidious in my estimation. In order to fully understand it, one must return to the days when chalkboards were used at every KH. Every month the Bible Study servant would have the names of ALL the publishers along with the hours and placements and this would be displayed to the Congregation. It had a twofold purpose: #1-To openly praise those that served as the ideal JW and #2-To openly berate those that were not. It was a testament to your "faith" and "commitment" to the ORG.

  In time, this particular aspect of the ministry was done away with. It was unloving and led to considerable issues with weaker publishers and, I imagine, the inevitable "padding" of time. What hasn't changed, however, is the same "praise" and "berate" philosophy. The D2D is a measuring stick. It is a barometer. Where Paul said a person is saved by grace (mercy) and not by works, the ORG says, Faith without works is dead.

  No, the D2D is an act of humiliation. It serves to "temper" the ego and self-respect that all of us have. That is why the ORG states SOOO emphatically that the "apostates" are the first to question the need to preach. Funny, I have never heard an apostate once question the act of "preaching" only the message preached.

  Just a thought,

  SOP
• 

  joe134cd

  This subject intensity interests me, and is something I quite regularly bring up in my posts. When you consider that 2/3 of its youth is walking on them it puzzles me how an organization is prepared to spend billions of dollars and hours fruitlessly knocking on doors and yet not try and fix the problem at the other end. If the society was really serious about saving lives and reaching the masses, they would of been making full use of the Internet years ago, and would be embracing social networking now. I remember reading some where that face book has got something like a billion pluse subscribers, just think of the Hugh opportunity this would afford them. Like the Internet how the we're trashing it 19 years ago, soon they will have to back track on it and fully embrace social networking.