Watchtower-Free

Defenders of the Faith? Jehovah's Witnesses Preach to Migrants in Denmark

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160219/1035045422/denmark-migrants-jehovah-witnesses.html

Jehovah's Witnesses do not think twice before looking for new members, and are now targeting refugees, according to the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Border police checks IDs on January 4, 2016 at the Danish-German boarder town Krusaa

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Jehovah's Witnesses are well-known for their attempts at evangelism, and have taken to the task of finding new members among the migrants in Denmark, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten reported.

The newspaper referred to the small Danish town of Flauenskjold, where about 22 refugees currently reside; some of them are reportedly already contacting members from a local branch of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The Jyllands-Posten quoted locals as saying that they had the impression that Jehovah's Witnesses are making special tours of the refugee centers in order to recruit future followers there.

In a move that reflected their ever-increasing clout in Denmark, the Jehovah's Witnesses launched an Arabic language speaking group in the country two years ago, in February 2013.

A group of refugees and migrants who were walking north stand on the highway in southern Denmark on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015

The past few years have seen more migrants in Denmark become Jehovah's Witnesses, with the group's press secretary

Dag-Erik Kristoffersen repeatedly claiming that refugees are not being forced to join. This allegation, however, was rejected

by refugee center head Nina Svendsen, according to the newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Jehovah's Witnesses are evangelical millenarians who believe that the destruction of the current world as we know it in the

iblical Battle of Armageddon is imminent, and that the establishment of God's kingdom over the Earth is the only solution for all problems faced by humanity.

Some thirty Syrian refugees from different camps seeking asylum hold banners outside the Swedish Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012.

Denmark to Settle Migrants Outside Major Cities

The group, which claims a worldwide membership of more than 8.2 million adherents, has more than

once been harshly criticized over issues surrounding their translation of the Bible, doctrines, their handling

of sexual abuse cases, and the alleged coercion of members.

Several cases involving Jehovah's Witnesses have been heard by Supreme Courts all across the world.

The cases are, as a rule, related to their right to practice their religion, displays of patriotism and military service

, as well as blood transfusions, which nearly all Jehovah's Witnesses refuse. They may find an unwelcome reception

among dedicated Muslims, who see apostasy, the act of converting to another religion, as an abhorrent sin which many

who advocate Sharia Law believe should be punishable by death.

LoveUniHateExams

Couldn't EU countries do a swap?

We could send our JWs to Syria in return for Syrian refugees coming to the EU.

Sounds good to me ...

chicken little

The foreign language groups have been active in Denmark since the end of the 70's, picking up momentum in the 1990's. Asylum seeker camps have always been high priority going back to the 90's. Sadly many joined the groups because they hoped it would help their cases. Often they were badly disappointed and I know of many cases were their case was poorly handled by a Jw lawyer representing them. I know of a suicide attempt by one asylum seeker who was studying with her sons for years. (the process was extremely slow back then and some were in these camps for years. The Jw's would study with children too, easy hours, captive audience.)

Bugbear

There is no secret that the witnesses to get some sort of witnessing, is to go to the refugee camps or those with foreign names. No swede (inborn), will ever accept a Bible study from a JW. The refugees on the other hand sees these JW,s as language and culture teachers. As soon as they realize that they are only interested in getting them to convert to a strange and weird religion, the “study” is ceased.

bugbear

BluesBrother

They target the immigrant communities everywhere . It is a fertile ground for the "seeds of truth" . Young people away from home, being spoken to in their own language (if possible) or at least through a video in their tongue.....One can see the attraction . The Deaf Community are a targeted as well.

Further to the O/P's news story, I posted this up a couple of months back

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5484604559458304/news-report-video-greek-jws-trolley-carts-greet-refugees

steve2

There were more active JWs in Denmark 17 years ago in 1998 than there were in 2015:

Year Peak Average

1998 15,234 14,987

2015 14,652 14,564.

In fact, since the 1980s, JWs have see-sawed in annual numbers of active Witnesses in that country, flatlining in the 14,000s.

So, if JWs are having success in converting immigrants, we have to assume that the falloff in growth is Danish JWs.

Jehovah's Witnesses in Denmark targeting migrants