They love to explain their ``ministry" by citing Matt: 24:14; but if the public were to be polled, how many of them would characterise the JWs as proclaimers of ``the Good News of the Kingdom?" Most people know them for their anti-holiday, no-blood, no-flag-salute teachings and nothing else.
What's happened to the preaching work?
by Dark Knight 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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metatron
Ocassionally, they hand out magazines or tracts at the local bus terminal. I know this because I can see the
stuff blowing away in the wind or lying on the ground as I walk by.
metatron
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95stormfront
2) Collect them at home and then throw them away.
Ohhhh...how I wish that were true.
There's stacks of old unread magazines around my house this very second that my wife is loath to throw out. She keeps them around upon the premise that you'll never know when you'll need one.
I may start to use them to start fires in the fireplace this winter.
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MoeJoJoJo
My parents still attend meetings but haven't gone out door-to-door in a very long time. I'm sure they are turning in some time to keep off the inactive list, they are probably counting the time they spend trying to talk their kids into getting back in the org.
I also haven't seen witnesses out door-to-door on my street.They would never stop here now, but I would definitely see them at my neighbors.
What's happened to the preaching work? Many are getting tired, they thought the new system would be here by now.
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integ
I think the witnesses would GLADLY just pay a certain amount of money every month just to GET OUT OF going out in service. I'm surprised the borg has'nt endorsed that as an alternative to going door to door. This way the borg still get's their money, and the hapless door knockers no longer have to go out. They could make something up like a person is still SUPPORTING the kingdom work by doing that, and they probably would make a lot more money this way.
Integ.
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Doubtfully Yours
In the territory I live in, preaching is totally useless!
I make it a point to be seen in service some Saturday mornings; when we finally reach this far away territory, there are hardly any Spanish-speaking individuals to give the message to. Plenty of 'not at home' doors, and the ones that are there don't open or are plain busy with their everyday lives to even care.
Whenever I make an appearance to go out on service, I just end up wasting valuable time that could be put to use around my property, or just plain relaxing like normal people do on weekends!
I HATE PREACHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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little witch
I am thinking....Six million publishers times One dollar (very conservative) per month...
Can you imagine putting that money in an interst paying bank account? Or investing six million clams a month?
Not to mention the bank loans to be had with that sort of collateral. Assuming non- profits can get loans?
I am suprised that the rank and file would be willing to go door to door in this day and age also. God, that would be scary......
I wont even let my kids sell stuff for the PTA, or whatever. Just too dangerous. Remember David Westerfield, who met little Danielle when she sold him girl scout cookies? He kidnapped and murdered her!!!!
And think about all the mentally ill, who would react violently to someone confronting them on their own terf...especially if they were victims of the watchtower.
Now there is a basis for a lawsuit against the tower....They make their addherrants go door to door, and judge their spirituality on it....If one of them got hurt, big trouble in brooklyn....
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JH
I pass in front of the "Rendez-vous de service", how do we say that in english? Well, that's where they gather before going out in the service. And I only see 2 or 3 cars in front of the house, while there were over 10 cars when I was active in the late 80's early 90's.
Less and less people are going out in the field service. I ride around alot in the city and very seldom see witnesses or their cars. Things have changed alot since the early 90's. and since the 1914 generation passed away in 1994.
So where are the witnesses? Now most of them work and live a more normal life. I think that they don't expect the end in their life time anymore.
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Doubtfully Yours
JH,
Many are plain sick of the Society crying 'wolf'.
And, yes, many of us live a more normal life and comply with some of the religion's stuff to keep the elders out of our hair.
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Inquiry
Great topic BK....
I've noticed quite the drop in active service in my area too... I used to be able to see my former "friends" out in service somewhere in town every Saturday... but now, it's really hit and miss.... it's been at least 6 months that I've seen a group out in service in town, and every once in a while I'll see a lone sister with her bag... but never brothers... hmmmm
Of the JW "friends" I still have (secret friends...ssssshhhhh) very few are interested in the preaching work, and now the meetings appear to be suffering too.... or so they tell me. My jw friends certainly don't beleive everything the WT publishes, and some feel embarrassed to tell people about it. They are disillusioned over being in the new century.... they are disillusioned with the publicity the WT has been getting of late.... they don't like having to shun friends and family for just disagreeing with what most consider Policy issues and they really are getting fed up with being blamed for the WTs failures... My friends tell me that almost every two weeks they are being admonished for this and give more to that... and they certainly don't beleive that's from God.... There's always letters from the bethel which used to hold people's interests... now, they know... oh, here it comes... It's certainly not the joyful pretense it once was, and only just a few years ago....
The only tac for this the WT can come up with is to alienate further their membership by berating them constantly... people get pretty sick of the whip, even if it's the master's whip... even the most sincere masochist has his limits.... you'd think they'd be smart enough to know that if they are going to keep the gravy train going, they need another oracle... another Fred Franz.... but most of my JW friends are online anyways...and the new guy has to be a lot smarter than old Freddy....meanwhile, the R&F feel they have to fill that spiritual breach somehow...and they're doing it more and more by studying online.... that indicates that they don't trust the WT as implicitly as they used to.... hey, it's due diligence... they have questions that require answers... It might already be too late for the WT to "fix" this most obvious problem... we can live and hope eh?
Inq