To benefit while the other person in not aware is called deception. To have a religious "study" with a person who is not aware they are being studied with is recruitment by deception. It is not a very effective strategy in making friends or religious converts.
When I was a Witness going door to door we were told to try to hide our identities because when people heard we were Jehovah's Witnesses the doors tended to slam shut. We told people we were "Bible Students". They have a better reputation. Deception!
From the first knock on the door to the judicial committee that orders shunning, deception is used on us every day. The Jehovah's Witness group will not function in an open and honest environment.
The numbers are deceptive, or the studies are being done in a deceptive way in material that is deceptive by nature by people who were deceptive when they knocked on the door. They need to change the name to Jehovah's Deceptive Witnesses.
Official - There are 6 million Bible Studies - but where are they?
by truthseeker 20 Replies latest jw friends
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garybuss
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Mary
I remember our CO giving everyone shit for not offering a bible study at every single door while out in Service. He then said that if we stand there with the Knowledge Book, and read a couple of paragraphs, "you've just had a study with them and the person doesn't even realize it!" Isn't that lovely? We're now so desperate for studies that you have to con people. He then went on to say "....and then you TELL them (forget asking), that you'll be back next week to discuss another few paragraphs.........and there you go brothers, you've got yourself a regular bible study!"
You can count virtually anything as a bible study now.........hell you can drop off some mags at the local laundromat, talk to the washing machines and count that as a bible study.
Isn't there some scripture where Jesus gave an illustration about the preaching and compared it to a farmer's field. The illustration was that if you keep planting and planting over and over again in the same spot, eventually the soil's exhausted and nothing else will grow........
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Emma
Perfect summary of the org:
From the first knock on the door to the judicial committee that orders shunning, deception is used on us every day. The Jehovah's Witness group will not function in an open and honest environment.
I think that was one of the reasons I couldn't keep going. How do you see all the smoke and mirrors and not get worn out from it? The teachings and doctrine was secondary for me; it was the deceiving and lies that began my path out of the org.
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undercover
I remember our CO giving everyone shit for not offering a bible study at every single door while out in Service. He then said that if we stand there with the Knowledge Book, and read a couple of paragraphs, "you've just had a study with them and the person doesn't even realize it!" Isn't that lovely? We're now so desperate for studies that you have to con people. He then went on to say "....and then you TELL them (forget asking), that you'll be back next week to discuss another few paragraphs.........and there you go brothers, you've got yourself a regular bible study!
Wow, Mary. That sounds almost word for word what one of our COs said several years ago. I know the COs use scripts from the WTS but how you described it is exactly how I remembered our CO phrasing it.
At the time, I fell for the pitch. At first, I said to myself, "wow, that was easy. I'll have to try that." Then, later, as I reviewed it in my head, I got the feeling that somehow we were being sneaky. Why the deception? I mean, be up front and ask, "hey, ya wanna study?" If they say no, then why waste time with them?
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Elsewhere
I can see it now, a senile old JW reporting a study with his stuffed squirrel.
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ozziepost
how many studies do you see come to the Kingdom Hall? Where are all these Bible studies?
I guess you'd have to wait till the Memorial!
Many studies are with children who are already counted in the figures for publishers/meeting attenders. others are unbaptised publishers already, so I'd see very few as 'genuine' bible studies.
It's all a numbers game - it always was and always will be!
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DaCheech
Truthseeker, you are so correct in the Italian District & circuit conventions we have just had 5 baptized in the past 2 years out of 800 present.
Seems like the only new ones we see is either bethellites, or others that think learning Italian is kool.
We have this brother from malawi always making experiences (I will post these later) of his escape from death through prayer all the time
we currently have about 15 african/americans in the Italian
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cyber-sista
elsewhere....I thought someone should at least comment on your squirrel. I did notice something fishy about him, though...
I remember our CO giving everyone shit for not offering a bible study at every single door while out in Service. He then said that if we stand there with the Knowledge Book, and read a couple of paragraphs, "you've just had a study with them and the person doesn't even realize it!" Isn't that lovely? We're now so desperate for studies that you have to con people. He then went on to say "....and then you TELL them (forget asking), that you'll be back next week to discuss another few paragraphs.........and there you go brothers, you've got yourself a regular bible study!
Mary and undercover--these were the exact words that the last CO used in my X-congo. Guess these were written orders from the top. What a bunch of puppets they are (God, I hate the fact that I used to be one too)
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DaCheech
This was talked about last wednesday, simple to say! So desperate for numbers!
What the heck is so important about numbers, unless you need them for the con' way!
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sunshineToo
This was talked about last wednesday, simple to say! So desperate for numbers!
What the heck is so important about numbers, unless you need them for the con' way!
I bet they need to boost their moral constantly. Otherwise they will have massive inactivities.