what is the deal with the Romanian JWs???

by kid-A 6 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  kid-A

  Here is link to the official website with the complete program, draft resolutions and doctrinal beliefs of the Romanian Branch of the Jehovahs Witnesses.

  http://the-true-jw.oltenia.ro/

  They have clearly split with Brooklyn, but still maintain most of the same wacky beliefs. I know there was a recent thread dealing with this but does anybody know:

  1) What was Brooklyns Response, if any?

  2) Does the WTS still count these "renegade" witnesses as "publishers" in their international statistics?

  3) Is there an enclave of witnesses in Romania that have rejected this rebel splinter group and maintained loyalty to Brooklyn?
• 

  blondie

  This group was discussed on this thread

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/99363/1709876/post.ashx#1709876

  1) What was Brooklyns Response, if any?

  Nothing that I can find, yet.

  2) Does the WTS still count these "renegade" witnesses as "publishers" in their international statistics?

  These are not counted in as part of the WTS. They are viewed much as the Bible Students that broke off in Russell and Rutherford time.

  3) Is there an enclave of witnesses in Romania that have rejected this rebel splinter group and maintained loyalty to Brooklyn?

  There are JWs that are loyal to the WTS in Brooklyn and their stats are in the official yearbooks.

  *** yb99 p. 30 Highlights of the Past Year ***

  ROMANIA: For well over 80 years, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been carrying on their public ministry in Romania. In 1990 when a 43-year ban on their activity was lifted, there were about 19,000 publishers. Now there are over 37,000, and more than 82,000 attended the Memorial in 1998. A suitable branch office was needed in Romania. Thus, one of the highlights of the year was the dedication of their new branch on May 2, 1998. Brothers from 19 countries, including Gerrit Lösch, of the Governing Body, were present to share with them in that happy occasion.
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  kid-A

  Thanks Blondie.

  I was under the impression that the whole lot of them were part of this splinter group. So in reality, the splinter group is just a small minority of them, and the 19,000 are still officially sanctioned by Brooklyn?
• 

  blondie

  Now (1999) there are over 37,000, and more than 82,000 attended the Memorial in 1998.

  Here are some stats from Romania (through 2004) and shows the increase/decrease

  http://www.jwic.com/04e_euro.htm
• 

  kid-A

  Interesting. I will be very curious to see how this "schism" plays out and whether it may have a ripple effect throughout the eastern european borg.
• 

  GermanXJW

  Wow! It seems that the change of the "generation" has had some impact on the no. of baptized.
• 

  J Mason Emerson

  There are smaller groups in the West too.

  For example I recently exchanged emails with a Bible study conductor of an independent group of ex-JWs in Canada.

  And as you can see by clicking this link there is an online fellowship called the Christian Witnesses:

  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristianWitnesses