the society publishes an average of 22,000,000 wt and 19,000,000 number of awake magazines every two weeks.
if we assume that 6,000,000 of each go toward the number of active publishers as their personal copies.
that leaves 16,000,000 issues of wt + 13,000,000 for awake = 29,000,000 that are to be used for disciple making.. multiply 29,000,000 by 26 = 754,000,000 average yearly printing.. divide 754,000,000 by 288,907 (number of baptized in 2000) = 2609. yes, 2609 number of magazines (not counting books, brochures and tracts) must be distributed in order to recruit one new member.. now for the number of hours; .
Hi Defender, and welcome to the board
Maybe you could go to the GB with those figures so they can work on a Plan B for getting converts. You see, because they don't really believe in attending college, except for a select few studing law, they obviously can't do the maths for themselves [8>].
Hope to hear more from you
Cautious
several have made outright statements and others have suggested that the society's negative position on higher education has changed.
'the society does not discourage higher education where i live.
' worse, 'apostates have made it all up--the society has never discouraged education.
I agree Maximus, the hyprocacy of the WTS can be breathtaking. They say one thing, but their actions are at 180 degrees to it.
I was a good little witness, didn't finish high-school, took up cleaning offices, and eventually became a pioneer. Not because they actually came out and said "You can't get a higher education", but because of all the sledge-hammer hints I got over the years. They didn't come out and and say it, they just made sure you got the message in another way. They start a demonstrations which seems to be saying it is okay to go on to higher education, but by the end you KNOW that only "spiritually weak" ones follow that course.
Somehow, an educated female seemed to be harder for them to take than an educated male. That always got to me too .
Thanks for listening
Cautious - who did get a degree eventually anyway.
to anyone who can give me an honest answer:.
for the past few months i have been dating a disfellowshipped witness.
the witness is being shunned by other witnesses and has been going through this for around 2 years now.
Hi Wanderingjew
If your friend is serious about being reinstated, then she will have to do what the elders advise her to do. They will advise her to not have any friends who are not JWs, let alone marry anyone who is outside the faith.
If she gets reinstated, she will be strongly discouraged from re-marriage to a non-witness. This would put sufficient pressure for her so that she would not be able to cope with marrying you, and is likely to end any friendship with you.
You said
I want whatever is best for her and whatever will do best for her well-being- I feel that she would be better married to someone who obviously loves her, IMHO.
All the best
Cautious
to this forum at least.
i noticed a couple others posting newbie threads so i thought i'd jump on the band wagon.. i don't have a great story or tale for you all, i just walked away.
don't know what the elders told the rest of the herd.
Hi Godlike
Thanks for sharing your story. Hope you enjoy the board, I do
as i sit in front of my computer in a drunken stupor wondering what might have been, i felt i had to post my story to those who might truly understand what i am going through.. i am a newbie here, but have been lurking around for the last few weeks.
i am 25 years old, from ontario, and totally heartbroken.. to give you some background, back in 1998, i studied with the witnesses because some friends of mine, whom i believe to be honest and sincere people, gave me (i thought at the time) some good advice to start a book study.
i did, and i really enjoyed it because i felt they presented everything factually and had a strong interpretation of the scriptures (i'm a facts man, you see).
Hi Jeremy - sorry to hear what you are going through.
Like the other posters have said, I would say to move on. Your ex is under the control of a cult.
It may not seem like it, but you will get over this. Learn again to enjoy the journey of life, and someone will come along and walk with you when it is right.
Also, welcome to the board. Keep us informed as to how you are doing.
Cautious - who must also be tired, because she doesn't usually wax lyrical.
hi everyone, i have been "lurking" for a week or so and thought i'd join the fun.
i am a third generation jw who was determined not to make my kids the fourth!
my husband and i left almost five years ago and have never looked back and as a result have never been happier.. just a quick summary of the past thirteen years.... i never went to college (never even considered it) and was married two weeks after graduating from high school.
Welcome Princess from another newbie.
I'm also glad to hear you are doing well - my hubby and I got DFed, told them we didn't believe anymore, but we are happy in our new life.
JT - I had to laugh
they NEVER mention those of us who leave and are still with our mates and going to college, starting biz, etc- that would be bad for business and just tooooo honest
left the "borg" in spirit in 1975.....hung aroung on the fringe for 25 more yrs.
(hows that 4 dumb) thinking of making a tee-shirt that sez,"j dub apostate & damn proud of it" i think the borg iz going 2 have 2 come up with sum new carrot & stick 2 scare the little sheep....what will it be?
Welcome Moman - looking forward to hearing more of your posts
And if that doesn't work Slip, then they will just have to say that the end is coming because the internet is taking over from the UN
it is lamentable to see like the years pass inside an organization that .
he/she goes against what says the bible and leaving everything is so clear.
we have meditated in because one can ignore what you leave from so far .
Hello Paradix, Welcome
Sounds like you are thinking the about same things a lot on this board, including myself, are doing or have done. You said
The whole thing teachs a lesson. But, what is that?I think there is more than one answer to that question.
I have learned to enjoy the journey of life itself, not just put up with something that feels rotten because of empty promises about a reward at the end of it all. Like think41self, I have also learned that I need the be able to do my own thinking, not just accept what I am told.
Cautious
some of us were discussing the other day the 'advantages' and 'disadvantages' of disassociating from the witnesses as against being disfellowshipped (for apostasy).. it seems from reading various experiences that most departing borgites choose to send in a letter of disassociation.
for them it saves the 'hassle' of being harrassed by the modern-day philistines, the elder class.
it also saves, to some extent, the reputation of the exdub.
Ozzie you said
I would think, though, that many women would find it an emotionally draining experience and very intimidating.
To tell the truth, I found the "help" I was receiving to be emotionally draining.
I wouldn't turn up to to my JC because I didn't consider they had the right to sit in judgement of me, told them I didn't consider it to be "the truth", so they DFed me. It was hard at the time, but things healed well over time. I think I would chose DF again - for me it is cleaner, and doesn't give the Borg as much satisfaction as a DA.
i have not shared my "story" with you yet.....i will give you the just of it right now, and go into further detail later.. i was baptized three months ago.
i started having doubts right away.
i am currently inactive and have no plans to return.
I agree with the other posts Open_Mind. The elder seems to be backing you into a corner. They are good at that.
I don't know what type of business you are in, but I would try to establish different contacts if I were you, or get another job. Either that, or pretend that you have not doubts anymore and then slowly fade, after a period of "doing the right thing".
Please let us know how it goes.
And, on a more cheerful note - welcome
