I have written to the Governing Body (some time ago now), asking them to clarify their use of the words 'soon', 'near at hand' and imminent when publishing about the nearness of Armageddon. When discussing this subject with Witnesses at the door, and other contacts via E/Mail, it seems that most Witnesses come to the defence of the Govening Body by answering for them with suggestions that Armageddon could be tomorrow or even 100 years time, even adding that it may not be in our lifetimes. (The Govening Body of course failed to answer!) I find the use of such terms as 'soon' and 'near at hand' is deceiptful in so far as it gives readers the impression that all our problems will be solved in the very, very, near future. I find it scandalous that the millions of Witnesses in 3rd world countries who suffer terribly from poverty, sickness and lack of medical care are mis-led into believing that their problems will be solved in the Paradise Earth providing they get into 'the Ark of Safety'. This scandal is the main reason for membership numbers in the 3rd world now swamping those of Western Nations where life-conditions are so much better. I believe that if the Governing Body were to publish that Armageddon may not be in our life-time then the door-to-door ministry would collapse, and membership numbers would collapse. The Governing Body scandalously push the urgency of doing more door-to-door work on the mis-use of language.
jonathan adabe
JoinedPosts by jonathan adabe
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I need some more JW scandals/hypocrisies to add to my list..........
by middleman inhey yall, i'm looking for some more scandals of the wbts.
i know the un one, of course different pedophile ones, their involvement with anca, and i'm learning the deal on the bible printing they did for some folks in thailand.
i just need some more logs to put on my fire, i'm hoping to hear anything and everything, with links please if possible.
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When you went out in field service
by megaflower inhow often did you have to talk yourself into going out?.
how often did you wait till the end of the month to get some time in?.
how often did you fudge your time?.
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jonathan adabe
A Jehovah's Witness lady called at my home; she was known to me. After a friendly chat I asked her "Why do you do this work?" "It keeps the elders happy." she replied. I wonder how many are doing this work for 'love of neighbour' or just to please the elders? All the previous posts suggest an uneasy feeling for the door-to-door ministry.
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Bookstudy and the United Nations
by bud2114 inwondering if anyone else is taking advantage of the subject matter being covered these past few weeks at the bookstudy (revelation climax book) regarding religion's association with the blasphemous scarlet colored wild beast (un organization)?
this week especially does the book get into religion's "heinous" involvement with the un with the wt society's writers even sarcasticly poking fun at other religions who have supported the un.
i, for one, have been taking full advantage of this grand opportunity to "witness" to as many j-dubs as possible about the wt society's secret 10 year involvement with the un and subsequent coverup.
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jonathan adabe
I am surprised that present JW's are studying 'Revelation-Its Grand Climax', especially in view of the recent disclosure that the Society had been a signed-up member of the United Nations for 10 years. A quote from the study book:- "The UN is actually a blasphemous counterfeit of God's Messianic Kingdom....". The UN is called much worse in other Watchtower literature. The Society show double standards when years before the Society condemned Malawi Witnesses if they held a 'political party card'. Those poor Witnesses obeyed the Society's injunction against 'party cards' and they suffered terrible persecution. I bet that today's Witnesses in Malawi are not informed of the Society's membership of the UN!
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Bookstudy and the United Nations
by bud2114 inwondering if anyone else is taking advantage of the subject matter being covered these past few weeks at the bookstudy (revelation climax book) regarding religion's association with the blasphemous scarlet colored wild beast (un organization)?
this week especially does the book get into religion's "heinous" involvement with the un with the wt society's writers even sarcasticly poking fun at other religions who have supported the un.
i, for one, have been taking full advantage of this grand opportunity to "witness" to as many j-dubs as possible about the wt society's secret 10 year involvement with the un and subsequent coverup.
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jonathan adabe
Search in Google for 'jehovah's witnesses and united nations' and you will be swamped with info re JW's and United Nations. A young JW couple (male + female aged about 20) came to my door recently and I asked their view on the Governing Body signing up with the United Nations as an NGO, especially in view of the Society's belief that the UN is a key part of Satan's Organization. They were totally unaware of that event! They felt I had some mis-information, as the Society would not become involved in such an Organization as the UN. They were a very pleasant couple, but Oh how unaware they were of what goes on behind the scenes.
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The need for 'Deliverance at Hand' in 2006
by jonathan adabe inwhat goes on behind the doors of the governing body is never published, but it can be surmised that recent years' service reports (which show a disturbing falling off of levels of increase), warrant a special push on getting new members.
with the experience of the 1975 fiasco, the governing body must know that creating a fear of an early armageddon would bring in more members, and the deliverance at hand assemblies did just that, with quite good increases in membership during the 2007 service year at 3.1% of active members.
the following data comparison probably identifies a cause for concern for the governing body :-.
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jonathan adabe
daniel-p raised the question about the effects of 9/11 on membership numbers. The previous results for the U.S.A. were for 2000 -0.38%, 2001 +0.46%, then 2002 +2.86%. There is no doubt that the 9/11 tragedy was featured in the Society's alarmist preaching in the months following that event. Many people can be scared into thinking 'the end is nigh!'
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The need for 'Deliverance at Hand' in 2006
by jonathan adabe inwhat goes on behind the doors of the governing body is never published, but it can be surmised that recent years' service reports (which show a disturbing falling off of levels of increase), warrant a special push on getting new members.
with the experience of the 1975 fiasco, the governing body must know that creating a fear of an early armageddon would bring in more members, and the deliverance at hand assemblies did just that, with quite good increases in membership during the 2007 service year at 3.1% of active members.
the following data comparison probably identifies a cause for concern for the governing body :-.
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jonathan adabe
For the British contributors to this Forum, the results for Britain's membership growth during the 7 years 2000 to 2006, show that there were 31969 newly baptized members, yet an increase of active publishers of only 689. That represents a falling away of 31280. It is no wonder that the Governing Body brought in their '1975 scare tactics' by pushing another early Armageddon at the 'Deliverance at Hand' assemblies in 2006.
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Atrocities in the name of god
by lilyflor inhttp://www.jordanmaxwell.com/articles/religion/christian%20bloodshed.pdf.
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jonathan adabe
How about the expected Armageddon of the Watchtower, Bible and Tract Society, (Jehovah's Witnesses)? It is Jehovah himself, according to the Society, who soon is going to whisper into the ears of the United Nations who will respond by destroying every Church building, cathedral, mosque and chapel and every member of those religions, followed by the destruction of every other member of the world's societies, unless they get into the 'Ark of Safety' which is the Jehovah's Witness Organization. This means the death of some 6 billion men, women, children and babies.....or 1000 holocausts. Not atrocities in the name of God, but by God Himself.
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The need for 'Deliverance at Hand' in 2006
by jonathan adabe inwhat goes on behind the doors of the governing body is never published, but it can be surmised that recent years' service reports (which show a disturbing falling off of levels of increase), warrant a special push on getting new members.
with the experience of the 1975 fiasco, the governing body must know that creating a fear of an early armageddon would bring in more members, and the deliverance at hand assemblies did just that, with quite good increases in membership during the 2007 service year at 3.1% of active members.
the following data comparison probably identifies a cause for concern for the governing body :-.
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jonathan adabe
What goes on behind the doors of the Governing Body is never published, but it can be surmised that recent years' Service Reports (which show a disturbing falling off of levels of increase), warrant a special push on getting new members. With the experience of the 1975 fiasco, the Governing Body must know that creating a fear of an early Armageddon would bring in more members, and the Deliverance at Hand Assemblies did just that, with quite good increases in membership during the 2007 Service Year at 3.1% of active members. The following data comparison probably identifies a cause for concern for the Governing Body :-
1990 to 1996 (7 years) Increase in active publishers 1,542,613; baptisms 2,219,357; loss 676,744.
2000 to 2006 (7 years) Increase in active publishers 837,782; baptisms 1,835,026; loss 997,244.
Net increase for the above periods were +5.15% reducing to +1.98% . A disturbing trend for the Society.
I ask : Were the assemblies for 2006 'Deliverance at Hand', based on some inside knowledge of the imminence of Armageddon or were they just targeting new members?
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2007 Service Report
by jonathan adabe inis anyone able to supply a printable copy of the 2007 service report to help me in my statistical research?
at present i have all reports from 1990 to 2006 for all countries and it would be helpful if someone could provide the 2007 figures in printable form.
i no longer have a local witness contact.
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jonathan adabe
In my view the 2006 Conventions of Jehovah's Witnesses titled 'Deliverance at Hand' was an attempt to stop the dramatic fall in membership over the previous 10 years. Fear of an early Armageddon was the carrot which was to draw more people into the Organization. For example, The Canadian active members for the 5 years 1992 to 1996 was increased by a total of 9244 (even though there were 20697 new baptisms). Yet during the following 10 years, 1997 to 2006 there was a reduction in active membership of -2617 in spite of new baptisms of 24089. Coupled with this there was a falling off of door-to-door work by nearly 2 hours per month per member. This pattern was copied throughout most nations during that 15 year period.
The publishing of expectancy of an Armageddon in 1975 led to vast increases in membership, and that type of expectancy was used again in 2006 which has shown some increases during the 2007 Service Year. Adding the new baptisms for the 15 year period (44,786) compared with the increase of active members during the same 15 years (+6627), meant that there was the equivalent of a loss of 38,000 from the membership. The overall pattern is that the Society have problems in retaining new members.
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A New Blog About Jehovah's Witnesses
by DT injehovah's witnesses, shunning, and human rights.
http://watchtowershunning.blogspot.com/.
i don't have a lot of information there yet, but i'll gradually add articles in the future.
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jonathan adabe
To put the numbers of partakers of bread & wine into context, the average Memorial attendance is 174 persons in each Congregation. Only one person will partake for every 11 Congregations. In my view there is a relaxing of the 'rules' about who should partake because Watchtower literature states that many of the 'anointed' will see Armageddon. They will not be allowed to die off!