Posts by freddo

16

July 7, 2017 Re: Needs in the Field—Training Others

by wifibandit in

july 7, 2017 to all field missionaries, special pioneers, temporary special pioneers and regular pioneers re: needs in the field—training others.

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freddo

So what's behind this ... and why was the first one discontinued?

Methinks the first one was discontinued so that if something went wrong (maybe the helper starts molesting the helpee - or the helpee has an accident while part of a Society program they might claim off the Society - or just that the pioneers don't want to be doing stuff for which they can't count their time) then the branch can't get sued.

But now the monthly ministry results are looking worse and worse and the Society "helpers" and "GB" always like to lay the burden on the lower middle management while not lifting a finger themselves - and so it's keep "busy, busy, busy" for the pioneers and "blame, blame, blame" for the congo elders and "guilt, guilt, guilt" for the ones that allow themselves to be "assisted."

One thing's for sure - "the ministry" is utterly ineffective - the gig is up but the corpse is still on life support.

16

July 7, 2017 Re: Needs in the Field—Training Others

by wifibandit in

july 7, 2017 to all field missionaries, special pioneers, temporary special pioneers and regular pioneers re: needs in the field—training others.

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freddo

Anyone else remember the old Pioneer Assist program? Where regular pioneers would be asked to assist the irregular and "weaker" publishers? I think they stopped that around 2006 or 2007.

Sounds like a bit of a resurrection of that "arrangement".

Thanks Wifi!

30

Comparing Total Numbers Baptized During the 1990s and the Last Ten Years:

by steve2 in

sometimes, comparing raw numbers provides a more clear-cut numerical picture of growth or otherwise than percentages.

below are the numbers for peak publishers (rounded off so that 4,1 represents more than 4,100,000) for each year throughout the 1990s and those for the last ten years.. year: peak* baptisms.

* peak publishers abbreviated - simply to show annual baptisms in relation to peak publishers.. the main point: .

freddo

NEJ

I was congregation Secretary when the change to 15 mins came through and so had the record cards. I would say previous to that that I counted an hour for all the old shut ins unless they went into a nursing home or are home and would often put them down for an "hour". A couple of scrupulously honest ones would say they didn't get anywhere near an hour and weren't happy to count a full hour.

I would say that in our cong of about 85 at the time it allowed one or two to be counted over the years for a year or two longer than they would have done before.

And yes - Secretary's and other elders will put down 15 mins for residents of nursing homes without ever speaking to them or knowing they if they have done any "ministry".

30

Comparing Total Numbers Baptized During the 1990s and the Last Ten Years:

by steve2 in

sometimes, comparing raw numbers provides a more clear-cut numerical picture of growth or otherwise than percentages.

below are the numbers for peak publishers (rounded off so that 4,1 represents more than 4,100,000) for each year throughout the 1990s and those for the last ten years.. year: peak* baptisms.

* peak publishers abbreviated - simply to show annual baptisms in relation to peak publishers.. the main point: .

freddo

I think they've pulled out all the stops to keep the numbers up. Remember the "loving provision" of 15 minute reporting in about 2003? That kept some of the oxygen tent dodgers in the numbers.

Also the trend for younger baptisms is obviously going to mean even younger unbaptised publishers starting.

The increasing lifespans by 3 or 4 years between 2000 and now in the developed world and by 6 or 7 years in poorer countries also means the death rate is lower which helps the borg overall numbers if not their ratio to population.

The borg have also given a lot of froth and bubble between 2013 and 2016 - new bible for English speakers in 2013; the 100 year anniversary 2014; jborg website and trolley/cartwork; Caleb and Sophia big screens at the conventions with JWvideos and a CLAM meeting for 2016 instead of school/service meeting.

It is all beginning to wear thin now.

The problem for them is that nothing is working to bring in new recruits that aren't mentally or emotionally disturbed. In fact the sell off of KH's, closing bethels, child abuse lawsuits and overlapping generations are unsettling to many and an increasing cause of apathy to others.

I believe that the downturn in the "west" will continue in the next yearbook; if the first drop in worldwide numbers since the late 1970's occurs this year I will not be surprised.

22

cleveland ohio convention results

by nowwhat? in

of 3 in cleveland: avg.

attendance 7500 baptised 27 a robust growth of 0.38%!

not my convention so no details..

freddo

Shepherdless: You are right that there are three "opportunities" per year to get baptised.

So if the rate is e.g. 0.5% at any three "opportunities" then obviously there will be 1.5% (0.5% x 3) in the given year.

So if Exeter at 0.21% were extrapolated the X3 number for all of the circuits in its catchment area would be 0.63% in the year.

I remember an Exeter R.C. last year (2016) where the baptisms were (from memory,) something like 14 from 3,500 in attendance so 0.4%. This years figures on attendance and baptisms are well down - but bear in mind that although the percentages hold good as being a significant decrease the WT hiked off about 500 publishers from the Avon Circuit (Bristol area) and sent them to a different convention in Cardiff this year.

22

cleveland ohio convention results

by nowwhat? in

of 3 in cleveland: avg.

attendance 7500 baptised 27 a robust growth of 0.38%!

not my convention so no details..

freddo

Exeter UK last weekend ... drum roll

2,816 produced 6 baptisms.

0.21%

8

The Watchtower Database of Child Molesters.

by WHATSGOINGON in

hi everyone.. this is just a thought, while reading bill bowen's silent lambs website i was interested to find out how long ago the figure of 23,000 molesters was published.. well it was in 2002.. in the spring of 2002, silentlambs was contacted by three different sources who claimed to have connected with people inside the headquarters of the watchtower bible & tract society of new york, located in patterson , new york .

these insiders provided silentlambs contacts with a computer data base number of 23,720 child molesters on file there.

so as the spring of 2002 was just over 15 years ago i wonder how many more have been added to the list ?.

freddo

Sugar Shane - THAT post deserves its own thread.

Edited to add: Ooops! - late to the party - someone already has.

13

"Our Lord and Savior" . . . Seriously??

by neat blue dog in

did anybody else notice in the convention drama when they went to the memorial the speaker called jesus "our lord and savior"?

when have you ever heard jws use that phrase?

christians, yes; jws, no..

freddo

I've heard it from jw's here in the UK. Occasionally in prayers.

Also in the nwt bible in 2 Peter 1 v 11 / 2 Peter 3 v 18 and in the literature.

36

Jupiter protects the earth... another example of intellectual dishonesty and an argument against design

by cognisonance in

i'm taking a university astronomy course, and i must say it's really fun to read about this field.

anyway, i remember the jws used to use jupiter (and probably still do) as an example for how unique and special our solar system is (and thus designed) -- namely, that jupiter protects the earth from astroids, comets, and meteors.

convincing if one doesn't know any better, especially circa 1994 when jupiter stepped in front of a comet for us... but this isn't the full story!

freddo

By Jove!

20

How do I delete my posts?

by The Doc 58 in

it's been 9 years and it would be nice to get them off the internet.

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freddo

You've been here about a year longer than me. And its five years since your last post. Now you've piqued my curiosity and I have had a look back through some of them. Perhaps the best way to have disappeared into the ether would have been to have let sleeping dogs lie?

Your best chances of getting your posts removed will be to PM Simon who owns and runs this site.

Best wishes on your journey.