respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  55

  JW.Org Blitz

  by Theredeemer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've noticed, partilcularly on instagram, a advertising blitz for jw.org by the dubs.

  primarily its the younger ones 35 and under vs older ones.

  i dont know if its just my friends or everyone but they are obsessed with jw.org.

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  respectful_observer

  Here's a new one I hadn't seen yet...

  
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  55

  JW.Org Blitz

  by Theredeemer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've noticed, partilcularly on instagram, a advertising blitz for jw.org by the dubs.

  primarily its the younger ones 35 and under vs older ones.

  i dont know if its just my friends or everyone but they are obsessed with jw.org.

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  respectful_observer

  Of course it is idolatry.

  Although it is nothing new, JWs have idolized the GB for decades.

  This is just dialing it up a notch.

  Of course it's NOT idolatry. Christendom practices idolaltry...

  

  Jehovah's Witnesses do not....

  
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  52

  Stagnant JW growth at international convention

  by kneehighmiah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so at the international convention 235 were baptized.

  the attendance was 34k.

  that's resents less than 1% its about .6%.

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  respectful_observer

  WT loves statistics

  The WT loves SELECTIVE statistics.

  Number baptised? Great.

  Number disfellowshipped? No way.

  Number of new congregations? Fantastic.

  Number of congregations dissolved? Nope.

  Publish the percentage of college graduates who hold a job in the field of their undergraduate degree? Sure!

  Publish the percentage of those college graduates who hold jobs that require holding a 4-year degree? Um...let's leave that one out.

  Current contribution deficit at the assembly? Definitely.

  Donations made to the Worldwide Work TM or received by the the non-profit Watchtower Bible & Tract Society in some type of typical non-profit annual financial statement? Heck no. What are you, crazy??
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  18

  Is the number of JWs leaving increasing?

  by dozy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i don't mean jws getting stumbled or bored or getting dfd for immorality- there always have been a certain number of those all the time.. i've been out for a few years now but am curious to know from "still ins" if there is any evidence of increasing numbers of people leaving for classic "apostate" reasons - ie either fading or getting dfd because they have done research & realise that this isn't "the truth".. when i was a jw occasionally i would hear of someone suddenly stopping going to meetings & hearing through the grapevine & jw gossip mill that the person no longer believed it was the truth or had expressed doubts in the "slave" etc.

  but it didn't happen very often ( though it was increasing somewhat in the years before i left).. one would imagine with the internet & increased information available to all that this would be happening more often.

  any evidence of this , anecdotally?

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  respectful_observer

  Because there are not a lot of useful metrics that allow it to be accurately calculated, it's hard to say.

  On top of it, for those that decide to conciously "fade", having access to forums such as this one allow them to do so in a more discreet manner. Also, anecdotes that we all read seem to indicate that there may not be necessarily a greater percentage that are leaving, but there may be an ever growing number of "nominal JWs", who still attend meetings, report some service time (whether it's accurate or not), and have serious doubts about doctrine, but are not willing to turn their personal lives upside down over the issue.

  One metric that can be accurately measured, is not whether more are leaving, but if fewer are responding to the JW message and joining. I don't mean in terms of net increase-- there is still low single digit point growth every year-- I mean of all the people JWs preach to, the percentage who actually respond continues to decrease. Somebody's got a graphic out there that tracks how many hours of preaching it takes to get 1 convert over the last few decades. That number has been steadily increasing and shows no signs of slowing down.

  Is it because JWs are less effective teachers?

  Is it because more and more JWs over-report (lie) on their monthly service reports?

  Is it because fewer people are interested in religion?

  Is it because people who are interested do some research on JWs on the internet and decide to stay away?

  There are no clear answers, but if any or all of the above are true, it will only cast a longer and longer shadow over the Watchtower Society as time goes by.

  R_O
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  41

  Praise For Witnesses On Welfare Who Full Time Pioneer!

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the watchtower has always praised witnesses who are on welfare and decided to pioneer.

  many in my congregation, including my mom, were given kudos, praise and assembly parts because they took advantage of jehovah's provision through the government....did you notice this, or was it obvious to me because i was raised in the inner city and many people recieved government help?.

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  respectful_observer

  It is, in simple terms, FRAUD.

  There was a young single "holier-than-thou" sister that was in my circle of associates back in the day who was always telling us all that there was no excuse to not pioneer. When I pressed her on why that was the case, she explained to the group that all you need to do is find a doctor (she offered hers up) who will assist you in qualifying for disability benefits from the government. I asked, "what if you're not actually disabled?" Her response was that "If Satan's system can provide means for you to pioneer, you should take it." My response to the group was "If someone is claiming disablility benefits who is not actually disabled, that's the definition of fraud-- which is a felony." Let's just say she was not my biggest fan after that.

  In seperate occassion (when I was unemployed for a short time) several people asked me: "Why aren't you pioneering right now? You're getting unemployment checks, which you can get for a year. You can be out in service every day!" My response was always the same: "Yes, I'm receiving unemployment benefits, but they're provided with the expectation that I'm looking for a new job during that time. So in reality, I still have a full time job-- it's called 'looking for a job.'"
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  50

  Convention Season-"Saving Good Seats" & Other Embarrassing Behavior

  by Darth Fader The Sequel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  since it is the convention season (and i am not attending this year or ever again), and i have been seeing other posts about some of the goings on at the various ic's and rc's, i am reminded of some of the truly embarrassing behavior i have "witnessed" (pun intended) over my lifetime of being a jdub at the various conventions and assemblies.

  probably the most disillusioning experience at a convention that i have ever had was one year when i volunteered to be an attendant.

  all of the volunteers were asked to attend a special meeting a few months beforehand to get instructions for our duties as attendants.

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  respectful_observer

  I would love to see the glares I would get if I decided to record this event on my phone/iPad. Imagine the looks as these people come sprinting/speed walking down the corridor with arms swinging wide with coolers and realize someone is recording their ridiculous behavior and laughing at them the whole time.

  Man, if I were in charge of the Attendant Dept at for the Regional Convetion, I would instruct the brothers to use the technique used by Disney (who are experts at all things crowd-control related).

  If you get to a Disney theme park before the gates open for the day, they have a very personable employee who chats up the crowd and instructs them that when the gates actually open s/he will begin walking slowly backwards into the park. No one is permitted to pass that employee as s/he walks backward with arms outstretched (I've also seen a variation where several employees walk backward holding an outstretched rope). When the "guide" finally passes that attraction/ride, you can go in. But no one is allowed to pass him/her during that opening walk.

  I can only imagine the looks on the "friends'" faces as they came surging through the doors to encounter that type of approach. Those poor attendants would have to endure listening to all the friends grumbling and murmering as they glared at him during his walk. They would be beyond apoplectic!!! I have no doubt that the Chairman's Office would be overrun with complaints within a few short minutes with claims that their entire convention experienced was ruined because of this.

  R_O
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  33

  VERY short day at the Arlington/Dallas International Convention-My Observations

  by CaptainSchmideo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  okay, some good takeaway:.

  i have never been to a convention quite like this before.

  a very friendly vibe all around, lots of banners and posters with sayings like "sending love to all our brothers", "see you in the paradise", "ecuador sends greetings", and "jehovahs-witness.net" (okay, i lied on that last one...).

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  respectful_observer

  Sounds like the wait to get back to your car was misery.

  You need Uber!
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  25

  A few thoughts on the District, um, Regional... sigh....

  by Apognophos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don't even know what the bloody event is called anymore.

  i think it's still a district convention until it goes to two days, isn't it?

  my convention program leaflet just says "convention of jehovah's witnesses", seemingly intentionally avoiding the change in wording.

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  respectful_observer

  Thanks apognophos, I don't understand why they change irrelevant doctrines that don't really effect anyone, just makes them look silly for no purpose.

  It necessary in order to satisfy the now constant desire of many JWs for NuLite TM ....especially since so many JWs treat NuLite as a sign that Armageddon must be about to break out. They can introduce new understandings of subjects that have very little bearing on actual doctrine, but still generate excitement.
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  43

  LIVE from Ford Field international DO

  by darth frosty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just wanted to show the activity in downtown detroit from the convention.

  trafic is on jam!.

  lots of people .

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  respectful_observer

  This thread appears to be about the only "LIVE" reporting. No mention (yet) at:

  http://www.detroitnews.com/ (The Detroit News)

  http://www.freep.com/ (Detroit Free Press) (although here's an article from last night: http://www.freep.com/article/20140605/NEWS05/306060022/Jehovah-s-Witness-convention-Ford-Field)

  http://www.clickondetroit.com/news

  http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/

  Somebody in "INFORMATION SERVICES" better get busy!

  R_O
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  38

  Two points of entry for the Dallas Convention?

  by CaptainSchmideo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  anyone else hear about this?

  i got this second hand from my wife, who got it from her mom.. .

  apparently, there will be two points of entry to the convention.

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  respectful_observer

  It has more to do with Homeland Security compliance for large stadiums.

  WT had similar security issues with a university stadium in the Seattle area for this summer's convention.

  Okay, I had heard both the NFL and Homeland Security were to blame, depending on who I was talking to. Either way, this one isn't actually the WTS' fault....except for failing to foresee this a problem much further in advance.