I was signing in the hall about the time that they started forming their own congregations. I was not allowed after that to sign because my signing was mostly sign ENGLISH and not ASL which they were going to make THE language to use. Once we had access to some deaf ones, we got access to the TTY directories as well and started to "hunt down" the deaf in field service. We noticed there were pockets of them, they would tend to live close to each other if possible. Also...they were mostly very poor people, very vulnerable people...once given the promise that they could regain their hearing immediately upon living to see paradise! They ate it up. We would spend entire days covering a metropolitan five county area scouring for deaf people...and after awhile, it made me so sick and so disgusted with myself, I would always volunteer to drive because I couldnt stand participating in the deception at the doors. We tried using the Watchtower and Awake that were written in Pidgin English because the syntax was close to the way the deaf talked and thought. I felt like I was chumming for sharks.
If all they are doing is trying to increase their numbers...the deaf are unfortunately, a prime target. They should be warned. Two (ex) close friends of mine ended up being the PO and POette of the Oak Park congregation of deaf in Chicago. I tell you what...Ive never seen a more needy group of people in my life. Most of them had no jobs, no cars, no education to speak of and relied on the hearing in that congregation for everything, rides to doctors, rides to assemblies, to grocery shop, to deal with things in their lives...it was a 24/7 job for my friends to handle. If they werent driving to Chicago for something, they were on the TTY running interference for another one.
Yes...its no wonder they are out flushing out the deaf. Who will be next? The paraplegics? I mean that with all due respect to the handicapped ones out there...but this organization is a parasite and they mean to suck off of you dear ones.