sbf's last post brings to my mind a lot of questions about how the pandemic isolation is affecting people on a more general level. People tend to use church activities as a social mechanism, and is part of their search for happiness. Non religious people may use clubs or volunteer activities to meet the same need. Most likely these groups have seen drop in participation as well. I know my volunteering came to an end in March 2020 and I miss it.
dropoffyourkeylee
JoinedPosts by dropoffyourkeylee
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25
Annual service report - yet another analysis - big trouble for the WTS
by FFGhost inthere's already been a couple of threads on the 2021 report with insightful comments, but i'm vain enough to want to start my own topic with some additional thoughts..... as others on the other thread noted, it's useful to compare the 2021 numbers not only to 2020 but also 2019 (the last non-pandemic report).. there are some really troubling (if you're a wt headquarters guy) news in the latest report.. 1) baptisms plummet.
2021 - 171,393. baptisms dropped 20% in 2020, and 30% more in 2021. the total drop from 2019 to 2021 is an amazing 44%.. one could argue that without in-person assemblies and conventions you'd expect baptisms to drop.
but....if someone really wants to get baptized, jws will find a way.
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Annual service report - yet another analysis - big trouble for the WTS
by FFGhost inthere's already been a couple of threads on the 2021 report with insightful comments, but i'm vain enough to want to start my own topic with some additional thoughts..... as others on the other thread noted, it's useful to compare the 2021 numbers not only to 2020 but also 2019 (the last non-pandemic report).. there are some really troubling (if you're a wt headquarters guy) news in the latest report.. 1) baptisms plummet.
2021 - 171,393. baptisms dropped 20% in 2020, and 30% more in 2021. the total drop from 2019 to 2021 is an amazing 44%.. one could argue that without in-person assemblies and conventions you'd expect baptisms to drop.
but....if someone really wants to get baptized, jws will find a way.
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dropoffyourkeylee
Well done! I happen to know someone who serves in a central African country, and he tells me that most of the people don't have internet for zoom. They have a way to listen to the audio, and that is about it. I'm sure those countries are really taking a hit on service hours, Bible studies, etc.
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Another example of how Watchtower are rewriting their own history.
by skin infrom today's daily wt text.. friday, december 31 2021.let your kingdom come.
let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth.—matt.
6:10. christendom generally does not teach the scriptural truth that one day obedient humans will live forever on earth.
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dropoffyourkeylee
The text in the OP is not incorrect, it just doesn't tell the whole story. The Russell teaching was that the earth would be populated by resurrected non-Christians. Christians were in heaven (in two groups), the rest of humanity on the earth.
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2021 Service Year Report of Jehovah’s Witnesses Worldwide
by Joker5 in2021 grand totals.
branches of jehovah’s witnesses: 87. .
number of lands reporting: 239. .
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dropoffyourkeylee
A lot of the foreign language congregations in the US have been discontinued
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Jehovah's Witnesses Held Back In Indonesian school
by Bangalore injehovah's witnesses held back in indonesian school.. https://www.ucanews.com/news/jehovahs-witnesses-held-back-in-indonesian-school/95089.
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dropoffyourkeylee
Thanks for the post. JWs were banned in Indonesia for years. The ban must have been lifted. I read the article and I’m not sure what the issue really is. It mentions a flag salute issue, as well as absence from school. -
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New Article - Birthdays, Why the Watchtower stance is wrong
by jwfacts ini have a new article at http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/birthdays.php outlining why the watchtower stance against birthdays is wrong.
there have been a number of threads on jwn discussing this, and the article collates and summarises the points raised in these threads.
please feel free to point out any errors in grammar or logic.
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dropoffyourkeylee
I like how a 9 year old thread can get resurrected and finds a new audience with insightful comments.
I've always held the belief that the birthday ban came about in the Rutherford years when 1) he wanted to jettison anything Russell liked (the Daily Manna book back in the day had a place to mark down birthdays) and 2) a way to put a division between the Russelite-Bible Students (the 'evil slave' of the time period) and the newly named JWs, especially when there were family members on both sides. Eliminating family holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as birthdays, drove a wedge between the families.
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Roy Baty my Bethel Roommate and Pioneer Partner
by new boy inroy baty died three days ago.
i had a strange connection to roy.
i pioneered with him in kansas and he was one of my bethel roommates.
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dropoffyourkeylee
When you come to a fork in the road, take it!
Yogi Berra
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Snowman at assembly hall
by road to nowhere ina few years ago i built a 6 inch snowman on a picnic table at the assembly hall.
just whimsy during lunch, no one was out in the cold.
i thought maybe some kids would get a little enjoyment.
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dropoffyourkeylee
I think I saw it come to life and walk away on its own, obviously demonized.
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Selena Gomez talks about Mental Health
by Iamallcool inshe was raised as a jw.
i don’t know her current status as a jw.
i think her mom is still a jw but i am not sure.
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dropoffyourkeylee
I am not seeing anything online to support that Selena Gomez was ever a JW.
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So, When Did They Stop Singing?
by Atlantis inrutherford said:.
a few words like the above pronounced at the beginning of the study would be far more beneficial than to occupy the same time in singing songs, which often express much that is out of harmony with the truth of and concerning god's kingdom.watchtower/1938/may/1st/pg.139 .
back then, they had what was called: order of study, and this is what every overseer was instructed to say to the audience.. .
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dropoffyourkeylee
One factor that has developed in recent years, at least in the US, is that of copyright and royalties to songwriters. There are organizations which specialize in collecting royalties on behalf of the songwriters or copyright holders, which threaten lawsuits unless paid. I know of some churches which have to pay a sum every year so they can use their hymnbooks, even though they had been using the same hymns for years before without paying. The WT has changed their songs so that none of the tunes or words are the same or even resemble any existing hymn.