Posts by dropoffyourkeylee

88

Annual Report

by St George of England in

the latest report is now available for download on our favourite website!.

george.

The number of people self-identifying as JWs, which is what is reflected in census data, exceeds the number of people who are click-the-box publishers. There are loads of people out there who come only to the Memorial, but are former publishers/ family no longer actively associating who probably consider themselves JWs and self-identify as such.

I think an argument can be made that the life cycle of the JW religion in a given country goes through a demonstrable process occurring over several generations.

1) First generation of believers commit to the lifestyle and are relatively successful in raising their children in the same faith. (high growth rates, 1950's through '80s in the US) (I realize the religion had a long history before the 1950s, but it went through a re-invention post-Rutherford, in my opinion)

2) Second generation commit at first,but by the time they are in early middle age and having to raise their own children, stay in nominally but realize they are screwed and are glad to see their kids decide on their own to leave.(still showing growth, 90's through 2010's)

3) Third generation is just hanging around and are non-committal, though they still may self-identify and show up to memorial to appease grandparents and parents. (2010's until present, stagnation)

The US is in stage 3. Some of the African nations like Congo and Nigeria are still in stage 1, hence the vibrant growth. Japan is entering stage 3, Mexico is in stage 2 heading into 3.

Where stage 4 will lead us in coming years I don't know.

26

How are new Servants and Elders appointed?

by no-zombie in

now that we have the tick-a-box field service reporting method, how are brothers measured fit for an appointment as a ms or elder?

has there been clarification in any of the recent elders schools or in meetings with the co?.

dropoffyourkeylee

I think there was a change in the last few years about how they are appointed.

Previously: CO's meeting with elders consider a candidate and the CO makes a recommendation to the WT branch. The candidate is appointed after receiving the approval from the branch.

Now: CO's meeting with elders consider a candidate and the CO makes the final decision and appointment. The branch is not part of the decision. The servant is appointed almost immediately.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think this change is pretty recent (in the last few years)

88

Annual Report

by St George of England in

the latest report is now available for download on our favourite website!.

george.

dropoffyourkeylee

I think the change of reporting to check-a-box came with the 2023 Annual meeting. Someone correct me if I am wrong

8

1922 Cedar Point Ohio Convention

by Nambo in

i recall reading that daniel 12 verse 12 ( 12 blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

), was claimed to have been fulfilled by the cedar point ohio convention in 1922.. can anybody recall which publications this claim was published in please?.

or even better, a screen shot.

dropoffyourkeylee

Back in the day, Cedar Point was a very popular vacation spot with facilities for large crowds. Good rail service (before the era of flight and before car ownership and driveable roads), hotels, buildings available for speeches, etc. It was kind of like the Disney World of the time. There is still an amusement park there of considerable size. I've never been to it, but I know people who have.

Curiously, the 1931 Convention where they adoped the JW name was also in Ohio, at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus. The building where the name was adopted is still standing and is now a horse barn where the equestrian events are held. I went in there once to watch a horse competition and as I sat there smelling the horse crap I thought it quite fitting.

41

My story of becoming a circuit overseer after Kin Suen visited our congregation.

by ExCircuitOverseer in

jw
friends

here is my story of becoming a missionary after having kin suen (pronounced “shin”) as my circuit overseer.

my father wanted me to go to college, but since he wasn’t a witness, i knew he just didn’t understand how close we were to the end.

i had actually become a circuit overseer!

dropoffyourkeylee

I knew witnesses Bible knowledge isn't as good as we think but even a CO?!

Likewise, makes me wonder about the veracity of the OP

41

My story of becoming a circuit overseer after Kin Suen visited our congregation.

by ExCircuitOverseer in

jw
friends

here is my story of becoming a missionary after having kin suen (pronounced “shin”) as my circuit overseer.

my father wanted me to go to college, but since he wasn’t a witness, i knew he just didn’t understand how close we were to the end.

i had actually become a circuit overseer!

dropoffyourkeylee

Thanks for sharing your life story!

I don't know of Suen, but I have observed a similar pattern many times in the JW world. The WT has a way of attracting a certain type of person who has a phenomenal way of reaching people. It is definitely a gift, and these ones would make great salesmen or politicians. They have a way of speaking with the greatest of confidence and can sell iceboxes to to the Eskimo. It's more of a motivational sales skill rather than a religious one. The WT would have collapsed many times over the years if not for these slick salesmen.

Other organizations have the same sort of person. I watched a video recently about a MLM scheme from one of their motivational sales meetings, and I thought, Yep, it's the same thing.

31

Wythenshawe Kingdom Hall - Sold

by AdamCzarnobay in

jw
friends

i was slightly surprised to see that wythenshawe hall has been sold.

it's now a mosque.

this one had an attached flat where the co and his wife lived, i wonder what accommodation they put them in these days..

dropoffyourkeylee

Considering the question of a JW business person refusing to work for a church, I have maintained for years that the WT stance is illegal (US). Of course if a church advertises for a job opening like bookkeeper, custodian, etc, a JW could simply not fill out an application, easy enough. But a business owner, something like a building service such as sound system repair, carpet cleaning, plumber, etc, could easily end up in court for discrimination. Both federal (1964 Civil Rights Act) and state laws prohibit a service business from refusing service based on religion, along with race, color, sex and national origin. On this basis, when the WT requires a service businessperson to refuse work for a religious institution, they are forcing the person to break the law.

13

Elders, Jews and Dead Bunnies

by KalebOutWest in

i thought i would give my personal experience on who i am, how i came into the world of watchtower, why i left, etc.

this would explain a lot about the answers i give and why they don't directly reflect my personal convictions (like a normal person--and i do mean that literally, kinda).

i cannot put everything here, but i can start bit by bit.. when i was 17 years old, my mother was on her third marriage and kinda starting her fourth (as she was dating this surfer dude-like guy who wasn't even 5 years older than me).

dropoffyourkeylee

Awesome stories!

8

Interesting bit of Watch Tower history

by vienne in

two images of allegheny city and a challenge.

see https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/ the newest post.

.

dropoffyourkeylee

About ten to fifteen years ago there was a guy who self-published/ reprinted Angels and Women (with some modifications) and had it for sale on Lulu. I don't recall his name, but for some reason he credited me (or rather a webpage I had authored) in helping him to identify the author of Seola. She was Ann Eliza Brainerd (Mrs J.G. Smith). I think she was deceased by the time the Bible Student reprinted and revised it as Angels and Women. The republished Angels and Women was a thinly disguised advertisement for Russell's Studies in the Scriptures, with numerous footnotes directing the reader to the Studies.

As a youngster I used to read all kinds of science fiction, and the SF of the late 1800's was kind of fanciful to modern readers, but Seola was not unusual for the time. In my opinion, Mrs. Smith's fiction fell into the SF genre of the pre-1900 time period and was simply that, works of fiction.

93

Reddit thread - ‘Organization Finally Suggesting to Plan for Retirement’

by LongHairGal in

jw
friends

this information is supposed to be in the upcoming march wt.

(i don’t go on jw dot org).

it would sound like they are hinting at a change in thinking.. in my opinion, any such change would be yet another slap in the face to faithful pimis along with those other recent changes.. there are so many heartfelt responses on that thread and a lot of justified anger.. don’t know what to say except that i’m so glad i never listened to the religion all those years ago.

dropoffyourkeylee

My guess is that the WT is only interested in having the JW name the WT as heir to any remaining retirement funds in their wills