ignoring the fact that all but the super jw's had a random stab at hours done in the ministry, with all the different activities the society said counted as ministry hours, just how accurate is there annual report?.
what activities do you know of that were allowed to be counted as ministry time?
here are some i knew of.... .
Counting time while you're on a QB was being abused, so the Soc added a new rule that you couldn't exceed your total monthly quota (70 hrs) even if you spent a whole month on QB's.
I guess some were getting in some ministry, then adding another 60 hours for 4 weekends QB, trying to 'stock up' on hours for the year.
The other time you are given hours is if you are ill. The elders can agree to make up any time you missed, so when you are well again you can still hit your yearly target.
Splash
in recent weeks the jw’s here in the uk have been setting up their new portable watchtower literature displays in my local town square on a saturday morning.
as they hadn’t knocked on my door for at least five years, and consequently feeling somewhat neglected, i thought that i would pay them a visit instead.. .
the first thing i needed to do was arrange my literature.
A good thread!
If the Soc never taught 1975, why did EVERYONE believe it?
Why was the 6 month Bible study introduced?
Why were people commended in the literature for giving up their homes and jobs and pioneering for the 'remaining months'?
Selective memories are the only way to survive in the JW's.
Splash.
i"m normally the kind of guy that likes to count his blessings.
i've got two great kids.
and a super wife who loves me despite myself.
I did a mind numbing job for a while too. Coped better when I started reading non-fiction to stimulate the brain.
Can you do an evening course?
Can you get qualifications in your current job and become a trainer, foreman or inspector?
Can you see ways to improve the efficiency of what you're involved in, and present these to your contractor?
Normally, a searching mind can also find a solution.
Splash.
as a little background, my dad became a jw in 1980 i think, went to bethel, married my mom in 86' went back for another year and then i came along... he worked in the auto repair shop at bethel while he was there, and upon leaving, continued working in this field.
my whole life they have been the type of jw parents that tell you how you will never get to high school, never graduate it, never get married in this system, never have children in this system etc.. i say this to illustrate the end is just around the corner attitude they have always had, probably because they fully bought/buy into the hype at the conventions/wt articles.
my father has no plan in place for retirement, and he is physically slowing down doing such hard laborious work.
(Pr 13:22) One who is good will leave an inheritance to sons of sons.
(Pr 19:14) The inheritance from fathers is a house and wealth.
(Ps 34:10) But as for those seeking Jehovah, they will not lack anything good.
(2Co 12:14) for the children ought not to lay up for [their] parents, but the parents for [their] children.
*** w04 9/1 p. 26 What Inheritance Do You Owe Your Children? ***
It is not only natural but also Scriptural for Christian parents to make provisions for their children. The apostle Paul told Christians in his day: “Parents should make provision for their children, not children for their parents.” (2 Corinthians 12:14, The New English Bible)
Seems that they are choosing to lean on Jehovah, so I'd let them.
Otherwise they could get jobs as you mentioned, or sell up and downsize to buy some more time.
Parents or not, their chosen lifestyle should not dictate how you enjoy your own home/family life.
Say you'll help them find jobs if they need extra money, since that's the way it works for everyone in the western world.
Splash.
from 1950 to 2013, the watchtower and bible tract society has been releasing its new world translation of the scriptures.. my study considers the christian greek scriptures (new testament).. http://www.jwstudies.com/why_does_wts_accept_christendoms_scriptures.pdf.
i have also provided the pictures that i created for the study.. http://www.jwstudies.com/pix_for_study_wts_accepts_scriptures.pdf.
please accept the fact that i have no idea whether colours clash or if they match.
Comprehensive and revealing - a tremendous read.
Thank you for your diligence.
Splash.
i just took the first page of the 2013 report and added two new columns to look at alternative ways of calculating the 'increase'.
first column: 2013 av.
pubs minus 2012 av.
There is no way to correctly calculate the number of leavers since the figures to do this do not exist in the raw data.
The above leavers is an estimate of those who die or stop publishing. Negative leavers are a consequence of the poor data.
Ignore the colour red, it's a carry over from the original spreadsheet and has no meaning in this context.
Splash
60 years ago, in the western world, it was rare to see in media, any representation of a face that wasn't euro-white.
these days, in response to market driven advertising, that is changing.. i can only speak for oz, and here i note that it is now quite common to see an asian face, most likely east asian (chinese, korean, vietnamese and japanese) in adverts.
for various products.
Nice pants.
Splash
during our engagement, we fooled around and touch each other down there.
it's not a "tap" but definitely is not "stimulation".
i tried to convince my wife, who, after 5 years of marriage, strangely felt guilty all the sudden, that its not do called porneia.
Tell your wife that whatever she confesses and whatever she admits to in the subsequent interrogation, will be told to the other elders and in turn at least one elders wife - usually the bossy, self-important, gossip loving one.
Guess where that private information goes from there.
Splash
i've heard this said in other posts, so now i'm going to combine it in one post.. the $28 million awarded to conti is only drop in the bucket for what they are worth.. there would have to be 100 s of successful sex abuse law suites before they would feel it.
quite frankly i don't reckon there would be enough with the right circumstances to have a successful case against wt.
having a dozen or so cases isn't going to break the bank.
Add to that the $200 million they spend on special pioneers, CO's and DO's each year (according to the 2014 yearbook) then there's a pretty big drain on finances that needs constant feeding.
Splash
i just took the first page of the 2013 report and added two new columns to look at alternative ways of calculating the 'increase'.
first column: 2013 av.
pubs minus 2012 av.
| SERVICE YEAR | PEAK PUBS | INCREASE | %GE INCREASE | BAPTISED | %GE INCREASE | MEMORIAL | PARTAKERS | CONGS | LANDS | ESTIMATED LEAVERS |
| 1952-53 | 519,982 | 63,717 | 13.965 | 50,665 | -7.39 | 742,565 | 19,183 | 14,163 | 143 | -13,052 |
| 1953-54 | 580,498 | 60,516 | 11.638 | 57,369 | 13.23 | 829,836 | 17,884 | 14,531 | -3,147 | |
| 1954-55 | 642,929 | 62,431 | 10.755 | 63,642 | 10.93 | 878,303 | 16,815 | 16,044 | 147 | 1,211 |
| 1955-56 | 640,347 | -2,582 | -0.402 | 919,994 | 16,302 | 16,240 | 162 | 2,582 | ||
| 1956-57 | 716,901 | 76,554 | 11.955 | 59,828 | 1,075,163 | 15,628 | 16,883 | 169 | -16,726 | |
| 1957-58 | 798,326 | 81,425 | 11.358 | 62,666 | 4.74 | 1,171,789 | 15,037 | 17,878 | 175 | -18,759 |
| 1958-59 | 871,737 | 73,411 | 9.196 | 86,345 | 37.79 | 1,283,603 | 14,511 | 19,982 | 175 | 12,934 |
| 1959-60 | 916,332 | 44,595 | 5.116 | 69,027 | -20.06 | 1,519,821 | 13,911 | 21,008 | 187 | 24,432 |
| 1960-61 | 965,169 | 48,837 | 5.330 | 63,070 | -8.63 | 1,553,909 | 13,284 | 21,557 | 185 | 14,233 |
| 1961-62 | 989,192 | 24,023 | 2.489 | 69,649 | 10.43 | 1,639,681 | 12,714 | 22,166 | 189 | 45,626 |
| 1962-63 | 1,040,836 | 51,644 | 5.221 | 62,798 | -9.84 | 1,693,752 | 12,292 | 22,761 | 198 | 11,154 |
| 1963-64 | 1,075,523 | 34,687 | 3.333 | 68,236 | 8.66 | 1,809,476 | 11,953 | 23,483 | 33,549 | |
| 1964-65 | 1,109,806 | 34,283 | 3.188 | 64,393 | -5.63 | 1,933,089 | 11,550 | 24,158 | 201 | 30,110 |
| 1965-66 | 1,118,665 | 8,859 | 0.798 | 58,904 | -8.52 | 1,971,107 | 11,179 | 24,910 | 50,045 | |
| 1966-67 | 1,160,604 | 41,939 | 3.749 | 74,981 | 27.29 | 2,195,612 | 10,981 | 25,206 | 33,042 | |
| 1967-68 | 1,221,504 | 60,900 | 5.247 | 82,842 | 10.48 | 2,493,519 | 10,619 | 25,409 | 21,942 | |
| 1968-69 | 1,336,112 | 114,608 | 9.383 | 120,905 | 45.95 | 2,719,860 | 10,368 | 25,694 | 6,297 | |
| 1969-70 | 1,483,430 | 147,318 | 11.026 | 164,193 | 35.80 | 3,226,168 | 10,526 | 26,524 | 208 | 16,875 |
| 1970-71 | 1,590,793 | 107,363 | 7.237 | 149,808 | -8.76 | 3,453,542 | 10,384 | 27,154 | 42,445 | |
| 1971-72 | 1,658,990 | 68,197 | 4.287 | 163,123 | 8.89 | 3,662,407 | 10,350 | 28,407 | 94,926 | |
| 1972-73 | 1,758,429 | 99,439 | 5.994 | 193,990 | 18.92 | 3,994,924 | 10,523 | 31,850 | 94,551 | |
| 1973-74 | 2,021,432 | 263,003 | 14.957 | 297,872 | 53.55 | 4,550,457 | 10,723 | 34,576 | 34,869 | |
| 1974-75 | 2,179,256 | 157,824 | 7.808 | 295,073 | -0.94 | 4,925,643 | 10,550 | 38,256 | 212 | 137,249 |
| 1975-76 | 2,248,390 | 69,134 | 3.172 | 196,656 | -33.35 | 4,972,571 | 10,187 | 40,155 | 127,522 | |
| 1976-77 | 2,223,538 | -24,852 | -1.105 | 124,459 | -36.71 | 5,107,518 | 10,080 | 41,635 | 149,311 | |
| 1977-78 | 2,182,341 | -41,197 | -1.853 | 95,052 | -23.63 | 5,095,831 | 9,762 | 42,255 | 136,249 | |
| 1978-79 | 2,186,075 | 3,734 | 0.171 | 113,672 | 19.59 | 5,323,766 | 9,727 | 42,600 | 109,938 | |
| 1979-80 | 2,272,278 | 86,203 | 3.943 | 113,779 | 0.09 | 5,726,656 | 9,564 | 43,181 | 217 | 27,576 |
| 1980-81 | 2,361,896 | 89,618 | 3.944 | 119,836 | 5.32 | 5,987,893 | 9,601 | 43,870 | 30,218 | |
| 1981-82 | 2,477,608 | 115,712 | 4.899 | 138,540 | 15.61 | 6,252,787 | 9,529 | 44,953 | 22,828 | |
| 1982-83 | 2,652,323 | 174,715 | 7.052 | 161,896 | 16.86 | 6,767,707 | 9,292 | 46,235 | -12,819 | |
| 1983-84 | 2,842,531 | 190,208 | 7.171 | 179,421 | 10.82 | 7,416,974 | 9,081 | 47,869 | -10,787 | |
| 1984-85 | 3,024,131 | 181,600 | 6.389 | 189,800 | 5.78 | 7,792,109 | 9,051 | 49,716 | 222 | 8,200 |
| 1985-86 | 3,229,022 | 204,891 | 6.775 | 225,868 | 19.00 | 8,160,597 | 8,927 | 52,177 | 20,977 | |
| 1986-87 | 3,395,612 | 166,590 | 5.159 | 230,843 | 2.20 | 8,965,221 | 8,808 | 54,911 | 64,253 | |
| 1987-88 | 3,592,654 | 197,042 | 5.803 | 239,268 | 3.65 | 9,201,071 | 8,685 | 57,670 | 42,226 | |
| 1988-89 | 3,787,188 | 194,534 | 5.415 | 263,855 | 10.28 | 9,479,064 | 8,734 | 60,192 | 69,321 | |
| 1989-90 | 4,017,213 | 230,025 | 6.074 | 301,518 | 14.27 | 9,950,058 | 8,869 | 63,016 | 71,493 | |
| 1990-91 | 4,278,820 | 261,607 | 6.512 | 300,945 | -0.19 | 10,650,158 | 8,850 | 66,207 | 211 | 39,338 |
| 1991-92 | 4,472,787 | 193,967 | 4.533 | 301,002 | 0.02 | 11,431,171 | 8,683 | 69,558 | 229 | 107,035 |
| 1992-93 | 4,709,889 | 237,102 | 5.301 | 296,004 | -1.66 | 11,865,765 | 8,693 | 73,070 | 231 | 58,902 |
| 1993-94 | 4,914,094 | 204,205 | 4.336 | 314,818 | 6.36 | 12,288,917 | 8,617 | 75,573 | 232 | 110,613 |
| 1994-95 | 5,199,895 | 285,801 | 5.816 | 338,491 | 7.52 | 13,147,201 | 8,645 | 78,620 | 232 | 52,690 |
| 1995-96 | 5,413,769 | 213,874 | 4.113 | 366,579 | 8.30 | 12,921,933 | 8,757 | 81,908 | 233 | 152,705 |
| 1996-97 | 5,599,931 | 186,162 | 3.439 | 375,923 | 2.55 | 14,322,226 | 8,795 | 85,256 | 233 | 189,761 |
| 1997-98 | 5,888,650 | 288,719 | 5.156 | 316,092 | -15.92 | 13,896,312 | 8,756 | 87,644 | 233 | 27,373 |
| 1998-99 | 5,912,492 | 23,842 | 0.405 | 323,439 | 2.32 | 14,088,751 | 8,755 | 89,985 | 234 | 299,597 |
| 1999-00 | 6,035,564 | 123,072 | 2.082 | 288,907 | -10.68 | 14,872,086 | 8,661 | 91,487 | 235 | 165,835 |
| 2000-01 | 6,117,666 | 82,102 | 1.360 | 263,431 | -8.82 | 15,374,986 | 8,730 | 93,154 | 235 | 181,329 |
| 2001-02 | 6,304,645 | 186,979 | 3.056 | 265,469 | 0.77 | 15,597,746 | 8,760 | 94,600 | 234 | 78,490 |
| 2002-03 | 6,429,351 | 124,706 | 1.978 | 258,845 | -2.50 | 16,097,622 | 8,565 | 95,919 | 235 | 134,139 |
| 2003-04 | 6,513,132 | 83,781 | 1.303 | 262,416 | 1.38 | 16,760,607 | 8,570 | 96,894 | 235 | 178,635 |
| 2004-05 | 6,613,829 | 100,697 | 1.546 | 247,631 | -5.63 | 16,383,333 | 8,524 | 98,269 | 235 | 146,934 |
| 2005-06 | 6,741,444 | 127,615 | 1.930 | 248,327 | 0.28 | 16,675,113 | 8,758 | 99,770 | 236 | 120,712 |
| 2006-07 | 6,957,854 | 216,410 | 3.210 | 298,304 | 20.13 | 17,672,443 | 9,105 | 101,376 | 236 | 81,894 |
| 2007-08 | 7,124,443 | 166,589 | 2.394 | 289,678 | -2.89 | 17,790,631 | 9,986 | 103,267 | 236 | 123,089 |
| 2008-09 | 7,313,173 | 188,730 | 2.649 | 276,233 | -4.64 | 18,168,323 | 10,857 | 105,298 | 236 | 87,503 |
| 2009-10 | 7,508,050 | 194,877 | 2.665 | 294,368 | 6.57 | 18,706,895 | 11,202 | 107,000 | 236 | 99,491 |
| 2010-11 | 7,659,019 | 150,969 | 2.011 | 263,131 | -10.61 | 19,374,737 | 11,824 | 109,403 | 236 | 112,162 |
| 2011-12 | 7,782,346 | 123,327 | 1.610 | 268,777 | 2.15 | 19,013,343 | 12,604 | 111,719 | 239 | 145,450 |
| 2012-13 | 7,965,954 | 183,608 | 2.359 | 277,344 | 3.19 | 19,241,252 | 13,204 | 113,823 | 239 | 93,736 |
