Posts by Are you serious

61

2017 Service Year Report Worldwide - INDIVIDUALLY LISTED LANDS and COUNTRIES

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

now available:.

2017 service year report worldwide: table with individually listed lands and countries.

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Are you serious

Thank you Darkspilver! The future doesn't look very good for WT when most of the South American, Central American countries and Mexico have less than 2.5% growth. In the past, growth in those countries was huge.

28

JW's on my front sidewalk

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

so last weekend, the jw's ring the bell and my wife answers.

we live in a heavily spanish neighborhood but don't really speak spanish.

i thought my wife was quite clear that she is a "sister" to them, but maybe the one in charge of the group didn't get the message.

Are you serious

Hey you gave them an opportunity to leave bit they insisted lol. Excellent work OTWO!

48

Watchtower Releases 2017 Grand Total Figures!

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

2017 grand totals.

branches of jehovah’s witnesses: 90. .

number of lands reporting: 240. .

Are you serious

Wow 1.4% growth! I can't recall off the top of my head what the percentage of growth was last year. Does anyone know? I believe it's lower this year compared to last year.

Thanks for the information darkspilver!

5

May 20, 1987 BOE Letter regarding >> Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 << (aka “Simpson–Mazzoli Act”)

by Alfred in

some of you might remember this period of time better than i, but i can recall a huge issue in the mid 80’s with the lack of qualified “legal” brothers “reaching out” in my circuit while we had an unusual spike in bible studies (mainly undocumented immigrants and visa overstays from central and south america).

many of these new bible studies were actually very well educated but most knew little to no english, so they eventually settled into their nearest spanish congregations.. as they “progressed in the truth”, the society saw huge potential in these illegal immigrants but could not give them any privileges beyond cleaning the toilets after meetings… until the 1986 amnesty program.. however, this program required proof that they were in the us since before 1982 and a large percentage of these illegal immigrant bible studies snuck in after 1982. in fact, the largest surge started in 1983 and continued well into the 90’s.

it got so bad that kingdom halls in certain parts of the us simply had no qualified legal brothers to fill the numerous elder vacancies that this unexpected situation created.

Are you serious

then the fees that would be paid would be viewed as paying for services rendered rather than as contributing to a false religious organization. […]”

I don't remember those instructions since I wasn't an elder in the 80's but it goes to show how they can bend their own rules to whatever degree to obtain what is needed. But if a jw paid a religious org for any other services rendered there would be hell to pay.

I was in Spanish and if we had an undocumented brother who was ms or elder material he would be recommended as soon as he turned in an application with the Federal government to become a legal US resident even though the application process could take years. We never had one rejected from bethel even though the person was still working illegally with a false SS # or fake ID while waiting to become a legal resident. Bethel didn't ask about that. I guess it's "don't ask, don't tell".

22

Millions Then Living Did Not Survive

by Fred Franztone in

jw
friends

it's almost 2018, almost 100 years since 'judge' rutherford confidently prophesied that 'millions now living will never die!'..

so how many of those millions are left?

well, since it was 100 years ago, all we need to do is find out how many people of age 100 and above are currently living.

Are you serious

And all those millions died not realizing they wasted their lives for that cult, without the possibility of being resurrected.

42

Kingdom Hall ... BURGER KING?

by sparky1 in

i live in a very rural part of the northeastern united states.

after 9 years of waiting, the local witnesses are getting their new kingdom hall.

it is being built on a back road next to a sandpit.

Are you serious

It very well may end up as a Burger King with the way congregations are disappearing.

34

Another congregation bites the dust

by NikL in

jw
friends

went to the meeting last night with my believing wife.

the co was visiting and delivered a really cult-ish talk on loyalty but that's another story.. they made the announcement that starting january 1st they were going to have only 3 congregations in this town instead of 4.. they are dissolving one and growing the territories of the remaining 3. the reason given is that many of the elders are getting up there in age and can't do what they used to do.

basically not enough elders and ministerial servants...or even men reaching out for that matter.

Are you serious

Lastmanstanding did they actually say brothers not reaching out are apostate thinking? If they did that would mean apostates really are making them worried.

9

Christmas music

by Are you serious in

today i made a classic christmas music station on pandora.

it's great being able to listen to this type of music at this time of the year without my conscience bothering me or in fear of being killed over it😁.

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Are you serious

Today I made a classic Christmas music station on Pandora. It's great being able to listen to this type of music at this time of the year without my conscience bothering me or in fear of being killed over it😁.

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