JWs came to my door asking for deaf people

by sabastious 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  sizemik

  I was in a congregation once that decided (or had decided for them) that they would cater to the deaf. 3 or 4 took up sign language courses and by the end of 12 months we had about 5 deaf people attending the meetings and constant signing from the platform. Those deaf themselves were encouraged to "spread the word" and often the signers would accompany them on studies with the deaf, and visits to deaf groups.

  The signers would often do just what you describe . . . go from door to door asking specifically if any in the household were deaf, or if any deaf people were known to them. Often they would still engage the "hearing" if they showed interest, but it was definitely a targeted approach.
• 

  punkofnice

  I would have looked at them then shout ed in a loud voice: 'Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?'

  That the 'hard of hearing' are being targetted either shows how much the rank and file 'care' or they are looking for easy targets to foist their propaganda on!
• 

  sabastious

  I don't see much difference here to how foreign language congregations operate. In areas with significant amount of bi/multilanguages and where you cannot define the language spoken in household by their name or other attributes, foreign language publishers will call any door asking if their specific language is spoken there. If not, they will politely disappear. Sometimes they get advised that this and that neighbour is from target group. Been there, done that.

  Indeed. The Witnesses prey on any minority they can find.

  -Sab
• 

  Haulin Oats

  If they want deaf people, they should have went to the old-folks/nursing homes.
• 

  TD

  Did you cup your ear and say, "What?"
• 

  sabastious

  Did you cup your ear and say, "What?"

  Hah! I should have busted out one of these:

  

  -Sab
• 

  thetrueone

  Might it be an occurrence of those woman knowing who (Sab.), lived at the home they were making an appearance and

  they were just being slightly vindictive.

  Never undermined the arrogance and self righteousness of a typical JWS. ..... never.

  I've never personally seen or witnessed JWS going door to door and asking if there were any deaf or hard of hearing people living there.
• 

  White Dove

  Just a little note: Deaf and not being able to hear are two different things.

  I have yet to see more than the two old people in my entire life, sign.

  The WTS is looking for cultural/linguistic minorities.

  They want to fill the khalls with them.

  I've been made to feel like I have a target on my back.

  Yup, my ASL congregation would go knocking from door to door looking for D/deaf ones after getting done with calls.
• 

  Scully

  Lady Lee and I had a discussion about this a while back - it seemed they were stepping up recruitment efforts for the deaf, and we wondered if it might be so they could take advantage of funding/subsidies from the government toward outreach programs. That way they wouldn't need to be "official" ASL schools, but they could still benefit financially by having deaf individuals attending meetings, etc.

  Following the money makes more sense than it does for the WTS having any genuine interest in assisting the deaf out of the kindness of their hearts.

  I wasn't able to explore this further, but I wonder if anyone has knowledge of these kinds of programs.
• 

  Scully

  http://www.alldeaf.com/religion-spiritual-other-beliefs/79542-jehovah-s-witnesses-focus-needs-deaf.html

  comments from discussion:

  I got targeted by them! I think they delbiratly target us b/c we (especially those of us who were mainstreamed to the max) can be vulnable to recruitment by strange cults/religions. They are delibratly targeting us b/c they are dying out....at least the hearing part of the congregation.

  I got invited to that very meeting by two friends of mine. I didn't go though. They target the blind too. They have all their Bible materials and pamphlets in braille. I made the mistake of letting them come in a few times cause I wanted a chance to practice ASL, but then they kept inviting me to come to that meeting.

  I got them knocking at my door all the time, HOW do they know which deaf person lives here! they don't knock on other people's door. I threat them with the police and they haven't been back for while. This is in the UK

  They visit deaf people in hospitals, uninvited; a staff member at the hospital notified them. They knock on house windows when deaf people don't answer the door. They don't accept "please, don't come back" as an answer. They invite deaf people to Bible studies and give them the street address for the meeting without telling them it's a JW church. They knocked on my door telling me that a neighbor told them I was deaf (I'm hearing but I sign); that's not true because all my neighbors know that I'm hearing. I know all of the above from personal experience.

  Had a few come to the door, I look out the window to see who is there, and don't let them in....they stand there for quite a while, finally leaving pamplets stuck in the door....
  In past years, I've had several "run-ins" with them too....They are "pushy and manipulative people!"....And have gotten quite a tongue lashing from me... One of my childhood friends, her family were all JW's...she was a very unhappy girl! She finally left that Church!...I've no qualms to tell them to take their shyt and shove it somewhere else.... I was visited by them before. They all signed and were very polite. They even knew my full name, where I worked, who my father was, etc. etc. etc. Like I said, they were very polite ..... but knew way too much about me. They even talked/signed to me as if they knew me for years. Creepy ....