Do JW's analyze people to determine how to get you to join?

by dgp 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  NewChapter

  No, they don't. They go to every door on the street and they give the exact same presentation at each one.

  Now that just depends on the publisher. I never did this. If I saw a statue of Mary in the yard, I would bring up the Our Father and break it down line by line. If I saw toys, I would talk about children. I would carry older issues that addressed different groups of people. If the person was elderly, I would talk about how things used to be when they were young and ask them some of the (negative) ways the world has changed since then. If a young person answered, I'd talk about school and peer pressure. I did not formally define their "type" but I made many notes in my book. Later I would actually look those notes over and return with a point or literature that I thought would appeal to them.

  In other words---I was dangerous. I have a couple of baptisms under my belt. I've turned over progressive studies. I planted many seeds. I'm so sorry.

  NC
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  NewChapter

  And as far as analysis is concerned, seeing toys in the yard was simply collecting information for later analysis. It was on return that I had a better idea of how that person responds to information. I would cater that return accordingly. As I collected more data, I refined my approach. I feel bad about this now, but I was a true believer. I really wasn't in it for the hours. I often did extra research and prayed about my returns. I only now realize that many people just played the role. I took it very seriously. If they didn't like to read, I would return with tapes of older WT and Awakes. Yeah--I did that. If they seemed to watch a lot of TV---I knew if it was always on in the background---I would try to get them to watch the videos on the Bible--or even the dramas when they started coming out on video. Like I said, dangerous.

  I also know of witnesses that got involved with personality typing through work. They read books and took seminars. Don't you think they used their skills in service? It just depends on the publisher. Some have amazing powers that they use for evil.

  NC
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  LongHairGal

  dgp:

  No, they don't necessarily do that to get somebody to join...but, they most certainly do after you are in..in order to determine how best to "play" you or get to exploit you.

  Sometimes people who appear to be befriending you are sizing you up for a reason, i.e. some material or economic gain. I know because I had this happen to me. When they got nowhere, I got a variation of the "shun" treatment. I can laugh about it now, but at the time I was just a little hurt to see where their heads were really at! Yeah, some brotherhood.
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  Ding

  It's not analysis so much as sales technique.

  JWs find common ground to get a conversation going, then play it by ear to keep things going and steer all conversations into familiar patterns of WT training.
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  dgp

  I see three different opinions: 1) No, they will take anyone in, and they give the exact same presentation to everyone; 2) they don't do it consciously, but they do take notice of some clues, and 3) the true believers do take care to notice the details and take advantage of those. I think all three can be true at the same time. Some will go for number 1, others for number 2, and finally others for number 3. I think the woman in question was number 3. This was in Latin America, and she had -or said she had- fifteen bible studies going on at the same time. I wonder how she would manage to cover all that, and be a housewife, and work, and be at the meetings. And take notes at the meetings (I did see her take notes).

  It seems everyone agrees, however, that the organization does not take it to the extreme that the Moonies do. They do have a book on "salesmanship", and my impression is that the training on how to speak, how to dress, the practice at the Kingdom Halls, all that is indeed designed to appear more attractive. It's not good, but not as bad as in the Moonies.

  I wonder if you guys would agree this is a fair summary?
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  Band on the Run

  When Witnesses approach me, I always feel I am hearing something that has been said exactly the same way trillions of time. There is no personalization.

  This year I met a very rare Witness. She started with small talk that could truly pass for actuall small talk. Her presentation of the Witnesses was very sophisticated. I told her of my family going back to Russell and my relatives at Bethel. Next, I told her to studying the Bible in college and reading the Bible cohesively. I never felt I had to be hostile to her so I gently told her clearly that I discovered outright lies by the Witnesses. We exchanged numbers and addresses. I never give that info but she seemed unique. Two days later I received a handwritten letter, making WT points but in her own sincere wrods. Clearly, she ignored my outright statements as to corruption and doctrine.

  When I go through the main train station in Philadelphia or Port Authority bus terminal in NY, they have tables set up. Their poverty is obvious but they are sharply dressed. I feel pangs of gult for what I have. The full capacity of the combined US-Soviet arsenal could not interrupt their conversation. I've seen people want to purchase a magazine but the Witnesses did not notice them. I used to hustle. If I could have talked with friends and read Vogue, I would have been happier.