I used to sign for the meetings. I was self taught because in the mid 80s they hadnt yet "unified" the deaf and created their own congregations. Of course they want to find the deaf...what better way to trap a person than to promise them they will have their hearing back SOON? Used to make me sick.
Great talk at the KH today
by searcher 17 Replies latest jw friends
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Flip
Actually the Watchtower has altered the concept of the Titanic tragedy for their own needs and fabricated a psychological replica of the forever, doomed ship inside a huge, completely enclosed watery sound stage with corporate lifeboats being rowed around and around, endlessly.
On occasion, if you walk near Columbia Heights in Brooklyn one might curiously notice a few people walking down the street, soaking wet.
These persons are actually Watchtower Titanic survivors who've just dived out of one of the rickety Watchtower lifeboats, swam to the edges and dragged themselves out of the corporate water tank, pulled back the black curtains of the Watchtower sound stage and jumped out onto the sidewalk.
Edited by - Flip on 1 September 2002 21:9:39
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Marilyn
he claimed that the most popular language study is cantonese, and told us that there are a lot of Bible Studies happening with chinese students who then (he claimed) go back to china and witness to family/friends etc.
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I personally am very skeptical about this report.
Firstly it's only a very small area in china that speaks Cantonese. The main language spoken is Mandarin. Cantonese is spoken in Guandong province which is close to Hong Kong. I'm happy to be corrected on this, but I've lived in Hong Kong on and off since the begining of 1985. In that time the Hong Kong Chinese have had a big education program to use Mandarin because since the change over in HK to Chinese rule the local people realised they would need to use the language that most of China uses - for economic reasons.
Although there may be some who have converted to JWism, I can say with a certainty that the numbers would be infantisimal. If every JW on earth went to China to preach the good news they would not make any impression on China. We are talking 1.2 billion people. Divide 5 million into twelve hundred thousand million. You can see how long it would take the entire population of JWs to do the territory. So if they have managed to conert one or two thousand Cantonese speaking Chinese, who don't speak the language of 90% of China, I don't think their boast is too accurate.
Of course this is typical of everything JWs do so and say - they are always half baked in every thing. They quote a few inaccuracies and give them the stamp of FDS approval which makes them fact in the eyes of the great crowd (unwashed). The rest of us are cursed with reality.
Marilyn
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AjaxMan
Marilyn,
You are correct about Cantonese and about education in Mandarin in Hong Kong. For all of China (as well as Taiwan), it seems that they are fully going to Mandarin. However, most Chinatowns around the world are still speaking Cantonese.
he claimed that the most popular language study is cantonese, and told us that there are a lot of Bible Studies happening with chinese students who then (he claimed) go back to china and witness to family/friends etc. More ignorance, fallacies, myths and urban legend from these twits. I bet it will serve them well speaking in Cantonese to people in Northern and Western China. Ha!
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mustang
Marilyn,
I'm fond of saying that "I'm in my 8th year of 1st year Mandarin". Cantonese is by no means going away and I encounter more of them than Mandarin at times. It seems that most of the southern Chinese are "into Cantonese". Mandarin is northern, but official, so it is growing in all areas. It's a mixed bag, with Cantonese being practical and Mandarin working, too.
For my money, go with Mandarin; the new generation will have familiairity with it from school. It is also easier to learn and follow. Cantonese has so much slang and "local effects" (about 110 versions of it) that it can't be doumented. It seems to me that the Cantonese don't publish much and let the "Mandarin's" do anything with the outside world in written form.
But don't forget Hokkien/Taiwanese, Shanghaiese & the western language groups and a few others. Good luck. My girlfriend speaks 7 languages and occassionlly can't talk to some of them.
The Chinese are really down to earth people. I expect the JW's will make real inroads there, if they get really going inot a "push". But the Chinese will have a surprise for them; they like to do things their way.
Mustang
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ozziepost
The WTS has been learning a lot about sailing, maybe in readiness for manning those lifeboats.
Remember that fine teaching article in The Watchtower about tacking?
Cheers, Ozzie
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Marilyn
Mustang, where do you live? I am ashamed that I've never learnt Cantonese (or should I say I'm in my 16th year of learning first year Cantonese - iyah!). I was only ever going to be in Hong Kong for 2 yrs. I'm not there now but will go there this week to join my husband who works there. He has had several attempts to learn Cantonese. But it's too difficult because even if you remember the words you are bound to get the tone wrong and come out with something thoroughly insulting.
I am very fond of the Chinese people and I can't bear to think of the Society making inroads there. They seem way too smart to get caught up with WT mumbo jumbo. I just don't see the Chinese people buying that kind of crap. They aren't as anal as the Japanese and also I don't see them being so easily manipulated. God I hope I'm right.
I maybe should write to the Chinese Government in Beijing and warn them. Look how they've clamped down on the Fallan Gong (sorry I'm no speller). The WT is more or less the same deal only a thousand times worse. I should tell them that it's being boasted o/s that the WTS is making a back door entry. I could offer myself as an advisor.
Marilyn
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mustang
Marilyn,
I'm in SoCal, rihgt now. I have been to Asia (outside Mainland China) a few times & need to go there again. Try to contact me on chat.
Mustang