What is the current pulse in the organization with the reductions?

by SouthCentral 53 Replies latest jw friends

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  SouthCentral

  I have not seen Jehovah’s Witnesses in my neighborhood for several years now. It appears that the cart witnessing has taken over. Congregations are being consolidated and witnesses are being forced to travel a greater distance than before.The burdens/privileges of elders seem to be ever increasing!

  Since the end does not appear any closer than it did when I was pioneering 30 years ago; what is the current sentiment of the average witness, what is The motivation of people that have been knocking on doors for 30 years?

  Do they still feel that the end is close? Are they pursuing careers? I know some that were motivated purely for friendships. 90% of my friends have left the organization, so I don’t have a resource for data points anymore.
  
  
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  blownaway

  I stated to notice this several years ago. When I went to flea markets and out in public squares ect. There they were standing next to the cart talking, playing on the phone or just leave the cart and go shopping or to a coffee shop. I thought this is BS its cheating. LOL
  
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  stillMS

  It depends on a person. There are still genuinely zealous jdubs (mostly sisters), especially in the areas 'where the need is great' or foreign groups; but overall trend is that people learn to 'doublethink' and not care much about the religion. The elders don't know the Bible well, even the Borg's interpretation - they mostly try to keep up with 'tight-pants style' instructions from GB and Bethel.
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  freddo

  Just look on "Google trends" and punch in jw.borg (minus the "b" ) and look at the graph where it spikes in 2013/2014 and falls to the floor in the years afterwards. Cart work is the biggest waste of time ever.

  In the nearest circuit to me two congregations have been disbanded, (one in 2014 and one in 2018) one kingdom hall closed and sold and another is closing and being sold next month.

  I hear grumbling resignation, more apathy, less ministry and apathetic depression spreading. Young ones are leaving and getting on with their lives and old ones are dying more quickly than any are coming in. Attendances are down.

  I hear anecdotally of more and more mental health issues surfacing too. (Can't make meetings, more declared ME.) The only ones coming in are the vulnerable and the fruit loops.
  
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  ShirleyW

  So how do you get your hours in now, do they still meet every morning and if six or eight people show up it's usually two people to one cart. Does everyone in the Cong get a cart if they're a publisher - "you get a cart! you get a cart! you get a cart!"
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  JW_Rogue

  Not sure how it works in other halls but here the cart work is being done mostly by pioneers. If you're not a pioneer you can ask to be put on the schedule. I believe you still have to do some training on what to do and what not to do. Mostly though it seems to be the pioneers doing it after door to door for extra hours.
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  stillMS

  Cart witnessing rules enforcement much depends on how hardcore the elders are at a given KH.

  Actually, stupid rules (and their stupid implementation locally) about allowing one to take part in cart witnessing was one of many red flags in recent years that confirmed my decision to fade.
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  JaniceA

  I did the google trend search. Totally made my day!

  https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=US&q=Jw.org
  
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  Freedom rocks

  Has anyone been to the cart witnessing training class at their kingdom hall? No one was allowed to do the cart unless they'd been trained by the elder in charge of field service.

  Pathetic you have to have a lecture on how to stand still and smile for 2-3 hours. There was a bit about being appropriately dressed which most jdubs would be anyway. Was a boring waste of an hour of my life
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  nowwhat?

  Everyone I know is oblivious as ever and convinced the end imminent. Business as usual