Posts by darkspilver

35

Some recent baptism figures in the UK - is there a "bounce back"?

by freddo in

jw
friends

well, round my way (south of the uk) all the way up to and including the regional conventions this summer, baptism numbers have been extremely low.

but i have just received news of three recent circuit assembly days where the figures seem to be higher.

(all have been across the last three weekends at a uk assembly hall in october).

darkspilver

Hi Finkelstein!

The realization that the WTS has been a commercialized corrupt fraud of a religoius publishing house is spreading around the world, ironically centralized in the very country where it was founded, the US

No, I think as a 'mature' religion, having operated in Britain for a good 100 years, it's reached it's natural plateau.

For those interested, if Britain had continued on a 5% increase for the 30 years since 1985 - the JW's would have 420,000 publishers in Britain alone by now (ie 66% more than they currently claim)

On the other hand, it might not be due to the plateau effect, because....

Globally in the 1985 Yearbook, the WT was reporting average publishers of 2,680,297 with a 7.1% annual increase - if that increase had continued the WT would now be reporting 20,982,974 publishers worldwide rather than the 7,987,279 (which interestingly is pretty close to that 66% figure again hmmm)

(That's compound annual interest of 5% on 97,370 over 30 years - http://www.thecalculatorsite.com/finance/calculators/compoundinterestcalculator.php#form2 ditto for global figures)

35

Some recent baptism figures in the UK - is there a "bounce back"?

by freddo in

jw
friends

well, round my way (south of the uk) all the way up to and including the regional conventions this summer, baptism numbers have been extremely low.

but i have just received news of three recent circuit assembly days where the figures seem to be higher.

(all have been across the last three weekends at a uk assembly hall in october).

darkspilver

Quick figures from Britain:

Yearbook -	Increase -	Average Publishers -	Baptized
1983	5%	87,732	5,154
1984	6%	92,616	5,166
1985	5%	97,370	5,280
2016	0%	134,491	2,286

After all if 100 got baptised in one circuit in one year, but 100 publishers left the org, the figure would be 0% increase.

Or died?

52

NEWS-JW Wife Stabbed in Kingdom Hall

by Refriedtruth in

fox carolina 21deputies: wife stabbed by husband at church.

whns greenville-9 minutes agogreenville county deputies said they were called to kingdom hall of jehovah's witnesses at 1400 old spartanburg rd.

about 2:15 p.m. where they found ...http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/18848997/deputies-wife-stabbed-by-husband-at-church.

darkspilver

Hi stillin!

I also wonder what the final closure was on the couple...or if it's even over yet.

The original story appears to be dated 21 June 2012 in Greenville County, South Carolina, and the newspaper reports gave a name.

You could, for example, check the Greenville County Court Records.

https://www2.greenvillecounty.org/scjd/publicindex/

You could also, if you wanted, perhaps check the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

http://public.doc.state.sc.us/scdc-public/

It's up to you.

52

NEWS-JW Wife Stabbed in Kingdom Hall

by Refriedtruth in

fox carolina 21deputies: wife stabbed by husband at church.

whns greenville-9 minutes agogreenville county deputies said they were called to kingdom hall of jehovah's witnesses at 1400 old spartanburg rd.

about 2:15 p.m. where they found ...http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/18848997/deputies-wife-stabbed-by-husband-at-church.

darkspilver

Seems you can probably fill in some details thanks to 'Brenda' over at the thread that appears here

No idea how accurate 'she' is, but a few of the key words are 'divorced/separated', 'intoxicated', 'restraining order' which perhaps gives some flavor to this sad incident.

15

Yoga pants parade to protest a mans comments on women's wear.

by ToesUp in

yoga pants parade.

i guess tight pants tony isn't the only man that needs to get a life!.

darkspilver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4KIQHNsNDw

10

South Korea court frees JWs who refused to serve in military

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

from the times of london website.

south korea court frees jehovah’s witnesses who refused to serve in military.

two south korean men who refused to do military service have had their convictions overturned in a landmark ruling against the government.. [snip].

darkspilver

Hi intropist!

Once young JWs go to prison and come out, they have few choices in secular jobs and get motivated to do pioneering more than ever. They can not but be isolated socially too.

fascinating observation - the 'modern' term that people might use then is that the young brothers are effectively being radicalized by the very government that is putting them in prison due to the ongoing consequences.

Does Korea have the highest proportion of Reg/Aux Pioneers in the world? (say countries with 50 thousand JWs or more? They're easily beating Japan....)

South Korea quick numbers (2016 Yearbook, rounded)

Population: 50 million
Average Witnesses: 100,000 (1 in 500 of population)
Average Regular Pioneers: 40,000
Average Aux Pioneers: 10,000
Growth: 0%
Memorial Attendance: 135,000

USA quick numbers (2016 Yearbook, rounded)

Population: 320 million
Average Witnesses: 1,200,000 (1 in 261 of population)
Average Regular Pioneers: 167,000
Average Aux Pioneers: 56,000
Growth: 1%
Memorial Attendance: 2,475,000

17

Rape Victim Forced To Listen To a Tape Of Her Assault In A JC

by pale.emperor in

this is absolutely outrageous.

a rape victim was forced to listen to herself being raped while the elders stopped and started the tape claiming she was consenting.

even though during one of the assaults she was duct-taped, gagged and had a pillowcase over her head.

darkspilver

Hi JWdaughter!

Any one who is a publisher is supposed to be in good standing, so far as elders know. That is what JWs assume-anyone known by elders to be a danger should not be in a position as anything, isn't that what fireproof and DFing is about? So they won't endanger others?

Define: good standing

A publisher can be 'marked' but still have a fairly full role in the congregation.
A publisher could be under 'restrictions' but still have an otherwise full role in the congregation.

To have a 'role' though a publisher would normally need to be 'exemplary'

For example to auxiliary pioneer or be used on an assembly item (demo or interview)

The auxiliary pioneer thing needing to be exemplary was 'interesting' when the WT first brought in the special 30 hour months and encouraged ALL in the congregation to aux pio - of course, not all the congregation was 'technically' explemary, which was kinda interesting! haha!

Likewise with the new style assembly Watchtower review - all those publishers walking on to give a brief answer/comment - they should ALL be exemplary - so the one's in the congregation that aren't used, well, well....

Most publishers fall down on the right view of the Theocratic Ministry School which was different - by it's very nature of being a 'school' - you didn't need to be explemary to be on that and have an assignment, BUT you did need to be exemplary to be used for a demo on the Service Meeting. Haha yeah, that confused people because they just viewed being on the platform as being on the platform.

11

Kingdom Hall construction -- Counting time and reporting travel, meals, and lodging expenses

by FatFreek 2005 in

i have two questions.

1. if you work on kingdom hall construction, are you allowed to count your time in lieu of field service?

an old thread here indicated that if you are pioneer, you can count your time.

darkspilver

Hi Tameria2001!

Is this something new, or has this been something that they have always done?

haha, cheeky - you know everything is easier these days in JW-land!

hour credit appears to be something that has evolved and been formalized over time with the increase in additional 'organized' theocratic activities - such as the RBC building activity as well as the seasonal help at the Bethels.

See BoE letter 1 July 1988

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqmWMK7dwtlb2VJSzBiY2hUNnM/view

11

Kingdom Hall construction -- Counting time and reporting travel, meals, and lodging expenses

by FatFreek 2005 in

i have two questions.

1. if you work on kingdom hall construction, are you allowed to count your time in lieu of field service?

an old thread here indicated that if you are pioneer, you can count your time.

darkspilver

Hey FatFreek 2005!

If you work on KIngdom Hall construction, are you allowed to count your time in lieu of field service?

Yes, and no:

REGULAR PIONEERS - BoE letter 25 August 2014 'Re: Regular pioneers', paragraphs 14 to 16

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqmWMK7dwtlb0JteEJTT3RmeTg/view

A pioneer, if authorized/assigned, in certain 'theocratic' activities, such as KH construction, can claim a time credit;
The pioneer must spend some time in the actual ministry each month;
The credit plus ministry time can never exceed a total of 70 hours each month (so if they do 70 hours ministry and have 70 hours credit in a single month - they can only claim a total of 70 hours that month)
On the Publisher Record Card, the ministry time is written in the 'Hours' colums, the hour credit is included in the 'Remarks' column;
Credit can not be carried forward to the next month;
Only the actual ministry time is reported to the Bethel for purposes of counting ministry time.
NOTE: 70 hours x 12 months = 840 hours which is the annual target - therefore the 70 hour limit does not allow time for holidays, attending conventions or sickness etc
NOTE: I believe the only time you can count credit for a total ABOVE 70 hours per month is when you get hour credit credit for attending the pioneer school.

PUBLISHERS - BoE letter 7 November 2008 'Re: Field service reports', last pararaph

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqmWMK7dwtlaGUzSkthUGhJak0/view

On the back of the Report they should write a brief note describing the additional theocratic responsibilities they cared for that month, no hour figure needs to be given - this can then be written on the Publisher Record Card under the 'Remarks' column (interestingly the new Report forms have a 'Comments' section on the front nowadays)

Not sure about Auxiliary Pioneers, but I'd suspect they'd be covered by the 'Publisher' procedure - though I'd suspect the BoE would show consideration for short-term short-fall in hours due to theocratic activity if the publisher was a regular auxiliary pioneer.

14

Memorial Attendances This Year

by steve2 in

have attendance figures at this year's memorial been released yet, including number of partakers?

sometimes the kingdom ministry (now called christian life and ministry) provided local figures say for the country.. for two to three years the worldwide figure has hovered around the 19 plus million, with a drop off in attendance last year.. just wondered if there has been any change this year or if the downward trend has continued?

.

darkspilver

The 'problem' nowadays is that the CLAM workbook is regionally generic with no space for 'local annouuncements' or even 'theocratic news' as per the old Kingdom Minstry.

AFAIR the memorial figures where generally always printed first in the 'local' KM for each country - and it's that we're missing now :(

With regard to this the 4 October 2015 letter 'Re: New Provisions Announced at Annual Meeting' that was read out at all congregation worldwide stated:

Since the workbook will not include a section for announcements, congregations will be informed of monthly literature offers by means of letters from the branch office.
(side note - this also means that NOBODY in the congregation has any real idea what the monthly offer is anymore)