Posts by thewalker

25

Is the JW Broadcasting having good results for the Org?

by thewalker in

jw
friends

when speaking with brothers, i can see they really like the jw.org site more than magazines and books.

i can imagine them publishing more and more articles and news as it's more dynamic and creates a sense of alert with brothers looking for new articles to read instead of the boring monthly magazines.. but when it comes to the jw broadcasting, it's something different.

even elders admit they aren't watching the monthly broadcastings.

thewalker

When speaking with brothers, I can see they really like the JW.ORG site more than magazines and books. I can imagine them publishing more and more articles and news as it's more dynamic and creates a sense of alert with brothers looking for new articles to read instead of the boring monthly magazines.

But when it comes to the JW Broadcasting, it's something different. Even elders admit they aren't watching the monthly broadcastings. When it all started, an evening was reserved in the KH to have an informal meeting to watch it together. 4 congregations were invited but it was a complete fiasco for the über-spiritual elder who organised it: no more than 15 brothers attended (and most of them were old sisters with no internet at home). Next month, 5 attended and some months later it was cancelled.

Some brothers have told me it's embarrasing to watch and that it hurts their faith so they decided not to watch it. They are ministerial servants, elders and pioneers, I mean the kind of people who are completely loyal to the Organisation.

But watching it from the other side of the Atlantic, it seems like a parody of some American televangelist. The brothers were mocking the songs and the way the GB Members speak. Even the translation sounds ridiculous since they use South American brothers to translate it and it really sounds bizarre to listen here in Spain (some brothers even call it the "WT accent"). So now, it's almost impossible to hear brothers speaking about the Broadcasting.

It's one of the things that increased my doubts these last months. It was embarrasing to sit down to watch "that".

Don't know if it's something cultural but I find it disturbing that the Organisation continues with that arrangement even knowing brothers in other parts of the world are not really enthusiasts of it.

What is your perception of it? Is it having more success with US brothers or is it just something local in my area?

22

Recent announcement on literature placements

by dbq407 in

i find it interesting that the other night they announced that literature is not to be left indiscriminately.

they said to only leave literature if the householder engages you in conversation.

it used to be that they would try to get any literature into every hand of every person.

thewalker

When we received publications sent from the branch last month, we noticed there were fewer magazines and neither books nor special publications were sent.

We were told in our last local needs part that we should show more videos and use the JW.ORG website. Don't know if that's happening in other places but brothers (especially those in their 60s and 70s) are very upset. Showing a video on a tablet when knocking doors is something ridiculous for them! Well, it's ridiculous for most in the congregation.

44

Decrease of numbers in Jehovah's Witnesses via Deaths, DFings, or Turning Inactive

by flipper in

jw
friends

so i'm sure a good number of us saw the chart that i believe the poster splash put on another thread of figures since 1990 regarding how many baptized and % of increase each year .

i started analyzing it ( and i know some referred to it briefly on the other thread ) and guessing of reasons the % of increase didn't match the number of newly baptized.

and of course common sense tells us that either jw's leave the cult each year through death, fading into inactivity, or getting dfed.

thewalker

From what I see in my congregation and other congregations in the area: We've been the same people for years. All baptisms are sons and daughters of publishers. The numbers are growing because brothers and sisters have children. At least where I live, young couples are deciding to have children. They all know that couple in their 50s not having children because they thought the end was 'at hand' and they don't want to make the same.

Last week I was speaking with an COBOE and he told me he was worried because there are 80 publishers in his congregation but the attendance numbers are really weak: 60-65 on Sundays, 50-55 during the week.

I think the attendance numbers can give us more info about the 'spirituality' than others because it's easy to fake preaching numbers, not from the part of the WT but from brothers and even elders.

51

My first post

by thewalker in

jw
friends

hi, i just joined the board and wanted to present myself.. i'm active, in fact very active in congregation activities serving "where the need is great" in a foreign language congregation somewhere in western europe.

as a young brother, i'm seen as an example as i'm doing all a good witness should do.. i had doubts years ago but i decided just to ignore them and move to another congregation to preach more.

that worked for some years but i'm now at the exact same point.

thewalker

Wow! Thank you so much for all your answers.

Always had serious doubts about some teachings and I do now others also have, for example this pioneer I have been speaking with.

I'm doing my personal study reading the Bible alone. No more help from publications.

But my main concern is all those brothers and sisters who have been there when I spent hard times. And of course, my family.

I came back to college in September to finish my studies and some brothers were upset because they thought it was a sign of distrust in the new system coming soon. I quit college some years ago and although still young, I regret deeply that decisition.

And thank you (once again ;) ), I needed to speak out.

51

My first post

by thewalker in

jw
friends

hi, i just joined the board and wanted to present myself.. i'm active, in fact very active in congregation activities serving "where the need is great" in a foreign language congregation somewhere in western europe.

as a young brother, i'm seen as an example as i'm doing all a good witness should do.. i had doubts years ago but i decided just to ignore them and move to another congregation to preach more.

that worked for some years but i'm now at the exact same point.

thewalker

Hi, I just joined the board and wanted to present myself.

I'm active, in fact very active in congregation activities serving "where the need is great" in a foreign language congregation somewhere in Western Europe. As a young brother, I'm seen as an example as I'm doing all a good witness should do.

I had doubts years ago but I decided just to ignore them and move to another congregation to preach more. That worked for some years but I'm now at the exact same point. Plus, I have my family and friends inside. At that moment, I briefly joined a forum in my language (English is not my mother tongue) but I decided the problem was that I was not very active at that time, so I became a zealous witness as I had never been before.

But when I moved to this new congregation, I could see the lack of love both for the brothers and the people in the territory. It was sad to see how immigrants where marked as 'potential witnesses' and how we were using their need and desperation to start bible studies. Add to that, all the injusticies committed against brothers and sisters.

I tried hard not to think too much about it for not weaken my faith. Each time something happened I tried to help brothers, so many speak to me about their problems. Recently, a lot of things are happening and it's too much for me to see how abusive elders and their families are acting.

In fact, I had a conversation with a pioneer some days ago and she was also disenchanted. You cannot raise all issues for the sake of being labelled as 'apostate' but this pioneer told me that she can't see love in the congregation nowadays. It has been a turning point for me so after lurking this site for a while, I decided to join.

I don't know where to go, I need time to think. I have serious doubts about the teachings and recently I'm feeling like a hypocrite, being the "perfect young brother" for many.

Sorry for any mistake, as I said English is not my mother tongue and sometimes it's hard to express myself.