Question for JehovahsWitnesses

rikuoamero · Post by **rikuoamero** » Mon Dec 04, 2017 12:31 pm

Just something that crossed my mind. I'm 28, about to knock on the door of 29...and that's when it hit me.
Jehovah's Witnesses have NEVER knocked on my door. Nor have I ever seen them knock on anyone else's door.
I currently live about a ten to fifteen minute walk from a Kingdom Hall. I have gone past it plenty of times, whether on bus or on foot. Not once have I seen anyone go into or out of it.
For two years, I lived just two minutes walk from another Kingdom Hall, same story. Never saw a soul.
In all my time on this planet, I have never once had a JW knock on my door and try to convert me. Not that I'm complaining mind you

Can you clarify that this is something that JWs are supposed to do, or not? I could've thought that they were?
The only time I've seen them is either in our capital city Dublin, or on my local main street standing around with their pamphlets, but whenever I do see them, that's all they're doing. They're not actively engaging with anyone else. They're not being pushy (and again, I'm not complaining) in the slightest. One can walk by them and not be disturbed in the slightest.

(Seems strange to me that the stand starts off being written in Spanish, when that is a minority language. Our two official languages are Irish and English, with practically everybody speaking English, and Polish being the unofficial third most popular language, due to the wave of immigrants during the 2000s. But Spanish? Outside of school, I literally can't think of anywhere in Ireland it's spoken as a daily language)

William · Post by **William** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 2:35 am

[Replying to post 10 by JehovahsWitness]

Okay, I ask because the OP was addressed to me.

Well take another look. It wasn't.

JehovahsWitness · Post by **JehovahsWitness** » Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:37 am

William wrote: [Replying to post 10 by JehovahsWitness]

Okay, I ask because the OP was addressed to me.
Well take another look. It wasn't.

This question was originally posted in the subforum QUESTION FOR A PARTICULAR POSTER and addressed to me personally by name (see the thread heading).
viewforum.php?f=26

It was subsequently moved to this subforum which is, I believe ( I'm just stating my belief here which I do not think violates forum rules) is called questions FOR a group

otseng wrote: The intent of this subforum is to allow members to ask questions directed towards a particular group of people (Christians, Atheists, Ex-Christians, Democrats, Fundamentalists, etc). Debating is not allowed here. Any comments considered to be demeaning or sarcastic about any groups will not be tolerated.

If you have no questions for me personally or for JWs as a group, then I think my work here is done.

Have a nice day.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

rikuoamero · Post by **rikuoamero** » Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:47 am

William wrote: [Replying to post 10 by JehovahsWitness]

Okay, I ask because the OP was addressed to me.
Well take another look. It wasn't.

It was. JW is the sites resident JW

help3434 · Post by **help3434** » Sun Apr 15, 2018 6:33 pm

[Replying to post 13 by rikuoamero]

I don't think he is the only Jehovah's Witness on the forum, but maybe none of the anothers are still active.

Anyway my question is: Are Jehovah's Witnesses disproportionately Spanish speaking. I have had them knock on my door, but they were looking for Spanish speakers and didn't even try to talk to me.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:35 pm

help3434 wrote: [Replying to post 13 by rikuoamero]

I don't think he is the only Jehovah's Witness on the forum, but maybe none of the anothers are still active.

Anyway my question is: Are Jehovah's Witnesses disproportionately Spanish speaking. I have had them knock on my door, but they were looking for Spanish speakers and didn't even try to talk to me.

Hello, JW is not the only Jehovah's Witness on these boards. There are only about 4 of us that post something regularly. JWs are world wide. What it sounds like to me is that a Spanish seeking pioneer came to your door. We have some smaller groups that seek out only certain language speaking people. For example we have a Hindi pre-group in my city. Thus they go from door to door seeking only people that speak Hindi. We also have a Cantonese group as well. This happens all over the world.

Don't feel that they were ignoring you they are happy to speak to anyone about the Bible. If they can't speak your language they will find someone who can. If they come by again and you wish to speak with them about the Bible, do not hesitate to ask them to speak to you no matter what language they speak.

JehovahsWitness · Post by **JehovahsWitness** » Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:28 pm

[Replying to post 14 by help3434]

Yes, I'd agree with Tim, of the 8 million Jehovah's Witnesses I couldn't say what proportion speak spanish but I'd guess it would be more or less proportional to the number of spanish speaking people on the planet.

Since we don't want any language group to be overlooked in our preaching work we have groups or congregations especially assigned to seek out people that speak particular languages in any given territory (region), even if they are minorities and few in number. Those assigned to such a work are of course happy to speak to those who ask them but their priorities are searching out and speaking to people that speak the particular language. So unless you vocalized to them a particular interest in pursuing a discussion they wouldn't necessarily engage in conversation after it was clear you don't speak the language they are assigned to.

JW

Overcomer · Post by **Overcomer** » Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:29 am

It has been my experience that, if they aren't allowed into an apartment building with a locked entry, they will send flyers, etc. through the mail.

The JWs can correct me if I'm wrong, but are they not supposed to devote X number of hours a week to witnessing?

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:05 am

Overcomer wrote: It has been my experience that, if they aren't allowed into an apartment building with a locked entry, they will send flyers, etc. through the mail.

The JWs can correct me if I'm wrong, but are they not supposed to devote X number of hours a week to witnessing?

True we do find legal ways around all barriers if there is one. However, there is no set number of hours unless a person volunteers that they will pledge a certain number of hours. These are called pioneers. But not everyone has the time to give that much time to due to family responsibilities, health, age etc. But JWs have a desire to preach the Good News that God's Kingdom will bring not out of duty but out of love of neighbor. The Kingdom will bring an end to all of the world's problems and this is news we can't keep to ourselves. If person knew the cure for cancer what kind of person would keep that to themselves? So we don't keep it to ourselves and even if we are restrained by our health or whatever else, we still talk to anyone who will listen. The hours are not what is important. If a person spends 1000 hours from door to door but is only concerned with the hours they will reach few hearts. However if a person only spends 10 hours but loves the message they could reach more hearts than the person that spends 1000 hours. Yet match a person that loves the message of the Bible with 1000 hours, that person will reach who knows how many hearts.

Simply put, quality time over quantity time. Yet quality with quantity equals many blessings for both the person giving the message and also for the people that enjoy hearing it.

Overcomer · Post by **Overcomer** » Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:19 am

Thanks for that information, 1Timothy316. I appreciate it. O.