I've reached the totally unfounded conclusion that it's just "time in the trenches."
They have to 'witness' for Jehovah, and I have to suppose that there is an hours-per-week quota. And it used to be that it was all door to door. But a few years ago I started seeing them sitting quietly and reverently by the entrance to the supermarket where I shopped. There'd be two or more of them, and they'd be on one side or the other of a stand on which their literature was highly visible.
And they'd just sit there! I never had one attempt to speak to me, which could be my fault. I know I wouldn't want me in my club.
Someone with more experience will chime in; I'm just taking the opportunity to self-denigrate myself.
Seems like this happened within the past 5 or 7 years. In my area, I never see the JWs going door-to-door anymore. (I used to see it all the time.)
Nowadays, I just see them in clusters of 2 to 5 people standing around a portable rack containing JW literature. I see those mini-kiosk/rack set ups everywhere. I never see anyone actually approaching them and taking literature. I wouldn't be surprised if the JW version of the General Authorities get rid of the policy sometime in the next decade or so. It doesn't seem to be working...and it must be a bit faith-damaging for JWs to stand there for hours seeing how little interest the rest of the world has in their message (but I guess they can comfort themselves with the self-congratulatory "few are chosen" myth).
I don't have more experience tha you, but in my region, they set up shop outside the public libraries. They're not in any way aggressive or confrontational.
are AFAIK just local congregation members going out and about. The JWs are actually much closer to the "every member a missionary" concept than the Mormons.
As such, I don't believe that they really need "credit" the way that Mormon missionaries do. They just have to show that they're out making the effort. Of course, if any of them actually turns out to be really great at recruiting new members for JW'ism, they'll be superstars in the organization.
Mormon missionaries on the other hand are often trying to get prestige leadership positions (DL, ZL and AP) in order to have something to brag about to the folks back home in that humble-not-really-humble way that Mormons do such things. So stats are really important--especially for the missionary kids who aren't from well-connected families. (The kids from well-connected families don't have to worry about stats. They're golden from the minute they arrive and usually get parachuted into the prestige leadership positions at the earliest opportunity.)
Typical humble-not-really-humble letter home from a missionary dying to brag about being promoted to AP (Assistant to the President--which is usually the highest status position a missionary can be called to):
"Hey, folks! Hope everything is well. It's truly been a busy and humbling week for me. Last Tuesday, President Snotterson called me into his office. I was worried. As it turns out, he called me to make me his new assistant, with supervisory responsibility for the whole mission. It's such an overwhelming responsibility. I hope I'll be able to handle it. But I'm confident that the Lord will bless me as I assume this tremendous responsibility and I trust that God will guide me to show the kind of leadership that the mission needs. And...yadda....yaddaa....leadership...humble....great leader....mantle of responsibility...serving God as a leader....yadda...yadda...and did I mention how humbling it is?...being an example for others to follow....yadda....yadda....And please be sure to tell Suzy Snitzbottom to pray for me as I take on this huge responsibility as a leader. I'm sure that Suzy will be impressed....by the need for her to keep me in her prayers...yadda yadda....so humbling...."
It seems like they've increased a lot over the past 10 years here. They insist that their emphasis is to get people to read and follow the Bible. Since I'm in the "Bible Belt", I imagine it's an effective tactic to avoid discussing more controversial aspects of their religion.
As a side note, it is amazing the number of different variations on Christianity.
According to wiki, JWs are expected to put in at least an hour of witnessing per month, to be considered an active member. More than an hour would be preferred, of course. It's my understanding that they record their efforts and these reports are submitted to the local congregation.
The other day I was lingering over my morning coffee, checking out the news online, when I heard a very soft knocking at my door. So soft that if I had been in another room I wouldn't have heard it. It being Saturday morning, I was pretty sure it would be JWs, so I peeked behind the window blind, and saw two young guys on my step. I knew they weren't mormons, because these guys were trying to rock a hipster look, complete with facial hair and fedoras at a "rakish" angle. I didn't answer, but later found a watchtower pamphlet tucked into the door frame.
Normally the witnesses I get at my door are older, usually women. They knock firmly, and if I don't answer they usually wait and then knock again, louder. I've had as many as three knocks before they give up. With their very quiet and timid knocking, I think these young guys were trying to complete their religious requirements without actually having to talk to anyone. Makes me hopeful that they may be on their way out!
I still see them going door-to-door in my neighborhood. Mostly older women dressed in their Sunday best carrying their signature black satchel bags. Younger mothers have their children in tow.
messygoop Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I still see them going door-to-door in my > neighborhood. Mostly older women dressed in their > Sunday best carrying their signature black satchel > bags. Younger mothers have their children in tow.
A group of 3 JW women and a young child were just banging on my door 20 mins ago. They hit every house on my street to no avail...I let my dog outside so it could join the 9 others that were barking at them :) Meanwhile I sat in my front room and did nothing as they continued to knock for 10 mins. They had just seen me come home from shopping, get things out of my car and come inside of the house. I'm sure they thought I would be an easy target lol
The JWs are often sitting outside the library or post office with their portable stand of JW literature. One day when I went to the library, a couple of Mormon missionaries were also sitting there on a bench a few feet away. I couldn't resist.
I asked the missionaries what they were doing there, and they said they were just waiting for a ride to pick them up.
I asked the JWs, "What is this? TWO sets of missionaries? Did you try to convert the Mormons?"
The JWs said that they are not to approach anyone or start any conversations, but wait until someone approaches them. I asked if this was some kind of assignment they were having to fulfill, and they responded firmly that they "volunteer" to do this.
I asked them why they believe the stories in the Bible about Jehovah, and they said that the Bible was true because of all the fulfilled prophecies in it. I asked them what about all the UNfulfilled prophecies, and started naming off a few. They weren't aware of them, and started scrambling in their Bibles to check. I rattled off a whole list, which one of them wrote down, and I left.
The women sitting on chairs with their card table of materials were blocking the doorway. It was highly inappropriate to use a governmental building for their religious messaging.
We've also seen them at roadside rest stops hogging picnic tables in the path of those going to the restrooms or walking their dogs.
When I was a missionary in a foreign country we encountered many Jehova Witness members. I taught a few of them several discussions. My companion and I became fairly good friends with a young married couple. We eventually learned the wife was much more devout and had made it her mission to convert us away from Mormonism. She was a very attractive and sweet lady and we loved to talk with her. Her husband confided in us that he had many doubts about JW teachings. He explained some of the dark side of JW religion, and that there was a kind of caste system for those who tracted, taught people meant tracting, or got into deeper discussions with Church Elders etc. His wife apparently was high on the totem pole within their local group, this made his life quite difficult. I named two cats after them, often wonder how they ended up.