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cayenne0 t1_ix90uxn wrote

Maybe they slowed down due to covid but I've seen them at T stations since 2012, so no they aren't going to go away.

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hotaspee t1_ix91bol wrote

no.

source: my decades of living here.

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Sqweegy-Nobbers t1_ix91egg wrote

I doubt it. I’ve been here for decades and I’ve always been around.

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Peeeculiar t1_ix9293y wrote

As far as conversion types go they are pretty chill.

They have to know going into it that they are going to have a tough time making sales given that Boston types are into book learnin'

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Kingpine42069 t1_ix935oi wrote

are they looking to get jaylen browns autograph?

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Kingpine42069 t1_ix939hr wrote

the only thing worse than jehovas witnesses would be the combination of jehovahs witnesses and adult autograph seekers

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hotaspee t1_ix93mgt wrote

fair enough, I just ignore them. if you really want to bug them you can ask them why they’re recruiting if there are only 144,000 spots in heaven and there’s 8.5m witnesses

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ix946kw wrote

Lmao. They don’t necessarily bother me, since all they do is stand there. But I have a close friend who’s JW family has only strengthened my position that they are a terrible, terrible cult

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c106mc t1_ix94fwy wrote

ugh they're at Forest Hills every day. Sometimes another lady comes around with what feels like a "repent sinners" type sign

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ix94p4g wrote

Look into the cult. They are terrible, especially to their families. I don’t mind that they just stand there, but the organization is disgusting and the members do not act like good people in general

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jhdog29 t1_ix94paj wrote

I agree, I'll walk by them and they don't stop me and they're always smiling which I honestly have no problem with. If you're not harassing people or bothering them, do whatever you want.

It's not like those "charitable" organizations where they stand in front of you and say "you look like a nice guy! :D" and then try too hard to have a normal conversation with you up until they start asking for money.

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dolsey01 t1_ix956kh wrote

Every stop today for me, they must be on a conversion press.

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melanarchy t1_ix95id3 wrote

It used to be Hare Krisna's at airports, trust me that the witnesses at the T stations are infinitely preferrable.

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particular-potatoe t1_ix97aql wrote

I’ve seen them at Ruggles nearly every M-F for the past six years. Nothing new.

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AnthoZero t1_ix97o68 wrote

I’ve never seen anyone talking to them, but they’re at least kind enough at my station to never even try to talk to anyone walking by.

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Comfortable-Scar4643 t1_ix99b3d wrote

Yes. Saw them today. It’s a rite of passage for people who join that church?

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superpeachy t1_ix9dm0y wrote

Ive seen them around the Ruggles station for a while pre covid. They would never approach or speak to anyone luckily. I did once have someone approach me by the Northeastern ISEC bridge and when I made it very clear I wasn’t interested and started walking away they followed me and asked why not. Not sure which church they were associated with though

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Tombstone_Shadow t1_ix9f3ev wrote

Yes, or at least until the next invasive group of religious fanatics push them out. Part of the charm of urban life.

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boston_acc t1_ix9f5il wrote

Across all those years, I genuinely what their “conversion rate” is. How many people have actually said “you know what, I think I’m called to be a Jehovah’s Witness. Time to turn down a blood transfusion if I ever need it!”

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Metallicultist88 t1_ix9fyen wrote

Ultimate weapon against people like this: sunglasses and headphones. They can see where you’re looking and you can’t hear what they’re saying

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Reasonable_Move9518 t1_ix9g1lm wrote

Lifetime average is certainly greater than 1. Otherwise the number of witnesses would decline over time. Even if it is slightly greater than 1... the religion spreads exponentially.

Spread of religions (and other social movements more broadly) follow viral dynamics: if the avg number of converts is greater than the average number of of believers, the religion or movement grows exponentially. If it is less than 1, it decays exponentially. If it is exactly 1, it remains the same size.

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unrulywordss t1_ix9g3bb wrote

I don’t see any other religious group do this. It’s honestly annoying

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lemonpolarseltzer t1_ix9gifd wrote

The fun part about them is that JW aren’t supposed to hang out with people who aren’t in the cult so by trying to convert people they can be inadvertently fraternizing against their religion.

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Balkanoboy t1_ix9gjbm wrote

I always point them to the crazy Jesus lady at forest hills, like yall got something in common go on

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parsley_animal t1_ix9gjrb wrote

Yeah lol I think the 150k spots are for the "executive" level of heaven that basically gets to run the goings on of paradise-earth after the apocalypse. But I think there's eventually an apocalypse sequel and the rest go to heaven or, if they don't do good with the new paradise earth, they all go to hell

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boston_acc t1_ix9hrh3 wrote

Yeah, unfortunately memetics doesn’t work in our favor here. Religions that have ideas condoning spreadability and “till I die”-adherence are the ones that will climb highest in the race for frequency (I could’ve phrased that better but yeah).

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Lazy_Football_511 t1_ix9i4st wrote

They must be having some kind of coordinated drive. Every time I go through Legion Parkway in Brockton a pair are there with their sign and lawn chairs.

I think other groups are situated around Copley Square and the Commons.

Then again, the Commons these days has someone from every religion and cult there trying to hook in people.

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Kablump t1_ix9igp7 wrote

if every time they approach you, you request oral sex, then either they'll stop approaching you, or they'll stop annoying you depending on how convincing you are

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liberterrorism t1_ix9j4r8 wrote

I’m pretty sure they’ve been there since the day the T first opened.

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caveman1337 t1_ix9jftb wrote

Their primary recruiting tactic is lovebombing. They flood vulnerable people with friendliness and a sense of belonging. This is especially effective on people that don't really have many connections otherwise, so it allows them to hold that person's social life hostage once the love starts becoming conditional.

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caveman1337 t1_ix9jnz7 wrote

They don't need to be pushy. They just need to be friendly enough to attract lonely and vulnerable people, since people that already have established support networks are far more resistant to the brainwashing.

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ExcitingVacation6639 t1_ix9jsqi wrote

I’d love to see them face off with the crazy Bible beater in DTX.

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liberterrorism t1_ix9kgvt wrote

My neighborhood growing up used to get door to door JWs all the time. My two favorite memories of them: I had a babysitter who was Mexican and she pretended she couldn’t speak English. Days later they show back up with a Spanish speaker asking to talk to “the Mexican family who lives here” and my mom was like - I have no idea what you’re talking about. The second: my family was on our porch with our Labrador and some JWs starting walking up our staircase. The dog was very gentle and sweet, but didn’t like them for some reason and wound up chasing them down the block. Never saw them again.

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PianoPandas t1_ix9km8s wrote

I don't see a problem with it since they aren't harming you in any way. Their presence there doesn't affect you at all—you just think it's "weird".

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PrettyTogether108 t1_ix9l3mo wrote

They usually arrive in September to prey on the lonely college freshmen. They are disgusting. But you're right, they're usually gone by winter.

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Reasonable_Move9518 t1_ix9lat9 wrote

Also add in religions that favor high birthrates...

I think Dune got it right... the far future of humanity will be more religious not less, due to "spreadability", fervency, and higher birthrates in religious vs. secular communities.

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FromLuxorToEphesus t1_ix9mig1 wrote

Who cares. They’re far far less disruptive than the Hebrew Israelites screaming about the abortion Holocaust in downtown crossing or any other of the street preachers around there. They barely ever come up to you either, it’s more on you to come up to them.

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Max_Demian t1_ix9o5u1 wrote

Yeah, not defending their whole deal, obviously they’re a huge problem on the whole. I just appreciate that they don’t yell at people like some mission preachers do.

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irina_444 t1_ix9oq9f wrote

I have friends who are JW. They are nice people and do no harm. They are rooted in their beliefs and grounded. You can just tell them you are not interested in converting and they won’t push.

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beigereige t1_ix9pvjp wrote

When them 20 degree days set in, we’ll see how committed they are to the cause

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GeckoGuy45 t1_ix9qji8 wrote

Ngl they are extreamly creepy

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BossCrabMeat t1_ix9rviu wrote

If you approach them and ask $10 for a can of FixaFlat, are they supposed to oblige?

/asking for a friend.

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ix9tudy wrote

It’s funny because I very specifically did not say I had a problem with it in any way, nor that they are harming me. I do have terrible personal experience with this particular cult, but I never said I had an issue with them standing around quietly.

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SBLOU t1_ix9unql wrote

Question. Have you ever known a JW to just go away? Not likely

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caropharo t1_ix9vwip wrote

Sometimes they’d give out cookies and coffee at the middleborough / lakeville stop. But I never took any cause I’m too nice to pull myself out of the inevitable conversation…

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PianoPandas t1_ix9y2e8 wrote

Since we're choosing to take words at face value here, I also did not say that you had a problem with it. And remarking about how they aren't harming you does not need to be prompted by you saying that they are.

Anyhow, I'm not here to be cheeky. I am sorry that you had a bad experience with them.

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VM_Cabrones t1_ix9zxts wrote

Interesting question. I've always wondered if they have a legal right to do so on MBTA property? Does anyone know?

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boston_acc t1_ixa17mb wrote

At least once a population becomes embedded in secularism, it’s exceedingly hard to revert back. Maybe not governmentally (see Iran 1979) but for the population itself. I don’t think we’ve seen an example of that in history (not least because widespread secularism is new) but I could be wrong. Religion needs parents to propagate down the generations, so once you cut that off, it withers and withers. Most religions throughout history have not a trace left.

Anyway that’s just my philosophical rambling.

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Essarray t1_ixa1fwi wrote

They don't believe in hell or a traditional afterlife. When you die you stay dead until it's time for God to resurrect you. At that time the meek shall inherit the earth and all the wicked non-believers get killed off. The 144k act as judges. Source: I grew up in said cult.

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Cowboywizard12 t1_ixa70v2 wrote

Tell them you are an apostate, they will leave you alone.

Apparently they aren't allowed to associate with apostates

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ixa8h74 wrote

Everything. They disown they’re own relatives for not wanting to be a JW, to the level of kicking them out and cutting off all contact. They are EXTREMELY misogynistic. Etc. Just look into it yourself

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irina_444 t1_ixaaqm7 wrote

Well, I did. I’ve been friends with a JW for over 15 years now and she has always been one of the people I can rely on during difficult times. Her daughter is JW but her son is not a JW and they still talk daily and are very close. My Mom is in another country and also has JW friends for decades. Occasionally they want to talk about the Bible with her but she shuts them down. They still come back to her and maintain the friendship. On disowning someone, there might more to that story than simply not wanting to be part of JW.

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ixac5zw wrote

No it’s in their practice. You know a family who is extremely atypical to JW’s and do not go by the normal teachings. I know a family who very much does, and it’s not pretty. You can do a few minutes of research and see that.

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irina_444 t1_ixachjn wrote

Well I know several JW families in more than one country and they all have the same practices. It sounds like you are judging a whole group by your one experience with that one family.

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RogueInteger t1_ixacimu wrote

I like them more than the Scientologists.

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ixaco69 wrote

It sounds like you’re not telling the whole truth, or at least don’t care to look to far into their cult. It’s not based on “one family”, it’s based on common, public knowledge about their practices as a church and belief system. Which is borne out by this family

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irina_444 t1_ixadf5r wrote

I have no reason to withhold truth here. Just sharing my experience with the JW families that I’ve met. Not one of them shunned me or their family members outside of JW.

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oldcreaker t1_ixadk4x wrote

Who are the people that stand in couples front of a display of religious stuff and talk to each other all day long and never seem to interact with anyone else? They are always at Forest Hills.

There are other people who work alone and actively try to hand out materials, those folks look like Jehovah Witnesses - or at least they remind me of the folks who come knocking on my door occasionally.

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ixadtj4 wrote

Well I’m glad there are JW members who go against the basic teachings of their church. Either way, I still don’t believe you’re telling me the whole truth.

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irina_444 t1_ixae6i1 wrote

You have the right to believe what you want. Your beliefs are rooted in your experience. But just because someone disagrees with you, doesn’t mean they are not telling the truth :).

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ebvigilante t1_ixafdeo wrote

Took the T for six years, started driving to the office during Covid and have never looked back. Peace of mind is worth the extra 20 minutes a day in traffic.

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ixaffq5 wrote

It’s more like what a stranger on the internet is saying doesn’t match up with the overwhelming experience of the majority of people, including myself. So, sketch

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irina_444 t1_ixafu9o wrote

Show me the statistics that say the majority of people have this experience and we can talk. So far, we are both strangers on the internet sharing our personal experiences.

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ixagxoi wrote

If you can’t do basic research into the basic beliefs of the JW or look into some reporting about their insular communities or how they treat people in general, well idk what to say. Not gonna do your research for you.

I mean, it’s ridiculous to the point of utter willful ignorance that you don’t know this stuff

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william-t-power t1_ixai6wa wrote

Probably not, somewhere I read they're doing this now rather than going door to door.

What's the problem though? They seem to just talk to people that approach them and don't bother anyone else.

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BestCaseSurvival t1_ixaj5ry wrote

Yes. This is a cult indoctrination tactic that the Mormons use too. The gist of it is that once you have people sufficiently bought-in that they’re unlikely to just go rogue, you send them out into a world generally hostile to them. If they manage to get converts, great, but the main point is to teach the initiates that “everyone out there hates you, the cult is your only family. We love you. We support you. There’s nothing for you out there.”

When Mormons and JWs used to come to our door when I was growing up we’d invite them in for some water, let them sit down for a bit, and let them know emphatically we’re not interested in their religion but they can chill for a while. As satisfying as it is, meeting them with open hostility just makes the cult tactics more effective.

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reb601 t1_ixakfxg wrote

I’ll take them over the fundies with the megaphones.

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jandops t1_ixalkjp wrote

Tell them you’re a seventh day Adventist and they will leave you alone immediately.

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lucascorso21 t1_ixamcya wrote

I’d take them at T stations over mailing their nonsense to people.

I abide by the George Carlin commandments:

  1. Try real hard not to kill anyone
  2. Keep Thy Religion to Thyself
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PhoebeCaulfield02 t1_ixandzs wrote

OP is right. If you were baptized as a JW and decide to leave, all your JW friends and family members are directed to shun you. If they don’t obey, they’re at risk of being shunned as well. The difference is whether you were baptized or not.

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identicaltheft t1_ixaosvw wrote

JWs know if they are going to heaven or not. It's 144k over all time and the rapture happens when the last person of that 144k dies. Most JWs firmly believe they aren't going to heaven and they are going to be reborn onto heaven on Earth.

How did they "know" if they are one of the chosen? Fuck if I know. Heaven vibes or something.

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LadyGreyIcedTea t1_ixay6gf wrote

They've been there every single day since way before this summer. They've been at Forest Hills since I moved to Roslindale in 2011.

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Essarray t1_ixbfv7k wrote

They've closed and sold a few meeting places ("Kingdom Halls") over the past few years. I'm pretty sure their developed country numbers are shrinking although overall numbers might be on the up in places with spotty or no internet.

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Essarray t1_ixbicv1 wrote

Hi. Former member of said cult here. I escaped when I was 20, currently closing in on 50. They are extremely psychologically abusive to their own kids every step of the way. Members are only allowed to hang out with other cult members unless they're trying to convert someone. If you commit the unforgivable sin of disagreeing with the WT society's constantly changing beliefs you are removed from what is then your only support network. They really do suck.

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jlozada24 t1_ixbpf3i wrote

Let's all start being a bit hostile

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coolhwhip89 t1_ixc9gzs wrote

Are they the ones at Quincy center?

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jWalkerFTW OP t1_ixcji8f wrote

I’m very sorry that you were forced to endure that. I can’t imagine how difficult it was, and how scary it must have been to leave. I hope you’re doing well nowadays!

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dajochi t1_ixcjzvp wrote

No and they’ll start walking your neighborhood and banging on your door soon enough.

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MassBuildings t1_ixcrcvg wrote

I've heard that the point isn't conversions, it's to put members in an intentionally uncomfortable place with "outsiders" who are probably going to be rude or at least dismissive. It makes everyone outside their group seem hostile, and then you come back to your community and everyone likes you and praises the hard work you're doing (even though it doesn't actually accomplish anything).

I have no idea if anyone actually put any thought in to it like that. But it certainly seems like a reason why it would be worth continuing.

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THE_Killa_Vanilla t1_ixcs056 wrote

Agree with a lot of what you said here, but I think we need to re-evaluate our idea of what "religion" in modern society.

Simplify religion to a "shared set of core beliefs + principles by a group that reinforces a specific view of the world", shift the focus from theism to cultural homogeny, and you can see the "new religions" forming. We see it on both the right and left, think MAGA/Trumpism or "woke"/anti-racist cultures.

There are tons of similarities between conventional religion and these new cultural belief systems. Religion isn't dying, it's just transforming. At the end of the day people still need a framework to view the world and make sense of things.

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Essarray t1_ixcyvta wrote

Ehh, shit happens. Thank-you though. Currently I am enjoying watching them slowly go out of business every time a kingdom hall closes and gets sold. It's hard to sell "the apocalypse will be here any day now" for 140+ years (1881).

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superiority t1_ixdqsa3 wrote

>Lifetime average is certainly greater than 1. Otherwise the number of witnesses would decline over time.

That doesn't follow. Conversion is not the only way to make new Witnesses. Some people are raised in the religion.

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impostershop t1_ixev3j5 wrote

Pro tip: In the spirit of sharing information on God, offer them a Bible (even if you don’t have one handy, just say you’re going to grab it) they’ll run away, black list your house and never come back.

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Itchy-Marionberry-62 t1_ixfd6rh wrote

They are like Climate Change believers. They state a date the world will end…and when it does not yet again…they just move up the date. 🤣

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