Friday, June 23, 2006
News Report:
Believing Armageddon is imminent, Jehovah's Witnesses go on a mission
FAITHFUL OUT TO CALL ON EVERY HOME IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
By Kim Vo
Mercury News
After a quick huddle, the Jehovah's Witnesses divvied up San Jose's leafy streets: That duo will take north Laurinda Drive, another will head south. Door-to-door they knock, smile, invite until the block was done. Then it was off to Leigh Avenue to do it again.
Jehovah's Witness Ray Vaden approaches a home to invite the occupants to a convention at the Cow Palace.In an unprecedented campaign, Jehovah's Witnesses, renowned and sometimes shunned for their zealous evangelism, want to personally invite as many people as possible to their annual convention, and they're doing it in their signature style: by knocking on strangers' doors.
The Northern California push launches a series of conventions spreading across the United States this summer and then around the globe. Each three-day convention will spur Witnesses to knock on the door of every house, apartment, condo and hut in the region.
"The reason we're so concerned is the times we're living in. No one can deny the times are critical," said Ray E. Vaden Sr., 74, an amiable man from San Jose who became a Witness 43 years ago, after someone came to his door. "What we're interested in is getting the word out to our neighbors."
It's a tall order. There are 70,000 to 90,000 Witnesses in Northern California determined to reach out to the 4.9 million households between Salinas and the Oregon border. Witnesses have just three weeks before each convention -- there are nine conventions in Northern California alone -- to invite everyone in their territory. To reach everyone in time, Witnesses have been making an extra push in neighborhoods -- working longer hours, walking longer distances and talking faster.
Witnesses, who claim 6.6 million members worldwide and growing, believe that Armageddon -- the final battle between good and evil -- is imminent, though they don't have an exact date. Believers say the event will lead to the destruction of wickedness and the Earth's restoration as a perfect Eden, where the faithful will flourish.
Hence, this year's invitation blitz. They want to give everyone a shot at salvation.
Instructed to evangelize
Every Jehovah's Witness is responsible for personally evangelizing -- heeding Jesus' instructions that his followers preach the Gospel. Their journal, The Watchtower, has found its way to millions of doorsteps. Witnesses regularly visit homes and businesses, offering publications in myriad languages, including English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese and Punjabi.
Witnesses believe that God's word is above all others', and the Bible is central to their faith, offering ultimate guidance on how to live. Witnesses draw a clear distinction between Christian concerns and secular ones. For instance, Witnesses don't celebrate any holidays, like Independence Day, and remain neutral on political matters, including voting.
The adherents relish long biblical discussions, whether it's in living rooms or doorways. If someone is interested, Witnesses will call again or invite them to Bible study. If no one answers the door, they'll typically try again later.
Consequently, it usually takes months to cover a territory.
Take Evangeline Flores, who tailors her talks to each house she approaches. If she spots toys on the lawn, she might chat with the homeowner about family life. If she sees a mezuzah -- the doorway emblem on Jewish homes -- she'll discuss peace. "Despite the difference in religion," the San Jose receptionist noted, "we'd all like to see peace."
But for this lightning campaign, Flores and her Hillsdale congregation have just three weeks to blanket the turf that runs from the ranch homes stacked side-by-side in San Jose to the cottages tucked in the Santa Cruz Mountains down to Highway 17. To complete the task, Flores said, "we're being a bit briefer."
Doors stay closed
Not everyone appreciates their approach. People have threatened Witnesses and cursed at them. Recently, when one approached a house, a motion-sensitive recording announced that no solicitors were welcome. (Witnesses don't consider themselves solicitors.)
Often, people cut short friendly conversations when they realize they are talking with a Witness. Sometimes, no one answers the door, though Witnesses can hear them scurrying inside.
Nicholas Garrett, a Witness for 70 years, blames it on crime. "It's a sign of the times," said Garrett, a member of the Hillsdale Congregation. "My wife wouldn't go to the door if I wasn't home."
Alan Mobley, a member of the Edenvale Congregation in South San Jose, says society is uncomfortable discussing God.
"People have learned from their youth to not talk about religion," he said. "And here you are, an uninvited visitor, talking about a topic they've been taught not to discuss."
Marion Balster explained why she turned down an invitation to the convention. "I don't see any reason for it," said Balster, who converted to Catholicism 50-plus years ago, "because I have my own church to attend."
Still, Vaden kept trying. For the convention campaign, he's stretched his days until 2:30 p.m. Typically, he works from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., hitting every doughnut shop and doorbell in a neighborhood.
"This is not easy work -- long days walking on the pavement," Vaden said. "And in summer, it's hot."
Still, he wore a suit, a tie and tasseled loafers. Female Witnesses chose skirts and sensible sandals. It's important, they said, to look respectable when you're representing God. Besides, people are even less likely to open their door if you look shady.
On a recent morning, Vaden and a group of Witnesses fanned out near Leigh High School in San Jose. Consulting index cards depicting sections of the city, they split up the lushly landscaped streets and began knocking.
The first house had a barking dog, a stuffed animal lynched in the tree and no one home. At another house, women in pajamas told Vaden: "We're Christians, actually." Witnesses say they are, too, but Vaden simply wished them a good day and kept walking.
If someone wasn't home, Vaden left a flier depicting the peaceful kingdom to come under the doormat. Few were home in the morning, and even fewer were receptive.
His daughter-in-law Patricia Vaden and fellow Witness Evelyn Thomas, who split the streets with him, had more luck: People at about 10 houses spoke with them. Some apologized that they had weddings or graduations to attend so couldn't make it to the convention. No one said they would come.
Vaden was undaunted. The great-grandfather planned to take a break -- sciatic legs and a bad back required rest -- and head out again in the evening. There was still much to do, and time was short.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED
The Jehovah's Witnesses convention starts at 9:30 a.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until July 30 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Admission is free.
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Can't wait for our time to start this campaign...
[Thanks Evie.]
Fraggle Rock-ers
I really don't remember Fraggle Rock. I probably saw like 2 episodes in my whole life. My parents didn't let us whatch it. They said that those puppets were evil. J/k. It just didn't capture my attention like the Muppet Show did. Anyway, per request, I am posting it.
Click here for some Fraggle Rock!
[Oh, and Chelsea, I'm sorry to hear about your cousin's condition. Hopefully, with time, he will get better (Isaiah 33.24)]
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Honey in the Sky
The meeting this week was wonderful. But then again, aren't they all? It brought out (if you haven't had your meeting) the importance of giving praise and encouragement. And I'm pretty sure that we all feel sometimes that we are not receiving Jehovah's approval. And that feeling can bring us down. But I liked this one comment that's in that Watchtower article, where a sister mentioned that when someone gives her praise, that really encourages her, because that is how Jehovah is giving her His approval, by the brother or sister that gave her that praise. And isn't that very true? Of course it is, silly goose! So whenever we receive praise, Jehovah is giving us praise. And, it works the other way too. Whenever WE give someone praise, Jehovah is using US to give it. How cool is that?! No wonder the article had cited Acts 20.35, where Jesus says that there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving. Narly!
Have a great day.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
"Take a look, it's in a book..."
You know you used to watch it.... ADMIT IT!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FUN!!
[2 c previous, go here.]
Monday, June 19, 2006
Biblical Trivia - Answer for Question #5
Q: What did Abraham come to call the place he was going to sacrifice his son Isaac, and what does that name mean?
A: Genesis 22.14: "And Abraham began to call the name of that place Je·ho´vah-ji´reh. This is why it is customarily said today: "In the mountain of Jehovah it will be provided." And according to the Reference Bible, it means "Jehovah will provide".
[To see previous, click here.]
Thursday, June 15, 2006
"Would you be mine? Could you be mine?"
I've decided to do something a wee bit different. I'm gonna post different shows that, as kids, we would watch, and maybe you would too. So join me THIS time with MR. ROGERS AND BIG BIRD!!!
Oh, and click here! Come on, you know you want to. Click, click, click.
Ooh, oooh! And click here!
Biblical Trivia #4 - Answer & Biblical Trivia #5 - Question
Oops. I forgot to put down the answer to the last question. And there were two excellent responses, so thank you. According to the 2006 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, last year there was an average of 6,390,016 proclaimers of the good news. Of course, that number will continue to increase, fulfilling the prophecy at Mark 13.10.
Now the Biblical Question #5 is:
What did Abraham come to call the place he was going to sacrifice his son Isaac, and what does that name mean?
GOOD HUNTING!
Monday, June 12, 2006
This is funny.
[Thank you F.Segura]
L. B. opens door for religion
Local: Jehovah’s Witnesses event good for the soul – and the economy.
By Felix Sanchez, Staff writer
LONG BEACH — It's designed to be a spiritual boost for more than 140,000 people, but for the Long Beach Convention Center and local tourism officials, the 12-weekend long gathering of Jehovah's Witnesses getting under way today is one of the city's biggest economic salvations.
The annual convention of Jehovah's Witnesses, taking place simultaneously in 73 cities across the United States with 266 conventions scheduled before summer's end, is one of the religion's biggest ongoing events, drawing millions.
In Long Beach, the "Deliverance At Hand!" assembly begins its 12-weekend run today and continues through Sept. 10 at the Convention Center Arena.
More than 10,000 people, heavily dominated by families, will attend this first weekend, said James Brown, a Jehovah's Witnesses spokesman.
And as the convention meetings stretch through the summer, they will take on an international flavor, with six of the sessions held in Spanish and one in Japanese.
Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the Jehovah's Witnesses bring in significant visitor dollars, especially by the number of rooms they book during the summer the equivalent of 30,000 room nights at hotels in Long Beach and the immediate area.
This all adds up to a nearly $4 million economic impact over the 12 weeks, Goodling said.
"Watchtower (Jehovah's Witnesses) is a great group because they come in 12 consecutive times during the summer. They provide us with a great amount of business," Goodling said.
They also are good tenants, he said. "They will come in and clean the actual arena and other areas they are using. So there's a personal pride in the facility that they use," Goodling said.
Previously, Jehovah's Witnesses carpenters and other specialty crafters built a $5,000 concierge desk in the Promenade Lobby and completely renovated the center's Seaside meeting rooms, a $2.5 million project in which the group provided all labor and materials, including carpets and lights.
Because so many rooms are booked during the summer, often at special rates that appeal to the families who are paying out of their own pocket to visit the city, it also allows Long Beach hotels and the Convention Center to sell the remaining space at a premium price, Goodling said.
And the Jehovah's Witnesses conventions fit into the summertime trend where most visitors tend to be those looking for less expensive room and travel rates, he said.
The rest of the year is dominated by professional associations and corporate conventions where higher rates are more readily paid by people who are traveling on the business expense account.
During the summer, "we go after groups that are more social, such as anime or religious organizations because (travelers) make this their holiday," Goodling said.
Brown said the religious organization likes Long Beach because the family-oriented attractions in the city and region fit into the theme of their meetings. The group has been meeting in Long Beach regularly since 1995.
"It's centrally located and has hotels that our attendees love to stay in," Brown said. "A lot of our attendees come in early and the city is so cordial."
A worldwide organization, Jehovah's Witnesses link their beliefs to the faith of 1st century Christianity. Witnesses believe God is the creator of all things and that Jesus, the son of God, rules as the King of Heaven after sacrificing himself to make eternal salvation possible for those who have faith in him.
There are more than 1 million Witnesses in the United States and 6.6 million worldwide in more than 98,000 congregations.
Felix Sanchez can be reached at Felix.Sanchez@presstelegram.com or (562) 499-1297.
[Thank you G.Peña]
[Joke of the Day: 2 muffins are in the oven. One, startled, begins to say, "Oh no! We're being cooked!" The other then replies in astonishment and looks at the other in disbelief, "Ahhh! A talking muffin!!"]
Friday, June 09, 2006
Los Abuelos
Yesterday, me and my family moved out the rest of my grandparents' stuff out of their house and taking it to their new apartment. We worked at it yesterday and the day before. It was A LOT of stuff. It was just too much to do in 2 days, since today the keys were going to be turned in to the new owners.
So, in all the rush, I suddenly realized that this was the last day I was going to be in that house.
Finally, just want to give a "shout" "out" to my "hom-mie"Jerry and his sis, the one and only Moni. To Evie: "What" "Up"? And finally to Marisol: "Yo"-"yo"-"yo"!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
When we had the part in the Service Meeting on the Noah video, this seal made me crack up. It was the part where the arc settled on the mountain and of course, that started everyone, even Mr. Seal. Just imagining what he must've been thinking at that moment is funny.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Wonderful Word #15
Neoteric (nee-uh-TER-ik), adjective:
1. Recent in origin; modern; new.
[Previous Wonderful Words: Malcontent, Cognoscente, Multifarious, Propitious, Luminary, Felicitous, Implacable, Optimism, Assiduous, Serendipity, Serene, Loquacious, Duplicitous, Mellifluous]
Biblical Trivia #4What was the average number of Jehovah's Witnesses that proclaimed the "good news" every month worldwide last year? (Matthew 24.14)
(Of course, you will not find this in the Bible, but I think you might have an idea where to look...)
Friday, June 02, 2006
Biblical Trivia #3 - Answer
[Click here to see question.]
According to Genesis 17.1, Abram was 99 years old. And Genesis 17.4,5 tells us that he was going to be called Abraham because Jehovah was going to make him a father of a crowd of nations.
[To see previous:
Question#1, Answer#1
Question#2, Answer#2]
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Thought of the Day
"Let's just say, without sounding too chauvinistic, that men tend to be a little bit more passive without the external influence of the female species. It is not until the little smirks, and whisks of the hair that men's mode changes from passive to aggressive." - Mishael H.
You, know, that's probably what Eve did to Adam....
