The 2012 JW Survey has already revealed that hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses are critical of the Watch Tower Society

The 2012 JW Survey has now been closed so that we can process the numbers and see what they reveal. A healthy number of 1,488 voters participated in the survey, and we are extremely grateful to each and every one of our readers who seized the opportunity to let their voices be heard.

Though it will take me some time to process and publish the results, it is already apparent that the survey reveals a surge of discontent against the Watch Tower Society and its policies. In each and every voter category, the overwhelming majority of voters were critical of the organization’s beliefs and practices. Also, many hundreds refused to accept the Society’s claims that it represents the earthly part of God’s organization.

You would perhaps expect only disfellowshipped or disassociated Witnesses to be getting involved in a survey such as this, but it is noteworthy that healthy numbers have voted from all ends of the Witness spectrum. Here is a breakdown of the voter numbers…

  • Active witnesses – 248
  • Serving Elders – 33
  • Memorial partakers – 13
  • Inactive Witnesses – 545
  • Disfellowshipped/disassociated – 428
  • Unbaptized – 221
  • TOTAL – 1,488 voters

As I have mentioned, I will be publishing a detailed summary of the survey results in the near future. However, just to give you a glimpse of what the survey shows, let us focus on the “active witnesses” category for a moment.

Jehovah’s not-so-happy people

You might be surprised to hear that the majority of active Witnesses voting (68%) said that they do not consider Jehovah’s Witnesses to represent God’s spirit directed organization. And of the 248 Witnesses voting, only 5% (12 voters) said they could agree with ALL of the Society’s teachings and practices. This is certainly not the sort of feedback you would expect from worshippers who the Society claims are united in loyal worship under the Slave Class, or Governing Body.

Two thirds of active witnesses who took part in our survey do not believe Jehovah’s Witnesses are God’s organization

But are these active Witness voters justified in feeling so dismayed at the organization at the moment? Let’s remember that 2012 was the year when a court of law found the Society legally responsible for the abuse suffered by a nine-year-old girl at the hands of a known child molester. There is also increasing dismay at the unloving and unmerciful statements and teachings that are being disseminated through the Society’s publications. When one considers the individual pain and emotional anguish caused by cruel practices such as the shunning of teenagers, one can easily understand why some active Witnesses (enough to make up 2 or 3 congregations!) have used the survey to register their disapproval.

More will be revealed in the forthcoming results, which I will be making available for download in PDF format once they are ready. We have also appreciated all the feedback from voters who have taken part over the past year, and we hope to use and implement these suggestions when putting the finishing touches to the 2013 JW survey.

A fascinating year ahead

Apart from the soon-to-be-launched 2013 JW Survey, I believe there are many reasons to look forward to 2013 in anticipation of what the year holds in store. The Society’s appeal in the Candace Conti case rumbles on, and I’m sure some fascinating developments lie ahead in that saga. There is also an exciting turn of events in Australia threatening to put the Society’s child abuse policies under serious scrutiny in that country, with criminal prosecutions against the organization a distinct possibility. And you just never know what printed madness will appear in the Society’s publications as the year progresses. You can be sure I will be doing my best to keep you informed on all developments to the extent possible.

I have started work on a book which I hope will assist thinking Witnesses in looking at the organization more objectively

I also have personal reasons for excitement about the year ahead. I am happy to reveal to readers of this blog that I am in the course of writing a book about my story as a Witness, with two chapters already completed. I will soon begin trying to find a publisher with a view to making the book as widely available as possible. The book will cover the history of the organization and discuss various harmful teachings and practices. It will also tell my own story in a way that I hope many will find enjoyable and entertaining.

The book is being written primarily with non-Witnesses in mind so as to raise outside awareness of some of the problems within our organization. However, I will also be directly addressing Witnesses at certain stages throughout the book as a way of helping such ones to reason objectively on certain topics. It is my hope that, once completed and published, the book will become a useful aid in helping thinking Witnesses to break free from the mental and emotional shackles of an organization that many are clearly already realizing has nothing to do with God or his purposes.

 

16 thoughts on “2012 JW Survey closes as we look forward to a promising 2013

  • January 1, 2013 at 9:08 am
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    “By their fruits you will recognize these men” (Mt. 7:15) Indeed, the fruitage of the Watchtower is rotten to the core!-Danny Haszard

  • January 1, 2013 at 10:53 am
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    Keep up the excellent work you’ve been doing particularly in giving a voice to the voiceless…we look forward to the results.
    Wishing you all the best with your book.

  • January 1, 2013 at 4:24 pm
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    Yes only time will reveal what will unfold. When reviewing the new articles released by the Watchtower about predicting the end of days is good. In their own way they recognized past mistakes about statements which reveals many things. Damage Control is the focus of 2013 while trying to regroup from a rocky 2012. I personally appreciate the gestures but it is far to late for me. Forgiveness is a christian attitude I do work in applying but bad policies that hurt children are not so easy to forgive. Thanks for the info Cedar. Jehovah will always be with the True Christians and if your one of those you will see this organization for its works. Love to those that struggle for the truth.

  • January 2, 2013 at 3:32 pm
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    Continue with your hard work Cedars! As it was mentioned before, you are giving a voice to the voiceless. I am one of the many individuals who not only feels trapped in this Organization but in a literal sense is. So, I encourage you to continue because you are a great writer and you expose nothing but the truth. Thank you.

  • January 6, 2013 at 9:48 am
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    I anticipate your book Cedars.

    Kudos to your loving ability which encouraged even Active WTS Members, including Memorial Partakers, to respond to your survey. I did chuckle at the array of participants, but quickly remembered how serious is the state of all associated with this deceptive organization.

    Please know I’m willing to volunteer where I can to be of assistance if it means helping free the 7 million mentally oppressed slaves of the society.

  • January 6, 2013 at 10:14 am
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    ***comment deleted***

    • January 10, 2013 at 12:37 pm
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      Hello Christine – thank you for visiting this website and contributing. I want you to feel welcome! However, please understand that I do not allow links to be posted to websites of a religious or even atheistic nature. If you want to know why, please read this article: http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/is-jwsurvey-org-an-apostate-website Warm regards, Cedars

  • January 6, 2013 at 6:09 pm
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    Really look forward to checking out your book. Congratulations on another superbly written article. I never would have imagined that 68% of active members of this organization don’t consider it to be God’s official organization.

  • January 7, 2013 at 5:53 am
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    Hi Cedars, i appreciate your blogs and look forward to your book as well as more insightful info on certain matters.
    Reaggding the result of the survey though, I am doubting if it is really represantative of the mindset of average JW. I would guess, that most of the active witnesses, who partake in such a survey are anyway already “awakened” witnesses, who are just held capitve for various reasons, but in fact do not believe anymore in the WTS (like myself, I also took part in your survey).
    Therefore its no surprise that the majority of them does not accept JW as being Gods organization anymore.

    Just my 2 cents, anyway, keep up the good work ;-)

  • January 11, 2013 at 11:12 pm
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    WTS arrogantly claimed they are God’s organisation, but nowhere in the bible i have seen in writting that God approves WTS to be his representant on planet earth. The biblical text that they applied to themselves found in Mathew 24:45 never mentions an organisation or a religion. Jesus simply asked a QUESTION. starting like this ” who really is the faitful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Since they claimed they are the only religion that provides spiritual foods to their followers so therefore they arrogantly self-pro claimed they are that faitful and discreet slave as a group. It takes me years to understanding watchtower mind control tactic over people. Thank you Cedars in helping others to be free from wts destructive rules and mind control over his 7millions slaves.

    • January 12, 2013 at 10:41 am
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      When looking at the New World Translation you can easily misunderstand these verses. At first glance this is a question about an individual that is given authority over goods and property and left in care to do this for their master. Looking at this translation versus the King James is about the same conclusion. Faithful and discreet slave or faithful and wise servant just informs us that the one given this authority will likely be someone that has proven themselves to be well trusted with making crucial decisions for their master while they are gone. When it mentions appointed over his domestics this is also just referring to the home, property, possible household slaves, and any other belongings too. If we are to try to do this today we would likely need a power of attorney which grants authority over another persons goods and property. When it refers to food at the proper time or supplying food it is very direct. When governing over the masters home it is important to be organized and timely on matters. Purchasing goods for the household slaves to do their work along with feeding them. Paying debts that may arise and also dealing with all matters in order to keep the masters home from being in ruins when they arrive back home. If we look at these verses they have no real significance to us today unless we are looking at an example for how to choose someone to care for our things. The content when looked at for its true meaning is just pondering over the question of who would be the best person to handle things for however long they are away. Basic knowledge of Master and slave ownership in bible times helps all to understand this was common to have a faithful and wise house slave manage your house when away on other matters. This is my simple breakdown so others can realize that the WTBS is misleading others by creating false doctrines out of normal everyday biblical routines. They owned real slaves in those times and the WTBS implies all rank and file are slaves in which the GB were chosen as the masters appointed one. The use of these verses were much easier to relate to in the earlier years of the Watchtower because slavery was still fresh in that generations mind. Today these verses could be applied to the owner of a business having a store manager or assistant run things until they need to visit again. Be careful as the truth is logical and easy to understand in most cases so do not be misled by these silly views. I apologize Maria got me on a day in which i wanted to share my personal view.

  • January 28, 2013 at 7:55 pm
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    Cedars, the book idea is brilliant!

    It’s a shame so many Witnesses will not read it. I reckon, in response to your wondering what other whack stuff will be published by the WTS this year, they will print more stuff on not reading ‘apostate’ stuff.

    I believe the active witnesses who’ve voted in your survey are like me, in that they’re having doubts and have stumbled upon your site in their research. I did, as your site was linked to another site which was linked to another and so on and so forth… so the active witnesses who vote are probably not the ‘goodthinkful’ ones who treat any dissension as the tool of the devil.

  • February 2, 2013 at 3:04 am
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    Watchtower’s fruits have proved that they are a religion. After been a catholic for 23 years I have now seen the light. I used hate Jehovah’s witnesses but I happened to lodge a house living together with a JW family. The family members loved one onother and lived peacefully. We used to fight in our marriage but this family assisted us by studying bible and their literature together and to apply bible principles in solving our problems. We now have a happy marriage. I thank Jehovah God and JWs for doing good work may he continue bless them despite opposition.

  • May 23, 2013 at 10:51 pm
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    billiard, i realise the practical ways of help BUT… Jesus said
    john 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also: and from henceforth you know him, and have seen him.
    billiard if you have the wrong Jesus you have the wrong father ….. and that will be very serious when you stand before Him.
    Study the scriptures.God bless you.

  • August 12, 2016 at 1:19 pm
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    Please bring me up to date 2016 about the going ons with the Society
    griffco63@gmail.com
    Thank you
    Rob

  • September 20, 2016 at 9:09 am
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    How do I complete the survey for 2016?

Comments are closed.