IT TAKES A CONGREGATION: Hundreds help build new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
By SHIRLEY UPTON, T&D Correspondent Friday, November 07, 20089 comment(s) | Default | Large
SANTEE -- It was an amazing sight to see. One day, there was a vacant three-acre field on U.S. 301 in Santee with a sign announcing the coming of a new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. A few days later, the site preparation, foundation, plumbing, electrical work and framing were completed, and the watertight building stood proudly, a testament to the faith, cooperation and hard work of church members.
"There are 50 Santee families in our congregation, and we are all volunteers," member William Mueller of Santee said. "In addition, volunteers from all over North and South Carolina are helping us out with carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing and other construction trades."
A parking area for the campers of out-of-town volunteers was set up on the site because some stayed overnight.
"One of the volunteer bricklayers is a blind man," Mueller said. "This member works right along with the other bricklayers, passing bricks to them."
In the United States, Jehovah's Witnesses are among the top 10 largest international religious bodies with the most meeting places and congregations, but they have among the smallest congregation sizes of any group.
According to its public affairs office, no denomination in the world is responsible for as many hours of proselytizing as Jehovah's Witnesses. Witnesses says they provided more than one billion "volunteer hours spent in public Bible educational work" in the most recently reported year.
By winning more court cases in the Supreme Court than any other religious group, Jehovah's Witnesses are responsible for many of the freedoms of speech and religion that Americans now have, the group says.
South Carolina ranks 20th in the nation for its proportion of Jehovah's Witnesses, as determined by a 1990 nationwide telephone survey of 113,000 people.
The new Kingdom Hall in Santee was expected to be ready for occupancy Tuesday, Nov. 4.
T&D Correspondent Shirley Upton can be reached by e-mail at writer@ntinet.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.
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JehovahWitness wrote on Nov 15, 2008 5:06 AM:
Leaving Jehovah's Witnesses?
Are You Hurt & Confused? Afraid To Leave WT?
How to Serve Jehovah
http://www.4Jehovah.org "
DannyHaszard wrote on Nov 15, 2008 3:47 AM:
Google *Jehovah's Witnesses* for yourselves and get unbiased information from web search. Google don't lie it will open your eye. "
sickofcrying wrote on Nov 13, 2008 8:26 AM:
elcid87 wrote on Nov 12, 2008 10:47 PM:
I have studied many religions. When I read the Jehovas Witnesses Bible and compared it to any translation of the King James version, I noticed one thing that told me to go away from this reading. They seem to refer to Jesus as other than the Son Of God. They don't seem to beieve in the immaculante conception. There are others I could mention, but this is enough or should I say to much for me to continue investigating. I will not attempt to correct anothers religion since I am commanded not to. But, I when I see the Bible rewritten, it confuses me and turns me away. Don't take my opinion for the truth. Study their bible through the four gosphels and decide for yourself. These folks who have predicted the end of the world to an exact date several times scare me. There motive I don't understand. Brain washing comes to mind for a very conservitive man who grew up diferently than they did. Don't condem them, but study them and make your own opinion.
When I lived in the first I ever bought, the showed up one saturday when I was working on my house. They were dressed nicely and expressed an interest to speak to me about our Lord. I agreed to read their liteturature and speak to them later since I was busy trying to beat the rain. They said they would talk to me soon, but never returned. I figured they felt I was a hopeless cause. Guess what, they were right. I read their pamplets wich at first seem OK. When I did further studying, I was shocked. They don't see Jesus as I beiieve him to be. Again, don't take what I say for the truth. Study and make your own decision. I love you all. "
uscwhiskeygirl wrote on Nov 12, 2008 5:47 PM:
JJ2014 wrote on Nov 8, 2008 7:32 AM:
The following website summarizes 900 court cases and lawsuits affecting children of Jehovah's Witness Parents, including 400 cases where the JW Parents refused to consent to life-saving blood transfusions for their dying children, as well as nearly 400 CRIMINAL cases -- most involving MURDERS:
DIVORCE, BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING CHILDREN OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com
The following website summarizes over 500 lawsuits filed by Jehovah's Witnesses against their Employers, incidents involving problem JW Employees, and other secret JW "history" court cases:
EMPLOYMENT ISSUES UNIQUE TO JEHOVAH'S WITNESS EMPLOYEES
http://jwemployees.bravehost.com "
JehovahWitness wrote on Nov 8, 2008 2:41 AM:
Because of the JW's zeal at proselytizing, they have led many into spiritual deception and away from God's gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, substituting instead a religion of salvation based on works. Those who are ignorant of the Bible and Biblical doctrine are the most vulnerable to cults and spiritual deception as the Bible says,people perish because of ignorance. "
DannyHaszard wrote on Nov 7, 2008 8:11 AM:
They will extol and preach *God's Kingdom* and this sounds attractive,what they hide from you is their Watchtower society version that Jesus has already had his second coming in 1914 and is working *invisibly* through them.
They have won 37 of their 46 Supreme court cases assuring us all of freedom of speech and assembly and equal protection under the law.
The sad irony is that the Watchtower Society *daily* abuses the human rights of thousands of its members. It denies current members the right of free speech by forbidding them to speak to former members, even close family members.
And it denies former members their right of freedom of worship by refusing to allow them to leave the religion with dignity, should they come to disagree with Watchtower's practices or doctrines.
The religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is an oppressive organization that controls every aspect of its members' lives.
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Danny Haszard "
DannyHaszard wrote on Nov 7, 2008 8:05 AM:
Many of these Kingdom Hall buildings are Watchtower corporation "make work" projects that give the appearance of growth to a religion in decline.
The wealthy Watchtower real estate holding company gets free labour provided by the Jehovah's Witnesses followers to donate more tax free property to their corporation.
Jehovah's Witnesses have the largest turnover of recruits, have one of the highest attrition rates of all denominations.
Half of all the Watchtower-related news now on Jehovah's Witnesses is either obituaries or Kingdom Hall construction.
The old folks who gave everything to the WBTS are dying off left and right cause no new system ever came -- in 1975.
The Watchtower keeps on wheeling and dealing big money real estate.60-80% of all the young people are leaving the JW's.
13,000 leave the Watchtower organization every month, find out why.
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Danny Haszard born 3rd generation Jehovah's Witnesseshttp://www.dannyhaszard.com "