Miss-Delectable

Jehovah?s Witnesses focus on needs of deaf | Salisbury, NC - Salisbury Post

The lack of sound in the Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall auditorium last Friday was a little eerie.

Although the space — which seats 2,300 — was full of people, no one was talking, including the presenter on stage, Sonny McDowell.

His hands were flying, however, and his face was animated. He was speaking American Sign Language (ASL).

He was among many presenters during a three-day district convention for the deaf, one of six such gatherings in the country sponsored by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The peak attendance for the convention was 1,281.

The theme: ”Remain close to Jehovah.“

If you’ve ever driven down Old Concord Road, you’ve surely noticed the mammoth Jehovah’s Witness Assembly Hall. Many people, though, have never had occasion to step inside.

Built entirely by volunteers, the building was finished in 1993.

While it does house three local congregations, the facility is primarily a regional education center. The grounds are all-volunteer maintained, says Jerry Ilgenfritz, who, along with his wife, Sharon, has served as the facility’s caretaker for the past 10 years.

The presentations were completely signed — there was no audio component. The convention’s focus was on the deaf and meeting their spiritual needs.

”To see everything presented in their language is awesome for them,“ said Michael Pippa. ”If all they were given is closed caption, it wouldn’t mean anything.“

When the main presentation is spoken and there is an ASL translator off to the side, the deaf tend to ”feel a little isolated,“ Pippa said, adding that it’s important for the deaf to hear the message directly in their own language, without an interpretor.

Many audience members could hear, Pippa explained, and were there to support family and others in the faith. Some Jehovah’s Witness missionaries focus on finding and sharing their religion with the deaf, Pippa said.

When a speaker finished, there was no applause, at least not the hand-clapping version.

Instead, audience members raised their hands in the air and shook them — almost as though they were wet and they were trying to air dry them. To a deaf presenter, seeing an auditorium full of shaking hands must be a very gratifying experience.

Dozens of video monitors throughout the building allowed convention-goers and organizers to always have access to the presentation. A command center behind the stage kept the program going like clockwork.

Some in the audience were not only deaf but blind or visually impaired as well, which presented an extra challenge to convention organizers.

It was easily overcome, however, with the help of the many volunteers willing and able to do what is called ”tactile signing.“

The interpreter watches the presentation on a monitor, or in person, and then repeats the signs while the deaf person holds the interpreter’s hands.

Ernest Tracy of Gastonia, who can’t hear or see, was receiving the message via tactile interpretor.

Tactile interpretors take fairly frequent breaks, with two often working together and switching off. That’s because watching someone sign and then having to convey ASL tactilely is very draining, Pippa said.

Along with his wife, Brenda, who can hear, Ernest Tracy is part of a deaf Jehovah’s Witness congregation in Charlotte that has about 75-80 members.

During a session break, Brenda Tracy interpreted for her husband.

”It’s been wonderful,“ he said. ”I’ve learned a lot. It’s never the same. I always learn new scriptures and how to apply them.“

He particularly liked James 4:8, he said — draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.

Janice Adams, her seeing eye dog Roddie at her feet, sat in the front row of the auditorium. An interpretor next to her did tactile signing with her. She and her husband, Bill Adams, are missionaries in Honduras, with a permanent home is in Alexandria, Va.

Later, she explained through her husband, who translated for her, that she benefits greatly from the conventions for the deaf. ”It helps me be a better minister, a better person,“ she said.

”I always enjoy meeting old friends and always make new friends,“ she said. ”That’s one real blessing from this organization.“

In Honduras, she and her husband, who can hear, speak

the Honduran form of sign language. It’s similar to American Sign, with about 40 percent of the vocabulary the same, she says.

It’s important to her to use Honduran sign language when she is there as a sign of respect, s

he said.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been proactive in focusing on deaf members and reaching out to prospective members who are deaf or hearing impaired. Much of the organization’s literature has been translated into ASL and is available on DVD, Pippa said.

Witnesses also take the DVDs door to door so that they can share them with the deaf.

”That can be mind-blowing for some of the deaf who are not used to this kind of interest,“ Pippa said.

Those who would like to download the Bible in ASL can do so from The Jehovah’s Witnesses website.

DVDs of the Bible in ASL are given free of charge to those who want them.

During the presentations, when the speaker cited scripture, the verse in ASL, cued up on a DVD player, popped up on screen.

The Bible translators are entertaining even if you don’t understand ASL. The motions are rhythmic in a hip-hop sort of way, with facial expressions that might seem exaggerated to those not used to the language.

Pippa took me backstage and introduced me to one of the convention organizers, Sonny McDowell, who supports all the deaf Jehovah’s Witness congregations from South Carolina to Pennsylvania, about 17 congregations in all with a total of 1,100 members. He’s been involved in that sort of outreach for about nine years.

He got started when several people in Florida asked him if he could help start a congregation for the deaf there.

He then met a couple from Cuba who were deaf.

”I taught them the Bible, and they taught me the language (American Sign),“ he said.

It took him about two years before he was comfortable with signing.

He was then able to help form a deaf congregation in Jacksonville.

Things evolved from there, and he was asked if he would travel to help the deaf.

Like other Witnesses, McDowell is a volunteer who receives no payment for his services.

”I took a vow of poverty,“ McDowell said.

He stays in people’s homes when he’s traveling.

”It always works out,“ he says. ”We have what we need.“

Pippa, who lives in Savannah, Ga.,was also motivated to learn ASL through his association with the Witnesses.

His wife, Jenny, learned first, he said. About 25 years

ago she was helping a couple learn the Bible and began to learn a little ASL. Then, one year, he says, she helped a deaf person study until she was ready to be baptised, and that experience made her more committed to learning the language.

She then began praying that he would learn as well, Pippa said.

He wasn’t so sure, but after attending a meeting of the deaf in Raleigh, he began to come around. ”I was so impressed by the spirit and camaraderie,“ he says.

So he began to learn ASL — a process that was very frustrating to him for about a year and a half, he says.

Then, it all began to click, he says.

Jenny’s expertise with ASL has led to paying interpreter jobs at several Savannah colleges.

That isn’t uncommon, Michael says. ”A lot of Jehovah’s Witnesses have become interpreters,“ he says.

‘I left the world’

On Saturday, seven people were baptized at mid-day, after listening to presenter Kim Nichols.

Pippa quietly translated the presentation into English for me. A lot of it seemed to be an extended metaphor about driving — about how the Christian needs to look forward, and concentrate, and not be distracted.

Speaking to those who were waiting to be baptized, Nichols told them how they would remember June 26, 2010: ”I left the world.“

The wall panel to the right of the stage was then rolled back, exposing the baptismal font. Two men ready to assist stood in the waist-deep water.

The males went first, including a 10-year-old boy, the youngest to be baptized. Then, the women.

I felt a little strange about taking pictures, but Pippa assured me it wouldn’t be a problem, that the act of baptism was symbolic, that it wasn’t a solemn ceremony as it is in some religions.

Although a bit of signing went back and forth between the assistants and person being baptised, the communication was merely about the dunking process — about the need to pinch one’s nose and so forth. There was no ritualistic language.

Assistants on the side wielded mops and made sure that no one slipped on a wet floor.

There was a celebratory air to the proceedings, with plenty of pictures being taken and that hand-shaking applause.

This weekend, a similar convention is being held at the assembly but for French-speakers.

From May to September, there will be 357 such conventions in 90 cities throughout the United States, conducted in languages from Chinese to Arabic to Tagalog.

For more information about the Jehovah’s Witnesses, go to

www.watchtower. org.

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- Helen Keller

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deafdyke

I got targeted by them! I think they delbiratly target us b/c we (especially those of us who were mainstreamed to the max) can be vulnable to recruitment by strange cults/religions.
They are delibratly targeting us b/c they are dying out....at least the hearing part of the congregation.

whatdidyousay!

They came to my house a few times and I made it clear I did not want them coming back . They did and this time I told the people that they're trespassing and I will call the cops if they come to my home again. The Jehovah Witnesses have not been back . The last time they came I was having work done on my house and one guy said he once got lost and pulled into the Jehovah Witnesses parking lot , he was not there more than a minute and someone came out and told the guy he was trespassing ! How do you like that , it okay for the Jehovah Witnesses to come our house any time of day , but don't you dare to park in Jehovah Witnesses parking lot!
The elderly are targeted by Jehovah Witnesses all the time , the JW love to get to the elderlyas some are very loney and are easy target ,some of my clients ask me to tell the to leave them alone.

Bebonang

That is interesting about the Jehovah's Witnesses. I had that problems many years ago and I did not want them come to my door and advertise me to come to their church. When I came to Canada and got married to my husband, there are Jehovah's Witnesses that came to our house few times in the years ahead, I told them I am Catholic. My husband does not like that either. He just want to hide in the bedroom while I talked to the nice lady who is trying to help me understand about the Bible. So far I have not got them over this summer. But maybe they will again later probably next year. We are living in the bush and they are Jehovah's Witnesses which mean they are all over whether they are in the cities or towns even in the bush.

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I HAVE BEEN DEAF SINCE BIRTH, AND IT IS STILL AWESOME TO BE . (thumb up) (very happy)

CJB

I got invited to that very meeting by two friends of mine. I didn't go though. They target the blind too. They have all their Bible materials and pamphlets in braille. I made the mistake of letting them come in a few times cause I wanted a chance to practice ASL, but then they kept inviting me to come to that meeting.



On a good note, at least they don't ask for money.

deafironchef

WHOA JW I WISH THEY SEE JESUS CHRIST IS ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN !

They have remove so many context that they are missing

they not like kjv at all !


I do not trust JW AT ALL !

ncff07

do some searching and find out what Jehovah stands for.

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Left ear - Nucleus Freedom
(Implanted: 2/9/09 | Activated: 3/6/09)

deafironchef

i know but way they teach are mistake

overthepond

I got them knocking at my door all the time, HOW do they know which deaf person lives here! they don't knock on other people's door.

I threat them with the police and they haven't been back for while.

This is in the UK.

Reba

They visit deaf people in hospitals, uninvited; a staff member at the hospital notified them.

They knock on house windows when deaf people don't answer the door.

They don't accept "please, don't come back" as an answer.

They invite deaf people to Bible studies and give them the street address for the meeting without telling them it's a JW church.

They knocked on my door telling me that a neighbor told them I was deaf (I'm hearing but I sign); that's not true because all my neighbors know that I'm hearing.

I know all of the above from personal experience.

rockin'robin

Had a few come to the door, I look out the window to see who is there, and don't let them in....they stand there for quite a while, finally leaving pamplets stuck in the door....

In past years, I've had several "run-ins" with them too....They are "pushy and manipulative people!"....And have gotten quite a tongue lashing from me...

One of my childhood friends, her family were all JW's...she was a very unhappy girl! She finally left that Church!...I've no qualms to tell them to take their shyt and shove it somewhere else....

whatdidyousay!

You should not tell a JW what your religious is, they'll want to try and "save You" more! I made a huge mistake saying I was Jewish , the JW eyes lite up and I knew they really wanted to 'save me' . I saved myself by closing the door in their face! and I was saved! I belong to ' Close the Door in your Face'
religious. I do not feel bad about doing this as they're trespassing.

CJB

The JW's I've come across used the more of the "see, your beliefs really aren't that different from ours" tactic and gave me several stories of deafblind people converting to JW. Real subtle.

deafdyke

Really? Do they have a sizable Blind population too?
UGH yeah!!!! They gave me a card saying they had Bible Studies and stuff like that in ASL. I have NO beef with Bible Studies. But when they're not straightforward about their beliefs.....Even Bill Rice Ranch is very "out there" that they are evalingcial. They don't pretend that they are general libral leaning Christians.
I do think they try to target us b/c in general JWs are dying, and they want to revitalize the masses.

CJB

I have no idea how big their blind population is, but I do know they're all about spreading the message in whatever format necessary.

deafdyke

I swear to god, if my best friend had been there when they targeted me, I would have called out for her and said something like " Hey honey, what do you think? Should we go?" and then given her a HUGE kiss on the lips. Or maybe done something like turned to her and asked " What do you think honey? Should we sacrifice them to the Great Goddess Lesbos?"

whatdidyousay!

My daughter when to school with a boy who parents were Jehovah's Witnesses. The boy was not allows to go to any of the school dances or party and had to go door to with his parents. My daughter said the boy hated being a Jehovah's Witnesses and he could not hang out with his friends . I think it not fair to force livestyle this on to a kid .

Steinhauer

I was visited by them before. They all signed and were very polite. They even knew my full name, where I worked, who my father was, etc. etc. etc.

Like I said, they were very polite ..... but knew way too much about me. They even talked/signed to me as if they knew me for years.

Creepy ....

AndyE9503

I have had so much fun with them over the years. Best one was when my old roommate acted like he was sacrificing a goat in a different room. Complete with sounds of animal screams. And I acted like I was possessed by the devil and tried to convert them to devil worship. At the end my roommate came out of the room he was in with a huge knife smeared with ketchup and started licking it clean. Weird thing though I still had to shut the door in their face to get them to leave.

The thing that I do most of the time is just open the door and scream as loud as I can and when I run out of breath I slam the door.

rockin'robin

.....awww...come on! Not that drastic, eh?...Seems they would have called the cops! And you and ur roommate would be taken out in straight jackets! HAHA...

laurabeth

I've had some fun with them too.... they mean well, but man, oh, man, are they fun to mess with. Here's one story:

While sharing a house with a few of my fraternity brothers in college, we noticed a pair of them working our street. My roomies and I acted fast, and set up a cutting board, a few knives, and a plate of salt on a new age- looking blanket on the floor.

At the knock, my roommate threw the door open in breathless anticipation and asked "Did you bring the sacrifice? No? Well, where is it?" Looking past the speaker to his partner, she said "Oh, all right, you'll do." And pulled the dumbfounded person into our house. "Hey Laura-- Which God are we sacrificing to this week?"

"Baal," I replied coming out of the kitchen with another knife. "By the way, where did you put the bucket? I want to be sure to catch all the blood this time."

With that, the JW wrenched his hand free from my friend's grasp, and the two of them bolted. The next day, the police visited our place and looked around. However, the JWs stayed away from our house for a very long time.



Laura

AndyE9503

That is classic. Even better than mine.

CJB

Epic!

souggy

I feel lucky...

I know a few Jehovah's Witnesses as clients and as friends... they've never tried to convert me or invite me to their events.

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"It is my task to convince you not to turn away because you don’t understand it." - Richard Freynman

Royale

Same here.

I have a few good friends who are JWs. I told them not to try to convert me into JW as long as we valued our friendship greatly.

Royale

You are a lady and you mentioned my fraternity brothers in your post.

Reba

Most curious, indeed.

laurabeth

oops... sorry - I was a member of Alpha Phi Omega in college - a co-ed service/volunteer fraternity. Everyone, male or female was called a "brother"

didn't even think to clarify that - sorry!

Laura

yizuman

You may wanna find out how they know you so much, because from the looks of things, they're violating your right to privacy. I am guessing there's a JW that so happens to be a friend of yours (or that you once knew) that is a member of the same congregation that they're from.

Yiz

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yizuman

You are quite correct in that regard. The Internet is becoming a major threat to their so called "religion" basically because there's so much information that shows they've done false prophecies in the past 100 years (last one was 1975) and they keep changing their doctrines that they call it, "new light", explaining away their constant doctrinal flip flops over the years.

A couple of good books to read would be Ray Franz who was a former member of the Governing Body, a small body of men who sit down and discuss doctrinal issues for their upcoming Watchtower and Awake! magazines as well as many other issues. He wrote two books entitled, "Crisis of Conscience" and "In Search of Christian Freedom" Ray outlines alot of scandals that took place since the beginning and why he got kicked out from the "religion". It's a real eye opener to this organization.

Ray passed away last month and for many ex-JWs who knew him and read his books, he will be sorely missed from their ex-JW community.

Yiz

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