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I am very proud of this.

Jehovah’s Witnesses - Publishing Titans
Who knew? Their Watchtower is now the world’s largest magazine. But you can’t buy it anywhere.

By Jim Meyers
Step aside, AARP the magazine. Move over, People. The most widely read magazine in the world is a publication you can’t subscribe to or find on any newsstand.

The Watchtower, the monthly publication of the Jehovah’s Witnesses distributed by volunteers in the course of their house-to-house ministry, now boasts a circulation of more than 25 million.
Last year, the world’s 7.3 million Jehovah’s Witnesses spent 1.5 trillion hours knocking on doors and handing out The Watchtower, a doctrinal guide to Witnesses’ beliefs, according to The New York Review of Magazines. There are plenty of copies to go around. Every month nearly 40 million copies are printed in more than 180 languages for distribution in 236 countries. The closest competitor, AARP The Magazine, has a circulation of just over 24 million.
The Watchtower - the full name is The Watchtower: Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom - is published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, with headquarters near the East River in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Tract Society also publishes a companion magazine, Awake!, as well as a number of books, brochures, and a Bible.

The operation is funded entirely by donations, mostly from Witnesses who leave contributions at their meeting places, called Kingdom Halls. The Witnesses’ overall income is unknown, but in 2001 Newsday listed the Tract Society as one of New York City’s 40 richest corporations, with revenues exceeding $950 million.
The Watchtower’s mission statement is printed on the inside cover page of each issue: “The purpose of this magazine is to honor Jehovah God, the Supreme Ruler of the universe. Just as watchtowers in ancient times enabled a person to observe developments from affair, so this magazine shows us the significance of world events in the light of Bible prophecies. It comforts people with the good news that God’s Kingdom, which is a real government in heaven, will soon bring an end to all wickedness and transform the earth into paradise.”

Full Artcle: Page Not Found

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Good job, I think I have 1 million of those copies and 15 million hours occupied sitting in my front room.

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[quote]Brother Chris wrote:
Good job, I think I have 1 million of those copies and 15 million hours occupied sitting in my front room.[/quote]

15 million hours = 1,711.19329 years

I want your diet. :slight_smile:

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Just because they stuff one in my mailbox thrice weekly doesn’t mean I actually READ them.

Now get the fuck off my porch.

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[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
I am very proud of this.

[/quote]

Why are you proud of this? Are you a JW? What are you proud of? The fact that they hand out heaps of magazines, leave them on buses and in waiting rooms that no one reads?

Or the fact that an organisation which advocates (demands) putting spiritual wealth above material wealth, derides materialism etc… is one of NYC wealthiest corporations? They do a good job of keeping that quiet.

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[quote]GCF wrote:

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
I am very proud of this.

[/quote]

Why are you proud of this? Are you a JW? What are you proud of? The fact that they hand out heaps of magazines, leave them on buses and in waiting rooms that no one reads?

Or the fact that an organisation which advocates (demands) putting spiritual wealth above material wealth, derides materialism etc… is one of NYC wealthiest corporations? They do a good job of keeping that quiet.[/quote]

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[quote]GCF wrote:

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
I am very proud of this.

[/quote]

Why are you proud of this? Are you a JW? What are you proud of? The fact that they hand out heaps of magazines, leave them on buses and in waiting rooms that no one reads?

Or the fact that an organisation which advocates (demands) putting spiritual wealth above material wealth, derides materialism etc… is one of NYC wealthiest corporations? They do a good job of keeping that quiet.[/quote]

They just mad, because the Catholic Church be number one playa on the block, bro. Yet, no one be maddoggin on 'em or nuffin on dis here threads! Haters gonna hate, players gonna play, I don’t want none of the above, I wanna be saved on you!!! Thought I’d throw a little R. Kelly into the mix.

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[quote]Sloth wrote:
[/quote]

Haha. Sorry to be the Grinch. Well done honest lifter um… for… um… sorry I just can’t find anything good or to be proud of in this article.

I also take exception to the phrase - ‘most widely read’ …HA! As others have alluded this is dubious. Most circulated yes. When I was in the UK I bought some fish and chips and they were wrapped in them. Most read - doubt it. So um - well done JWs for wasting the most amount of paper?

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[quote]GCF wrote:

[quote]Sloth wrote:
[/quote]

Haha. Sorry to be the Grinch. Well done honest lifter um… for… um… sorry I just can’t find anything good or to be proud of in this article.

I also take exception to the phrase - ‘most widely read’ …HA! As others have alluded this is dubious. Most circulated yes. When I was in the UK I bought some fish and chips and they were wrapped in them. Most read - doubt it. So um - well done JWs for wasting the most amount of paper?[/quote]

And that is fine. You don’t have to find anything good. But the magazine’s objective isn’t to make it onto any list. It it just amazing that such a small organization (comparatively speaking) can produce a magazine in excess of 150 languages and be distributed by hand in over 230 different lands.

Do you know another magazine that is more widely read?

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[quote]honest_lifter wrote:

And that is fine. You don’t have to find anything good. But the magazine’s objective isn’t to make it onto any list. It it just amazing that such a small organization (comparatively speaking) can produce a magazine in excess of 150 languages and be distributed by hand in over 230 different lands.

Do you know another magazine that is more widely read?
[/quote]

So that’s the impressive part for you? As I’ve said before, ‘read’ and ‘printed’ are two different things. Regardless I still don’t see why it’s something to be proud of. If it is so widely read why is the organisation still so small as you said? Speaks poorly of the quality of the magazine and efficacy of it getting its message across.

To me far more impressive is the fact an organisation can become so quietly wealthy and not get called out by its followers.

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Perhaps, but the women of Playboy are still hotter.

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I just clicked on the link. The rest of the article is interesting too:

The Watchtower, and the Witnesses, had their origin in 1879, when writer and preacher Charles T. Russell released Zion�¢??s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ�¢??s Presence.

Russell was a former assistant editor of the Second Adventist magazine, Herald of the Morning, and had gathered followers in the years before 1879 through speaking tours and newspaper columns. He parted ways with Adventist doctrine when the world did not end in 1878, as it had predicted.

His new doctrine stated that Christ would return to earth in 1914 to destroy nonbelievers and allow Witnesses to transform the planet into paradise. The religion adopted the name Jehovah�¢??s Witnesses in the 1930s, teaching that Christ did return in 1914 but was invisible. Witnesses now �¢??take a less specific approach to the end of the world,�¢?? according to the Review of Magazines, published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

end quote

Funny that this Russell dude split with Adventists when their prediction of the world ending didn’t happen. He then predicted Christ would return to destry all nonbelievers in 1914 - er wrong. Oops. Egg on face.

But nope turns out he was right after all - Jesus did in fact return as predicted but he was invisible of course! No mention of the predicted destruction or paradise maybe that was all invisible too?

EDIT: Slightly tangential to this thread but linked to the article supplied: How is this not a knockout blow to a particular sect? If your FOUNDER is exposed as a FALSE prophet? how the heck does he still have followers?! For me that would be a pretty loud ‘abandon ship signal’?

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GCF - You definitely went off topic. You didn’t answer my question, and instead started attacking the religion itself. There is a reason why 1914 is chosen; you can see one of the other threads for a very detailed answer of it posted by another person.

You appear to have a personal problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses, which is sad, but not the purpose of this thread.

Regards the wealth of the organization; you assume they are keeping this money? What about all the money spent on publishing, printing, and distributing of all the information? Net and Gross income are very different animals.

Something to note: taking one secular source as your supplied ammunition against a particular entity is never a good business practice. There is no way to have a full understanding from a brief summary.

Now back to the original question. Are you aware of a magazine that has the means to reach so much of the earth’s population in their mother tongue on a monthly basis? Over 150 languages a month, simultaneously.

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[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
GCF - You definitely went off topic. You didn’t answer my question, and instead started attacking the religion itself. There is a reason why 1914 is chosen; you can see one of the other threads for a very detailed answer of it posted by another person.

You appear to have a personal problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses, which is sad, but not the purpose of this thread.

Regards the wealth of the organization; you assume they are keeping this money? What about all the money spent on publishing, printing, and distributing of all the information? Net and Gross income are very different animals.

Something to note: taking one secular source as your supplied ammunition against a particular entity is never a good business practice. There is no way to have a full understanding from a brief summary.

Now back to the original question. Are you aware of a magazine that has the means to reach so much of the earth’s population in their mother tongue on a monthly basis? Over 150 languages a month, simultaneously. [/quote]

Huh? You are a moonbat. You posted the article up there. I was responding to it and asking some questions - from an article YOU posted. I’m not using it as ammo I’m asking questions that have come up from reading - an article YOU posted? Now you are telling me I shouldn’t use an article YOU posted up for discussion as a discussion point on a discussion board?!

No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. What is your point in getting me to state that? I have never said otherwise. You can’t compare them to other magazines though. They are a totally different animal to the Watchtower.

So there we go I answered your question. How about answering my question that I came up with from reading an article that you posted for discussion on a discussion board? I don’t care why Russell chose 1914 he did and his prophecy was wrong so why do you continue to follow a false prophet?

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[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
small organization (comparatively speaking)

Do you know another magazine that is more widely read?
[/quote]

JW is bigger than any other periodic publisher. And it is one of the richest companies in New York…not sure what you are comparing it to.

Yes, there are quite a few, Reader’s Digest 38 Million readership, plus another 40 million in 21 languages in 70 countries.

Sports illustrated has 23 million in readership every week.

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[quote]GCF wrote:

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
GCF - You definitely went off topic. You didn’t answer my question, and instead started attacking the religion itself. There is a reason why 1914 is chosen; you can see one of the other threads for a very detailed answer of it posted by another person.

You appear to have a personal problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses, which is sad, but not the purpose of this thread.

Regards the wealth of the organization; you assume they are keeping this money? What about all the money spent on publishing, printing, and distributing of all the information? Net and Gross income are very different animals.

Something to note: taking one secular source as your supplied ammunition against a particular entity is never a good business practice. There is no way to have a full understanding from a brief summary.

Now back to the original question. Are you aware of a magazine that has the means to reach so much of the earth’s population in their mother tongue on a monthly basis? Over 150 languages a month, simultaneously. [/quote]

Huh? You are a moonbat. You posted the article up there. I was responding to it and asking some questions - from an article YOU posted. I’m not using it as ammo I’m asking questions that have come up from reading - an article YOU posted? Now you are telling me I shouldn’t use an article YOU posted up for discussion as a discussion point on a discussion board?!

No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. What is your point in getting me to state that? I have never said otherwise. You can’t compare them to other magazines though. They are a totally different animal to the Watchtower.

So there we go I answered your question. How about answering my question that I came up with from reading an article that you posted for discussion on a discussion board? I don’t care why Russell chose 1914 he did and his prophecy was wrong so why do you continue to follow a false prophet?[/quote]

Haha. OK, GCF, I have no problem answering questions. However this: [quote] No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. [/quote] has changed the original question and put it in a different light. Our goal isn’t to hand them out liberally to boost our numbers. We don’t care how many magazines get placed, it isn’t our primary goal. We want people to read them. (thus the reason it is printed in so many languages and distributed in so many lands) If you ever get offered them, feel free to reject them. We try to get the information to those that want to read it. Feel free to ask questions out of genuine curiosity and I will respond with, hopefully, a reasonable answer.

17

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:

[quote]GCF wrote:

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
GCF - You definitely went off topic. You didn’t answer my question, and instead started attacking the religion itself. There is a reason why 1914 is chosen; you can see one of the other threads for a very detailed answer of it posted by another person.

You appear to have a personal problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses, which is sad, but not the purpose of this thread.

Regards the wealth of the organization; you assume they are keeping this money? What about all the money spent on publishing, printing, and distributing of all the information? Net and Gross income are very different animals.

Something to note: taking one secular source as your supplied ammunition against a particular entity is never a good business practice. There is no way to have a full understanding from a brief summary.

Now back to the original question. Are you aware of a magazine that has the means to reach so much of the earth’s population in their mother tongue on a monthly basis? Over 150 languages a month, simultaneously. [/quote]

Huh? You are a moonbat. You posted the article up there. I was responding to it and asking some questions - from an article YOU posted. I’m not using it as ammo I’m asking questions that have come up from reading - an article YOU posted? Now you are telling me I shouldn’t use an article YOU posted up for discussion as a discussion point on a discussion board?!

No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. What is your point in getting me to state that? I have never said otherwise. You can’t compare them to other magazines though. They are a totally different animal to the Watchtower.

So there we go I answered your question. How about answering my question that I came up with from reading an article that you posted for discussion on a discussion board? I don’t care why Russell chose 1914 he did and his prophecy was wrong so why do you continue to follow a false prophet?[/quote]

Haha. OK, GCF, I have no problem answering questions. However this: [quote] No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. [/quote] has changed the original question and put it in a different light. Our goal isn’t to hand them out liberally to boost our numbers. We don’t care how many magazines get placed, it isn’t our primary goal. We want people to read them. (thus the reason it is printed in so many languages and distributed in so many lands) If you ever get offered them, feel free to reject them. We try to get the information to those that want to read it. Feel free to ask questions out of genuine curiosity and I will respond with, hopefully, a reasonable answer.[/quote]

I’d say based on this reply you are not going to get an answer to your question GCF

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[quote]storey420 wrote:

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:

[quote]GCF wrote:

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
GCF - You definitely went off topic. You didn’t answer my question, and instead started attacking the religion itself. There is a reason why 1914 is chosen; you can see one of the other threads for a very detailed answer of it posted by another person.

You appear to have a personal problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses, which is sad, but not the purpose of this thread.

Regards the wealth of the organization; you assume they are keeping this money? What about all the money spent on publishing, printing, and distributing of all the information? Net and Gross income are very different animals.

Something to note: taking one secular source as your supplied ammunition against a particular entity is never a good business practice. There is no way to have a full understanding from a brief summary.

Now back to the original question. Are you aware of a magazine that has the means to reach so much of the earth’s population in their mother tongue on a monthly basis? Over 150 languages a month, simultaneously. [/quote]

Huh? You are a moonbat. You posted the article up there. I was responding to it and asking some questions - from an article YOU posted. I’m not using it as ammo I’m asking questions that have come up from reading - an article YOU posted? Now you are telling me I shouldn’t use an article YOU posted up for discussion as a discussion point on a discussion board?!

No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. What is your point in getting me to state that? I have never said otherwise. You can’t compare them to other magazines though. They are a totally different animal to the Watchtower.

So there we go I answered your question. How about answering my question that I came up with from reading an article that you posted for discussion on a discussion board? I don’t care why Russell chose 1914 he did and his prophecy was wrong so why do you continue to follow a false prophet?[/quote]

Haha. OK, GCF, I have no problem answering questions. However this: [quote] No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. [/quote] has changed the original question and put it in a different light. Our goal isn’t to hand them out liberally to boost our numbers. We don’t care how many magazines get placed, it isn’t our primary goal. We want people to read them. (thus the reason it is printed in so many languages and distributed in so many lands) If you ever get offered them, feel free to reject them. We try to get the information to those that want to read it. Feel free to ask questions out of genuine curiosity and I will respond with, hopefully, a reasonable answer.[/quote]

I’d say based on this reply you are not going to get an answer to your question GCF
[/quote]

I said I would give answers, so I will.

19

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
[Haha. OK, GCF, I have no problem answering questions. However this: [quote] No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. [/quote] has changed the original question and put it in a different light. Our goal isn’t to hand them out liberally to boost our numbers. We don’t care how many magazines get placed, it isn’t our primary goal. We want people to read them. (thus the reason it is printed in so many languages and distributed in so many lands) If you ever get offered them, feel free to reject them. We try to get the information to those that want to read it. Feel free to ask questions out of genuine curiosity and I will respond with, hopefully, a reasonable answer.[/quote]

Actually you do have a problem answering questions. You haven’t answered a single one. All my questions have been based on an article that:
a) you posted
b) for discussion
c) on a discussion board

Talking to you is like having a conversation with a toilet brush whilst trying to extract it’s teeth with my left hand and squeezing blood from a stone with my right.

Next time you feel like putting up an article, to generate discussion, on a discussion board please put up a warning that you don’t actually want any discussion and a lobotomy is mandatory for getting to the OPs level.

20

[quote]GCF wrote:

[quote]honest_lifter wrote:
[Haha. OK, GCF, I have no problem answering questions. However this: [quote] No I do not know any other magazines that get handed about so liberally. [/quote] has changed the original question and put it in a different light. Our goal isn’t to hand them out liberally to boost our numbers. We don’t care how many magazines get placed, it isn’t our primary goal. We want people to read them. (thus the reason it is printed in so many languages and distributed in so many lands) If you ever get offered them, feel free to reject them. We try to get the information to those that want to read it. Feel free to ask questions out of genuine curiosity and I will respond with, hopefully, a reasonable answer.[/quote]

Actually you do have a problem answering questions. You haven’t answered a single one. All my questions have been based on an article that:
a) you posted
b) for discussion
c) on a discussion board

Talking to you is like having a conversation with a toilet brush whilst trying to extract it’s teeth with my left hand and squeezing blood from a stone with my right.

Next time you feel like putting up an article, to generate discussion, on a discussion board please put up a warning that you don’t actually want any discussion and a lobotomy is mandatory for getting to the OPs level. [/quote]

I looked at your posts and these look like the questions you asked:

[quote]But nope turns out he was right after all - Jesus did in fact return as predicted but he was invisible of course! No mention of the predicted destruction or paradise maybe that was all invisible too?[/quote] The destruction and paradise are not invisible. They are future events that will take place.

[quote]How is this not a knockout blow to a particular sect? If your FOUNDER is exposed as a FALSE prophet? how the heck does he still have followers?! For me that would be a pretty loud ‘abandon ship signal’? [/quote]<---- These are seem to be the same question, so I will answer it as such; the “founder” was not exposed as a false prophet. Therefore, it would not be a “knockout blow”. Are you basing that all off this article’s information?