Astonishing Publisher Peak in Britain for August 2006

by slimboyfat 72 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Jeffro

  slimboyfat:

  Here is just one example. For Chile in 2002 the Witnesses reported 60,701 publishers. Yet in the census that year 119,455 reported themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses. That is much more than simply counting children as well, indicating that the Witness figures are actually quite conservative. That is not an isolated example - the same pattern of more Witnesses self-reporting occurs whenever the census asks for specific denominational affiliation. By contrast the Mormons always find that far fewer report themselves as Mormons than are claimed as members by the church.

  The average fertility rate in Chile is 2 children per female. If just half of the publishers in Chile have only one child (likely to be higher), that takes the total number of people reported as Witnesses up to 90,000. So it is not remarkable that children may indeed account for most, or nearly all of those reported as JW in the Chile census.
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  slimboyfat

  Ahem. The census report appears to say only those over 15 were counted - though I can't be sure as I don't read Spanish...
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  slimboyfat

  On top of that, considering some Witnesses are baptised quite young, there are bound to be quite a few "publishers" who are also children under 15 years.

  Put all that together and the Chile census results are dramatic confirmation that the Witnesses' own figures are a very conservative estimate of the size of their community.

  Slim
• 

  katiekitten

  While everyone was getting excited about "New Light", it turned out to be another lousy tract!

  LMAO at LT!

  Also arent they sort of hinting at 120 years from 1914 (2034 - but WE didnt do the maths YOU did, so when it doesnt happen you cant blame US).

  Thats just about near enough for people to get stressie bessie about it and rush out on field service again.
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  Gill

  Talking of Chile, I think that ex Catholics make the most fanatical JWs. The Watchtower hates Catholicism with a vengeance. Ex Catholics, view themselves as rebels and a virulent in their hatred of their former faith! They consider themselves enlightened christians and not false Christians like their former Catholic friends.
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  Zico

  Our average attendance is under 100, but during the CO Visit, we had 150 for his public talk. A few visitors and studies, but most of the extras were just people who weren't very active, and for the Memorial we get close to 200, although many of them are studies or magazine routes, so I would think they do under-estimate their figures. I think the hours these publishers report are very inaccurate though. Especially the elders and ministerial servants, or other ones reaching out, who know they have to report 10+ hours a month, to keep, or gain, a position, but are too lazy to actually do much Service. Quite a few Polish Witnesses have moved here from Poland, but there's also quite a few studying, who started shortly after coming here. I expect about 6 or 7 of these to get baptised within the next year.
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  After the 1975 fiasco, the WT managed to divert our minds by putting emphasis on the Kingdom Hall building projects. That was a big thing and brothers (and sisters) in our area were running to one place after another to assist in the building work. This bolstered up the numbers as the community could see how God's spirit was operating on Jehovah's people. But lately the WT has put a damper on new building projects and a good thing because the brothers were running out of time and money.

  Now the Society needed a diversion from the 1995 generation change fiasco. The emphasis is learning a foreign language and preaching to the foreign language people--even starting foreign language congregations. At least for awhile, this is fun and exciting. The sisters can even be more actively involved. I've noticed that some who were depressed (or still are), some recently divorced, and others who just want to learn a new language are going into this full throttle, and they probably are bolstering up the numbers. There is a lot of excitement, and they give their experiences at the assemblies which gives them recognition (something that they are really craving). As already stated, a lot of the converts would never have accepted the "truth" in their home country. Or are they really accepting it or just wanting to learn English?

  Bonnie
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  Gill

  Bonnie_Clyde - All of my family joined the Watchtower when they came to this country. I believe they only did this as they were love bombed and also slightly rebellious. They were rebelling against their own families and Catholicism. They thought they were cool joining this USA/English religion. They did not understand completely the doctrine. They were attempting to integrate.

  I suggest there will be a lot of European immigrants wanting to do the same.....be part of this 'loving and friendly' organization. Once they've joined, they're well and truly trapped. Their only associates will be JWs and bingo, the Watchtower has more slaves!
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  Jourles

  there has been a dramatic increase in the publisher peak number this year compared with the recent downward trend after the 1995 "generation" change and subsequent stagnation. I wonder what is causing it?

  Hmmm, maybe JWD is slipping in the ranks of web search results...
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  blondie

  Think about it, is there really a surge of bodies going out in August? Not ever in my 40 year experience. What you see is the cleaning up of bookwork. The secretaries see that Brother Weak didn't turn time in in February and June and calls him and finds out that he "did" have time and puts it on the August report. Does Brother Weak count as 1 or 3 publishers that month. Can any ex-secretaries clue us in?

  Blondie