Here's the reason for the 3% jump in publishers for the past year (page 3)

Justitia Themis

But, wouldn't immigration just shuffle the numbers from one column to another? If someone immigrates from Poland to Ireland, it is a minus one for Poland and a plus one for Ireland; they cancel each other out, correct?

sir82

But, wouldn't immigration just shuffle the numbers from one column to another? If someone immigrates from Poland to Ireland, it is a minus one for Poland and a plus one for Ireland; they cancel each other out, correct?

Not necessarily.

In Poland, he wasn't a JW. He moves to Ireland, and becomes a JW because he is a "special target" of the JWs. So it's plus 1 for Ireland and no change in Poland.

The biggest shift comes from 3rd world immigration to 1st world - the immigrants from the 3rd world would probably never be contacted by JWs in their home country (see original post re: economic hardships in country of origin). Think of the Latin American immigrants to US, Spain, etc.

Plus, think of all the Chinese immigrants - there's probably what, at most a few hundred JWs in China (mainland, anyway) to cover well over a billion people? Ditto folks from India. So you've got bunches of people being exposed to JWs for the first time in their lives. They have no pre-existing wariness of cults or religious zealots, so they may well be easy prey.

Zico

Japan doesn't have the Christian immigrants to rely on for growth. Foreigners in Japan tend to come from countries like China, Korea and Thailand. Mostly atheist/buddhist countries. In the UK the biggest growth is with the Polish, Poland is mostly a Catholic country.

I think the biggest reason for lack of growth is the Jehovah's Witnesses themselves. Most lack the enthusiasm to really go for studies and spend the time 'helping' someone all the way to Baptism. The book 'What does the bible really teach?' combined with a focus on gaining bible studies at meetings has given a few Jehovah's Witnesses more enthusiasm, and they seem to feel more comfortable studying with such a simple book, which I think is the reason for more baptisms, the book's been out 2 years, so it's effects have only started to show in the last year. If the Society want more converts they need to get the members more focused on preaching and studying again, but that will be difficult as most have done it for decades and become apathetic.

worldtraveller

Majority of immigrants couldn't care less about converting. They are simply looking for money for survival. The only hope for witnesses is to create them at birth. Easier to manipulate at an early age. I wonder how many of you actually got anyone to convert seriously?

smiddy

I thought it was worth mentioning that 30 countries either had a zero or a negative (growth ?)

voltaire

I'm with Jusititia. The 3% was OVERALL growth, it can't be explained away by immigration. Likewise, the 15 minute publishers don't explain the growth either. It probably gave them a one-year bump, but the following year's growth is a percentage of the previous year's numbers, which includes the 15 minute pub.s. I think people will have to face the fact that JWs aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Religion is emotional, not rational. It's tempting to think that the spotlight on the UN, pedophiles and other scandals with "bring the tower down", but it may not affect their numbers appreciably. I'm sure the efforts being made to alert people to the JWs' ethical problems help some get out, or keep some from getting in at all. So, it's well worth the effort to expose the WT. Not to mention the fact that's it's always worthwhile to let others know the truth. So, keep up the good work, keep encouraging JWs to think for themselves and leave it up to each individual to decide for himself.

Ron

uwishufish

Brother Elder learns a new language. So he can help the new converts/poooooor immigrants.

Knowing Brother Elder, he will always look after the needs of one of jehovah's finest first (himself).

Hopefully these new converts will get a taste of Brother Elder's love. As he, so lovingly, provides employment (cleaning worldly folk's toilets) for these poooooor immigrants.

Of course Brother Elder will pay them on a contractual basis, so they can earn a plenty of cash. Once again they will be provided the Bottom Line. Only after he subtracts his profit, expeneses, retirement, and health care off the top.

Don't you just love newly bilingual Brother Elder's loving ways?

steve2

But, wouldn't immigration just shuffle the numbers from one column to another? If someone immigrates from Poland to Ireland, it is a minus one for Poland and a plus one for Ireland; they cancel each other out, correct?

No, for two reasons:

1. Increases in numbers of JWs in some third world - especially non-Muslim countries - are so large that even though some of these JWs immigrate to western countries, their departure hardly dents the numbers of JWs who remain in that country.

2. The empirical evidence (what you can actually observe occurring at local kingdom halls) is that foreign-born/immigrant congregations are increasing much faster than the local congregations. As I stated earlier, in New Zealand, the fastest growing congregations consist of Asian immigrants. By contrast, the native New Zealand congregations are often barely maintaining neutral growth rates. It is hard to argue with that sort of evidence!

dinah

Where I live the Spanish congregation is HUGE.

The English congregation are the same folks that were there when I left 20 years ago--and they are dying off fast.

SirNose586

Yes, the foreign language groups are really taking off. Added to it are bored-to-tears dubs who learn another language just to have their brain cells stimulated!

The Spanish congregations have the most ~~sales enthusiasm~~ zeal around; their attendance is quite high.

Here's the reason for the 3% jump in publishers for the past year

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