HERE'S THE 2007 SERVICE YEAR REPORT (page 6)

Watkins

When I was a kid in the 50's going to meetings with my parents, Jehovah's witnesses was not a religion, there was no membership, and directions came from the Watch Tower Corporation in Brooklyn. Now Jehovah's Witnesses are a religion, there is membership, and they get directions from the Christian Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Patterson.

Yes, curious isn't it? I don't know when they accepted being called a religion. It must've happened gradually, as most 'new light' has to be sneaked in so everyone's panties don't get all twisted up. Sneaky rats. Seems to me when I first 'became' a witness, I was to be proud of the fact that they weren't just another religion - snare and racket and all that. But somehow it changed, seemingly without our knowledge - and now witnesses are proud, I suppose, to be "the fastest growing religion in the USA".

I don't get it either.

watkins

Doubting Bro

At last night's SM, the article about JW's being the fastest growing "church" was read(in part of course). But, the SO who was handling the part didn't have any problems about calling JWs a church or religion. Of course, if he did the math, he would see that Catholics have around 67 million members in the US and added about the same number of members JUST in the US as JWs have in total WORLDWIDE.

The increase in baptisms is somewhat interesting. I think the increase in publishers could just be with all the tract campaigns getting the inactive to report something one month. I know there was a strong push in my area. The general trend has been slower growth, so I suspect that 2007 was a blip. If they can put together a couple of these +3% years, then I think we have a trend.

Of course, the LDS are right behind them in terms of fastest growing and I don't think they're correct as far as religious theology either. Just because you grow, doesn't mean that you are Gods chosen channel.

jonathan adabe

To introduce my first input to this Forum I attach my comments made in reply to the newspaper article re Increases in JW membership :-

The growth in Jehovah's Witnesses is real, but there's a reason. Once again the Governing Body of their Society can enjoy the fruits of applying the '1975 syndrome', ie 'Create an expectation that Armageddon is imminently upon us'. The annual Conventions in 2006 were titled "Deliverance at Hand" where the warning messages went out to protect 'Jehovah's' people from destruction at the imminent Armageddon :-
Stay in the Organization to survive;
Get into the full-time ministry;
Develop a sense of urgency that Armageddon is most certainly near at hand;
That Jehovah's Day WILL be on time;(Raptuous applause from the audience).
The huge influx of members following the build-up to the 1975 expectations was partly repeated in 2007 with a world-wide increase of 3.2% of active Witnesses following the 'Deliverance at Hand' Conventions. No specific dates were given for Armageddon but the theme of 'keeping a sense of urgency alive' has achieved its objectives of increased membership.

Oh for a hard copy of the 2007 Service Report! Mary's posting (much welcomed) just doesn't print off. Any suggestions?

R.Crusoe

I am seeing all their numbers increasing but honestly feel in my heart

- I am glad not to be amongst them!

I will stand before life as me and not as one of a set of clones following the mindset of a few humans putting themselves in positions of gods !

jonathan adabe

Based on 'Peak Publishers' data for 2007 versus 1992 there has been a surge of increase in 3rd world countries compared with Western nations :- In 1992 the West had 44% of Peak membership versus 56% for 3rd world countries;

In 2007 the West had 33% of Peak membership versus 69% for 3rd world countries;

It is interesting to note that in 2007 there were increases (Peak figures) compared with 2006 :- Africa +5.0%
Asia +4.6%
Sth & Cntrl America +4.3%
North America +2.1%
Western Europe +1.5%
Scandinavia +0.3%
Hours per Peak Publisher (including Aux/Reg Pioneers) The West 15.4 hrs/month
The Rest 18.0 hrs/month

(Personal thought :- Does the poverty, sickness and generally poorer circumstances in 3rd world countries make them more receptive
to the promises of an early Armageddon and Paradise Earth? )

mouthy

As long as you turn in a field service report, you're counted as a "member".

Oh Goody I am STILL a member cos I send in my report all the time....I even tell them how they can hear what I said...

jonathan adabe

Mrs Smith's comments (19 Feb) about South Africa and the increases there can be supplemented by the following data: During the 10years including 2007, there were 39978 Baptisms but only an increase of 16919 in active publishers (door-to-door workers), so they lost 58% of their new members! Some would be natural wastage, but the Society is finding it difficult to hold on to the full extent of the increases.

Gayle

The partakers will partake this year, I think. They may even run out of wine.

Rapunzel

I think that the "thirty other lands" that they mention are places where the Witnesses are banned. You'll notice that countries such as Algeria; Tunisia; Morocco; Yemen; China; Iraq; Iran; and Egypt are not on the list. Neither is Tibet, but then again, Tibet is occupied by China.

I was heartened to read the Myannamar (Burma) IS listed among the countries where the Witnesses are free to operate. I guess the generals who control the junta in that country have a heart after all.

Taiwan is listed because they are NOT part of the People's Republic of China; Taiwan has never been a part of the People's Republic of China. Taiwan's political system is far from perfect. However, Taiwanese enjoy a degree of religious freedom that is totally unimaginable in China. Not only does Taiwan tolerate the Witnesses, there are also Mormons; Baptists; Pentecostals; Evangelicals; Moonies; Hare Krishna; Falun Gong; and even Scientologists - all of which are banned in China

Rapunzel

As for other countries not included on the list, there are the United Arab Emirates such as Abu Dhabi; Brunei; and Dubai. Neither are Oman; Jordan; Syria; Somalia; nor the Sudan on the list. Ditto for North Korea. However, Turkey is on the list, so it can be assumed that "the work" is legal there.

HERE'S THE 2007 SERVICE YEAR REPORT

Share this