British Sociologist Predicts Possible Collapse in Jehovah's Witness Numbers (page 8)

processor

how did you make a JPG from an excel chart?

simply copy it to the clipboard, paste it in a graphics program and save it as JPG ...

Yeah, they can increase the numbers with foreign language converts. Certainly, the numbers will go up when these converts have large families. If they are socially isolated from the native population, the Kingdumb Hall will give them a social network and sense of belonging. I won't try to make a forecast of the long-term results, particularly with the current downturn in the economy. Given the efforts that the bOrg has expended at pushing foreign language in the last decade or so, I wouldn't call the last 4 years of minimal growth much of a success. At best, the growth in foreign hides the decreases in English.

I know that many did have a good time in their foreign language ventures. The Spanish had great parties from what I hear. I'll just say that for me, it turned out unpleasant. I could handle learning the language, but everything else was too much drama. I don't even like to think about it, so I won't talk about it. Nothing personal, jab., I probably won't talk about it for a long time.

I will say that if you know someone that is interested in trying, let them. Of course, you might encourage them to go to college to learn the language. And as long as they're in college, they might as well take courses to teach them skills to be able to support themselves. And they should take some kind of classes on critical thinking while they are at it. Anyway, many have become spiritually weak tm in foreign language since they don't understand much of the meetings and are isolated from their old network of friends tm .

B the X

Gayle

It seems all the English speaking congregations are mostly on "endurance" mode. The newer foreign language groups may have higher numbers of converts and thus a "new zeal" mode for now. The "new zeal" areas could burn out or down sooner than the English speaking.

English speaking have had more financial advantages possibly at least in the past. Whereas, in foreign language groups or other cultures, especially in third world countries where there is an extreme need for education, financial sources just for health and basic decent housing, etc, they could burn out very soon as they have basic daily hardships that the "Governing Body" absolutely would not be sympathic towards nor helpful for their reality needs at all. Even Japan had a big bubble increase some years ago and has shown a fast fizzling.

happehanna

marked for reading later

cyberjesus

marked to not read again!

Alfred

In my area, all territories are worked at least 8 times a year... the same faces knock on the same doors year in and year out... but so far, only 3 non-born-in baptisms in about 10 years of working a 7.5 square mile rural area (population approx 4,500)... 2 of those were mentally unstable and the other was a loner... if that's any indication, I'd say this british sociologist is not too far off in his assessment...

slimboyfat

Golden oldie thread on JW collpase. Interesting to note that a sociologist saw fit to talk about possible “collpase” of JW numbers.

I wasn’t convinced about collpase back then. But the facts have changed, and so has my opinion! Not like the collapse deniers, holdouts in the face of the facts.

stillin

Well, the fact is that some of those people are downright endearing! The old time religion still reigns in their hearts. It's hard to let go of such a lofty concept. Life forever in paradise, with good, trustworthy people. A God above who is all knowing regarding the effort that you are putting into the quality of your personal worship.

This institutionalized religion doesn't really even resemble the one that I had in mind when I became a Witness, but I can see why some would be touchy about something so dear actually collapsing on itself. Whether the hold-outs can keep things together remains to be seen. Why they would bother is beyond me.

_Morpheus

Lol slim what a great find! Its almost ten years old and still no more true today than then. Somethings never change.

Brokeback Watchtower

A newly published article by British sociologist David Voas argues Jehovah's Witnesses may be about to experience a collapse in numbers. Contrary to claims by American sociologist Rodney Stark who predicts strong future growth for Jehovah's Witnesses, Voas shows that Jehovah's Witnesses' efforts at recruiting new members have become increasingly unsuccessful over the past few decades:

I agree with Voas. The Internet is the real game changer. I see with the birthing of the information age at your finger tips in the privacy of your our room a real killer for these Faithful and Discreet Dummies.

Loesch's March Broadcast was a pathetic effort at damaged control over all the negative stuff about the governing body that is on the world wide web. In fact his performance that month should act as an incentive for others to start finding out what is all this negative information and start typing into their search engine to find out what Loesch is talking about.

Any time you go public and tell people not to lose trust in the organization and don't trust the Media, and Lawscourts you gotta raise a ton of suspition even among a very brain dead group of followers.

I think we are approaching a armegedon of sorts for this fraudulent group of doom and gloom prophets.

British Sociologist Predicts Possible Collapse in Jehovah's Witness Numbers