Interesting thread.
The sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system is not something I would have immediately thought of but it makes sense.
10 Years Japan losses 5,400 Publishers and 638 Kingdom Halls! Why?
by Witness 007 88 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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babystar_jr
Perhaps, a decrease of Japan started in 1997.
I guess that there are 4 reasons.
(1)Recession.
(2)Japanese came to feel distrust to religious organizations.
(3)Internet.
(4)And, they tired.
(1)Recession.
Japanese branch and zone overseers often imply that. Publishers are advised repeatedly not to work too much. However, I think that it is not an ultimate cause.
(2)Japanese came to feel distrust to religious organizations.
*** g01 5/22 p. 4 Terrorism Gets a New Look ***
March 20, 1995
Aum Shinrikyo members carry six packages onto Tokyo subway trains, releasing deadly sarin gas. Killed: 12. Injured: more than 5,000.
They did many other murders.
Japanese became careful.
(3)Internet.
Perhaps, householders searching about "Jehovah's Witnesses."
(4)And, they tired.
Japanese publishers&pioneers worked too much.
It is clear why congregations decreased. Japanese branch recommended a merge policy, in late 1990s to mid 2000s. Circuit overseer often discussion with body of elders at each visit. The problem was a rent and maintenance expense of Kingdom hall. Many Kingdom halls have been built in leased land.
I am poor at English. I am sorry. And, I had overlooked page 2-3 of this thread. ...
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yareyare
My first participation.
Am I the only Japanese reading this site?
In answer to your question, AndersonsInfo has a really good point. BTW, I remember seeing you in bethel!
I'm a ex-bethlite and grew up off and on in Lloyd Barry's Cong.
My mother became a JW in the early 80's in the Japanese Congregation in LA.
80's & early 90's were a peak in coverting JW's in Japan. It basically lasted until the Financial Bubble burst in the early 90's.
Unlike the US, Japanese JW's were mostly wives. Wise husband never became interested and the mother usually forced the kids to be a JW. The kids usually gets baptized in elementary school.
But in Japan, parents don't drive them in and out of schools so the kids have a FREEDOM. So as they grow up in to Junior/High School, they start to realize how much fun the REAL WORLD is. So they draw away from the JWs. That's the biggest way to lose the Numbers.
The other main problem in Japan was the number of elders in the congregation. There's usually only 1-2 in a 70-80 people congregation. Most of them become Dictators and makes tons of rule in the congregation. I've met countless of Japanese JW's passing through NY Bethel tours having emotional problems, depression, autonomic imbalance and so on as a result of this.
So people gradually start to fade away and some find it's way out by being able to find these kind of site!
Another problem is that Japanese people love to judge others since most of them are perfectionists. So people accuse each other in the congregation for their misbehavior and so on. And lots of rumors and slanders.
After all, NORMAL people are usually never home since they have work, friends to see, things to do. People with mental problem are always home in Japan. These are the people who get caught by the JWs and they convert. As a result, so many WEIRD people are in the JWs and NORMAL people starts to realize something wrong in the congregation.
I'm glad there were so many WEIRD people in the Japanese congregation. After 25 long years, My family, my brother(also ex-bethelite)'s family and in-law, my parents(Elder & Long time pioneer) are all out of the CULT (except my sister). We finally came to a point that there should be more research and here we are!
Hurray!
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Billy the Ex-Bethelite
Welcome Yareyare,
Thanks for your insight. I'm glad you finally decided to post here.
Just to warn you, some of us here are WEIRD people, too.
B the X
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villagegirl
yareuare - Thanks for this insight - I was "captured" by the WT at 15 years old, my first religious experience, so I became a "true believer" and my 'rebellion' against my agnostic parents was to be strictly religious opposite of them. But I would say from your description of the Japanese experience, it seems very much like what goes on in the USA. I believe statistically, most witnesses in the US are women also. Lots of women and the men are also dictators and rule makers. There is a lot of gossip and shaming of each other and paranoia. Also lots of mentally ill people in the US congregations as well. US witnesses also love to judge the behaviour of others. I met lots of mean people in the WT and cold hearted as well. They like to have "gatherings" and drink and eat with friends, but the friendships do not go as deep as the loyal friends I have found in the real world. The witnesses tend to be suspicious and dishonest and fearful. The lack of education among them makes it an association of the simple minded, or the extremely ignorant who think they have beeen 'educated' by the Awake magazine and the study books. The average witness thinks there are only two choices, the WT doctrines or no God at all and complete immorality, so often the DF person's behavior strengthens or "proves" WT warnings that "there is nothing out there" and the only safe place is "inside the organization". This site proves ex-witnesses are a variety of people. Also there is great resistance to any talk of Jesus Christ or the idea of being a born again Christian, this idea seeme to repulse witnesses and ex-witnesses as well. Its a reactionary religion that depends on convoluted and obscure explanations of the simplest ideas. Balanced views are hard to find. But they do exist, even in this forum.
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smiddy
WOW,its the first time i have come across this thread.I was always intrigued why the japanese people seemed to take to jehovahs witnesses during the 70`s & 80`s
It`s been an interesting read , thank you all for your contributions.
I wonder if their are similar accounts from Zambia and Brazil.
From memory these 3 countries had phenomenal growth during the decades of the 70`s 80`s & 90`s
smiddy
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Jeffro
The opening post of this thread (from 3 years ago) noted:
1998 - Publishers Peak 222,912 Congs. 3,802
EIGHT YEARS LATER----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006 - Publisher decline 217,519 {Loss -5,357} Congs. 3,164 {loss of -638}A post from around the same time added:
2008 Yearbook = 3,177 congregations.
2009 Yearbook = 3,177 congregations.Since then, according to the 2013 Yearbook, things have gotten worse:
Publishers Peak 217,154
Congs 3055It seems strange that since 2006, membership has remained about the same (slightly lower), but over 100 congregations have disappeared.
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88JM
Would it help if I drew up a table for Japan like the one I did for the UK?
I see there are a handful of numbers floating around here, but might be helpful to see the whole thing.
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Jeffro
Would it help if I drew up a table for Japan like the one I did for the UK?
I was thinking of doing something similar myself. But I don't really have the time (actually, effort) right at the moment.
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Sulla
Japan is shrinking in population -- or preparing to do so. It was a big story a few months back when it was reported that Japan buys more adult diapers than it buys baby diapers. I think you are seeing a population thing.