Research shows Jehovah's Witnesses grow faster in less developed countries (page 2)

cantleave

Countries with large populations with little education, often poor quality education provided by religious organisations, are always vunerable to proselytising. Ignorance is essential for religion to of all sorts to grow.

Palimpsest

Aw, c'mon for goodness sake! Most, if not all proslyetizing Christian-based religions flood poorer countries with their missionaries and simplistic messages. Even within developed countries, they carefully concentrate on poorer districts because that's where there's greater likelihood of misery and hence interest. Sad but true, Christianity is a religion that thrives on desperation and hopelessness. Anyone with half a decent life would not be so attracted to a religion that, in one form or another, despises human nature and longs for rescuing from personal responsibility.
Countries with large populations with little education, often poor quality education provided by religious organisations, are always vunerable to proselytising. Ignorance is essential for religion to of all sorts to grow.

I see more truth in the first assertion that the second. It's not that people in third-world nations are "ignorant"; it's that they're desperate. That's the same target audience the JWs seek in every area. They seek out the weakest and most stranded in society and then offer them hope for a better life. That's how you end up with many truly bright people in the JWs in developed nations -- they're not dumb, but they want the babysitting and rides to the grocery store.

Mad Sweeney

Outside of the conscious class, there aren't any Dubs in any country who AREN'T ignorant, ignorant about the mind control they've subjected themselves to, ignorant of the true history of the Borg, ignorant about how truly corrupt and evil the organization behind JWs is.

teel

The way I saw this research is however that it links the success of proselitysing not to material wealth, but to social environment. In pre-modern days the society was a close-knit community, that was not easy to be disturbed by an outsider (you know, people gathered together in pubs or in alleys, chatting, everyone knew everyone, etc.) With modernization and population increase these features slowly die out, and transition to what is called an organic society, where the relations are much more dynamic and evolving. Developing countries are in the middle of the road, people are losing their old ways of life, and losing their sense of identity and belonging. This is the perfect time, according to this research, for the religions to move in and sell their dream of a better society.

Black Sheep

My family knows this and many have made careers out of invading underdeveloped countries.

I have recent email here somewhere that is boasting that they have entire villages converted.

It was bad enough being brought up in an area where we were the only witnesses. I feel sorry for those kids that are being brought up where there are only witnesses. The psychological warfare on those poor little buggers will be many times what I had. At least I had a continent to escape into when I left home. Some of these kids can damned near throw a stone from one side of their island to the other.... and there is buggerall I can do about it.

zagor

There is nothing surprising in it, its always been like that. Its easier to control people with little education and means for living, religions have known that for centuries. They know how to control people in precarious conditions - just promise them that all their worries will magically go away one day when "saviour" returns and they'll follow you anywhere. Sad but true.

dgp

The only creative scam in this sense being Scientology . They screw the rich.

Research shows Jehovah's Witnesses grow faster in less developed countries