The effect we are having on the Watchtower is HUGE

by jwfacts 140 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  stuckinamovement

  Part of the problem is that the Society values effort more than results. The hours are a measure of the effort expended, but the baptism numbers are a reflection of the results. Door to Door doesn't work anymore, especially when someone can look up Witnesses online. It is crazy that the Branch can't see it.

  What is more credible to a potential convert?

  1. Looking up information online about the religion an being able to see an objective argument for or against the teachings of the WTS. .....or

  2. Simply listening and believing the lumpy, frumpy, barely literate, middle aged lady towing around a 4 year old that shows up at your door to deliver "good news" about how bad the world is?

  People aren't as gullible or uneducated in the Western world as the WTS believes. The problem they have is that they have used the door to door ministry to set them apart from all of the other religions. It is what defines them. So we will see a continuing trend of more hours with less results.

  JWFACtS makes a good point about the effectiveness of talking to active Witnesses and getting them to think about their faith. I firmly believe that 90% of Witnesses have some sort of doubt about a teaching or a practice of the religion. The trick is getting them to feel comfortable enough to express themselves out loud. Many times when you mention something that doesn't make sense, the brother or sister you are talking to will agree. They were just looking for an opportunity to express themselves to a like minded person.

  All good things. It feels as if there is momentum building.

  SIAM
• 

  Quendi

  Thanks, jw facts and Old Goat, for your findings. The WTS can see the trends, as all of you have pointed out, but I doubt they will change much about their approach and operations. I found Old Goat's experience especially telling. The Witness "historian" he talked to said that apostates have played a role in the development of Witness teaching and culture down through the decades. It is interesting that this same historian couldn't cite holy spirit as that driving force, isn't it? Yet this is the organization that makes new adherents profess belief that it is "spirit directed"! Terry, you were spot on about the Witness mindset. "Willful ignorance" best describes it.

  Quendi
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  3dogs1husband

  LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. Thank you JWfacts for the great breakdown of numbers. I am concerned over the hard line being drawn at this years DC regarding the web and "apostates"but it is a little like getting the toothpaste back in the tub...no?

  As much as at times it feels that I am doing nothing, when I think on it just as numbers me and mine equal 5 that no longer attend and support...and I have secretly found a good dozen locally that no longer go as well, and know of more.

  Thanks again...great discussion we need the encouragement!
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  

  I think a more realistic view is assumption of consistent rate of growth as a percentage of world population (see chart).

  This would result in a disparity of a little more than 1,200,000.

  Marvin Shilmer
• 

  cofty

  I disagree Marvin, JWs are such a tiny minority that any change in world population is going to have no measurable effect on their ongoing potential for growth.
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  ABibleStudent

  Hi jwfacts, another interesting statistic is that the hours needed to baptize a publisher has increased from 3,000 hrs/baptism to over 5,000 world-wide and over 6,000 hrs/baptism in the USA. I sometimes wonder if the WTBTS will try to make a prediction soon, about the end of the world coinciding with the end of the 2012 and the Mayan calendar. Who knows, maybe the WTBTS would be inspired to follow the playbook of Harold Camping. Unfortunately, Harold Egbert Camping suffered a stroke in June, so the WTBTS will never know whether Camping's followers dwindled due to a failed prediction or his having a stroke and no longer speaking on the radio.

  

  Although WTBTS statistics are encouraging, the statistics could be even better if ex-JWs would email JWs and other ex-JWs with links to sites such as jwfacts.com, jehovahs-witness.net, etc. If people are interested in sending anonymous emails or non-anonymous emails to their friends and family members, you can read "You've Got Mail! TM" or "Need ideas for a tract for my anti-witnessing campaign" for other ideas about writing an email. I know that it would be impossible to overcome the mind control of a JW, but how about all the ex-JWs that go back to the WTBTS, because they do not know how to cope in the world, the converts who are not fully indoctrinated, or the JWs who have doubts. Imagine how good you might feel in helping to free the mind of just one friend or family member and helping them to live a full and rich life instead of slaving for the WTBTS?

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  ABibleStudent
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  Paralipomenon

  Thanks for the chart. This might explain the downsizing and sell off they have been doing over the past decade. If their growth was a steady 5.64% for many years, I bet they made business decisions and loans using the projected income from the forcasted growth. When that growth didn't materialize, I bet they were put into a crunch and had to reevaluate their current investments.

  I can think of a parable about the man who started building before planning his finances. Can't remember where from though. I guess it's not important. :D
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  cofty writes:

  “I disagree Marvin, JWs are such a tiny minority that any change in world population is going to have no measurable effect on their ongoing potential for growth.”

  I don’t understand the reason for your disagreement.

  The community of Jehovah’s Witnesses is as much a part of the world population as any other group. Hence a change in world population would tend to not have an impact one way or another on the relative size of the JW community, which is precisely what makes it a more stable statistical base for reviewing growth trajectory of the JW community.

  Because the JW community is equally a part of the world population then a change in the world population would not tend to impact the growth trajectory of the JW community. Accordingly, a change in growth trajectory of the JW community compared to world population means something has specifically changed in relation to the JW community, which is the point of this exercise.

  I welcome other opinions on this, and do not wholly discount the one offered initially in this discussion since it has it own merit. But from what I see a more realistic analysis is one based on how the population of JWs compares with overall population.

  Marvin Shilmer
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  agent zero

  thanks for this post!

  love seeing the statistics - there are so many contributing factors that influence them, but the final outcome and charts speak for themselves!

  A0
• 

  bigmac

  stuckinamovement wrote:

  "I firmly believe that 90% of Witnesses have some sort of doubt about a teaching or a practice of the religion."

  i wouldnt be a bit surprised-----& they only stay put because of the FEAR of losing family if they try to do something about it.

  "