westiebilly11... Exactly. How do we know WT has not manipulated the numbers?
LL
by hamsterbait 47 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
westiebilly11... Exactly. How do we know WT has not manipulated the numbers?
LL
From everything I've learned here; I wouldn't be surprised if they have been lying about numbers, figures, and whatever else they choose.
Remember they said it themselves "All is fair in theocratic warfare!"
Need to know basis and only those that need to know;know. And only a few need to know that they should know, therefore only a few chosen ones know anything at all.
An Ex-JW friend of mine informed me that the Forrestville KH has been sold. I called their phone number a few minutes ago and it has been disconnected with no further information. Forrestville is in the Wine Country, about 70 miles north of San Francisco. The congregation started back in 1960. I left the JWs in 1984, but as an elder I gave several PTs at the Forrestville KH during the 1970s and 80s and the attendance was around 60.
Sonoma County in Northern California, where I live, is still growing in population, but the number of KHs listed in the phone book are about the same number as when I left.
they are very good at massaging numbers, I really don't think that those numbers are always what they say
In the small town where I grew up the numbers are ridiculously low. In the larger city I live in now I've never seen so many JWs die. The congregations are made up of very old people and the young ones who are there are born-ins who often leave the first chance they get.
In my congregation 22 years ago in Czech Republic had over 100 publishers. I have not stepped in KH for almost 20 years, but I heard from my parents that the number is down to 70 or so. When whe had district assemblies we could attract about 10,000 and last memorial I attended had more than 600 present.
I've been out over a year now but I know my city experienced growth and new congs are formed. However, my city and region has the highest rate of migration from other parts of Australia so most of the new witnesses moved in from other states. That would mean there would be less growth in other parts of Australia as people keep moving to south east Queensland. Even here though baptisms seem to have gone way down. When I got baptized in 2000 I was one of 5 just from my cong alone, 3 of us converts at that, whereas last time I went to a ca in 2012 the whole circuit didn't produce as many as one cong in 2000.
Overall, baptisms are trending down in the West. I've also heard of conventions where there were perhaps a handful of baptisms compared to years ago when a similar-size convention would have produced dozens, if not more.
Maybe it's a mark that the end will come after a decline until a certain number of hardcore remain, pick a number, say maybe 144,000.
i recall--back in the early 70's--a "new" couple started attending--and a lot of fuss was made about them.
but later--after getting to know them a bit--i found out they were both born-ins--who grew up in it---were sensible enough not to get baptised------had a high old time in their teens and twentys---met--shacked up--got married--had a kid------then started to attend because 1975 was awfully close !