What`s the reason some of you think JW`s are in decline ? (page 3)

Vidiot

smiddy - “What’s the reason some of you think JWs are in decline?”

The fact that they claim they’re not? 😏

On the one hand, I don't think the current JW org will just disappear. But on the other, I agree with nicolaou that the previous form of the organisation is already largely dead since GB 2.0 took over.

I came in just at the tail end of the 'old' organisation (one indication of the change is that it was called "the society" by most in the congregation then, not "the organisation", and that's one way you can still tell the 'old-timers' now - they still say "the society" when speaking about instruction coming from NY).

The big changes that came in after president Henschel died and then the other 'old' GB members like Barber, Barr, Schroeder and Sydlik had all gone - from about 2010 onwards - have transformed the JW organisation beyond recognition from its late 20th century incarnation. This seemed to be lead by the 'new guard' of GB 2.0 who took complete control from the 2010s, with Losch being the longest serving (having only been appointed in 1994). After that, Herd, Lett and Splane arrived in 1999 and Jackson and Morris (who he?) in 2005.

Adopting the blue square corporate logo, introducing the televangelist-style Broadcasting channel, bringing video and cartoons into meetings and conventions, electronic devices everywhere and paper Bibles and books virtually non-existent, releasing completely new songbooks (with awful Disney-fied and cheesy Christian rock style songs) and a changed NWT, scrapping the TMS and reducing the ministry to bite-sized 'Q&A then point to the website or play a video' tactics, introducing public witnessing with carts - the list of changes goes on, most of which are miles away from their practices of the 1990s and earlier, and some of them stand in complete opposition to their beliefs of old (the televangelism of JW Broadcasting and Disney-fication of the Bible for videos, for example).

The quality of the new members also shows a big change too, with far fewer being capable of holding the kind of Bible debates and discussions that JWs baptised and taught prior to the 2000s could, and few being interested in genuinely deep or serious Bible study or discussion.

As has been said, there is virtually no growth from outside these days (which is hardly surprising). Although hours spent on the ministry have been increasing, the quality of teaching is so poor and unconvincing now that it's unlikely to persuade many. It's becoming a case of 'diminishing returns'. I can remember when we used to see annual growth in JWs of more than 3% a year, but that's not been the case for a couple of decades now.

That's likely to slow the pace of the organisation, but it has enough internal structure, unity and momentum to keep it going despite external pressure like opposition and legal actions. As slim said, it takes a long time for a religion to die away, and the JW org has the advantage of being multi-national which protects it somewhat from complete collapse even if it were to wither away in some parts of the world.

ThomasMore

They are not declining everywhere - just most of the world. In the places where the donations support the org, the decline is considerable. They are not selling KHs because they are rich and growing.

Hellothere

Only baptised i have seen last 20 year's are born in. You don't think Watchtower faking their numbers? I think there's probably around 4-5 million JWs.

Beth Sarim

Its just the internet age catching-up with everything

smiddy3

I just looked up my old place of residence of when I was a JW in the early 1990`s when there was 5 Congs.and 2 KH`s ,now their is only one KH with 2 congs attending as far as I could tell.

So I guess that says a lot .

History of Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia: Jehovah's Witnesses have been active in Australia since 1896. At present there are 798 congregations in Australia with over 67,700 Jehovah's Witnesses.

I can`t remember how many their were when i became baptised in 1960 ?

I left in the early 1990`s

I just googled 1975 and it said there were 71355 JW`s and 739 Congs at that time ?

BluesBrother

The numbers reported seem to show they are having slow growth if at all .

What we see with our eyes tells a different story. In my home town today there are less congregations and less Halls than there used to be.

In my youth every congregation had some members who were “coming along “ . Progressive bible studies who were learning the faith and coming in. It was not unusual to have whole families, the father being a smart type who went on to be a servant or elder.

Nowadys I only see kids growing up and taking responsibility and the occasional “study “ who is either an immigrant with poor English or a guy that is “ mentally challenged “ The quality of the converts is not there...

Phizzy

One aspect of "decline" is not so much in numbers, but in the presence in their midst of the 100% J.W believer, who goes along with all the nonsense.

All the J.W's I have spoken to in the last couple of years expressed their doubts about it being 100% "the truth. When I was in the number of people who I would rate as full believers* was well over 90%. Most are now in just for family and friends, not belief.

* By full believer I don't mean the out and out fanatic J.W, there were some of them, but those who supported nearly all of it, if having underlying doubts perhaps.

Journeyman

One aspect of "decline" is not so much in numbers, but in the presence in their midst of the 100% J.W believer...

Yes, that goes hand in hand with what I was saying about the quality of 'publisher' these days, and it's likely to feed directly into a continuing decline. If the ones preaching now and in the future are not as convinced or as convincing as the old-timers, then the chances of bringing new ones in and converting them are reduced.

Also, it makes those still in the org less inclined to be 'zealous', so will have a knock-on effect to the numbers 'reaching out', and mean more will be on the edge of the congregation, less inclined to associate with other members of the congregation, and more likely to miss meetings or become inactive/disassociated if other events in their life take priority.

That's what we're seeing now, it seems.

hoser

Many middle aged jws that I know are just coasting until their parents die and then will fade or DA.

What`s the reason some of you think JW`s are in decline ?

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