What the numbers don't tell is all the born ins that never got baptised. What's also not mentioned is all the halls that are being closed. Jw numbers are truly down in fact the numbers they publish are probably not real. The social aspect of both the Mormon's and the jws are the only thing keeping these religions together
I have entertained that idea myself. I just don't see any reasonable way they would get away with it. If the numbers in the year book are false, all elders in the different branches responsible for the numbers would know that the society lies about it. Do you have any way to explain how JWs could lie about it without it being discovered?
I can certainly appreciate the number of never baptized born ins. But I think, if the numbers are correct, JWs are still growing, just not as fast.