| Witnesses | World Population | Pecentage of Population | |
| 2014 | 8,000,000 | 7,500,000,000 | 0.00106667 |
| 2015 | 8,152,000 | 7,544,250,000 | 0.00108056 |
| 2016 | 8,306,888 | 7,588,761,075 | 0.00109463 |
| 2017 | 8,464,719 | 7,633,534,765 | 0.00110889 |
| 2018 | 8,625,549 | 7,678,572,620 | 0.00112333 |
| 2019 | 8,789,434 | 7,723,876,199 | 0.00113796 |
| 2020 | 8,956,433 | 7,769,447,068 | 0.00115278 |
| 2021 | 9,126,605 | 7,815,286,806 | 0.00116779 |
| 2022 | 9,300,011 | 7,861,396,998 | 0.00118300 |
| 2023 | 9,476,711 | 7,907,779,241 | 0.00119840 |
| 2024 | 9,656,769 | 7,954,435,138 | 0.00121401 |
| 2025 | 9,840,247 | 8,001,366,305 | 0.00122982 |
| 2026 | 10,027,212 | 8,048,574,367 | 0.00124584 |
| 2027 | 10,217,729 | 8,096,060,955 | 0.00126206 |
| 2028 | 10,411,866 | 8,143,827,715 | 0.00127850 |
| 2029 | 10,609,691 | 8,191,876,299 | 0.00129515 |
| 2030 | 10,811,275 | 8,240,208,369 | 0.00131201 |
| 2031 | 11,016,690 | 8,288,825,598 | 0.00132910 |
| 2032 | 11,226,007 | 8,337,729,669 | 0.00134641 |
| 2033 | 11,439,301 | 8,386,922,274 | 0.00136395 |
| 2034 | 11,656,648 | 8,436,405,116 | 0.00138171 |
JakeM2012
JoinedPosts by JakeM2012
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153
The antidote to the myth that JWs are declining
by slimboyfat inone of the most persistent myths on this website is that jws are already in decline, the rot has set in, and the descent of the watchtower is inevitable from here on in.
unfortunately the facts do not bear this out.
jws are still increasing even in most developing countries, and they are still growing worldwide at a faster rate than the general population.
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JakeM2012
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153
The antidote to the myth that JWs are declining
by slimboyfat inone of the most persistent myths on this website is that jws are already in decline, the rot has set in, and the descent of the watchtower is inevitable from here on in.
unfortunately the facts do not bear this out.
jws are still increasing even in most developing countries, and they are still growing worldwide at a faster rate than the general population.
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153
The antidote to the myth that JWs are declining
by slimboyfat inone of the most persistent myths on this website is that jws are already in decline, the rot has set in, and the descent of the watchtower is inevitable from here on in.
unfortunately the facts do not bear this out.
jws are still increasing even in most developing countries, and they are still growing worldwide at a faster rate than the general population.
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JakeM2012
It is true, if your waiting for Witnesses to become like the Great Disappointment of 1843 and 1844 when followers of William Miller finally collapsed, don't hold your breath. It is also true that many of us have made a decision to leave the borg, and would like everyone to follow, for whatever reasons we individually have, and obviously there is no mass exodus.
However, the Great Disappointment can give some insight into modern JW's. " The Great Disappointment is viewed by some scholars as an example of the psychological phenomenon of cognitive dissonance . [14] The theory was proposed by Leon Festinger to describe the formation of new beliefs and increased proselytizing in order to reduce the tension, or dissonance, that results from failed prophecies . [15] According to the theory, believers experienced tension following the failure of Jesus' reappearance in 1844, which led to a variety of new explanations. The various solutions form a part of the teachings of the different groups that outlived the disappointment." (Wikipedia, 2013) (I don't like to quote the Wiki, but it was convenient.)
Every day in 1997 there are upward of 375,000 babies born a day,(1998,World Health Organization) compared to 250,000 more witnesses a year. I don't understand the claim that JW's are keeping up with world growth?
Are there more witnesses today than 20 years ago?, sure, but that is not the total story. More pioneers, yes, although as noted the hours have been cut, and existing pioneers have pressure put on them to stay in the "full time service ranks" no matter what, even padding some time; many have learned also to work on the QuickBuild kingdom halls or other similar projects as part of their full time work. (I have a brother-in-law that will take the entire car group to a "bible" study and they all count the time.) Not theocratically legal, but he is an elder heavy in the circuit.
The last convention I went to was in 2010, and the demographics at least for that convention were alarming. The "sea of gray" headedness (meaning old witnesses) was the predominant color of the entire crowd. With 1975, the organization did loose some members, some disgruntled and bitter stayed on. But what the org. had started was momentum of an accelerated growth not seen before. What JW's are experiencing now is the de-acceleration of the exponential growth, meaning the momentum is slowing, and eventually it will slow to a point in which the the organization will struggle with their high turnover rates combined with the deaths of the weighted elderly JW's compared to growth. The two statisical characteristics are working in opposite directions. So the question is "Are JW's in a recession, great recession, or depression, or as some claim an expansion"? Is the work of Jw's sustainable for numerical growth? I think not.
I had a relative that left in the early 1980's say one that he didn't think that Jehovah's Witnesses was a religion that was meant or designed for people to stay active for more than 5 years. The WBTS knows how to bleed the life and money out of youths, and young families, and mature families and then leave them without help in there later years, oh, but WTBTS wants the inheritance from them. I don't think they really want the masses to stay in it longer than 5-10 years. Just get em when they are most productive workwise or financially.
If you choose to remain longer than 5 years, WTBTS wants complete obedience and a keep your mouth shut attitude; they don't want experience of long time people in the truth to really recite the changes made in the last 20 years at a WT study(like last weeks lesson). Get the people when they are productive, guilt them into contributing time and money, and dump them when used up. This is why so many of us haven't had anyone call on us after we stopped turning in time.
While it it cost over 5000 hours per publisher to bring in one convert, there is not too much to say to someone who has figured out the con, it is just better business to look for new "Marks". As far as an increase in Pioneers couldn't this be a sign of cognitive dissonance like experienced with the Millerites? It took decades for a ponzi scheme the size that Bernie Madoff created to burst, but when it did it was well known, just like the Millerites, in the Great Dissappointment.
My mother who is a 3rd generation witness will turn 80 soon, and from what I get from her and the remaining siblings in, is that they have too much invested to quit now. Perhaps it is a thing of pride, they choose not to admit they are wrong. I know this was a hard nut for me to swollow. I don't think that Jw's will be wiped from the face of the earth anytime soon, but the religion as a whole is becoming more as an insignificant group of would be followers, of the greatest Ponzi scheme ever, with a born on date haunting the new GB.
The heavies in the organization are either dead or near dead, (depending upon when you were in) and I have little faith they had anyone with leadership qualities for a sustainable turn around growth. Looking at the growth of new ones in the congregations (not born ins) I see a few, societally fringe people that don't fit in anywhere else, why not join Jw's they will take anyone! The days of big families coming in is over, and that was the key to growth, because there was also the peer pressure from family members to "keep on Keeping on".
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11
Part of "Human Apostates" talk missing?
by breakfast of champions infor full disclosure, i did not personally go to the convention on the day of the talk, but am going on my wife's recollection and her thorough notes.. when she got home, i asked her about the part and what was said, point by point from the beginning of the talk.
i then mentioned this point (lifted from the other thread ):.
"for instance, in one country a news report instigated by apostates falsely stated that jehovahs witnesses supported hitlers regime during world war two.
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JakeM2012
Remember, that the public speakers are now just mouth pieces or the true deceivers. I don't think that these "circuit heavies" think enough to believe it is a lie, they are just doing what they are told. Some might justify that this is "what the Society" says, they wouldn't lie and read it word for word, . These are manuscripts, meaning everything is written out, these talks are not outlines. If the brothers say something besides what on the manuscript, they have a brother following the manuscript and will write it down and supposedly it is sent to Brooklyn.
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29
'Great ROI'...successfully fading
by Skipper12 in6 months or so ago, me and my wife decided we will never set foot again in a kingdom hall.
about 4 months earlier than that, i stumbled upon an article about the wts being associated with the un.
that got me into finding out ttat eventually.
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JakeM2012
Skipper, that is great!!! Congratulations. I think it is interesting that someone can "practice" the truth for decades and once the truth is revealed it all comes falling down like a house of cards. That's the way it did with me, my faith fell in one night like a house of cards, and I was deep in it and raised it it for generations. I sometimes wonder if my father had lived if he would have seen the TTAT. Great experience, it helps all of us to not give up, but like you to wait for the correct moment to speak.
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48
With the July 15 WT approaching, would this be the ideal opportunity to start an ACTIVELY VOCAL fade?
by Captain Blithering inby 'actively vocal', i do not mean openly criticising the articles and pointing out the inconsistencies or flipflops (not footwear, reversals).
i do mean letting people know that you're finding it hard to understand the new truth, and the fact that there is therefore old truth, or falsities, (is that a word?
it is now), therefore if there are falsehoods (that's the word, of course), then that puts into doubt the extent of jah's involvement in the preparation/dissemination of it all... (and making it clear you're not saying they aren't gods prophets on earth, just that you're not sure, don't know).. the reason i ask is cos i'm finding it hard to completely fade without an external reason.
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JakeM2012
Um, "Crisis of Confidence"=Lack of credibility
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48
With the July 15 WT approaching, would this be the ideal opportunity to start an ACTIVELY VOCAL fade?
by Captain Blithering inby 'actively vocal', i do not mean openly criticising the articles and pointing out the inconsistencies or flipflops (not footwear, reversals).
i do mean letting people know that you're finding it hard to understand the new truth, and the fact that there is therefore old truth, or falsities, (is that a word?
it is now), therefore if there are falsehoods (that's the word, of course), then that puts into doubt the extent of jah's involvement in the preparation/dissemination of it all... (and making it clear you're not saying they aren't gods prophets on earth, just that you're not sure, don't know).. the reason i ask is cos i'm finding it hard to completely fade without an external reason.
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JakeM2012
Jude 22/23
22?Also, continue showing mercy to some that have doubts; 23?save [them] by snatching [them] out of the fire. (If after showing mercy to the ones that have doubts, if they persist in their gangreneous mentally diseased thinking, disfellowship them for not agreeing with you). In other words, if you love someone, let them go, but if they don't come back, hunt them down and shoot them.
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5
This dude!
by Theredeemer inso my still in friend started dating a "worldly" girl.
he, mind you, was only still pretending to be in for his parents.
in the meantime, doing whatever he wants on the side.
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JakeM2012
Is she ever going to be pissed when she figures out that both the boyfriend and the religion are fake selfish crap.
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35
What to say if JW tells you the big A is coming very soon, Jehovah's day will come here like a thief? etc..
by Iamallcool ini like terry's topic about noah's day not being armageddon enough.
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JakeM2012
"--I am going to show you this piece of paper with your signature, date and best possible guess--and I'm going to say to you on that day:
SHUT THE HELL UP ABOUT THIS CRAP--WILL YOU?"!!"
Terry, I am really growing fond of you, uh uh, In a manly way.
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23
WHAT IF the Watchtower Society were a MAP company instead?
by Terry inthe world's most accurate map maker advertises:.
"ours are the best and most accurate maps in the entire world!.
how can we make such an absolute claim?.
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JakeM2012
Yes, Brothers the end is imminent, the generation is overlapping. If you were lost you would stop and ask for directions from someone knowledgeable. Brothers, Jehovah's Witnesses have the TRUTH, Jehovah's Witnesses know where they are going. People are coming to us for answers because we are not lost as the false religions that Jesus condemned. Yes, he has given us a spiritual paradise to enjoy while we wait for Armeggodon. Look around the convention at your brothers and sisters enjoying the spiritual paradise. (Clapping) We can see that Jehovah has provided a faithful and discrete slave to guide us in these critical times hard to deal with. The Faithful slave is God's Channel to mankind, and the evidence indicates that the Faithful slave continues to listen for his voice, his direction.
The Spiritual Paradise while Following the Direction of the Faithful Slave
