2015 Worldwide Memorial Attendance: Another Sign of Decline

by steve2 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  slimboyfat

  Still being 'in' I can feel a general malaise that I've never seen before.
  People are openly critical, laughing at the new teachings, and angry at the constant demands for money. More and more are skipping meetings, and the hall is rarely full these days.
  There's confusion about what's going on with the preaching work, pressure to use tablets, and everything is changing.
  These next few years will be very telling on the yearly statistics.

  Fascinating Splash, I don't go any more, but the very infrequent contact I have with active JWs would tend to confirm this. But I think I first noticed it when they cancelled the book study. There was cynicism about the move I'd not seen before. Presumably it's got worse since then.
• 

  sir82

  I still think they'll probably get over 20 million next year.

  Really?

  Last year Memorial was on a Friday night.

  In 2016 it will be on a Wednesday (March 23).

  I'm pretty sure I got the idea of "Memorials are better attended on weekends" from you. I remember you posting some stats which backed that up.

  If that holds attendance might well drop even further in 2016.
  
• 

  Splash

  Presumably it's got worse since then.
  

  Here's an example that happened in my k.hall recently.

  I was telling someone about my long-term plans, and this person is a very zealous publisher.
  They remarked loudly "You won't be doing that, Armageddon will be here soon!"

  Everybody, and I mean 'everybody' in hearing distance turned to look at us and openly started laughing.

  My response was "they told that to my mother and my grandmother. I think we know better by now, don't we."
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  jookbeard

  20 million next year? they have to deal with the fallout of the ARC yet!
• 

  TheOldHippie

  "Memorials are better attended on weekends"

  I would think it is the other way around, as the one showing up at the Memorial and rarely at other times, the so-called "cousins" or "submarines" are away on holidays or at least weekend trips during Easter and therefore do not attend the Memorial, but they do when it falls on a mid-week night.
  
• 

  OneEyedJoe

  I would think it is the other way around, as the one showing up at the Memorial and rarely at other times, the so-called "cousins" or "submarines" are away on holidays or at least weekend trips during Easter and therefore do not attend the Memorial, but they do when it falls on a mid-week night.

  I don't think most people who are going just to show their face (or those that still believe but can't force themselves to go to regular meetings) would skip because it's on the weekend...I think most are more likely to skip if it's during the week and they're tired from work and have to get up early the next day.

  Additionally, with their big campaigns to put out invitations, they probably get a few people interested and the closer the memorial is to good friday/easter, the more it seems like just another church to go to for a special mass and they're more likely to have walk-ins on those days. Whereas most normal people probably aren't going to bother going to some new church in the middle of the week when they are tired and have to get up early the next day.
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  slimboyfat

  Historically Sunday is the sweet spot for Memorial attendance. I wouldn't expect Friday to be particularly good. Inactive JWs and non-JWs have got better things to do on a Friday. Sunday Memorials are easiest to attend for everyone. For JWs they simply replace th Sunday meeting, and for non-JWs they are like a "normal" Easter service.
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  steve2

  SBF, I seem to recall you predicted attendance in 2014 would top 20 million. By contrast, I and a few others clearly said it would not reach 20 million.

  Then there was lots of discussion around how the day of the week impacts on numbers attending the annual Memorial.

  I cannot remember whether anyone presented a chart showing annual memorial attendances by day of the week to establish one way or another whether there is actually a predictable correlation between day of week and numbers attending.

  I guess if a prediction of an increase is made often enough, the chances of eventually being correct are expanded.

  But I do agree that the current numbers - likely to be published in full in the 2016 Yearbook - show the decline is happening sooner than expected.
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  Beth Sarim

  I do believe that 2014 now come and gone, the rising tide of doubter is surfacing. Each year it seems there is an ever increasing number of memorial attendees. I cannot remember seeing a decrease in memorial attendance, ever!!
• 

  Designer Stubble

  There was of course a lot of pressure to attend the 2014 memorial, which was likely to be the last one ever. In 2015, 101 years of Christ's kingdom sounds less exciting.