Going down?

by ozziepost 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  ozziepost

  There's a saying about "lies, damned lies and statistics".

  The annual report shows an increase?

  Well, consider the monthly publisher figures for Australia as an example of how statistics can be distorted.

  In August this year, which you'll be aware is the last of the Service Year, Australia reported 61,682 which was an increase of 1,274 over the previous month of July. Clearly, many obedient Service Overseers and the Congregation Book Study Overseers had been doing the rounds collecting as many reports as they could in time for the end of the Service Year.

  But now, what happened the following month of September which was the first month of the new Service Year? The number of publishers was down to 59,260. That's a decrease of 2,422! Just to clarify for those of you in the northern hemisphere, September in Oz is not a holiday month, falling as it does at the very beginning of Spring.

  So why the drop? Lies and statistics, eh? The publisher figures are at best only a general indication. They cannot be relied upon being fraught with errors and exceptions.

  Such is Ozzie's opinion anyway!

  Cheers, Ozzie
• 

  blondie

  Do figures lie or do liars figure?

  Ozzie, I heard that on a news show last night about a different topic. I thinks it applies here.

  Blondie
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  jst2laws

  Ozzie,

  I Neve thought to check that before. If it weren't Sunday morning I would get my arse out of bed and compare a few other years here in the US.

  Thanks for the new light.

  STeve
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  Perry

  Interesting. It's obvious they are borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. It will catch up with them though. I predict numbers to drop if the war on terrorism continues to go well.

  Nothing like filling the KH than after a major terror attack.

  Greetings to Down Under,

  Perry
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  gumby

  The shit gets deeper and deeper for them doesn't it? Someday they will suffocate.

  Excellent observation Ozmeister.....thanks

  Gumby
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  Stephanus

  Just to clarify for those of you in the northern hemisphere, September in Oz is not a holiday month, falling as it does at the very beginning of Spring.

  What about the September school holidays?
• 

  ozziepost

  Sure there's school hols but for just two weeks in rather cool weather. My point was made for the benefit of those in the northern hemishere so that there would be no misunderstanding about a holiday period such as we get over December/January each year.

  Congregations in Oz don't experience the general close down in September that is certainly experienced from late December till late January. During that period you do experience the "lumps and bumps" in the dub's statistics. That's understandable. But not in September, and that was my point. The annual figures can be distorted by an abnormally high monthly figure right at the end of the year.