Does anyone know how the WTS tallies the number of JWs worldwide? I ask because so many on this board and elsewhere, including me, have gradually faded away from the JWs, have become "inactive" in WT terms. Are inactive JWs included when the WTS publishes the total number of JWs worldwide? Or do the elders in the individual congs keep the Society informed about the active vs. inactive JWs? I'm asking because I wonder how trustworthy the WTS's published numbers for JWs are.
WTS statistics question
by parakeet 3 Replies latest jw friends
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blondie
Only active (or at least irregular) publishers are counted. You don't have to be baptized but you do have to be approved by the service committee (3 elders, PO, secretary, service overseer) to become an unbaptized publisher. If a publisher does not turn in time one month, they are not counted but are designated "irregular." If they do not turn in a time slip for 6 consecutive months, they are designated "inactive" and drop off the radar until they turn time in again...plus the elders prefer you give the illusion of attending the meetings when you turn in a time slip.
Now the reality is that some book study conductors or service overseers may turn in a slip for you to make themselves look good. Some publishers may turn in time but not have "preached" at all.
Blondie
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parakeet
Thanks, Blondie. I'm glad I "don't count" with the JWs any more, both figuratively and literally!
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stapler99
That has reminded me of a change a while ago where instead of putting field service reports in a box at the Kingdom Hall they were now to be put in a box at the book study. If what you say about book study conductors is right then this would make it easier to fake them.