JWs growing in numbers despite opposition and criticism from apostates and other religious commentators. Why?

by african GB Member 55 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Heaven

  What determines 'growth'? Ask yourself, do they look at all the numbers, including those leaving, either via fade, da/df, or death or is this growth number strictly being counted as people joining up?

  What makes this growth possible despite all the exposure on the internet and other media?

  Much of this 'growth' is happening where people do not have access to the Internet and other media. Wait until they find out they've been lied to.

  Is this not a sign that perhaps this is the true religion?

  No. Numbers can be made to look any way you want them to. They are not a sign of 'truth'.
• 

  Robert7

  3% growth is pretty poor if you ask me, especially for the 'true religion'. Even Muslims doubled in numbers in that period of time in that survey.
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  blondie

  All a healthy jw has to do is turn in 1 hour (real or imagined) every 6 months to make the annual count. Not exactly the kind of productive employee I would want on the books.
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  winstonchurchill

  ANd you are not considering the fact that Secretaries fill up 'activity' for those who do not report. In our cong (and I know for a fact is common practice) when the CO visit is near, the secretary starts chasing after people to get their belated reports. I'm apaled wen at the elders meeting the CO commends us for having only one or two "Irregulars" when we all kow for a fact at least 10~15 publishers are in that situation.
• 

  WTWizard

  Specifically, there are ways they can fake the numbers. First, is the Fake Time Slip. Witlesses who did nothing are usually guilted into at least turning in a fake time slip so they will not be "bad associations". The hounders often goad people on to turning in fake time slips so they can have something to turn into the hounder-hounder, and they have been known to turn in fake time slips in behalf of inactive publishers just to make themselves and their congregation look good.

  I think the next way is far worse--having children out in field circus. They are dragged out as soon as they can walk, and will be expected to make a simple waste of paper presentation or a presentation for the rags by the time they are able to read. They get hounded to get baptized, sometimes as young as 6 (I have seen this too many times in yearbooks and showcased in Grand Boasting Sessions where children between 6 and 8 are baptized). And, if they are going to be baptized at age 6, they are even younger when they are unbaptized publishers. They usually start them out during waste of paper distribution campaigns, since these use no mental abilities. This is enough to make me want to puke.
• 

  frankiespeakin

  I remember CO visit were a pressure on secretarys to get everyone to turn in time even if they didn't we could alway squeeze an hour out them to keep the congregation looking healthy on paper.
• 

  Mary

  What makes this growth possible despite all the exposure on the internet and other media?

  A little thing called 'reproduction'. End of story.
• 

  JWoods

  A little thing called 'reproduction'. End of story.

  Plus the fact that the largest growth now seems to be in third world countries where internet and other information on their true nature is lacking.
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  african GB Member

  Thank you all for your contributions.

  It is obvious from various responses that JWs are not really growing as much as they claim, and much of the growth actually comes from 'born-ins'.

  Well I guess I am part of that growth, being a born-in myself.

  But I guess they lost one sheep as I am out, even though technically I am still in,

  it does'nt really mean anything though b'coz I maintain my 'in' status by giving in fake time and only attends 2 meetings a month.
• 

  shamus100

  Yeah,

  Whatever.