Are the Watchtower numbers right for membership?

by yalbmert99 25 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • yalbmert99
    yalbmert99

    ...and those who overlapped with last year's conventions...

    Yeah, pretty funny!

  • Podobear
    Podobear

    I used to be the back up head counter at the Branch Office in the days when the Elders were first urged to encourage the publishers to submit their monthly reports, if only retrospectively.

    So, if two pioneers spent 6 months on some remote island.. twelve field service reports would be submitted. A peak of 2 and a yearly average of 1.. but no active JW's on the island at the end of the year. The headcount then returned to the congregation of origin.

    The numbers therefore reflect those who are Active in their preaching at any given time. The "Average" number of publishers is probable the nearest accurate "Activity" figure you will get at any one time. The "Peak" can be a real smoke screen as to the true picture.

    Remember, the WT is only a Printing and Publishing corporation.. supposedly representing the material/legal arm of Jehovah's Witnesses.. it is only interested in one thing, production volumes and statistics. It's a kind of DowJones Index, with (at last check) 24th rating in New York City.

    WT needs Factory Fodder, like the army needs G.I's and Squaddies (UK) for cannon fodder. No love lost at the top.. once you're spent, you're disposable. Sad, really.

    Podo

  • yalbmert99
    yalbmert99

    Yeah, a lot of smoke screens

  • Gerard
    Gerard
    They're counting all those who are invisibly present.

    Priceless!

  • ValiantBoy
    ValiantBoy

    A number of witnesses from western Quebec would attend the conventions in neighboring Cornwall, ON where four conventions were held with expected attendance of 16000.

    http://www.cornwall.ca/en/newslist/index.aspx?corpId=eGfVCrPSj3gueIx0aTb0ggeQuAleQuAl&newsId=6GdBg4lBf3hm5rDPc9NZ2AeQuAleQuAl

  • TheOldHippie
    TheOldHippie

    Exactly. You shouldn't make too much out of the numbers given for one province; people are a bit mobile these days. Adding the attendance for the country after all the conventions have been held, gives a better picture. Over here, total attendance is always higher than the average number of publishers. Some visit two conventions, but on the other hand some live on such remote places or are aged / have health problems and no not attend. If that roughly would even each other out, then a higher attendance than average publishers is what I "feel" to be correct by own observation, as relatives, interested, a neighbour or two also attend.

    As always, making worldwide conclusions based on a limited area or a limited time period is risky business. "Two youths committed suicide in my congregation = majority of JW youths commit suicide" .......... no no. "Three JWs in my area were admitted to mental hospital = most JWs are mentally ill" ....... no no. Extrapolation and intrapolation - risky business.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit