Good point joe - yes NZ is increasingly a nonreligiously inclined country. That said, there have been huge increases in numbers of adherents from the nonchristian immigrant populations such as Moslems and Hindus.
FEWER NEW ZEALAND CITIZENS AFFILIATED WITH JWS IN 2013 THAN IN 1996: SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF DECREASE
by steve2 28 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Billy the Ex-Bethelite
I think we know what this means... The King of the North must be New Zealand!
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steve2
Wozwozza - while there is evidence of kiwis moving to Australia to explain the decrease in NZ Witnesses, immigration to Aussieland has as been happening for decades, including the 1990s when the growth of self-reporting Witnesses was at its highest (1996) in NZ. When a kingdom hall closed in Shannon, NZ, in 2012, the reason was the rural economy. But there is no evidence of rural witnesses moving to the cities to bolster congregations there. Fact is, the once consistently growing congregations are stagnating or in decline even in city congregations.
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karter
steve2,I was involved in alot of quick builds around the north island in the late 80's early 90's we couldn't build them fast enough now they seem to be emptying at the same rate.
They wanted atleast 250 seat K.H's even in places like Taumaranui were they now have about 40 publishers.
The rural economy in NZ is booming so people are moveing to those areas not moveing away.
Karter.
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steve2
Yes, Karter, I remember the days when the brothers were thinking in terms of mid-term growth and there'd be these big building programmes that upon reflection did not make economic sense (the bigger the building, the bigger the maintenance and associated costs). I think the brothers wanted visible evidence to the respective communities that the organization was thriving whilst local churches weren't. A lot of pride was wrapped up in those building programmes. I remember going to the kingdom hall in Ohakune during a holiday break and being amused by the fact that there were maybe 8 people in a hall that could accommodate well over 100. In speaking with the witnesses in that hall, they said attendance was seldom if ever over 20. It was clear that maintaining that size hall would have been financially demanding - and as a rule rural Witnesses are seldom financially comfortable. Looks like it's wake up time in those communities.
And, yes, you're right: In many rural communities there's kind of a positive turnaround in terms of the economy, but fewer active witnesses.
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frogonmytoe
Which NZ PM was it who said that every time a Kiwi emigrated to Australia, the average IQ of both countries went up?
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steve2
Which NZ PM was it who said that every time a Kiwi emigrated to Australia, the average IQ of both countries went up?
Ouch! Rob Muldoon.
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Bungi Bill
There was a time when building larger kingdom halls than was necessary was considered to be "forward thinking":
- i.e. gearing the organisation up for the "huge increase" that was "about to happen."
Bill.
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joe134cd
I think what has happened in Aotearoa is that those more loosely associated with the witnesses, have become clearer in their out look. Hence the 2013 year book was able to show a slight increase while the census showing a decrease. To be honest I am surprised that they were able to show an increase in the year book. I have just recently faded in 2013 and just before I left, there was 10% of the congregation had walked out in the space of a few months. So obviously they are pulling people from some where, or that there was a lot of publishers who failed to report one month and then reported the next. From what I have personally observed it's a religion that appears to be loosing more than it's gaining.
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joe134cd
KARTER - there is a good chance I may know you.