by steve2 51 Replies latest watchtower bible
ILoveTTATT - "In Latin America and I am sure Africa, memorial attendance IS at least twice if not three or more times the usual attendance. So that's where the numbers are big."
Fat lot of good that does the WTS's coffers; those places are dirt-poor.
No extra chairs needed. None in the 3rd room/hall, only a hand full in the 2nd hall (probably late arrivals) and the Main hall was "ALMOST" full. about 10-15 available seats..
Because ours was after 8:30pm most of the younger kids slept thru just about ALL of it!
Parking lot was not full.
It was awesome
Just checking: do they count suckling babies?? And children playing with their soft toys?? I suspect they follow the policy of, "If it breathes count it" which would possibly rule out some of the brain dead attendees.
On a related note, I recall in the late 60s and early 70s, the organization attracted a much wider range of socio-economic groups and more than a few well educated individuals. Nowadays, you're either "born-in" or an individual whose path through life has been characterized by a host of traits that would stamp you in less kind quarters as "Loser".
Sadly, JWs are not alone among organized religions that attract individuals who have literally little else going on in their lives - so from that viewpoint, at least these individuals have the opportunity to smarten up their appearance and comb their hair. It is a shame that physical appearances straighten up with far less difficulty than the inner personality and mental-health variables.
The almost blatant subtext of this thread I started is a belief that any "growth" among the witnesses will primarily be "born ins" and "Losers" - and honestly, often times it will be difficult to spot the difference.
Oh, and smiddy I agree, What is the big deal with bore-fest attendance? and, yes, what does it prove? Some posters, honestly....
Just checking: do they count suckling babies?? And children playing with their soft toys?? I suspect they follow the policy of,
"If it breathes count it" which would possibly rule out some of the brain dead attendees.....Steve2
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...OUTLAW
In my KH today an elder announced how many attended the memorial. They were 10 less than last year, but instead of revealing that fact, the elder said than they were MORE if we account for the fact that many local JWs have moved from town sicne last year!
Sneeky poor fella. If they were 10 more than last year, he would surely announce it with great pride!
There are lies, damn lies and then there are statistics
My solid JW background taught me to be obssessive about numbers. There is something incredibly revealing about them - they provide "evidence" that something "must" be the truth. Counting and recording time, placements, return visits, Bible Studies.
My hours poring over JW yearbook column miles of annual publisher reports left an indelible impression that "the marvellous increases" were indisputably Jehovah's blessings. And - unique among JW trumpeting - a specific decrease in memorial partakers signalled the doctrine of the two classes was true (and Christendom's doctrines wrong, wrong, wrong).
Let's not rub in either the splattered decreases in worldwide memorial attendances in the past two years or the embarrassing increases in memorial partakes over several years. All of a sudden spluttering JW supporters rise up and say, "But wait, you guys on this forum are terribly selective because among the mawaa mawaa tribes of deepest Africa, meeting attendances have exploded and baptisms emptied the local Penaharrawoo River!"
Oh puh-lease! And you JW supporters aren't selective?!!
Small wonder there continues to be a perversely gleeful interest in "increases" and "decreases" on this forum, with the occasional poster piping up, in exasperation, "What gives with your obsession?"
Um, ask not that question of me; ask it of the organization that has long trumpeted its statistics - a deafening trumpeting that has shaped my preoccupation in sundry "increases" and "decreases".
I am no puppet - but I love to stringalong...statistically speaking.
I participated in counting a few times including memorials and circuit assemblies - this process is more an art than a science. I remember being told to count a specific section, when I came back no one could figure out who counted what. I have no idea if the section was double counted or not counted at all.
The physical act of walking up and down a row counting heads is not easy and is also very tedious. The counter usually comes up with shortcuts, which increases the speed but lowers the accuracy. I know I figured out how many seats were in my section and just counted empty seats.
Have anyone else participated in counting and realize that getting an accurate number is very difficult.
Empty seats too here.
Hi Steve: !
There are lies, there are damn lies, and then there are differences in punctuation:
Um, ask not that question of me; ask it of the organization that has long trumpeted its statistics - a deafening trumpeting that has shaped my preoccupation in sundry "increases" and "decreases".
American writers don't do what is necessarily logical, i.e., their placing the period BEFORE the close of the quotation mark (do you call quotation marks inverted commas?!?!?):
"decreases."
Does this astute observation bear on your question . . . what was your question?
CoCo Smart Ass
If it's of any dubious comfort, our speaker made a number of errors in punctuation, but everyone had a good time regardless. I, on the other hand, was seen squirming uncomfortably in my newly upholstered chair whilst my ears bled.
Is it correct to count people who are listening the memorial by thelephone? They are no "observers". They don´t receive the symbols... BTW: In our congregation the attendance was lower than last year.
Sorry for my poor English (i´m from Germany).
