International Conventions

by tenyearsafter 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  tenyearsafter

  Just saw a Facebook post from an acquaintance who just went to the International Convention in Dallas, TX. According to his post, there were approximately 50,000 in attendance on Sunday, with 468 baptized. There were an additional 9 conventions tied to this one, with an attendance of approximately 100,000 and 609 baptisms total, including Dallas. His big take away was the unity and love that the JW's showed versus the hypocrisy and fighting among those of other religions.

  Based on his account, you would think the JW's are having a new renaissance of growth...I read the numbers he quoted as a .9% growth based on the baptisms in Dallas and .6% based on the total baptisms for that weekend. Of course, they didn't mention the number DF'ed, DA'ed or faded...if these numbers were factored in, it would show a decline. I wonder how many of those baptized were children of JW's? Could the higher number of baptisms in Dallas be indicative of the large number of Hispanic immigrants in Texas?...I think that is a good possibility.

  As my friend commented at the end of his post on FB, " Clearly, Jehovah is blessing our association of brothers and sisters."
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  sir82

  The number of baptisms per year for JWs has been declining rather steadily.

  20 years ago there were 350,000+ per year getting baptized. Now it's around 250,000 per year.
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  HeyThere

  They were also expecting 65k in attendance for that convention...
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  let's say that all 100,000 in attendance are JWs and they each reported 10 hours per month since the convention last year.

  12,000,000 hours for 609 baptisms. Historically, half of all baptisms are children of JWs or others that were not converted due to door-to-door preaching.

  12,000,000 hours for what MAY BE, at best, 305 baptisms.

  Pathetic.
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  Crazyguy

  I'm willing to bet out of the 609 baptisms 575 were born ins.
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  redvip2000

  Historically, half of all baptisms are children of JWs or others that were not converted due to door-to-door preaching.

  Half? I highly doubt that this is the case anymore. I think maybe in the early days it was probably true, but I'm gonna say that now only about 10 percent ( even less) of new converts is due to actual cold call type knock on the door. The others are the usual family, friends, work connections as usual.
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  steve2

  Other threads suggest attendance in some regions fell below expectations. E.g., the Arlington (state?) convention where 65,000 to 70,000 were expected but attendance was around 50,000.

  Also, the reported baptisms in the OP do not seem at all impressive - given the reported size of the attendance.
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  steve2

  Oh, I see Heythere had mentioned earlier what the expected attendance was.
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  tenyearsafter

  steve2...Arlington is the Dallas area, and the convention my friend was talking about. That would be a first in my recollection of a convention falling 20% below projections.
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  Oubliette

  When I was baptized in the '80s the baptism rate was much higher, usually 2 - 3%

  This religion is in the decline. But they will never admit that. It's doublethink.