Watchtower sitting on potential goldmine of millions of non-JW memorial attenders

by yadda yadda 2 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  yadda yadda 2

  Last year's "Letter from the Governing Body" (on JW.org) notes:
  
  "Last year, the Memorial attendance was 19,241,252. How encouraging to see so many honor Jehovah and Jesus Christ by attending the most important meeting of the year for God’s people!"
  
  That's about 12 million or so non-JW's who go to the memorial only, a good % of whom are evidently at least somewhat sympathetic or curious about the JW's, but for various reasons have no desire to commit to the religion.
  
  That's a HUGE untapped mine of potential convert$ and growth that the Watchtower has historically treated with a casual disregard.
  
  JW's go door to door for untold millions of hours knocking on empty doors with 99% of the public apathetic, and yet there is no real programme or serious attempt made to hook into this huge potential source of new converts and growth other than an elder or MS perhaps making an incidental approach to one of these otherwise strangers to the Kingdom Hall to perfunctorily enquire if they may be interested in a Bible Study.

  What is putting these 12 or so millions non-JW memorial attenders off from joining? Has the Society ever made the slightest attempt to find out what is holding them back?

  From my own 35-40 or so years in the org as a former born-in, these are probably the main reasons all those potential new converts don't bother coming back to the Kingdom Hall:

  • "I could be a JW but I could never go from door to door, no way..." - how many times have you heard that? It's probably the NO.1 reason people are put off becoming a JW.
  • "I could be a JW but I could never stop my children having Christmas and birthdays..." - how many times have you heard that?
  • "I like JW's but I don't agree with their blood transfusion policy..."

  Those are the three main reasons I recall hearing this group of curious/sympathetic persons express (relatives, etc) for why they don't join. What do you think? Any more?

  It seems to me it is these peculiar 'weirdo' aspects of the JW religion that hold so many of these potential converts back who otherwise might be happy to sign-up.

  In other words, millions of otherwise curious persons hold off from committing out of fear of any teaching or policy that causes social stigma or ostracism or places life and relationship at risk.

  Logic follows then that the key to new, real growth in the western world for the organisation (which has been in decline for years) is to eliminate that class of teaching/policy and move to a more moderate position.
• 

  Jeannette

  That's true.
• 

  Apognophos

  It's been stated here in the past that one of the major contingents of the Memorial is the "I'm just attending to get my JW family off my back" crowd -- the inactive born-ins or disinterested spouses that only go because their family makes such a big deal out of the yearly event.
• 

  DATA-DOG

  Now millions of interested ones can donate to JW TV!!! They will be marked for survival! All hail Jeehoober's internet religion!!

  DD
• 

  yadda yadda 2

  Probably right Agnophobos, but there must be millions not forming that contingent too. And if the nagged unbelieving relative is willing to give in and go to the memorial to stop the nagging then it shouldn't take much more to persuade them to go to the odd Sunday meeting too?

  Let's face it: all the Society cares about is $$$$ coming in and their annual report looking decent.

  Since the recent institution of the 'mandatory donation' arrangement now incumbent on every congregation, which is effectively a tithing arrangement, the door to door magazine sales work to collect $$$ is mostly redundant.

  There's now a disconnect between literature placed and $$$ donated. If not a single piece of literature is placed in field service by anyone in the congregation, the congregation must still transfer a minimum agreed donation amount to the Society's coffers, right?

  So now the strategy has to be to stop the plummeting growth in the west and keep bums on seats in the kingdom halls to ensure congregation aren't folding and the $$$ keep rolling in. Therefore the new strategy should be making it easier to get people to want to get dunked and become a dedicated JW.

  They can do that by rolling out a programme of eliminating or moderating all teachings and policies that cause social stigma or ostracism or places life and relationship at risk, thus removing the barriers to those millions of non-JW memorial attenders from committing.
• 

  Crazyguy

  Lets not forget most of the 19 million most are already the 7 million publishers and all their kids and babies.
• 

  NAVYTOWN

  It's really very simple: For the most part, JW congregations are made up of life's losers, eccentrics, and essentially simple-minded souls. Why would anyone who is a 'winner' at the game of life even want to be associated with such a down-at-the-heels fringe group??? Not to mention the fact that their beliefs are sheer lunacy and the result of intense brainwashing. The only non-JWs who attend the Memorial are either unbelieving mates or family members who go to humor their deluded relatives. Add in a few genuine freaks and oddballs and there you have it. It's not rocket-science, folks!
• 

  smiddy

  yadda yadda 2

  You make some good points their Bro.I hope they dont take them up , however what you say makes a lot of sense .

  • "I could be a JW but I could never go from door to door, no way..." - how many times have you heard that? It's probably the NO.1 reason people are put off becoming a JW.
  • "I could be a JW but I could never stop my children having Christmas and birthdays..." - how many times have you heard that?
  • "I like JW's but I don't agree with their blood transfusion policy..."

  Those are the three main reasons I recall hearing this group of curious/sympathetic persons express (relatives, etc) for why they don't join. What do you think? Any more?

  We can only hope that the GB keep their head in the sand and never implement your suggestions .

  smiddy
• 

  J.C.

  Lots are there that have been but faded due to lack of love and control issues.
• 

  Magnum

  I agree with NAVYTOWN.

  Most of those who attend the Memorial are not in the least interested in becoming JWs. Have you ever just looked around when you attended a Memorial? I went last spring and I did look around just to see what the visiting crowd looked like. All completely disinterested, dim-witted losers.