Dad said JW's number 6.5 million and are growing -- can anyone verify this?

Gopher

I had one of my infrequent phone conversations with my JW-elder-father yesterday. He's been "in da troof" all his adult life, over 5 decades now. It's all he knows.

So naturally, on those rare occasions when we talk, he launches into a "come back into the truth" soliloquy. I just listen, because while I have no intention to go back to the J-dubs, I admire his tenacity to hanging onto what he has believed for so long.

He claimed that (in fulfillment of Bible prophecy) the growth is 5,000 per week, and that the number of JW's is up to 6.5 million.

I thought that the actual numbers have been hovering near 6 million for several years now.

Can someone who has the 2004 Yearbook of JW's tell me what the actual worldwide publisher total is for last year?

Not that it really matters, but I'm curious.

Scully

Gopher

Most likely, the 6.5 million mark is the pre-Memorial "peak" publishers from March/April 2004. This is approximately the time frame for those numbers to be appearing in the current Kingdom Ministry.

Love, Scully

blondie

But if numbers were proof that the WTS is the true religion, then Islam, Mormons, and Roman Catholics have them beat.

Blondie

avishai

Hell, even Judaism has them beat. They also use "persecution" as a reason for being Gods chosen. Again, the Jews have them beat.

RunningMan

2003 peak = 6,429,351

2001 peak = 6,117,666

So, yes they are still growing, but mostly in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central and South America. Developed countries have stayed about the same for quite a while.

ezekiel3

The "5000 per week" was stated in a recent WT and also at the DC conventions. Considering that is over a quarter million per year, the number cold very well be 6.5 mil.

Most growth is coming from third world or immigrant populations in USA/Europe (40% baptized at Netherlands DC 2003 were from foreign language groups). Most getting baptized in English speaking US congregations are JW children (85-90%).

ColdRedRain

Also in fufilment of bible prophecy, there's an increase of false prophets. Coincidence? I think not :).

Farkel

: He claimed that (in fulfillment of Bible prophecy) the growth is 5,000 per week, and that the number of JW's is up to 6.5 million.

In addition to the faiths already mentioned, the hard core fundamentalist Christian faiths have growth rates much, MUCH higher than dubs.

So, if rates of growth determine which faiths are fulfilling Bible prophecy, dubs are way down on the list.

There are still 1,000 people on this earth for every dub and relatively speaking, one can hardly call several million people a "great crowd." Mexico City alone contains about six TIMES as many people as there are dubs in the entire WORLD.
br> 2003 peak = 6,429,351

2001 peak = 6,117,666

These numbers only represent a net growth rate of 2.5% per year. Hardly impressive considering the billions of hours and billions of pieces of literature dubs spend and use promoting their religion.

Farkel

Valis

Annual Worldwide Statistics
Attendance at the annual Memorial of Christ's death	16,097,622
Total volunteer hours spent in public Bible educational work	1.2 billion
Average weekly home Bible courses taught	5,726,509
Practicing members*	6,429,351
New members baptized	258,845
Increase over 2002	2.2 percent
Branch offices	109
Congregations	95,919
* While other religious groups count their membership by occasional or annual attendance, this figure reflects only those who are actively involved in the public Bible educational work.

Undaunted Danny

According to respected journalist Roger Mudd the narrative for the History Channel presentation on apocalyptic groups.

[This video clip is available at my site.]There are 4 million JWs and 7 million SDA's,groups that both spun-off the William Millerite apocalyptic movement of 1840's.

Dad said JW's number 6.5 million and are growing -- can anyone verify this?

Share this