slimboyfat

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Posts by slimboyfat

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  61

  2017 Service Year Report Worldwide - INDIVIDUALLY LISTED LANDS and COUNTRIES

  by darkspilver in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now available:.

  2017 service year report worldwide: table with individually listed lands and countries.

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  slimboyfat

  Having said all that - you are correct 27% is a huge jump and is probably a mistake of some kind!
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  61

  2017 Service Year Report Worldwide - INDIVIDUALLY LISTED LANDS and COUNTRIES

  by darkspilver in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now available:.

  2017 service year report worldwide: table with individually listed lands and countries.

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  slimboyfat

  Sometimes the population figures jump around because they are estimates based on projections and then census figures produce surprises. So from one year to the next population figures can jump, not necessarily reflecting real population growth over a single year, but catching up. This has a knock on effect on the publisher to population ratio. All these figures are best analysed over the longer term because such blips can affect trends over a year or two.
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  61

  2017 Service Year Report Worldwide - INDIVIDUALLY LISTED LANDS and COUNTRIES

  by darkspilver in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now available:.

  2017 service year report worldwide: table with individually listed lands and countries.

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  slimboyfat

  Thanks dark. Did you compile these figures yourself, from individual pages on JW website?

  For clarification, I thought 1.4% increase was the summarised worldwide growth in average publishers. Is that wrong? Or is it a coincidence that the increase in average publishers matches the increase in peak publishers for this year?

  Using peak figures for growth is not ideal because it's not comparable with previous years. But if it's all we've got we need to make do.

  The congregation numbers are really interesting.

  There is no change in the figures for Russia. Is this because no report has been produced for 2017 because of the ban?

  Lots of interesting figures. So many countries lost congregations. To me that's the most important statistic. But Colombia lost 213 congregations, while growing 1.6% Is that a mistake?

  It strikes me once again that two of the countries with the strongest growth, Brazil and Angola, are both Portuguese speaking countries. I wonder if there is any reason for that. Portugal itself is also growing, in contrast to most of Europe.

  The decline in Germany is quite amazing. They have lost 41 congregations in a single year, despite massive immigration to Germany over the last few years.

  Poland and Japan continue to decline at quite a steady rate.

  The massive increase in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year has not been repeated this year.

  I am a bit surprised that they continue to grow in Australia despite all the bad publicity.

  Netherlands continues to decline. They have been quietly declining for decades now.

  The huge loss of congregations in the United States has not really been replicated elsewhere. Perhaps they are following a different policy because most financial gains from consolidation can be realised in the United States. Or maybe the policy of consolidation will be rolled out to other countries in the future.

  I wonder why Ukraine is still adding 32 congregations this year when the publisher numbers have been in decline for years.

  On the flip side. Tanzania has nearly 1000 more publishers but lost 12 congregations.

  South Africa lost 58 congregations. That's pretty huge.
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  178

  Charging $150 To Tell Your Stories

  by Bangalore in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/how-to-escape-from-jehovah-s-witnesses-religion#/.

  for $150: collaboration with the backer so that their story of successfully escaping an abusive belief system (300 words max) features along with others in the final pages of how to escape from jehovah's witnesses.

  the text will be written by the author but will include a minimum of one quote worded by the backer.

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  slimboyfat

  He asks translators to work for free? While charging people to include their stories in his book?

  Seems like he's a bit of a user and people are getting wise to him.
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  61

  2017 Service Year Report Worldwide - INDIVIDUALLY LISTED LANDS and COUNTRIES

  by darkspilver in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now available:.

  2017 service year report worldwide: table with individually listed lands and countries.

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  slimboyfat

  Thank goodness for that. Us of little faith. Going to enjoy examining this later.
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  19

  New round of elders and MS schools going on, anyone have a inside scoop on any of the info being shared there?

  by optimisticskeptic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  confidential items are of most interest of course, just curious what they're talking about there in general and what are the newest things everyone is being warned about, etc.

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  slimboyfat

  The only bit I didn't like about the Pathfinders programme (in common with BB and other groups) was the use of the Union Jack flag as part of the ritual. If you want to talk about indoctrination I think that's a place to start. Emile Durkheim said patriotism is the biggest religion of all.
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  315

  Flat earth vs round earth

  by Jrjw in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  my brother has been talking about the earth being flat and some big conspiracy going on to make people beieve otherwise.

  what are people's thoughts on this?.

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  slimboyfat

  Is Cofty so dumbfounded by the flat earth revelations that he's started writing German?
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  19

  New round of elders and MS schools going on, anyone have a inside scoop on any of the info being shared there?

  by optimisticskeptic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  confidential items are of most interest of course, just curious what they're talking about there in general and what are the newest things everyone is being warned about, etc.

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  slimboyfat

  I think any exploration of the idea that life can have meaning, individually and as communities is is important. But Adventists are Bible believers for sure, and I guess the programme has got Bible teaching in it, but I don't know. What impressed me was how it encouraged young people to work together and to seek the advice and guidance of adults. Pretty good lessons no matter what your ideology.
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  315

  Flat earth vs round earth

  by Jrjw in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  my brother has been talking about the earth being flat and some big conspiracy going on to make people beieve otherwise.

  what are people's thoughts on this?.

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  2. 
  3. 
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  slimboyfat

  Hold on a minute, are you actually telling me there is a chance the earth might actually be flat after all? Hang on, I need to gather my thoughts here. This is a lot to take in. First of all, and most importantly, this is really going to annoy Cofty, if true, because he was like, totally convinced, it was a completely stupid idea to say the Earth might be flat. Second of all, I think I better research this for myself to see what I think.
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  19

  New round of elders and MS schools going on, anyone have a inside scoop on any of the info being shared there?

  by optimisticskeptic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  confidential items are of most interest of course, just curious what they're talking about there in general and what are the newest things everyone is being warned about, etc.

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  slimboyfat

  Adventists have activities for young people called the "pathfinders programme". It's a bit like the scouts or guides. They teach young people basic skills, get them to work in groups as young people, and with adults, and they learn personal, social and spiritual skills along the way.

  Christadelphians have a programme called the "isolation league". It sounds pretty sinister first! But actually it's an attempt to make sure no one in their community feels alone or isolated. So younger ones reach out by making visits, phoning or writing letters and emails.

  But as long as JW elders make sure they read the Bible clearly at the meetings that's the main thing.