Posts by Alpheta

9

What Happened to all the Baptized Publishers? number lost in space

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

http://www.freeminds.org/history/wherebaptized.htm.

what happened to all the baptized publishers?.

the following chart shows the number of persons baptized into the jehovah's witness religion from 1985 to 2005 across the world.

Alpheta

Hi everyone.

I did a little number crunching with these interesting figures. Using the formula that was given earlier of total number of baptized over the last 20 years (1985-2005) added to the peak number of 1985 publishers yields the following:

6,160,944 (baptized over 20 years) + 3,024,131 (1985 peak publishers) = 9,185,075

To keep calculations easy, I assumed no loss from this number over 20 years. So, there should be 9.18 million witnesses out there today. But there aren't.

Using 2005 peak publishers number, there are only 6,613,829. That's a difference of 2,571,246 (9,185,075 minus 6,613,829), as the chart shows.

I think the percentage loss is calculated by dividing the 2.57 million of the "missing" by 9.18 million who should be the total but for the losses. The number is very close to 28% loss. A high number, but not 41%.

33

I have a question(s)

by I.Wonder in

jw
friends

i am new to the site, although i have been a lurker for quite some time.

i was very nervous to create an account.

all of the people i work for and with are jw's and we are all family.

Alpheta

Hi I.W.

Welcome to the board! When I started feeling really uncomfortable about going out in the field service (because I no longer was sure I was talking about "the truth"), I developed some "health problems" (blood pressure and "female" problems - something you sure can't talk to those Elders about, lol!) along with an increased work schedule (either work the hours or lose my job, and no one in the congregation ever told me to lose the job), so Saturday and/or Sunday mornings just weren't available anymore to go door-to-door. At first, to keep up time, I did writing territory, which historically has been know NOT to produce any response whatsoever. So, I felt I was "doing my duty."

62

Life in the new system... Ask your questions here....

by JH in

jw
friends

will there be any industries, with people working midnight to eight?.

will money still exist?.

Alpheta

This is a question I asked (yes, actually did) before I got baptized in 1996. Everyone thought it was a joke (it wasn't).

Will women have to share a husband? And what if one of those old bearded patriarchs the Society told us would come back takes a fancy to you (I mean, female "you", lol!) - oh, yuch! Would you be able to say - no thanks, dude?

21

Is Street Corner Work Dead ???

by Poztate in

jw
friends

years ago my wife and i used to spend an hour every saturday morning between 8-9 at the street corner work?

at 9am we would proceed to the group for the pep talk and then put in at least another two hours in service?

we were not the only ones in the street corner work.

Alpheta

It's alive and well in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

19

WTS account for Britain (2005)

by dozy in

jw
friends

hopefully is available in adobe format by clicking on the link.. http://www.box.net/public/podqx6rrkb.

Alpheta

Dozy, when will the annual 2006 report be available? I see the 2005 report ended August 31, 2005. Is there a certain time period, say 90 days after close of fiscal year - for filing the 2006 report - which would presumably have also ended on August 31, 2006? It would be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison of figures for 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Am I correct in assuming that this report is ONLY for all congregations in "England", and do not include those in Wales, Scotland and Ireland???

By the way, the (Pounds British Sterling) 46,000 or so expenditure for that one congregation seems hinky to me. Could they have been divesting themselves of excess cash in anticipation of the partnership with the other congregation??? Too many unknowns here and so it's impossible to draw any solid conclusions - and I'm sure no accountant in any event!

Finally, I have to say I was absolutely shocked and amazed about the discussion concerning this (Pounds British Sterling) 46,000 or so contribution - from ONE congregation? Wow! I used to be part of a congregation in southeastern Wisconsin (USA) that was considered relatively "well-off" and our account balance from month to month was never more than US $3,000. So how could that English congregation have so much money????

17

I don't know how I feel...

by wonderwoman in

jw
friends

so, i got a call from my jw sis yesterday telling me that my grandpa had a stroke and is in the hospital.

gramps is big-brother-by-the-book-jw.

i have talked to him a handful of times since i was 18. when i was depressed and went to the hospital/therapy etc..he told me to stop being foolish and all i needed to do was pray and go in service more.

Alpheta

Hi Wonderwoman,

I agree with Lady Liberty - I think you should go see your grandpa; I think that even if he doesn't express it on the outside, on the inside his heart will be leaping for joy that you came to see him. And whatever happens in the future with his recovery (or not), you will know in your own heart that you did the right thing. Same applies if there are more visits during his recuperation. You act(ed) as a true Christian, with love in your heart. I guess I'm a "softie" too.

Alpheta

9

Has anyone ever sued the Watchtower for loss of inheritance ..... and won?

by hubert in

jw
friends

well, that's the question.

my wife came up with this one, without really knowing the impact it had on me.. i've heard a few discussions on this, but never heard anything solid about it.

is there a way we can find out?

Alpheta

That's an interesting question to which, unfortunately, I don't think there is an easy answer.

I'm not up on the latest research resources available to legal eagles, but my guess is that unless you have a subscription to say Westlaw or Lexis, you would have to try a state-by-state search of available FREE court databases (state courts and federal courts), trying seaches under various parameters such as "Watchtower" and perhaps restricting it to "probate" cases - and see what came up on each database.

One thing - I would assume that in any case of this type where the WTBTS entered into a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs, they would invoke a confidentiality clause, so it might very well be that the court docket (record of proceedings in the case) only shows that the case was either "settled" or even, perhaps "dismissed" - and particulars of the settlement would be unavailable.

46

What do you think the Society's future holds?

by KW13 in

jw
friends

i get the feeling the society is gonna suffer a huge loss of number, with people who are in getting old, those 'raised' in the so called truth leaving and less and less interested ones because more people are aware.. .

it has its ups and downs but it seems the ups aren't as big as they used to, some never recovered from 1975 and others from the 1995 generation thingy.. your thoughts?.

Alpheta

free2beme:

"If you look at them from a business standpoint, which is a true indicator in religion, as well. Then you would see slow and low growth, with death of the older ones causing a huge decrease in the hard core followers."

Would you also apply this "business" rationale to the radical Muslims who are killing people today in the name of "jihad"? Seems to me we are experiencing an increase in these religious murderers, not a lessening, as your "slow and low growth" business model would seem to indicate.

46

What do you think the Society's future holds?

by KW13 in

jw
friends

i get the feeling the society is gonna suffer a huge loss of number, with people who are in getting old, those 'raised' in the so called truth leaving and less and less interested ones because more people are aware.. .

it has its ups and downs but it seems the ups aren't as big as they used to, some never recovered from 1975 and others from the 1995 generation thingy.. your thoughts?.

Alpheta

" have seen the dubber talking heads run in to problems before, 1975, watched how many sold what they had,quit their jobs, all waiting for the big bang that never came. and then got shot down for expecting the very thing they were told to expect."

Yes, but Kilroy2, that was BEFORE the internet - WAY before. The people caught up in 1975 had no way of checking with others to see what they thought about it all - if they even had the guts to do so, say, for instance, in their own congregation, because, after all, we all know how the df'ing works and "1984" style squealing on your brother/sister. Those people were SO alone, so alone, it makes me cry - and angry! Those people who left afterward were so frigging brave - to just walk away from it all. That took GUTS.

46

What do you think the Society's future holds?

by KW13 in

jw
friends

i get the feeling the society is gonna suffer a huge loss of number, with people who are in getting old, those 'raised' in the so called truth leaving and less and less interested ones because more people are aware.. .

it has its ups and downs but it seems the ups aren't as big as they used to, some never recovered from 1975 and others from the 1995 generation thingy.. your thoughts?.

Alpheta

JWdaughter said it: They are losing their American base which supported the rest.

This IS an American religion, when all is said and done. When the "head" dies, the tail will soon follow.