2017 Yearbook - 2016 Watchtower Report Analysis Of Jehovah's Witnesses - Religion - Nairaland
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| 2017 Yearbook - 2016 Watchtower Report Analysis Of Jehovah's Witnesses by ChristianFreedo(m): 8:02am On Jan 29, 2017 |
2017 Yearbook - 2016 Watchtower Report Analysis of Jehovah's Witnesses On my post about the 2016 Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses, many Witnesses didn’t find it funny. Many felt caught to the heart, some felt like seeing me in person and probably bringing the full wrath of the organization on me. Some castigated and attacked me (not the post as to its authenticity and credibility), others called me a disgruntled “apostate”, some accused me of some wronging which they claimed led to me being disfellowship from the Jehovah’s witness organization, some pointed said “tell the world what you did”. Of course, I had to defend myself and image, because it was more of a diversionary tactics, instead of focusing on the message (whether the message was true or not, whether the message had credibility or not), the tactics was to focus on the individual, his integrity, his image and if they can successfully smear the individual, his image before the public, then his message becomes discredited. See Footnote I want to categorically state here again, I have never been disfellowship, neither have I ever faced any judicial committee. If I will face one in the future, it will be for not believing and agreeing with a greater part of watchtower message/interpretations. (Actually, it is a closely guarded secret, Jehovah’s witnesses cannot disagree with the watchtower teachings, never! It is the greatest sin anyone can commit in the Jehovah’s witnesses’ organization) However, the main point of the article was missed, which is that all is not well with the watchtower organization. I also tried to point out some of the problems plaguing the organization. Which led the governing body to call for more loyally, to reinforce loyalty, to the organization, to preach, membership making and most importantly, loyalty to the leaders, since in reality, the leaders (the governing body is “the organization”). The fact is, things are not well with the organization. This has now led the governing body to make a plea to all members of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the upcoming Regional convention entitled “Don’t Give Up”. Never in history of the organization has there ever been a “Loyalty call” convention and a plea not to “Give Up”. Because the organization is trying to stems the decline and stimulate growth, this year, more emphasis on shunning, (shunning has now been extended to include witnesses dating non-witnesses), preaching (mostly bible study), 1919, 1914, credential of the governing body, finally admitting that the governing body is not inspire. QUESTION: How can the governing body be “God’s sole channel” on earth, “God’s spokesman”, “God’s prophet” but not inspire of God? If they claim they are not inspired, then they have no special revelations and are just following the bible, then, what qualifies them as God's sole channel, God's prophet and God's spoken? Since anyone can fellow the bible and the things written in them. I will be presenting the analysis of the just released 2017-year book of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I hope this analysis will help, as I do not expect the governing body to present a true analysis of situations. FOOTNOTE I must say, that is the standard practice of the organization against whom they tagged “apostate”. At some point, they may even shift the blame, saying they are looking for an excuse in order to escape from the door to door ministry. This was the same method Rutherford used against the then board of directors. Russel had left a will of how the watchtower and other publications are to be published, under the control and oversight of the board of directors (10 in number, Rutherford was among the second group of 5). Rutherford took a forceful control, started publications without their input and knowledge, against Russel’s will. When they challenge Rutherford, Rutherford through some legal means (Rutherford being a lawyer), had the board dissolve, wrote all sort of bad things against them, interpreted the parable of the evil slave to fit with them, fulfilling on those board of directors. (Mt 24:48,49; Lu 12:45,46) Watchtower had since discard those interpretations (in the name light getting brighter), but will they ever be honest enough to admit why those interpretations where there in the first place? |
| Re: 2017 Yearbook - 2016 Watchtower Report Analysis Of Jehovah's Witnesses by ChristianFreedo(m): 8:03am On Jan 29, 2017 |
 2017 Yearbook - 2016 Watchtower Report Analysis =============================================== The following is my summary of the most obvious trends in the latest 2016 Service Year Report of Jehovah's Witnesses, as found in the 2017 Yearbook. CONVERSION RATE (Baptisms as a percentage of Bible Studies) =================================================== 2015 Average: 3.27% 2016 Average: 2.96% Region with overall largest DECREASE in Conversion Rate: Northern Africa from 4.09%(2015) to 0.66%(2016). Region with overall largest INCREASE in Conversion Rate: Southern Africa from 2.54%(2015) to 3.87%(2016). A notable mention is Australia with a respectable Conversion Rate DECREASE of 1.24%. Only 7 out of the 23 geographic sub-regions had an INCREASE in Conversion Rate: Central Africa (0.27%); Southern Africa (1.33%); Southern Americas (0.13%); Middle East (0.92%); Southern Europe (0.04%); Western Europe (0.35%); NW Oceania (0.47%). NUMBER 'LEAVING' (as a percent of Baptisms) =================================================== Leavers include: Deaths + DF'd/DA'd + Faded (non-reporting JWs). In 2015 there were only 3 sub-regions that had number of leavers greater than the number of baptisms: East Asia (113.81%); Eastern Europe (207.14%); NW Oceania (116.67%). In 2016 there are now 7 sub-regions that have number of leavers greater than the number of baptisms: Northern Africa (131.25%); Caribbean (108.81%); East Asia (114.32%); North Asia/Russia (164.02%); Eastern Europe (146.69%); Australia/New Zealand (106.27%); NW Oceania (155.36%). Russia was the big winner here with 69.13% net GAIN in 2015 to a staggering 164.02% net LOSS in 2016. 2015 - 69 countries had more leavers than number baptised. 2016 - 88 countries had more leavers than number baptised. PIONEER SPIRIT & LAZY PUBLISHERS (hours per month) =================================================== Europe and Australia/New Zealand have the lowest 'pioneer spirit' with Western Europe and Australia/New Zealand having nearly 12 Publishers per Pioneer. In contrast to this, East Asia and the 31 'Banned' lands have 3 Publishers per Pioneer. The 'laziest' publishers are in Australia/New Zealand (9.1 hrs), SE Asia (7.2 hrs), Northern Europe (8.3 hrs) and USA (9.2 hrs). PREACHING 'EFFICIENCY' (hours spent making 1 baptism) =================================================== Assuming a full 8-hour working day - EVERY day with no breaks or weekends - the hardest preaching grounds in the world for JWs are: East Asia (29,819 hours = 10.2 man years per baptism); Northern Africa (15,037 hours = 5.13 man years per baptism); Southern Europe (11,880 hours = 4.06 man years per baptism); Central America (11,679 hours = 3.99 man years per baptism); Northern Asia (11,634 hours = 3.98 man years per baptism); Northern Europe (11,262 hours = 3.86 man years per baptism); Northern Americas (10,569 hours = 3.62 man years per baptism). The easiest preaching grounds for JWs are: Central Africa (3,689 hours = 1.26 years per baptism); Southern Africa (3,892 hours = 1.33 years per baptism); Eastern Africa (4,051 hours = 1.38 years per baptism). COUNTRY INCREASES & DECREASES =================================================== Excludes 'other' countries. Watchtower figures are in brackets. They differ due to rounding. 2015 ------ DECREASE - 53(42) countries ZERO - 10(37) countries INCREASE - 147(131) countries 2016 ------ DECREASE - 73(55) countries ZERO - 9(39) countries INCREASE - 127(115) countries Basically, decreases are up, increases are down. 'BANNED' COUNTRIES =================================================== Watchtower mentions 31 'Other Countries', one up from 2015. This is Bhutan, which falls off the official list of JW countries this year. There are actually 37 countries with no 'official' Jehovah's Witness presence. They are as follows: Afghanistan; Algeria; Bahrain; Bhutan; Brunei; China; Comoros; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Holy See (Vatican City); Iran; Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; Laos; Libya; Maldives; Mauritania; Monaco; Morocco; North Korea; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Somalia; Syria; Tajikistan; Tokelau; Tunisia; Turkmenistan; United Arab Emirates; Uzbekistan; Vietnam; Western Sahara; Yemen. It's interesting to note that most of the above countries are either stongly Muslim or strongly Communist. COUNTRY LIST ACCURACY =================================================== Watchtower has always fudged with the list of 'Lands' to give a warped impression of their international reach than is actually the case. For example, Alaska (USA) only dropped off as a separate line item on the list in the 2008 Yearbook, and Hawaii (USA) only dropped off the list in the 2012 Yearbook. JWs claim to be present in 240 'Lands'. I dispute that this is accurate. If you go strictly to the U.S. Department of State country list, many of the 'lands' that Watchtower uses are not officially recognized and are just areas of dependency of other countries. In some cases, the 'lands' mentioned are just provinces of another country. My list is as follows: * Norfolk Island is a dependency of AUSTRALIA. * Taiwan and Hong Kong are now officially part of CHINA. * Faroe Islands and Greenland are part of DENMARK. * Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion are overseas provinces of FRANCE. * Rodrigues is a province of MAURITIUS. * Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap form part of the single FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA. * Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten are known as NETHERLANDS WEST INDIES. * Azores and Madeira are overseas provinces of PORTUGAL. * St. Kitts and Nevis are actually separate provinces of a single country called SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS. * Rota, Saipan, and Tinian are known as the NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. If this stricter convention is followed, the number of 'lands' on Watchtower's list drops from 240 lands to 218 lands. SUMMARY =================================================== Watchtower has struggled this past year. Many more countries are showing net decreases in publishers. It's becoming harder and harder to make converts in the 'wealthier' developed part of the world (Europe, Asia, Australia, and Americas). The poorest continent Africa has the most increase, with Central Africa alone counting for 14.41% increase and Eastern Africa with 5.03% increase. Most other sub-regions struggled to get 1% increase. Banned countries showed a 12.2% increase. This indicates that Jehovah's Witnesses thrive on poverty and persecution, and where education and access to the internet is restricted or limited. Conversion Rates are dropping across the board. Leavers are increasing across the board, and percentage increases are slowing across the board in the developed nations. I believe a large part of this struggle that Watchtower is having is due to the anti-JW activism that is happening on social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube, as well as the bad press worldwide regarding the Australian Royal Commission inquiries into Child Sexual Abuse, the U.K. Charity Commission proceedings, and the general bad press worldwide regarding high-profile cases of child sexual abuse within Jehovah's Witnesses.    Source •https://web.facebook.com/AwakeFromWatchtower/posts/1324436607631414 Related Sources • http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/bad-omens-for-watchtower-as-new-yearbook-shows-decreases-for-canada-australia-and-much-of-europe • http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/statistics.php |
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