Jehovah's Witnesses Fastest-growing Of U.s. Faiths

[James]

Interesting article. CLICK HERE (http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2008/02/jehovahs-witnesses-fastestgrow.php)

They may be cited for fastest growing, but they're not even in the top ten.

It states that #1 is the RCC and I thought-Could JWs actually handle that many members?
Too many voices, too many different opinions, soon they'd be known for the fastest growing legal department.

Now I know the RCC probably has inflated numbers since studies have shown that quite a few are non-practicing.
Heck, I might still be on the rolls from when I was a child. lol

agape,
James

[Candace]

I came across this site yesterday, interesting statistics about the growth of JW's:

http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/statistics.htm

[billy]

Interesting article. CLICK HERE (http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2008/02/jehovahs-witnesses-fastestgrow.php)

They may be cited for fastest growing, but they're not even in the top ten.

It states that #1 is the RCC and I thought-Could JWs actually handle that many members?
Too many voices, too many different opinions, soon they'd be known for the fastest growing legal department.

Now I know the RCC probably has inflated numbers since studies have shown that quite a few are non-practicing.
Heck, I might still be on the rolls from when I was a child. lol

agape,
James[/b]


Thanks James for that link - very interesting - i found the comments most interesting as well

[billy]

I came across this site yesterday, interesting statistics about the growth of JW's:

http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/statistics.htm[/b]


Thanks Candace for digging that info out also - i do really appreciate honest and candid details on my religion - i know the pat answer from the b&s is that we should always show the positive side to everything, even when a negative reality is glaringly obvious - but i dont base my faith on numbers - after all the bible shows one extreme to another - Lot leaving Sodom and his 2 daughter = 3 to Noah and his family surving the flood = 8 people to the great crowd in Revelation = unknown large number - i leave that one up to Jehovah

im not sure how many people dont count time either - as this would appear to be one less publisher - i know i dont report time - it bothers me to do so - so i am proberly not counted as a publisher - better add one to the total publisher column

i do think the society could more concerned about the ones leaving though - i know i have disappeared from the org a few times - mainly from lack of support - and after being out for 15 years and ringing an elder to tell him i wanted to have a bible study and come back, he informed me that i was not qualified for a bible study and to make my own way back - not a real supportive attitude to a repentant prodigal daughter

[James]

and after being out for 15 years and ringing an elder to tell him i wanted to have a bible study and come back, he informed me that i was not qualified for a bible study and to make my own way back - not a real supportive attitude to a repentant prodigal daughter[/b]


Hi billy,

Thanks for your thoughts.

I'd have to agree with the elder, if you're a baptized JW and you're DF'd or DA'd, why would you need a bible study?

To go over the same doctrines that you have rejected? I.E. 1914, FDS...

Wouldn't you have to re-affirm you believe those things in the bible study, to be accepted back?

But I agree that what you presented that the elder sounds cold/callous/uncaring not wanting to shepherd you back to the flock and telling the lost sheep-'find your own way back'.

agape sister,
James

[Nambo]

I came across this site yesterday, interesting statistics about the growth of JW's:

http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/statistics.htm[/b]

Goodness, 16,000 hours of ministry for each new publisher, and thats with Jehovah "blessing" the work, (we are told), and how many of them are children of existing witnesses anyway!

[billy]

<div class='quotemain'> and after being out for 15 years and ringing an elder to tell him i wanted to have a bible study and come back, he informed me that i was not qualified for a bible study and to make my own way back - not a real supportive attitude to a repentant prodigal daughter[/b]


Hi billy,

Thanks for your thoughts.

I&#39;d have to agree with the elder, if you&#39;re a baptized JW and you&#39;re DF&#39;d or DA&#39;d, why would you need a bible study?

To go over the same doctrines that you have rejected? I.E. 1914, FDS...

i didnt reject the doctrines - i was suffering from lonliness- I didnt pick up a bible for 15 years - how would i have known if doctrines had changed - of course after i was reinstated i started seeing what doctrines had changed and was really shocked - especiallly the "generation" doctrine - the elder was not very encouraging - he asked me why i wanted to come back - i said because i wanted to associate with people who lived with integrity and high moral principles - what really supprised me was his reply - you wont find much of that - he did seem to have a negative attitude - i managed to study on my own anyway and came back to Jehovah without much support - i need to look at that as being a positive - because now i know i can serve Jehovah even if there are no witnesses around me - of course im not assuming i cant stumble - as Peter stumbled big time and he had spent years with Jesus - i think the elder was suffering from a guilty conscience as he had some personal problems - another thing that bothered me was he came over to my unit by himself - i always thought they are supposed to come in pairs - it was uncomfortable for me

Wouldn&#39;t you have to re-affirm you believe those things in the bible study, to be accepted back?

But I agree that what you presented that the elder sounds cold/callous/uncaring not wanting to shepherd you back to the flock and telling the lost sheep-&#39;find your own way back&#39;.

agape sister,
James
[/b][/quote]