Nobody is Interested in what you have to say!

My wife and I were married in 1975. She was a JW and I was a non-practicing Lutheran. In 1980 we started an intense study of WT doctrine, centering on the deity of Jesus, and with the ultimate goal of me being baptized as a JW. In 1982, we were baptized as Christians. Our Testimonies will explain how this happened: my wife’s is here and mine is here. We immediately started an outreach to anyone affected by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society and started with door-to-door visits to family members who were JW’s and to JW’s my wife knew when she was in the “truth.” Today, we use ads in Craig’s List and this Blog to expose the errors in WT theology. Over the years, one of the most common responses we receive to our Ads and Blog goes something like this: “Give it Up! Nobody is interested in what you have to say.” I answer those comments one at a time, but thought I should write a blog about my answer which follows:

I disagree with your analysis—there are many JW’s, X-JW’s and Christians that would be interested in our Testimonies and the information we provide in our Blog which exposes errors in Watch Tower doctrine. Every indication is that the Witnesses have flattened out in the number of adherents globally. The more affluent and better-educated countries with better Internet access (like the US) show a marked decline in Publishers. Many Kingdom Halls and Branch Offices are closing. In 1975, when my wife was a JW, the Awake! and the Watchtower magazines were each published every other week (26 Awakes! And 26 Watchtowers each year.) A few years back it changed to 1 Awake! and 1 Watchtower published each month (12 Awake! and 12 Watchtowers per year). Today, (8/16/2020), the Awake! and Watchtower magazines are each published just three (3) times per year. From 52 Awake! and Watchtower magazines published each year to just six (6) is an indication of the decline in JW numbers.

WHY THE DECLINE?

Of course, the world is changing with new technology. The Internet has been a challenge for the JW’s who knock on doors globally BUT seek to isolate its members from outside information as much as possible. Former members organize online to bring reform and shed a BRIGHT LIGHT on doctrinal inconsistencies, false prophecies, and the many government investigations into policies relating to sexual assault. (Go here (Silent Lambs) to a site dedicated to exposing the Pedophilia problem inside the WT organization). The Watch Tower can no longer hide from the world.

The problem for the Watch Tower is that traditional Christian groups also are online discussing the Watch Tower, Witnesses and their Doctrines. Former members seek support and encouragement from each other. Also, through a variety of different websites and social media, Bible information is published by foundations, colleges, and universities. College-level Bible courses are offered online. Publications concerning faith and the Bible are also online. This proliferation of information threatens the Witnesses. Members can now search in the privacy of their own homes. As they go to JW.ORG, they probably notice sites offered by former members and Christians.

Society in general is becoming more secular. The whole world is in a transitional stage. Witnesses appear to increase in poorer nations where personal computers, smartphones, and other devices cost more and Internet access is problematic. Their increases are offset by massive decreases in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

The Witness doctrine of shunning members who leave or are cast out also presents issues. I know from my own experiences that many Witnesses merely go through the motions so their families, friends, or employers will not shun them. It is very painful to not have people acknowledge you, return phone calls, etc. Former members even have a phrase for the condition. P I M O, which means Physically In Mentally Out.

BY THE NUMBERS!
In the 10 years from 1996 to 2005 there were 2,968,732 baptisms, yet the increase in average publishers was only 1,439,672. This shows 1,529,060 stopped publishing. Even accounting for the average death rate, over 1 million Witnesses left in a 10 year period. That would mean that 100,000 JW’s leave each year, 275 per day, and many are searching for information that will lead them to the truth about the Bible and the Watch Tower.

Figures are similar for 2006 to 2016, with 2,752,016 baptisms, but only 1,495,504 publisher growth, a loss of 1,256,512 publishers over that ten-year period. The majority of growth is coming from developing countries in Africa and South America. In 2016, 70% of the increase in average publishers came from just 7 countries, Angola 10k, Brazil 21k, Ecuador 3k, Ghana 4k, Mexico 11k, Rep. of Congo 34k and Nigeria 3k. On the other hand, developed countries with the highest level of wealth, education and internet access to information regarding the Watch Tower have little to no growth. In 2016, many of these countries reported less publishers than previous year peaks, including Britain, Australia, Germany, Italy, USA, Canada and Japan.

All of this taken together means that there are tens of thousands of former JW’s many who are interested in the truth about the Watch Tower and their doctrines. In addition, many who are contacted at the door look Online seeking information on the Witnesses. Because of the path we walked from unbelief to belief we have a special ability to speak about WT doctrine and know, from the response our CL Ads receive and the number of visits our blog gets, there are many who want to read what we have found out about the JW’s.