Divorce rates among JWs higher?

by AK - Jeff 30 Replies latest social relationships

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  AK - Jeff

  Do you believe that divorce rates among Jw's is higher or lower than the averages now?

  In the US - at least recently - it was said that about 50% of all marriages will end in Divorce.

  For decades as a Jw - I believed that Jw's were immune from this statistic. Among the older married couples divorce seemed almost unheard of - and still, among the older crowd, that holds true I believe. [As it probably does among other fundy groups, e.g. baptists, pentecostals, amish, so on.] But among the under 50 crowd divorce among Jw's seems to be flourishing here in my former congregation. Just in the past few years, especially in the recent past I am seeing this.

  I can name about 7 or 8 couples who have split - one guy has been divorced, remarried, and divorced again recently. Most have remarried other Jw's, and all, as far as I know to this point, are still Jw's in good standing. Though I have no idea what went on privately, I bet the elders have had a nice time with all this.

  Is this just a local congregational issue - or do you believe it is widespread? Is it good or bad for the religion?

  Jeff
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  sass_my_frass

  I can't verify this, but I suspect that there is not a significant difference in divorce rates between the JW and non-JW population, with a 99% confidence interval.
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  jwfacts

  Of the JWs I grew up with 50% are already divorced, and I am only 37, so as time goes on that rate is going to rise even higher. At the very last meeting I went to a young JW friend from another congregation came up to me and said how great it was me and my wife were still together since most of his friends were already divorced.

  I have located some statistics that indicate the JW divorce rate is the same as for the world. They are at http://jwfacts.com/index_files/divorce.htm
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  AK - Jeff

  SmF - I agree. I do wonder though if Jw's [especially 'the spiritually minded' ones] might put divorce off for years trying to work it out - perhaps much longer than most 'worldly' people would do, before finally throwing in the towel?

  The divorced I am seeing here are not the 5 years and break up variety that seem common among young people. The ones I have seen here are the 20 or 25 year marriages that finally collapsed. I find it curious.

  Jeff
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  Pubsinger

  I can name about 7 or 8 couples who have split

  Are you thinking very hard

  I did this exercise about 5 years ago and I had 60 (Yes Sixty) couples who'd split.

  Get your pens and paper out and try it.

  It's a real eye opener.
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  AK - Jeff

  Awake 1997 September 8 p.11 A People Taught to Love

  “That hate can be replaced with love is illustrated by a survey taken in 1994 of 145,958 of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany.

  …

  By applying unselfish love in their marriages, Jehovah’s Witnesses achieve stable relationships. In some countries one marriage out of every two or three ends in divorce. But the above-mentioned survey indicated that presently only 4.9 percent of the Witnesses are divorced or separated from their mates. Not to be forgotten, however, is that a goodly number of these were divorced before they became Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

  From your article on Jwfacts.

  Though you go on to show the misapplied statistics, I wonder if this article is not just a flat out misrepesentation. Did you notice the wording; "only 4.9 percent of the Witnesses are divorced or separated from their mates." This statement does not seem to be talking about marriages that end in divorce - it seems to be saying that among Jw's, there is currently only 4.9% who are in a state of divorce or separation. Or am I just reading into that?

  If this is what they are saying - this is just plain deceptive use of statistics intended to mislead other Jw's into believing that 'spiritual paradise' is already here in this respect. When it is saying in reality that 4.9% of divorcees are still not remarried.

  Jeff
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  AK - Jeff

  Pubsinger - WOW!

  I have only been associated for the most of my life with a single congregation in this area - so my base is perhaps smaller than some. But 7 or 8 couples in the 30-45 year age group represents perhaps 70% of all the couples in that category here, in congregation of only 110-120.

  Jeff
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  Pubsinger

  I'm have my piece of paper here and since I posted I have 30 couples on it in 10 minutes.

  Tell you what tho, you're memory fades fast.

  I left 8 years ago and I am struggling to remember names of people I "knew" for years!
• 

  Dragonlady76

  The divorced I am seeing here are not the 5 years and break up variety that seem common among young people. The ones I have seen here are the 20 or 25 year marriages that finally collapsed. I find it curious.

  Jeff

  I have heard through my folks that a few older marriages ended in divorce, 3 of those couples had been married for over 20 years.

  And the husbands had all been elders.
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  AK - Jeff

  Pub -

  I still only come up with 10. As you state though memory fades. I have been gone for 4 yrs or so.

  The reason I started this thread is because I heard of the 'perfect Jw couple' splitting up. Wifey and I were very close to these people, and honestly I never would have believed it. I even sent an email to her to ask if it is true - though I don't know if she will respond - I was told the local paper had the announcement printed.

  I am still shaking my head in disbelief on that one. It makes me think that the Jw pressure-kettle is starting to tear the sinew from the organization. God, I hope so.

  Jeff