AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION SURVEY, 2001

by darkuncle29 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  darkuncle29

  I thought this may be of interest to some, don't know if its been posted before.

  AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION SURVEY, 2001

  THE GRADUATE CENTER OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

  http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris.pdf

  It is 47 or so pages long, so I didn't embed it.

  On page 13 the JWs are listed and it shows decrease from 1990.

  I don't know how acurate the methodology of this study was, wish I could borrow Leolaia's brain.

  I thought it was interesting to note what religions are decreasing compared to increaseing.
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  darkuncle29

  Page 26 of the survey.

  S

  ome groups such as Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses appear to attract a large number

  of converts (“in-switchers”), but also nearly as large a number of apostates (“outswitchers”).

  It is also interesting to note that Buddhists also fall into this category of what

  one might call high-turnover religious groups.
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  OBVES

  We are to look for the best Christian religion which by the virtue of its understanding the Bible should be the one God Yahweh accepts.

  If my posts with my calculations and their explanations are not satisfying you try to read "Religions in America " by Leo Rosten .

  I have found that the best religion impartially presented in his book is Jehovah's Witnesses' .
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  drew sagan

  Some groups such as Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses appear to attract a large number of converts (“in-switchers”), but also nearly as large a number of apostates (“outswitchers”). It is also interesting to note that Buddhists also fall into this category of what one might call high-turnover religious groups.

  This has everything to do with the level of commitment that the LDS church as well as the Watchtower asks its members to give.
  
  Both groups:
  
  A. Tell their members that their group is the only group on earth approved of by God.
  
  B. Require that their members spend large amounts of time in group sponsored activities, usually which have no interactivity with people outside the group.
  
  By making people follow such a strict path the number of ex-members and apostates is going to be larger than in religions that are typically less involved in the daily life of their members. Its a case of "the more you ask, the more you get".
  
  I think the high turnover in Buddhism mentioned has more to do with westerners "trying it out", looking at something new only for the novelty to wear off.
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  darkuncle29

  I think the high turnover in Buddhism mentioned has more to do with westerners "trying it out", looking at something new only for the novelty to wear off.

  I agree.

  I wonder if there will ever be a follow up to that study? I also liked how the study showed the changes in non believers, interesting eh.