New study shows JWs have the lowest retention rate of US religions (page 3)

M.J.

"Labeled, judged and shunned by all JW's including your very own family. Yet they STILL have the lowest retention rate today despite these often devastating consequences. "

Good point.

I can't help but wonder how many of those 37 percent are inactive but just ticked a box for the sake of it? Or are in the process of fading, or mentally checked out but still attending for the sake of family? What would the figure be if those factors were taken into consideration?

JK666

The one glaring statistic that jumped out at me is that 1 in 5 JW's never graduate High School. The college numbers make sense due to organization's policy, but this one is surprising to me. Is it because of so many dropping out of school at 16 to get married?

JK

flipper

MJ- I'm still trying to catch on here- I forgot what you told me earlier ! ( Get it, small joke about my retention ability? ) Peace out, Mr. Flipper of the ignorant and non-retention class !

Must obey!

These are horrible statistics which will definitely make it to the GB boardroom. Three boring meetings a week, enforced field service, and their shunning policy are all backfiring big-time. If they softened on these harsh, onerous, disciplinarian traditions (fat chance with the delusional authoritarian GB in power) the numbers leaving would probably lessen significantly.

Joker10

These statistics are not very accurate.

You cannot possibly get a good picture of JWs with a 215 JW Member sample in 50 States. Zero percent are Asians? Please.

You must take into account their demographics. The average income of a JW is not a whole lot less than the US median considering minorities make up a good percentage of their membership. Another thing to consider regarding income: the number of JWs who rather have part time jobs, or rather not work to serve as Regular Pioneers, which now number 110,000 in United States.

As for JWs having the lowest retention: JWs have the 'either you are a JW or you are not' mentality. Other religions don't have that...which makes people more comfortable saying they belong to a religion when in fact they don't read their Bible's or have stepped inside a house of worship in many years.

MissingLink

Another interresting stat is that 14% are divorced. This is no better than the other religions.

sir82

These statistics are not very accurate.

And you know that how, exactly?

You cannot possibly get a good picture of JWs with a 215 JW Member sample in 50 States.

And how many, exactly, should have been selected? Perhaps you have an advanced degree in Statistics, while the Pew Group are just a bunch of rank amateurs who haven't ever even heard of the term "random sample".

The average income of a JW is not a whole lot less than the US median considering minorities make up a good percentage of their membership.

Please cite your source for this nugget. Hopefully it was based on a sample size of more than 215!

Or are you referring to the numbers in the study referred to here? I thought it "couldn't possibly be a good picture"?

JWs have the 'either you are a JW or you are not' mentality. Other religions don't have that

Also known as the "we shoot our crippled" mentality. The moment you don't toe the line, bam! Out the door with you.

Not Feeling It

This is fun. The Pew Survey is fantastic.

I didn't see anyone comment on the marital status item of "Living with Partner". I noticed the sample size was 211 people. Not very big, but I think most JWs would think it a bad witness to answer these kinds of questions (paranoia alert!)

Anyway, there were 1% that answered "Living with Partner"... aka, "I'm a JW or a study but not for long if you keep that up". Classic. so 1% of 211 is 1-2 JWs. I'm guessing thier pioneer partner or PO was not in earshot when that survey question was asked.

Regardless, I don't think many JWs that emailed the snarky "We are the fastest growing religion so we must be right" spam will be forwarding this item.

Keep covering your ears and screaming "I'm not listening". Why stop now?

cognac

I asked this in another topic but figured I'd ask it here also...

Are the stats that they have every year available on the cd rom?

New study shows JWs have the lowest retention rate of US religions