JWs who don't believe they have the truth. What percent?

by I quit! 22 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  flipper

  I QUIT- Very good question and thread. I will answer based on the age of the Jehovah's Witness.

  From reading statistics posted on here last year of how the WT society is losing it's young people ( under 30) and that 2 out of 3 or 66% born in the witnesses leaves eventually I would say of those people under 30 about 33 % probably believe it then. The rest of the young people are staying in to appease older witness relatives and avoid being shunned.

  In witness people from age 30 to 50 I would imagine that a higher percentage believe it - my guesstimate would be 50% to 60 % in that age group believe it.

  As regards older witnesses aged 60 to over 100 I would estimate about 80 % to 90 % believe the dream still of living in an alleged " paradise". And I only say this from observing older JW members of my family. They want to keep believing it in the worst way- because in their own minds - it's the ONLY hope they've got . Really quite sad actually.

  But I'm encouraged by what I see as an enlightening of younger people exiting the cult. As the older members die off - it may be the catalyst for the organization gradually falling to pieces aside from any scandals
• 

  ldrnomo

  Good estimates Flipper.

  The graying of the Jdubs. Too bad they don't make that a Dateline news special. I guess nobody would give a $hIT.

  LD
• 

  Olin Moyles Ghost

  There's a big difference between disagreeing with a JW teaching/practice and not believing it's The Truth.

  I think every Witness has something he/she disagrees with. Common examples include (1) no oral sex between marriage mates; (2) must be a JW to survive Armageddon; (3) shunning DF'd family members; (4) silly prophecy stuff like the 7 trumpet blasts, 2300 days in Daniel representing the time between some WT articles and an annual meeting, etc.

  But despite disagreeing with (or "not understanding") certain doctrines, these JWs still believe it's "The Truth." I'd say at least 90% of the baptized JWs at an average meeting believe it's The Truth.

  And, as has been pointed out before, a large number of JWs don't understand many of the doctrines anyway...and they don't care, either! I know I didn't care much about doctrine, and I was a born-in JW. If I had not started digging into the doctrines, I'd still be a believing JW. And by "believing JW," I mean a JW that believes the WTS/FDS/GB is God's Channel and the JW religion is The Truth. Of course, I never believed in any of the 4 examples above...so you can be the judge about how much of a "believer" I ever was.
• 

  ldrnomo

  To many of the under 40 rank and file their mostly doing a lot of the Jdub stuff because it's their tradition. So instead of a tradition to celebrate birthdays the tradition becomes not celebrating and Yada Yada Yada.

  Maybe once their believing parents die off, they will be less under pressure to keep up the Jdub traditions.

  LD
• 

  steve2

  And, as has been pointed out before, a large number of JWs don't understand many of the doctrines anyway...and they don't care, either!

  Thank you Olin Moyle's Ghost. What you have articulated so well is the crux of the whole matter.

  Apathy, not apostasy, will be the watchtower's eventual downfall. We credit the rank and file with way too much vested interest in doctrine. They are largely untroubled by doctrinal nuances for several reasons - but the biggest reasons have to do with simple lack of interest. Younger born-in JWs' disinterest in doctrine and policy is diabolically evident. The likelihood of getting kicked out for apostasy is relatively much, much rarer than the much more prevalient yawning-one's-way in-and-out of the kingdom hall.
• 

  Wasanelder Once

  It may sound as if I'm playing with words but I'm not. They always believe its the Truth, though they will often admit it is inaccurate. It doesn't have to be accurate to be the Truth. Thank you FDS and your whitewash "new light" doctrine. It is this paradox that keeps the lambs happy. W.Once
• 

  I quit!

  By reading all your replies I think that no matter what the Watchtower Society ten years from now will be a far different belief system than the one we were involved in. Will it become more mainstream in order to survive or will it die out like the Shakers. The Shakers died out due to lack of sex the JWs may die out due to lack of interest.
• 

  blondie

  The Shakers died out due to lack of offspring and converts. I do believe you can have sex without having offspring. As to ten years and a different belief system: What has changed in the last 15 years.

  1995: end of 1914 generation

  1995: separation of sheep and goats still future, after start of great tribulation

  1996: civilian service now allowed

  1997: further clarification of generation teaching

  1999: standing in a holy place not in 1919 but future

  2000: blood doctrine changes

  2007: 1935 no longer cut off date for calling

  2008: Book study becomes "bible" study and combines with school and service meeting on same night

  ???? Public talk reduced to 30 minutes
• 

  Tuesday

  I think that the percentage is actually pretty low that are hardliner "this is the truth" people. I would say about 10% at most. I think there's about 30% probably higher who don't really think about it and are going to meetings and agreeing with it because they're kind of following the crowd, or their group of people they know. I think another 30% are along the lines that it may not really be "the truth" but it's the closest thing to it out of the religions, and I'd say another 30% are stuck in and want to leave but are held in by family ties.
• 

  Black Sheep

  Jehovah's Witnesses: My religion is the one, true faith leading to eternal life 80%

  http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons#

  Cheers

  Chris