Depressing Census Statistics on Religion

by jwfacts 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jwfacts

  ... depressing if you are the Governing Body that is.

  The Australian Census figures from 2011 are available. This is taken every 5 years, and I have been doing a comparison over the last 15 year period. For 2001 and 2006 the number of JW's fell in Australia, but this time it has risen, which JWs may find encouraging. However, the growth rate over the last 15 years is less than the population growth rate, less than Christianity, and less than most other Christian sects.

  These figures are excellent for comparing religions because they show who people self identify with. Usually an accurate comparison cannot be made, because each religion counts their members differently. With a census, each figure is the actual number of people that believe they belong to that group.

  Interestingly, because the official number of JWs is publishers, there is quite an discrepency between the publisher figure and the census figure. There were 85,638 JWs in the Census, but in 2011 only 64,498 publishers. The difference is the census figure includes children and probably a number of disfellowshipped and inactive members.

  

  
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  jwfacts

  ... depressing that is if you are a single, female Jehovah's Witness as well.

  Only 44% of JW's are men and 56% are women. In Australia the population is 49% men, and with Christians it is 48% men, 52% women. Considering that the JW population of children is likely to be about 50:50, the eligible brothers to eligible sisters is likely to be even less than 44:56.

  
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  Sulla

  That is the best argument for being a JW, ev-ah!
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  Fernando

  Very telling.

  I wonder if one could argue that a 2.7% "growth" in those identifying as JWs is in fact a "real decline" since the growth should at least have matched the population growth of 21.2%.

  Maybe a complex statistical problem that includes the JW to population ratios of immigrant source countries?
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  designs

  The LDS boys on bicycles are doing a bang up job!
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  smiddy

  It doesn`t say much for the effectiveness of their preaching work does it , with only 2.7% growth compared to the mormons 32.5% ,the sda 19.7% , and the catholics with 13.3% ,and pentecostals being the fastest growing religion with 36.2% . And hooray for the atheists with 62.7% .

  smiddy
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  jwfacts

  Great comments.

  Fernando - I wonder if one could argue that a 2.7% "growth" in those identifying as JWs is in fact a "real decline"

  Yes it is. The percentage of the population that were JW's feel from 0.47% to 0.40%. So it is negative real growth.
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  Balaamsass

  Thanks for the facts JW facts!
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  clarity

  Atheists 62.7% ......and they don't have to pedal anything!

  clarity
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  Julia Orwell

  Some of those 'atheists' in Australia are not actually athiests, more likely to be agnostic or just don't know. Many Australians I've met door-to-door believe there might be a higher power, but just don't care enough about it, yet don't believe Darwinian evolution. Australians are an apathetic bunch, so don't confuse atheism with don't-know-don't-care-ism.

  On the other hand, Thanks Jwfacts for this information! I had no idea the Pentacostals and others were going up. The Mormons, well I suspected it because part of their belief is to have big families. In my city I've heard of families with up to 13 kids - which is really strange for Australians because we usually have small families.

  It's a great stat to show that our way of preaching is less effective than that of the Pentacostals, but the JWs will put some sort of spin on it. I'd mention it to some I know but round here you get called apostate even if you cough up a statistic or a scripture that doesn't follow the party line of 'God speeding up the growth' and unprecedented growth.

  And think about it, a 2.1% increase means people are actually leaving when compared to Australia's population growth, yet with thousands more women than men, JWs are not breeding at the same rate as the rest of the Aussies. Also, Australia has a lot of migration over the last 20 years, which boosts population growth. I'd say Islam is a top growth category because many Muslims are moving here. Mormons come and go on their missions but that doesn't hinder their growth.