Fascinating Religious Stats

[peter_mary]

Many of you may already be familiar with this study, (the American Religious Index Study) but I hadn't seen it. The information stems from a survey of several thousand Americans and looks at religious trends in our country. Of course, the Mormons are included. I found it positively fascinating. You can see the report at

http://www.gc.cuny.edu/studies/aris_index.htm

On the table of contents, click on "key findings" for the bulk of the actual data.

Of particular interest to me was the recognition that in 2001, there was almost an identical number of people leaving the Mormon Church (in the USA) as there was joining the Mormon Church. Percentage-wise, the net change was zero! Fascinating...

Paul

[tjohnson]

But I thought the Church was growing every year? That's what they always say every six months on TV...

:D :D :D :D

[nate]

Many of you may already be familiar with this study, (the American Religious Index Study) but I hadn't seen it. The information stems from a survey of several thousand Americans and looks at religious trends in our country. Of course, the Mormons are included. I found it positively fascinating. You can see the report at

http://www.gc.cuny.edu/studies/aris_index.htm

On the table of contents, click on "key findings" for the bulk of the actual data.

Of particular interest to me was the recognition that in 2001, there was almost an identical number of people leaving the Mormon Church (in the USA) as there was joining the Mormon Church. Percentage-wise, the net change was zero! Fascinating...

Paul

I also found it interesting that there are many more Black Jews than there are Black Mormons. Wonder why?

[free thinker]

Now, I think Gordon B Hinckley stated some time ago, regarding the churches current members, and I am paraphrasing, "some leave, but many stay". If the survey that you noted is correct, and we have no reason to believe it is not, then a more accurate statement from the leadership would be, " we are holding our own in membership status. We have about the same amount of people joining the church, as those that leave" Now what do you think would be the possibility of the leaders being that forthcoming? :o


Free Thinker

[tjohnson]

Now, I think Gordon B Hinckley stated some time ago, regarding the churches current members, and I am paraphrasing, "some leave, but many stay". If the survey that you noted is correct, and we have no reason to believe it is not, then a more accurate statement from the leadership would be, " we are holding our own in membership status. We have about the same amount of people joining the church, as those that leave" Now what do you think would be the possibility of the leaders being that forthcoming? :o


Free Thinker

We all know they will never give information like that... why? Because it's part of the "brainwashing" that happens each week. If the leadership continues to say "we are growing", I know for me it was easier to think "well, it must be true because look at all these people that are joining". :(

In my opinion (with only a few facts to support it), I think the church is actually shrinking at this point. One example would be my family: My wife, myself, and two out of three of my children were all members (the last is not yet 8 years old). We will no longer attend, and actually don't consider ourselves "Mormon" any longer. However, the church doesn't know this and still counts the four of us as members on their paperwork. I would bet there are thousands of people in the same situation.

So the church counts new baptisms each month, but they aren't seeing the people leaving on the other side. :)

[somedude1]

bwahahahaha look at NO RELIGION... 23% in (6,622,494).... 5% out (1,118,081)... seems to be the fastest growing religion for not being a religion

its 3rd in % gain though, but the other 2 that are beating it don't have many members...

[miss taken]

Could it be that most of the growth in the LDS religion has been outside of the United States of America?? Though I do take the point about still being counted on church records. I'm fairly certain I am still on them, as is my mother and she left the church in the 70's...

[dogzilla]

Good point Miss Taken (Great screen name! BTW, you aren't also on the SDMB, are you? There's someone on those boards with a very similar name.)

I'd be interested in comparing the literacy rates in the countries with the highest LDS growth.

I have this atlas at home and in the back, there's a list of all the countries in the world and some basic stats about each, including both the major religions in that country as well as the average literacy rate for that country. I was intrigued to discover that for countries in which Islam is the major religion -- at least half the population is Muslim -- the literacy rates are 20% or less. It's much easier to brainwash somebody of something if they are not very well educated or cannot read well enough to find out otherwise.

[miss taken]

Hi Dogzilla, thanks. No, I don't post to any other boards, but liked this one because I like the term post mormon.
I got the name from Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants, a favourite with my 6 year old son!!!!