Stats on members leaving?

[Rob4Hope]

https://quitmormon.com/stats

Have a friend who is going this route. It's her choice.

Out of curiosity I just looked at this. What is most interesting is the age group of the primary leavers....20-29, 30-39. That is the core family groups, and those folks probably are taking their children with them.

It would be very interesting if there were some real numbers. Isn't someone compiling or attempting to compile something like that?

[GoodBoy]

The church absolutely has these numbers, has compiled all of the statistics, and has it in a powerpoint presentation somewhere. However they won't share it because it is not faith promoting.

[moksha]

It really surprised me that South Dakota has more Mormons than Antarctica. The melting of the Ross Ice Shelf due to global warming must be having a greater impact on leaving than expected.

[Emower]

A survey or census or something that could quantify this is difficult to do for a third party without money to do it. Who is going to pay to gather those numbers? I also am sure that the church has them, but no motivation to share.

Someone could do a fundraiser to do this and maybe work with the OSF to do it. I think they sent out some sort of survey and I dont know how they got the mailing list.

The motivation just isn't there for anyone yet.

[Rob4Hope]

It really surprised me that South Dakota has more Mormons than Antarctica. The melting of the Ross Ice Shelf due to global warming must be having a greater impact on leaving than expected.

Oh dude!....you made me really laugh when I read this.

[2bizE]

One thing for certain is more are joining than officially leaving. However, we know about 70-80% who join leave unofficially.

[Rob4Hope]

One thing for certain is more are joining than officially leaving. However, we know about 70-80% who join leave unofficially.

If 70-80% of those who join leave, is the 30% who stay enough to offset those who are the long-termers who are leaving?

[2bizE]

One thing for certain is more are joining than officially leaving. However, we know about 70-80% who join leave unofficially.

If 70-80% of those who join leave, is the 30% who stay enough to offset those who are the long-termers who are leaving?

Over time, probably not. The church claims about 16 million members. Roughly 6.5 million in a he USA and 9.5 million outside USA. Attendance rates are about 30-35% in USA and between 10-20% out of USA. So, if the majority are being baptized in Africa with a 90% attrition rate, and most people in the USA leaving are family age, it could probably be extrapolated that in time the attrition rate will be more than those who stay. The church is always going to report everyone on their books as members to exaggerate the numbers of faithful members, which happens to be the key membership figure. In the future you may see missionary kiosks in the malls trying to recruit members...

[Rob4Hope]

The church is always going to report everyone on their books as members to exaggerate the numbers of faithful members, which happens to be the key membership figure.

I am aware of this. I think it is a lie.

Go figure...the church of Jesus Christ tells lies.

WOW!

[Thoughtful]

I learned today that my stake president has a brother who has four sons and two daughters. All 4 sons are RM and all 4 have left the church and are encouraging others to leave. No word on the daughters, but then, women don't really matter anyway, so who's counting?

[Rob4Hope]

I learned today that my stake president has a brother who has four sons and two daughters. All 4 sons are RM and all 4 have left the church and are encouraging others to leave. No word on the daughters, but then, women don't really matter anyway, so who's counting?

These type of things are happening so much, its hard to ignore. My assumption is your SP and his brother are the "old guard"...the generational membership.

That should be ALARMING!!!! to high leadership. Why?...because these are the tithe payers.

[Thoughtful]

I learned today that my stake president has a brother who has four sons and two daughters. All 4 sons are RM and all 4 have left the church and are encouraging others to leave. No word on the daughters, but then, women don't really matter anyway, so who's counting?

These type of things are happening so much, its hard to ignore. My assumption is your SP and his brother are the "old guard"...the generational membership.

That should be ALARMING!!!! to high leadership. Why?...because these are the tithe payers.

I would guess SP is in his late fifties. His kids are grown, but he's still working his ranch.

[RubinHighlander]

https://quitmormon.com/stats

Interesting stats, thanks for posting the link. I've been thinking more about taking my name off the books, but I think DW and I need to wait a bit longer as neither of our mom's know about our non-participation yet. It's just an easier path for us to follow for our older generation, not to cause them mental anguish. But with my kids, it's well known they have been non-participants for several years now, so I've offered them the opportunity to go and make it final, if they so desire. I sent them the link and their membership numbers. The COB membership department usually sends me an email every year, trying to track down my kids, since they all moved out of state. I know it's just standard procedure to try and keep the records clean from the floaters and unknowns, but it's kind of annoying as well.

[Rob4Hope]

https://quitmormon.com/stats

Interesting stats, thanks for posting the link. I've been thinking more about taking my name off the books, but I think DW and I need to wait a bit longer as neither of our mom's know about our non-participation yet. It's just an easier path for us to follow for our older generation, not to cause them mental anguish. But with my kids, it's well known they have been non-participants for several years now, so I've offered them the opportunity to go and make it final, if they so desire. I sent them the link and their membership numbers. The COB membership department usually sends me an email every year, trying to track down my kids, since they all moved out of state. I know it's just standard procedure to try and keep the records clean from the floaters and unknowns, but it's kind of annoying as well.

I wish I knew someone in the COB who handled that stuff and could get the inside scoop on volume. I wonder if its as easy as a click on a computer screen. I bet it is. I really do.

[NewLight]

This would be a very interesting stat to see, but I am sure it is a very closely guarded secret within the church. I am sure it is kept from most or nearly all of the people in the department at COB that processes the resignation requests.

Still, one cannot ignore what is seen and I see stuff like this:

• both my daughters and their husbands/families no longer attending (they are in the 20 - 29 age group and I don't think either has taken the trouble to resign)

• my wife trying to rescue my daughters by studying what they did and showing them that what they read is false, but instead finding out that it is all true and joining them in activity herself

• hearing about the friends of these daughters and just how many are living away from home and no longer attend. I am a "safe" person to know this since I don't care, but some have parents that would be quite sad if they found out.

• remembering back when I WAS attending over a year ago and just how many of the High Priests would lament during certain lessons about their kids who would not attend.

• getting an email from the church just this last October where they were trying to track down my sister who has not attending since I was a child decades ago. Why are they trying to find her now? Maybe reactivate her and stop some of the bleeding?

• the rapid growth of the exmormon reddit - right now it seems like it increases by several hundred each week.

In spite of what I see, my area still seems quite stable - my wife and I were hoping/wishing yesterday that someone from our ward would approach us to seek our support in the struggles they are having and with a desire to leave, but that hasn't happened and we used to be very active here (I was a counselor in the bishopric 7 or so years ago).

[Rob4Hope]

This would be a very interesting stat to see, but I am sure it is a very closely guarded secret within the church. I am sure it is kept from most or nearly all of the people in the department at COB that processes the resignation requests.

Still, one cannot ignore what is seen and I see stuff like this:

• both my daughters and their husbands/families no longer attending (they are in the 20 - 29 age group and I don't think either has taken the trouble to resign)

• my wife trying to rescue my daughters by studying what they did and showing them that what they read is false, but instead finding out that it is all true and joining them in activity herself

• hearing about the friends of these daughters and just how many are living away from home and no longer attend. I am a "safe" person to know this since I don't care, but some have parents that would be quite sad if they found out.

• remembering back when I WAS attending over a year ago and just how many of the High Priests would lament during certain lessons about their kids who would not attend.

• getting an email from the church just this last October where they were trying to track down my sister who has not attending since I was a child decades ago. Why are they trying to find her now? Maybe reactivate her and stop some of the bleeding?

• the rapid growth of the exmormon reddit - right now it seems like it increases by several hundred each week.

In spite of what I see, my area still seems quite stable - my wife and I were hoping/wishing yesterday that someone from our ward would approach us to seek our support in the struggles they are having and with a desire to leave, but that hasn't happened and we used to be very active here (I was a counselor in the bishopric 7 or so years ago).

NL...where are you generally located?

I have a friend in the Mormon Belt up in Brigham area, and she says they seem to be leaving in big numbers up there as well. Whole families seem to be dropping off. Its a big enough move that many notice, including her and others.

It amazes me.

Anyone seeing anything down in Provo/Orem area? Im in SLC, and cloistered do to a family situation, so I don't know what is happening much out there locally. The area I'm in is the old guard--very entrenched.

[Thoughtful]

My brother was a bishop in downtown SLC and in a matter of months they lost at least 3 high profile families over JS. I know the EQ president was one. On the flip side, my brother decided to read Rough Stone and is still TBM as far as I know. He's working in the temple now. His wife was a little touchy when I mentioned YOP so I have wondered where brother is at behind closed doors.

[wtfluff]

More anecdotal evidence from an entrenched SLC suburb, in my own small cul-de-sac:

Myself, and more than 50% of my kids. Neighbors: Within the last couple of years, two complete families that I NEVER would have envisioned leaving have left. One was acting EQ Prez. when they left.


Another complete family left a few years ago, around the time I was discovering the truth about LDS-Inc.

The changes in my little neighborhood in the last 5-ish years are astounding honestly...

[NewLight]

I am actually in Tooele County, just west of Salt Lake and I live in Stansbury Park, Rob4Hope, so I am not far from Salt Lake at all. We have lived out here for about 20 years and seen some fairly significant population growth. So I have to remember that much of the church growth out here is because people are migrating to this valley.

With low housing costs compared to Salt Lake Valley and not too bad of a commute time for those working in Salt Lake (many people here), we have seen the community grow from around 1800 in the 90s to over 6000 now. Our stake center when we moved in was in Grantsville and there was a ward in Wendover that was part of it. After much splitting and reorganizing over the years, there is a stake center within walking distance just south of me and another about two miles north of me. With so many move ins, it is very hard to get a pulse on real growth or decline for the church in the area.

I do know that in the south part of Tooele City, there was a stake that reorganized boundaries and reduced the number of wards by one. That is in an area where there is not a lot of new housing development and it was interesting to find that took place.

More anecdotal stats on me though... I have a couple of older sisters, who were VERY committed and both have totally quit attending. One is out (i.e. just sent in resignation using quitmormon.com) and all of her adult children and their families do not attend (some may have resigned, I don't know. The other sister is inactive now with no desire to return. Two of her three adult children and their families no longer attend either. It's quite a few people!

[Rob4Hope]

I am actually in Tooele County, just west of Salt Lake and I live in Stansbury Park, Rob4Hope, so I am not far from Salt Lake at all. We have lived out here for about 20 years and seen some fairly significant population growth. So I have to remember that much of the church growth out here is because people are migrating to this valley.

With low housing costs compared to Salt Lake Valley and not too bad of a commute time for those working in Salt Lake (many people here), we have seen the community grow from around 1800 in the 90s to over 6000 now. Our stake center when we moved in was in Grantsville and there was a ward in Wendover that was part of it. After much splitting and reorganizing over the years, there is a stake center within walking distance just south of me and another about two miles north of me. With so many move ins, it is very hard to get a pulse on real growth or decline for the church in the area.

I do know that in the south part of Tooele City, there was a stake that reorganized boundaries and reduced the number of wards by one. That is in an area where there is not a lot of new housing development and it was interesting to find that took place.

More anecdotal stats on me though... I have a couple of older sisters, who were VERY committed and both have totally quit attending. One is out (i.e. just sent in resignation using quitmormon.com) and all of her adult children and their families do not attend (some may have resigned, I don't know. The other sister is inactive now with no desire to return. Two of her three adult children and their families no longer attend either. It's quite a few people!

I'm in Taylorsville, right next to the Murray Utah border in SLC. The "motherland!".

I think what happens is you have the BYU crowd who gets married and moves into places you mentioned, augmenting the membership so stake centers can be created. They then have babies and start to perpetuate the cycle (which I don't say is bad or good...just is).

These are millennials though, and there is a SIGNIFICANT cultural difference in those folks. If the exodus continues, one of the key markers, IMHO, will be keeping an eye on the CES growth/decline, especially BYU Idaho and in Provo.

My $0.02...

Anyone have any idea of whats happening at the BYU?.....membership rates, steadiness, how many are really living the "Honor Code"?