How many kids never buy into the JW B/S???

navytownroger

At the conventions, there always seem to be parents gushing about how their kids are 'in the Truth', pioneering, etc. I'm wondering how many JW kids just flat-out reject all the JW B/S right from the start. Surely there are some kids who just say 'No way!' when their parents try to pressure them into going out in service, to the (boring) meetings, etc. I knew a JW in the 80s who CONSTANTLY spanked & reprimanded this 4 yr old son at meetings & book-study. Years later I found out that the boy had grown long hair & (surprize!) refused to attend the meetings. Of course, nobody at the hall 'remembered' the way his Dad mistreated him as a child. Hopefully there are many children who are able to resist their parents' JW brainwashing attempts.

Octarine Prince

From what I have heard formally, informally, and personally experienced, MOST children leave.

Seeker4

There is an old JW rule of thumb that only about 1 out of every 8 kids stays a JW. There is also a PEW Poll from last year I think that had a figure as well. JWs, according to that poll, have the highest loss rate of people who were raised in the religion of any religion in the US. You can find references to that poll on here.

S4

tresdecu

1 in 8 is about right on in our hall...bunch of'em (17-19 yrs old) have left within the last 2 years.

sir82

There is an old JW rule of thumb that only about 1 out of every 8 kids stays a JW.

I thought it was more like 7 out of 8 eventually get D-F'ed...but a significant portion of those eventually return. Being raised as a JW does not equip one well for life without the structure of the organization, so many end up returning to the only place they seem to fit in.

Even so, I'm sure that more than half eventually completely leave...even if it takes 3 or 4 DFs first.

DJK

I agree with 1 out 8. I have also learned that the few who stay were the youngest in a family of at least 3 children.

When I was growing up in it, being a JW child was all about punishment. If you didn't get it from your parents you were gonna get it from God. To bad those people received their parental skills from the WTS, well, maybe not.

amama2six

I agree with 1 out 8. I have also learned that the few who stay were the youngest in a family of at least 3 children.

I can think of a good reason for the youngest staying in...they got to watch the horrible treatment dealt out on their older siblings for leaving and didn't want the same to happen to them!

White Dove

How about the parents and younger children leaving and the oldest staying in and shunning the parents and some of the kids?

chickpea

all four of mine bailed out
before i had the "new light"
that actually means something!!!

Darklighter

Looking back I'd say that at least 2/3rds of my childhood friends are out. Good for them. I had such "righteous indignation" towards them for leaving... I plan on looking them up now once I'm out! Haha ... I hope they can forgive me for for being so 'holier-than-thou'. I'm not really looking to re-establish friendships, just to apologize for being such a d!ck. But I digress...

It could just be my bias, but I think the org. is in for hard times, and that their "growth" will eventually become a decrease. Information is just to easy too come by these days. And information is the org's worst enemy.

How many kids never buy into the JW B/S???

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