LostandFound:
The caliber of the people in the religion is NOT exactly the same as decades ago (and I am sorry if this hurts anybody's feelings). It wouldn't matter what the religion taught. So, the demographic inside the JW religion has changed.
When I came in several decades ago there were stable families and responsible people who worked. It was a more literate age, before schools watered down the education across the nation.
Things are different now. Besides a lot of people being less literate (and less inclined to want to read in the first place) - there are fewer responsible working people in the JW religion, sad to say.
The religion lost many of its best and brightest, I suspect, after the 1995 changed teaching on Generation... MANY people left the religion plus some fine old timers passed away!
In an attempt to fill the empty seats in the halls, from what I understand, studies were started with homeless types and other individuals with serious issues. I feel sorry for the remaining responsible people left in the religion! It's not a place I'd want to be!