Does anyone have any statistics on new converts to different religions and their adherence?

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Kouyate42

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I’m hoping someone with a better sense of statistics can help me find something if it exists.

I was reading somewhere that 75% of new Muslims leave their religion within 5 years. Many cite lack of support in their new faith community.

So I’m wondering if there’s similar statistics across other major religions for the rates of adherence in new converts after a period of time.

Any ideas where I could find this kind of info?
 
I have NO idea where you would find that sort of info but if it’s true that’s kind of disappointing.

Makes it sound like people are joining religions for a social experience, not because they think God started that religion…
 
nickybr38 said:
I have NO idea where you would find that sort of info but if it’s true that’s kind of disappointing.

Makes it sound like people are joining religions for a social experience, not because they think God started that religion…
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Cerainly for Islam, many converts who leave say that there is a marked difference between the happy fluffy image they’re presented with before converting, and the Islam they find afterwards.

I’ve also heard many people say this of some Protestant denominations of Christianity .
 
Oh yeah. I’ve heard this too. Thankfully I joined Catholicism and I heard nothing but horrible things about it from the start so there was no great disappointment in that area.

Still… shouldn’t you join a religion because it has truth, not because you’re looking for acceptance?
 
nickybr38 said:
Oh yeah. I’ve heard this too. Thankfully I joined Catholicism and I heard nothing but horrible things about it from the start so there was no great disappointment in that area.

Still… shouldn’t you join a religion because it has truth, not because you’re looking for acceptance?
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Certainly for Islam, and for Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, the concept of the community is one that is stressed highly as part of the religious practice.

Jewish converts are urged to move to Jewish areas if possible, although this is not mandatory, and Islam teaches the concept of all Muslims being one ‘ummah’ or nation. Islam also teaches that things such as prayer are best done communally, and there are also other group focuses in Islam too.
 
nickybr38 said:
Oh yeah. I’ve heard this too. Thankfully I joined Catholicism and I heard nothing but horrible things about it from the start so there was no great disappointment in that area.
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We are so glad you are pleased with…

wait.

WHAT? :whacky:
 
SonCatcher said:
We are so glad you are pleased with…

wait.

WHAT? :whacky:
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Heeheh. No, really. I was raised in an anti-Catholic environment and heard nothing but horror stories about the ‘community’ aspect of Catholicism before joining. I’m happy to say those horror stories aren’t far off.

With Catholicism you have to make the EFFORT to get involved. You won’t get mobbed the moment you walk in the door (like at some denominations).

I think this breeds much truer relationships personally and at least I didn’t have to experience the disappointment of an influx of attention at first and then complete isolation once everyone got used to me. 🤷
 
nickybr38 said:
Heeheh. No, really. I was raised in an anti-Catholic environment and heard nothing but horror stories about the ‘community’ aspect of Catholicism before joining. I’m happy to say those horror stories aren’t far off.

With Catholicism you have to make the EFFORT to get involved. You won’t get mobbed the moment you walk in the door (like at some denominations).

I think this breeds much truer relationships personally and at least I didn’t have to experience the disappointment of an influx of attention at first and then complete isolation once everyone got used to me. 🤷
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Well hopefully in 18 months or so I’ll be able to say the same thing. All I’ve heard in my family is scare-stories about the Catholic Church or plain anti-Catholic propoganda. Hopefully this fall I’ll be able to attend RCIA 😃
 
Kouyate42 said:
Well hopefully in 18 months or so I’ll be able to say the same thing. All I’ve heard in my family is scare-stories about the Catholic Church or plain anti-Catholic propoganda. Hopefully this fall I’ll be able to attend RCIA 😃
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The thing is if you make up your mind that the Church teaches truth you won’t leave because the social aspect is lacking. I daresay if you truly believe God founded your particular religion you’d never leave it, even if threatened with death should you stay.

That’s the faith we should have and the religion we should seek - the one we’d be willing to die for because we so deeply believe it has truth.
 
nickybr38 said:
The thing is if you make up your mind that the Church teaches truth you won’t leave because the social aspect is lacking. I daresay if you truly believe God founded your particular religion you’d never leave it, even if threatened with death should you stay.

That’s the faith we should have and the religion we should seek - the one we’d be willing to die for because we so deeply believe it has truth.
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👍
 
LDS figures on converts only cite those who enter and not those who leave. You can draw your own conclusuions about the relative numbers because they aren’t available from them. They like the “fastest growing” assertion even though I doubt it highly. Islamic converts are statistically so low in the west that it would be hard to quantify and the fall aways would be even harder I am guessin’.
Now to the good news. As a Catholic convert from the Baptist denom…I am here to stay.😃
 
I’d think this would be a hard thing to track. Lots of people leave but don’t make it official.

My cousin left the Mormon church but never officially cut ties, so to speak. She just stopped going to church. No formal letter of resignation or anything. Her name is still on their registers but she doesn’t care.

I imagine there are many Muslim, LDS, Catholic converts who have taken this same approach. They just leave and don’t bother ever making it ‘official’.
 
I am searching for an article…I can’t seem to find it.
I remember it said something like 40% of those baptized at the Easter Vigil are not attending mass by the time Easter rolls around again. That’s a lot!
Part of the reason is they felt alone and neglected after their experience with RCIA. I believe many parishes are neglecting the final stage of RCIA which is “mystogogy”. In this phase the neophytes stay in touch with those who helped them along the way. This time is about making people feel at home and for continued catechesis.
 
Kouyate42 said:
Well hopefully in 18 months or so I’ll be able to say the same thing. All I’ve heard in my family is scare-stories about the Catholic Church or plain anti-Catholic propoganda. Hopefully this fall I’ll be able to attend RCIA 😃
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I’m excited for you! I was just received into the Church in November. Please keep us updated and God bless!!!
 
Anna_Claire said:
I am searching for an article…I can’t seem to find it.
I remember it said something like 40% of those baptized at the Easter Vigil are not attending mass by the time Easter rolls around again. That’s a lot!
Part of the reason is they felt alone and neglected after their experience with RCIA. I believe many parishes are neglecting the final stage of RCIA which is “mystogogy”. In this phase the neophytes stay in touch with those who helped them along the way. This time is about making people feel at home and for continued catechesis.
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There is no such thing in the parish I was accepted into. I have since moved parishes and it’s even less welcoming but I really REALLY wish they would have had continued catechesis. I feel like there’s so much to learn that they didn’t even hint at in RCIA. sigh

Thankfully the priest in my new parish is very patient. Whenever I have questions he’s ready to answer.
 
nickybr38 said:
I’d think this would be a hard thing to track. Lots of people leave but don’t make it official.

My cousin left the Mormon church but never officially cut ties, so to speak. She just stopped going to church. No formal letter of resignation or anything. Her name is still on their registers but she doesn’t care.

I imagine there are many Muslim, LDS, Catholic converts who have taken this same approach. They just leave and don’t bother ever making it ‘official’.
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I’d also argue that some places of worship don’t keep records of those attending anyway. My old church kept records of those accepted as ‘members’ but the numbers of non-members was probably higher and there wasn’t a record of those.
 
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