Recently on a messageboard I ran across this chart and explanation. Anyone want to check the math (or talk about the implications?):
In the following chart, the “net increase” statistic comes from subtracting last year's membership total from this year's membership total. The “gross increase” statistic comes from adding the “convert baptisms” to the “increase in children of record.” Keep in mind that there should always be some loss of members (i.e., the “net increase this year” should always be less than the “gross increase this year”), since there will always be members who fail to become baptized at age 8*, voluntarily remove their names from the records, are excommunicated, or simply die.
| * | An official in the Church Office Building reports that for approximately the last 30 years “children of record” have been included in the membership total, not children who are baptized at age 8. In other words, children blessed in Sacrament Meeting and children age 7 or less of converts are immediately included in the aggregate membership total. So for purposes of the church's increase, the statistic titled “increase in children of record” should be considered in the total, not “eight-year-olds baptized,” “eight-year-old children of record baptized,” or “children of record baptized.” |
| Year | Membership | A: Net increase this year | Convert baptisms | Increase in chil- dren of record* | B: Gross increase this year | (B minus A) Member loss |
| 2008 | 13,508,509 | 314,510 | 265,593 | 123,502 | 389,095 | -74,585 |
| 2007 | 13,193,999 | 323,393 | 279,218 | 93,698 | 372,916 | -47,523 |
| 2006 | 12,868,606 | 307,737 | 272,845 | 94,006 | 366,851 | -59,114 |
| 2005 | 12,560,869 | 285,047 | 243,108 | 93,150 | 336,258 | -51,211 |
| 2004 | 12,275,822 | 290,568 | 241,239 | 98,870 | 340,109 | -49,541 |
| 2003 | 11,985,254 | 263,706 | 242,923 | 99,457 | 342,380 | -78,674 |
| 2002 | 11,721,548 | 327,026 | 283,138 | 81,132 | 364,270 | -37,244 |
| 2001 | 11,394,522 | 325,661 | 292,612 | 69,522 | 362,134 | -36,473 |
| 2000 | 11,068,861 | 315,875 | 273,973 | 81,450 | 355,423 | -39,548 |
| 1999 | 10,752,986 | 398,745 | 306,171 | 84,118 | 390,289 | +8,456† |
| 1998 | 10,354,241 | 283,717 | 299,134 | 76,829 | 375,963 | -92,246 |
| 1997 | 10,070,524 | 375,975 | 317,798 | 75,214 | 393,012 | -17,037 |
| 1996 | 9,694,549 | 353,651 | 321,385 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1995 | 9,340,898 | 316,329 | 304,330 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1994 | 9,024,569 | 328,345 | 300,730 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1993 | 8,696,224 | 289,329 | 304,808 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1992 | 8,406,895 | 286,895 | 274,477 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1991 | 8,120,000 | 360,000 | 297,770 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1990 | 7,760,000 | 460,000 | 330,877 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1989 | 7,300,000 | 580,000 | 318,940 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1988 | 6,720,000 | 280,000 | 256,515 | 93,000 | 349,515 | -69,515 |
| 1987 | 6,440,000 | 270,000 | 227,284 | 99,000 | 326,284 | -56,284 |
| 1986 | 6,170,000 | 250,000 | 216,210 | 93,000 | 309,210 | -59,210 |
| 1985 | 5,920,000 | 270,000 | 197,640 | 95,000 | 292,640 | -22,640 |
| 1984 | 5,650,000 | 250,000 | 192,983 | 98,000 | 290,983 | -40,983 |
| 1983 | 5,400,000 | 235,000 | 189,419 | 120,000 | 309,419 | -74,419 |
| 1982 | 5,165,000 | 229,000 | 207,000 | 124,000 | 331,000 | -102,000 |
| 1981 | 4,936,000 | 298,000 | 224,000 | >111,000§ | >335,000 | > -37,000 |
| 1980 | 4,638,000 | 199,000 | 211,000 | >103,000§ | >314,000 | >-115,000 |
| 1979 | 4,439,000 | 279,000 | 193,000 | >107,000§ | >300,000 | > -21,000 |
| 1978 | 4,160,000 | 194,000 | 152,000 | > 97,000§ | >249,000 | > -55,000 |
| 1977 | 3,966,000 | 223,251 | 167,939 | > 95,000§ | >262,939 | > -39,688 |
| 1976 | 3,742,749 | 170,547 | 133,959 | > 88,522§ | >222,481 | > -51,934 |
| 1975 | 3,572,202 | 186,293 | 95,412 | > 79,723§ | >175,135 | >+11,158† |
| 1974 | 3,385,909 | 64,353|| | 69,018 | > 72,717§ | >141,735 | > -77,382 |
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I've always known that Mormonism has a big problem with "inactives". Given the funny things that Mormonism does with everything else, why should we believe their statistics? They openly lie, manipulate, and deceive.