A recent Pew Forum study confirmed something I have suspected as I look at Internet activity (blogs, message boards, etc.) of ex-Mormons.

“Of those who leave Mormonism after being raised in the faith, half (15% of those raised Mormon overall) convert to a new religion, while the other half (14% overall) become unaffiliated. This is similar among those raised Catholic; about half of those who leave the faith (18% of all those raised Catholic) switch to another religion and half (14%) switch to no religion. Among those raised Protestant, 28% switched to another Protestant family, 7% joined a non-Protestant faith and 13% became unaffiliated.”

In other words, someone who leaves Mormonism is just as likely, statistically speaking, to leave religion altogether as they are to become affiliated with another church.

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