Marlin K Jensen: Large numbers NOT apostatizing

[_Buffalo]

Hilarious!! :D

It IS funny. But it's unlikely to be accurate.

It's possible that it wasn't BKP who reamed him out for being too candid. It could have been Monson. Good point.

[_bcspace]

It IS funny. But it's unlikely to be accurate.

It's possible that it wasn't BKP who reamed him out for being too candid. It could have been Monson. Good point.

Yes, when Monson first came to office, he had some particularly harsh words for supporters of the homosexual lifestyle choice. But the problem here is that MKJ didn't state the extent of apostasy in the university address. So there is nothing for BKP or TSM or anyone else to get mad over.

[_Buffalo]

Yes, when Monson first came to office, he had some particularly harsh words for supporters of the homosexual lifestyle choice. But the problem here is that MKJ didn't state the extent of apostasy in the university address. So there is nothing for BKP or TSM or anyone else to get mad over.

All is well in Zion. Yea, Zion prospereth. :)

[_Gentile Persuasion]

But the problem here is that MKJ didn't state the extent of apostasy in the university address. So there is nothing for BKP or TSM or anyone else to get mad over.

I agree. As long as MKJ is willing to continue hiding the facts, he should remain in the Brethren's good graces.

[_Franktalk]

"The records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints show membership growth every decade since its beginning in the 1830s. Following initial growth rates that averaged 10% to 25% per year in the 1830s through 1850s, it grew at about 4% per year through the last four decades of the 19th century. After a steady slowing of growth in the first four decades of the 20th century to a rate of about 2% per year in the 1930s (the Great Depression years), growth boomed to an average of 6% per year for the decade around 1960, staying around 4% to 5% through 1990. After 1990, average annual growth again slowed steadily to a rate around 2.5% for the first decade of the 21st century, still double the world population growth rate of 1.2% for the same period. Rodney Stark predicts that it could become a major world religion by the end of the 21st century if the current growth trend of between 30% and 50% per decade continues.[15]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claims_to_ ... g_religion

Always best to actually place numbers on speculation. Seems to me that the growth is still happening. Oh I admit that some go and some stay. Why must we concentrate on the ones leaving? Is there a message from the staying as well? Can we hear from both sides?

[_Runtu]

I just had a surreal experience. Back when I was in Texas, there was a young missionary serving in our ward, a recent convert who was as enthusiastic a member as I have ever known. He was extremely idealistic and expressed many times that joining the church had transformed his life. When we moved here to Utah, he moved into our ward the same week we did; this time he was a newlywed BYU student, his wife being the daughter of the man who taught him the gospel and baptized him. They were still young and idealistic, and soon they had a child. Several times he told me how much it pained him to see that I was no longer committed to the gospel, and he invited me to come back. We moved out of that ward 18 months ago, and I lost track of him and his wife.

This evening, I noticed that he has joined a Facebook group for apostate reprobates, one that I've belonged to for a while. I'm shocked.

[_bcspace]

I agree. As long as MKJ is willing to continue hiding the facts, he should remain in the Brethren's good graces.

What facts?

[_Franktalk]

Runtu,

But this is only half of the story. What does he now believe and what made him change his mind. People change their mind all of the time. I am sure I will not be the same person in a few years time. I will learn many things and will change what I know. I am sure somethings will be more solid and others may change in new directions. I can not see the future but I know someone who has seen it already. I have not asked this person what the future holds, I prefer to actually live it.

Your story is nothing. The character you talk about is two dimensional. You write about a conversion but we have no idea who this person is and what makes them tick. You give just enough information to support the conversion but nothing to give me a sense as to who this person is. Are they someone who has made many changes in their life? What is the history of this person? What were their expectations and where did they come to those expectations? Were they at any time on a spiritual walk or did they as most do talk a good game. If so they fool them self and were doomed from the start. A self fulfilling prophecy without the words being spoken. And just who's fault is it when someone loses faith? It is all of our fault. There are too few to help and too many to tear down. The undertone of happiness in your words speaks volumes. You would take pleasure in the collapse of faith in someone you knew if it would help you win an argument on a post on some worthless blog.

[_ludwigm]

I agree. As long as MKJ is willing to continue hiding the facts, he should remain in the Brethren's good graces.

What facts?

The true but not useful ones.

[_bcspace]

What facts?

The true but not useful ones.

Must not even be true else someone would name them.