Where do they go from here?

[_Quasimodo]

Hi,

I've been a member of this board for only a few days, so I don't know if this topic has been raised before (I suspect that it has). By way of full disclosure, I'm a non-Mormon that grew up in SLC for the first twenty years of my life and then moved to places where the LDS church had no real influence, so I've been a little out of touch.

Recently, I discovered (by accident) how much discussion there is now about the LDS church on the internet.

It seems (from an outsider's point of view) that the "Church" may be on the decline (unthinkable back in my days living in Utah). I can't help seeing some parallels with the Soviet government in Russia. Not philosophically (although a case might be made for that using Brigham' s attempts at collectivization), but the same way the Soviets had been firmly in power for nearly eighty years and then WHOOSH, they were gone.

There seems to be some serious, irreparable chinks in the LDS armor. DNA results from Native Americans, historical information about Joseph Smith's and Brigham Young's lives, the Book of Abraham and maybe most especially Gordon Hinkley's "non-denial denials" on Larry King.

So, I'm wondering, what direction will the LDS church take from here? I think it's likely that membership will gradually fade, but the "Church" is such a financial power house that it can't just go away. I wonder if the building of a four billion dollar mall (or is it eight billion now?) could be an indication of a new direction.

Where do you think the "Church" will be in fifty years?

[_moksha]

Where do you think the "Church" will be in fifty years?

The Church will be on Temple Square, same as usual. The only thing that would affect the Church in a major way would be a huge financial scandal and even that would probably be forgotten and blown over within a month. This speculation is excluding the end of the world in 2012. That would change things dramatically.

[_Ceeboo]

This speculation is excluding the end of the world in 2012. That would change things dramatically.

LOL!

LOVE moksha!



Peace,
Ceeboo

[_Quasimodo]

Where do you think the "Church" will be in fifty years?

The Church will be on Temple Square, same as usual. The only thing that would affect the Church in a major way would be a huge financial scandal and even that would probably be forgotten and blown over within a month. This speculation is excluding the end of the world in 2012. That would change things dramatically.

Hi moksha!

Love your tag line... always wanted to be a peace penguin (nice alliteration, too).

Sorry I can't agree with you. I think it's inevitable. Like the Shakers, the LDS doctrines will someday just be a historical curiosity. The only question is when.

The catalyst is rock solid. There are just no good reasons to believe in it now. Potential converts now have access to all this information. There already seems to be (from what I've read) a very large decline in baptisms in Europe. With the spread of the internet, this will soon be the same for all regions.

Those that have been raised in the "Church" may still hang on to their beliefs, but their children, less so and even less with their children.

It may be a lingering illness, but it will eventually be fatal.

2012 was an interesting movie to watch (great special effects!). I have doubts about the Mayan's predictions for the future. Read about too many culty religions marching up to the top of a hill at night to await the end of the world at dawn, only to have to march down disappointed the next afternoon.

I understand that the JW"s kept changing the date after every non-world ending event until they just started saying "soon". Why bother?

[_The Nehor]

The reports of our failing health have been greatly exaggerated. From the beginning of our faith it has been predicted we don't have long to live. We still live. The supposed obstacles that you bring up have little impact on our investigators and members.

I think the predictions of our demise are like Marx's predictions of the inevitable victory of Communism. Wishful thinking....

[_moksha]

Quasimodo, when conditions change the Church is able to adapt.

[_ajax18]

Isn't this just a trend with religion in general? There is a "decrhristianization" of Europe that has been going on for a while. On the other hand I haven't seen a huge demand for Moslem apologetics. They seem to be immune from a lot of the criticism that hurts other religions. I don't see much internal revolt within Islam.

[_moksha]

On the other hand I haven't seen a huge demand for Moslem apologetics. They seem to be immune from a lot of the criticism that hurts other religions. I don't see much internal revolt within Islam.

If FAIR was able to chop our hands off, we liberal Mormons would toe the line better too.

[_Quasimodo]

The reports of our failing health have been greatly exaggerated. From the beginning of our faith it has been predicted we don't have long to live. We still live. The supposed obstacles that you bring up have little impact on our investigators and members.

I think the predictions of our demise are like Marx's predictions of the inevitable victory of Communism. Wishful thinking....

Hi Nehor,

I think an earlier demise for the Salt Lake faction of the church would have occurred in the late 1840's or early 1850's if Brigham had not moved everyone to isolation in the wild frontier. The other Mormon factions are gone or are now close to insignificant.

You are correct about Karl Marx's predictions, but I don't think that is the best metaphor regarding communism. To me, the parallel between the LDS establishment and communism is the sudden demise.

That isn't really the question I was asking, though.

Perhaps you aren't able to go here (I understand if you can't), but if you could think of it as a hypothetical, an intellectual "what if" question, what would be the direction of the LDS church if the faithful drifted away?

How would the church leaders deal with the remaining financial empire?

I would not be surprised to find out that there already have been discussions of this sort among the top ranks.

[_Wisdom Seeker]

Do you think the church would somehow go against some very basic priciples of belief to save itself from declining membership?

Do you think a declining membership will be attributed to a weeding-out process adminstered at a local level?

Do you think nothing much will change?

Do you think the LDS church will surpass many other churces in growth in the next few decades?