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Peggy Fletcher Stack writes about a recent survey that shows the gap between the proportion of male Mormons and Female Mormons in Utah is widening. In short there are now 60% female, up from 52% female ten years ago.

There's a lot of speculation as to why - men leaving faster than women, women converting faster than men etc.

However, there is a bigger worry for the Church in figures like these.
If the trend continues at the same pace then in another ten years there will be 70% of Mormons in Utah that are female. Ever decreasing the number of Priesthood holders. One of two things will have to happen if the Church cannot up the quota of male believers.

1. Polygamy will have to be reintroduced

Or

2. Women will have to be given the Priesthood

Drifting wrote:Peggy Fletcher Stack writes about a recent survey that shows the gap between the proportion of male Mormons and Female Mormons in Utah is widening. In short there are now 60% female, up from 52% female ten years ago.

There's a lot of speculation as to why - men leaving faster than women, women converting faster than men etc.

However, there is a bigger worry for the Church in figures like these.
If the trend continues at the same pace then in another ten years there will be 70% of Mormons in Utah that are female. Ever decreasing the number of Priesthood holders. One of two things will have to happen if the Church cannot up the quota of male believers.

1. Polygamy will have to be reintroduced

Or

2. Women will have to be given the Priesthood

and yet the bar gets lower....worst logic ever

-assumes trend "may" continue for no reason
-admits "speculation" but paints with blatant bias
-Survey is anonymous or without citation so fails inspection.
-Entire post is without citation
-Lacks any real concept
-Avoids the logical conclusion that Men will have a greater "worth" due to decrease in supply (The few having dominion over the many is a more likely scenario given the history of the world)
-Applies only to Utah, Church can always import men from other states where ratio is greater
- May be attributed to "more" men being absent from the state, at the time of survey, due to missions
- could just be another absurd post

Do you have a linky to the article?

subgenius wrote:

Drifting wrote:Peggy Fletcher Stack writes about a recent survey that shows the gap between the proportion of male Mormons and Female Mormons in Utah is widening. In short there are now 60% female, up from 52% female ten years ago.

There's a lot of speculation as to why - men leaving faster than women, women converting faster than men etc.

However, there is a bigger worry for the Church in figures like these.
If the trend continues at the same pace then in another ten years there will be 70% of Mormons in Utah that are female. Ever decreasing the number of Priesthood holders. One of two things will have to happen if the Church cannot up the quota of male believers.

1. Polygamy will have to be reintroduced

Or

2. Women will have to be given the Priesthood

and yet the bar gets lower....worst logic ever

-assumes trend "may" continue for no reason
-admits "speculation" but paints with blatant bias
-Survey is anonymous or without citation so fails inspection.
-Entire post is without citation
-Lacks any real concept
-Avoids the logical conclusion that Men will have a greater "worth" due to decrease in supply (The few having dominion over the many is a more likely scenario given the history of the world)
-Applies only to Utah, Church can always import men from other states where ratio is greater
- May be attributed to "more" men being absent from the state, at the time of survey, due to missions
- could just be another absurd post

Evidently you've been posting from a bunker. Get familiar with current events and come back when you're equipped to discuss this issue.

Here is a link to the article. The survey was conducted by Trinity College of Hartford, Connecticut.

The report states that the gap only widened in Utah, and that it actually narrowed among the rest of the nation. Granted, a huge portion of the church's active membership resides in Utah, so it should still be a concern.

In any case, the LDS church is never going back to polygamy. Never. Well, I shouldn't say "never" because it could theoretically happen if polygamy ever reached the point of being both legal and socially acceptable in America. But no one on this forum is going to see that in his or her lifetime. Polygamy was a disaster that almost killed the church and continues to haunt Mormons today. It isn't coming back.

I don't think that this will be the issue that forces the church to give women the priesthood, either. If anything, the first move in accommodating a female-dominant church would be to open up to women the jobs that are currently earmarked for priesthood holders without actually having anything to do with needing the priesthood. So the church could allow women to serve as ward clerks, executive secretaries, Sunday School presidents, and pass (but not bless) the Sacrament, and it could re-activate the historic practice of women administering blessings to ease the burden on home teachers.

There are black denominations with 70% female membership that still do not ordain women. If they can get by, so can Mormons.

Thanks MsJack!

MsJack wrote:Here is a link to the article. The survey was conducted by Trinity College of Hartford, Connecticut.

The report states that the gap only widened in Utah, and that it actually narrowed among the rest of the nation. Granted, a huge portion of the church's active membership resides in Utah, so it should still be a concern.

In any case, the LDS church is never going back to polygamy. Never. Well, I shouldn't say "never" because it could theoretically happen if polygamy ever reached the point of being both legal and socially acceptable in America. But no one on this forum is going to see that in his or her lifetime. Polygamy was a disaster that almost killed the church and continues to haunt Mormons today. It isn't coming back.

I don't think that this will be the issue that forces the church to give women the priesthood, either. If anything, the first move in accommodating a female-dominant church would be to open up to women the jobs that are currently earmarked for priesthood holders without actually having anything to do with needing the priesthood. So the church could allow women to serve as ward clerks, executive secretaries, Sunday School presidents, and pass (but not bless) the Sacrament, and it could re-activate the historic practice of women administering blessings to ease the burden on home teachers.

There are black denominations with 70% female membership that still do not ordain women. If they can get by, so can Mormons.

Agreed regarding polygamy. If the 15 board members of the Corporation of the President could completely abandon polygamy as a doctrine without losing face, they would.

So, it's a bona fide survey showing a bona fide trend towards increasingly higher proportions of Female Mormons in Utah.

That is obviously a significant and harmful trend in relation to the rolling out of Gods one true Church on earth today which is led solely by males and has its power base in Utah.

What actions (aside from singles wards and conference talks on getting hitched quick) could the Church take to arrest this slide into matriarchy?

Women stay and men drift off. If the Church was a fast food franchise, management would be seeking women to staff Priesthood positions.

moksha wrote:Women stay and men drift off. If the Church was a fast food franchise, management would be seeking women to staff Priesthood positions.

If a ward or branch doesn't have enough men to fill the local leadership positions they 'ship in' Priesthood from elsewhere - Missionary couples, Stake High Councillors etc. When these run out perhaps they will look to Deacons, Teachers and Priests to run the wards before letting the women loose...

I posted the above paragraph partially in jest.
But thinking about it. When push comes to shove the Church would probably choose a 12 year old Deacon over an adult single woman in terms of trusting them with a leadership role.