LGBT inclusion can tear congregations apart

[Marcus]

I'm never sure if you are making a point or just being randomly 'funny.' Do you have a point? And if so, could you state what it is?

Making a point with humor seems possible. The point is congregations can exist and continue even with LQBTQ inclusion. Theoretically, the love of God can bind the congregation together.

Thank you for clarifying.

[drumdude]

I don’t know how these churches with the average age of 70 are going to survive. There’s literally no one left to replace them in 20 years.

I think that’s bad for Mormons too, by the way. They can’t exist in a vacuum, they’re a very tiny piece of Christianity after all. And I don’t think the evangelical churches that are still popular are very kind to Mormonism.

My point was that the LDS Church is vibrant because of a preponderance of families with children that attend church together. That promotes growth, not stagnation, as you’ve described for other churches.

Regards,
MG

Some other churches. I believe evangelicals are doing quite well, possibly better than Mormons. And they’re fairly hostile to Mormonism.

[MG 2.0]

My point was that the LDS Church is vibrant because of a preponderance of families with children that attend church together. That promotes growth, not stagnation, as you’ve described for other churches.

Regards,
MG

Some other churches. I believe evangelicals are doing quite well, possibly better than Mormons. And they’re fairly hostile to Mormonism.

It will be interesting down the road as we see which Christian churches haven’t imploded somewhat from ‘fresh blood’ coming into and revitalizing the churches from year to year. I think the LDS Church will be here because, as I said earlier, it’s the young families that bring their children to church and attend with them right on through young adulthood that keep the lifeblood of the church flowing now and into the future.

Regards,
MG

[Marcus]

... I think the LDS Church will be here because, as I said earlier, it’s the young families that bring their children to church and attend with them right on through young adulthood...

Huh. Can you verify this is currently happening in the LDS church?

[Dr. Shades]

Is there anything wrong with them not surviving?

I certainly think so. Unlike the Mormon church, or Scientology, or Jevohas Witnesses, I think mainstream Christian churches are a huge positive force in the world.

But not positive enough for you to actually join one of them to help it survive.

[I Have Questions]

I think the LDS Church will be here because, as I said earlier, it’s the young families that bring their children to church and attend with them right on through young adulthood that keep the lifeblood of the church flowing now and into the future.

Regards,
MG

If, as you claim, the Church is dependant on young families for its lifeblood, then the Church has a problem…

Latter-day Saints in the U.S. still have more children than other Americans do, but their families are not as large as they used to be.

First, let’s look at fertility in previous generations. According to research from the 2016 Next Mormons Survey (NMS), today’s Latter-day Saint adults grew up in families of 4.02 children.

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/06 ... ncredible/

Bottom line: Latter-day Saint families are still larger than the nation’s, but the difference is smaller compared to what it was in the early 1980s. With church leaders no longer condemning birth control, many U.S. Latter-day Saints appear to be using it.

The lifeblood that MG claims is the Church’s strength, is diminishing over time. (Does MG fact-check anything before he asserts it?)

[drumdude]

I certainly think so. Unlike the Mormon church, or Scientology, or Jevohas Witnesses, I think mainstream Christian churches are a huge positive force in the world.

But not positive enough for you to actually join one of them to help it survive.

That’s true, I’m not interested in propping up a congregation that is two generations older than me that I attended once.

I should just abandon the search for a church altogether I suppose.

[MG 2.0]

I think the LDS Church will be here because, as I said earlier, it’s the young families that bring their children to church and attend with them right on through young adulthood that keep the lifeblood of the church flowing now and into the future.

Regards,
MG

If, as you claim, the Church is dependant on young families for its lifeblood, then the Church has a problem…

Latter-day Saints in the U.S. still have more children than other Americans do, but their families are not as large as they used to be.

First, let’s look at fertility in previous generations. According to research from the 2016 Next Mormons Survey (NMS), today’s Latter-day Saint adults grew up in families of 4.02 children.

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/06 ... ncredible/

Bottom line: Latter-day Saint families are still larger than the nation’s, but the difference is smaller compared to what it was in the early 1980s. With church leaders no longer condemning birth control, many U.S. Latter-day Saints appear to be using it.

The lifeblood that MG claims is the Church’s strength, is diminishing over time. (Does MG fact-check anything before he asserts it?)

Ah, you ought to come to our ward and/or many other wards here in Utah and throughout the church. You can throw whatever you want out there as reason to doubt what I’ve said.

But on the ground what you’re insinuating just isn’t true. The average family size might be shrinking in comparison with years ago, but if our ward is any indication the church is doing just fine.

We have the most awesome kids and youth in the church in our ward.

Families are the lifeblood of the church.

Regards,
MG

[I Have Questions]

If, as you claim, the Church is dependant on young families for its lifeblood, then the Church has a problem…

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/06 ... ncredible/
The lifeblood that MG claims is the Church’s strength, is diminishing over time. (Does MG fact-check anything before he asserts it?)

Ah, you ought to come to our ward and/or many other wards here in Utah and throughout the church. You can throw whatever you want out there as reason to doubt what I’ve said.

But on the ground what you’re insinuating just isn’t true. The average family size might be shrinking in comparison with years ago, but if our ward is any indication the church is doing just fine.

We have the most awesome kids and youth in the church in our ward.

Families are the lifeblood of the church.

Regards,
MG

I didn’t “throw whatever”. I quoted a survey into LDS family sizes.
Nor did I insinuate anything. It’s a simple conclusion based on the data.
If 1. LDS children are the lifeblood of the Church (your claim), and
2. LDS parents are having fewer and fewer children, then
3. The lifeblood of the Church is diminishing and the Church has a problem.

You are also far more insular in your thinking than I had anticipated. You are equating the situation in your ward, and the wards you’re aware of in Utah, as typical of wards globally. I don’t know how you’ve reached that conclusion. It’s the hallmark of a narrow or closed mind.

[MG 2.0]

Ah, you ought to come to our ward and/or many other wards here in Utah and throughout the church. You can throw whatever you want out there as reason to doubt what I’ve said.

But on the ground what you’re insinuating just isn’t true. The average family size might be shrinking in comparison with years ago, but if our ward is any indication the church is doing just fine.

We have the most awesome kids and youth in the church in our ward.

Families are the lifeblood of the church.

Regards,
MG

I didn’t “throw whatever”. I quoted a survey into LDS family sizes.
Nor did I insinuate anything. It’s a simple conclusion based on the data.
If 1. LDS children are the lifeblood of the Church (your claim), and
2. LDS parents are having fewer and fewer children, then
3. The lifeblood of the Church is diminishing and the Church has a problem.

You are also far more insular in your thinking than I had anticipated. You are equating the situation in your ward, and the wards you’re aware of in Utah, as typical of wards globally. I don’t know how you’ve reached that conclusion. It’s the hallmark of a narrow or closed mind.

And I’m saying the church doesn’t have a problem. Not everything is found in a book or a limited survey.

You ought to attend some wards in your area. My guess is you’ll see parents with kids going to primary. You will see youth and youth leaders. You might even see a missionary coming or going.

We did just this last Sunday.

You guys, of course, are going to be ‘negative Nannie’s’, I get that.

Regards,
MG