http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51259276-76/members-church-churches-percent.html.csp

The first paragraph made me want to gag:

"Churches with firm theologies, door-to-door evangelizing and high expectations for member involvement continue to grow in the United States, even as mainstream Protestant faiths keep losing members, according to the National Council of Churches."

"Firm theologies"? The LDS, Adventist and JWs have "Firm theologies"? That is news to me.

ABC News had a feature tonight on "Religion in America."
Fastest growing religious group is the Pentecostals.

I don't disagree, but CBS I believe reported that the biggest membership gain over the last period was the JW's with 4.4%. Are Pentecostals a larger group than the JW's? They may be adding members faster, with a smaller total percent increase.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2011 01:50AM by steve benson.

Agree. But good to remember when TBM claims of divinity accompany "LDS is the fastest growing church" "evidence" spiels.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2011 02:18AM by crossroads.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2011 02:34AM by steve benson.

Because of how the Mormon church reports membership, the gap between the number of real members and the number of reported members will continue to grow. Many members of the church already realize there's a gap, and more will probably come to realize it. So where does it end?

At some point, the propaganda advantages produced by claiming impossibly high membership numbers will probably be eclipsed by the propaganda disadvantages created by widespread awareness how false the claim is. At that point, how will the church PR guys handle it?

Admit that they've been bamboozling everyone? Announce that they've been tricked by anti-Mormons? Just stop talking about it and claim that it's not essential for salvation?

Really! Firm theologies, watalaff...

"While the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists report active, involved members, the LDS Church claims fallen-away Mormons as well."

We keep people on the rolls forever, until they die or are excommunicated,” he said. “So the church-claimed statistics can be a little unhelpful.”



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2011 02:48AM by bender.

Well, I guess we don't have to since the Mormons will... I just hope whoever does will also fact check inflated LDS numbers which have been debunked here repeatedly...

First liar doesn't have a chance...

I looked over the SDA claims, and for a while there I thought I was reading a brochure for an MLM scheme...

And then there was the Pentecostal Convention here a few years back... Stuff I heard was the same sort of nonsense... Gal in China was claiming to have secretly baptized thousands in her bathtub...

Mormons have no monopoly on bullshipping...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2011 05:50AM by SL Cabbie.

though I am surprised to see this happen in the US. The Adventists have been baptizing 1 million+ members per year, compared to the measly 300,000 that the LDS is able to churn out. There current membership is over 15 million so, again, higher than the Morg.

The JWs have been baptizing about the same as the LDS, but there retention has always been much better. I never met a lapsed JW on my mission in South America, but met a lapsed Mormon about every 10 minutes or so. Also, when the JWs report their membership stats, they only count active members who proselyte for the organization. They are around 6 million members now, while best bet for the LDS is about 5 million.

And Don Quixote is still trying to shame his own church into more honest reporting practices:

<quote>
...
David Stewart, a researcher of Mormon growth, said the council’s research method — allowing churches to report their numbers — is flawed because the comparisons end up being “apples to oranges.”

While the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists report active, involved members, the LDS Church claims fallen-away Mormons as well.

“We keep people on the rolls forever, until they die or are excommunicated,” he said. “So the church-claimed statistics can be a little unhelpful.”
...
<endquote>


"a little unhelpful" - that would be code for "inflated, faith-affirming fabrication".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2011 07:30AM by 3X.

LDS INC / MORmONISM has a long way to go to catch up to the traditional xtianity that they labeled as hopelessly apostate, such a long way that LDS will NEVER get it done, not even close.

IF MORmONISM was really serious about "filling the earth" then they should have stuck with that mission statement instead of getting sidetracked with harem building/ wife collecting/ adultery and then running off to the isolation & wilderness of Utah!

Who has most successfully spread the word/gospel of Christ?
the MORmONS or the (other) hopelessly apostate?
its obvious & its not even close! (I'm atheitst FTR)

If LDS INC grows outrageously, then they MIGHT amount to a pimple on the rear end of traditional christianity, a NON christian pimple that is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUYWqVvUZWQ

According to the published figures there is an average of 486 people per congregation.

How many congregations are you aware of that have anywhere near that number attending?

This perhaps speaks to one of the biggest errors Joseph Smith ever made -- the creation of the Book of Mormon. The Adventists and the Jehovah's Witnesses theology is based on the inspiration of their founders. It is an inspiration which can't be falsified as easily as Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon can be. If Joseph would have simply created a theology without a Book of Mormon his movement would have been more successful in the long run.

Not a baptised seven day aventist but attend sometimes
and get paid cash for helping people as my mormon experience
taught me to be bold and go where no man has gone before
to the refugee survivers that I'm amazed how much the
aventist helps them throughout the world. NO wonder why
they are growing in numbers.
Also their authority and sealing up is in the original
4th commandment of the 10, remember the 7th day saturday
and always keep it holy. The only legalistic requirement
by law, no other book, no starting up govenments on earth
just a remnent humble people who place the sabbath day
above temples and priesthood that they believe all cerominial
laws ended at the cross but the moral laws and 10 commandments
continued.... Doesnt sound like a cult to me.
They have been good to me in my recovery from mormonism.
They believe and what is seen the bible prophecy of the
whole world wandering after the beast, that is the pagen
catholic sunday beast as they the catholic church changed
it blatenly and boast of it. It is now a signed peace treaty
with the pope by man sunday relegions including buddhist
dali lama and masonary muslems the usher in of the one world
govenment, which is the mark of the beast, cant buy or sell
comming apon this planet so the less we support the sunday
relegions the more we stand seperate from church being
part of state and the bible says the antichrist church
is part of state joining the two together.

So far mormonism have not signed that treaty and its
it billions of dollar empire could help its members
avoid the govenment beast help rather than be-beheaded
but being a sunday justified relegion,and masonary control
just like the trator jesuit top of masonary that are now
behind catholicsm control when originally in reformation
went against it, have run back to rome and glorify satins
domain...

The aventist have strong views and evidence whats comming
and how to avoid it. Its quiet amazing to prepere for
economic disators and banking collapses all part of the
world govenment plan to ruin us and take over our lives.
The seven day aventist would rather be imprissoned or be-headed than accept sunday law made compulsary and the catholic
church will usher it in sooner or later and all sunday
churches that dont return to true saturday sabbath will
be under its curse and be lost from God.

larry. food for thought.

Congratulations. You jumped from one cult into another.

But their myth is no more valid then the Mormon myth. I believe Santa Clause is about to bring in the new age of happiness and end all churches who do not worship the mighty elf lord!

Seriously....take a step back and look at these stories.

the drive, its ok mate. a cult to me is masonary/ritualistic
mind control, fear and guilt.
Tho I appeciate if you could tell me why seven day aventist
is a cult by their clear view conviction of the bible
tho I can understand athiesm is against the bible also..

If the true sabbath was part of the original 10 commandments
and gods sealing and authority, not priesthood and temples
then how would that be a cult????

thanks for you imput if its helping out MJ who posted this topic.....

Don't the Adventists go to church on Saturday? Dude, that won't work for me. That's sleep in, strip club, BBQ day. ;)

Just sayin'...

ron

haha sounds like a sweet day! Good idea for this Saturday.

The church is already prepping the TBMs for the "reality" of membership numbers. Does anyone remember the Packer talk about how the church will never be large in relation to the world population?

They can lie about the membership numbers and convince TBMs the truth doesn't matter. TBMs will always accept lies from the leadership.