If an apostle says the church is doing wonderfully well in Asia has the thinking been done?
https://www.lds.org/church/news/the-church-is-wonderfully-well-in-asia-elder-holland-reports?cid=HPTH041014676&lang=eng

There can be absolutely no doubt that Holland is fully aware of the disastrous performance of the church in Asia. In some places it can only be described as a collapse.

South Korea - 27% fall in congregations since 1999 (175 down to 128)
Meanwhile South Koreas's population has grown by 7% since 1999

Japan - 12% fall in congregations since 2000 (317 down to 279)
Meanwhile Japan's population has grown by 0.5% since 2000

Hong Kong - 20% fall in congregations since 2001(41 down to 33)
Meanwhile Hong Kong's population has grown by 7% since 2001

Philippines - 8% fall in congregations since 2002 (1234 down to 1134)
Meanwhile the Philippine population has grown by 19% since 2002

The only bright spot I could see was growth in India and Malaysia. But these are from a very low base and probably close to the national growth rate.

I wonder what Mormons in Japan, Korea and Hong Kong must think when they hear an apostle tell them everything is rosy while wards and branches are closing all around them?

Just saw this on facebook and I was scratching my head, wondering what the real story was. Thanks for letting us know the true stats.

Holland is not preaching to the people of Asia his talking to the Utah Idaho Mormons all is well don't look behind the curtain.

This is almost always the audience. This is where the core of the fundamentalists enforce the institutional flaws of Mormonism.

BYU, CES, COB--political and bureaucratic powers of Utah.

"The spirit of the Lord is moving over this vast area," Elder Holland.

"The spirits are on the move," drunk guy in the original House On Haunted Hill movie.

I also enjoyed Holland's sister missionary anecdote from conference. These two sisters approach an old guy in a park eating his lunch. He takes a swing at them and then spits his lunch over them. Holland insinuates this is common behaviour for evil atheist non-Mormons. I'll bet the guy was mentally ill and thought the nurses from the home had come to take him back.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2014 09:31PM by Simon in Oz.

He prolly knew they were Mos, and thought they were going to steal his lunch! :)

...this guy.


http://www.monsterbashnews.com/Logos/ElishaCook-HouseonHauntedHill.gif

"The spirits are on the move," drunk guy in the original House On Haunted Hill movie.

"Eenie meenie, chili beanie. The spirits are about to speak.---Bullwinkle

Dodos lie.

"Reports of the Dodo being extinct are a big, fat lie. The Dodo are making a miraculous comeback, sightings are increasing everywhere, and soon they will cover the earth."

--Elder Dodo

D'oh! D'oh!

over & over we learn: Mormons wouldn't know the TRUTH if it bit them in the arse.

"Retreat will continue until victory is ours."

The gurgling sound you hear is the last of Jeff Holland's soul and integrity being sucked dry.

Where are you getting your stats from - Cumorah.com?

Most data from Cumorah. LDS.org has figures for the last year.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/facts-and-statistics/

I was a missionary in Japan and later lived and worked there for many years. As far as I could see the activity rates were very low - many, many more people on the books compared to those who actually came to church. Also, more active women than men which was a problem for women who wanted to marry in the church. Active priesthood holders were tremedously burdened because so few men to fill all the priesthood posts in a normal ward or branch.

Simon in Oz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Philippines - 8% fall in congregations since 2002
> (1234 down to 1134)
> Meanwhile the Philippine population has grown by
> 19% since 2002

> I wonder what Mormons in Japan, Korea and Hong
> Kong must think when they hear an apostle tell
> them everything is rosy while wards and branches
> are closing all around them?

Damn, it riles me that the cult can't wither and die any faster in the Philippines. I'm estimating a good 70% of their members are poor and can barely pay tithes, so I wonder what's in it for them. Gullibility is a key factor: many believe they can migrate to the US if they become members. I won't put it past mishies to perpetuate such a lie.

Whilst still TBM, this was a huge WTF moment for me, being told in SM that the church is growing in leaps and bounds in the archipelago; meanwhile I'm looking around at the dwindling congregation in Manila, the capital, and thinking "Yeah? Where is this growth happening? In the boonies? 'Cause there sure ain't any more warm bodies here than out in the sticks."

The only North American Indian general authority Larry Echo Hawk is in the Philippines. Maybe Holland ought to explain why that Lamanite is in Asia instead of helping Book of Mormon people to become pure and delightsome in the United States.

Must have said something blasphemous like,

"It has been found by scientists that American Indians do not have any Middle Eastern DNA."


Kathleen Waters

I expect in 10 years or so to have million new members in India.

Indians do not drink coffee or alcohol and value education like the LDS so a lot of common values.

Surely you jest. First, India runs on tea. Giving that up is a nonstarter. Second, the nation is predominantly Hindu. They are as likely to become Mormon as a Mormon is to become Hindu. Too big a theological leap. Mormonism is doing best in nations that are primarily catholic, and former Spanish or Portuguese colonies. Catholic to Mormon is not that great a leap. They are both basically Christian, authoritarian, and sexist, among other similarities.

India has not and will not cotton to Mormonism.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2014 11:13AM by Brother Of Jerry.

Brother Of Jerry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Catholic to Mormon
> is not that great a leap. They are both basically
> Christian, authoritarian, and sexist, among other
> similarities.
>
Sorry to get a bit OT, but I have to disagree with you on this point. Catholicism and Mormonism may both be authoritarian, sexist, etc., but the everyday experience of being Catholic versus that of being a Mormon is HUGELY different. I know because I was raised Catholic. I would say it's a vast leap between the two faiths. For one, many Catholics, probably the majority, are not that active. Also, no other Catholics (except maybe a very devout mother or grandmother) give a flying leap when a Catholic stops believing, stops attending Mass, etc. It's just not an issue.

In my mostly Catholic extended family, the only relatives who've converted to other faiths were NOT raised Catholic. Two became conservative evangelical Protestants, and the other two became...Mormon. All those raised Catholic are either still Catholic (but hardly strict or fanatical), or atheist, or theists but who don't belong to any church.

I am guessing that converts to Mormonism in historically Catholic countries are the type who more often convert to evangelical Protestant churches (as many Mexicans have done in recent years) because they find the Catholic church to be too "dead" in its worship style, or not responsive to their spiritual needs, or in some cases corrupt (sex abuse, etc.). Those who join Mormonism probably think it is some type of evangelical Christianity because of all the talk about "the spirit," etc. and because of its American image/identity. It's not because they find it similar to Catholicism. They're actually trying to get AWAY from Catholicism while still being Christian.

I agree. One of my bff's growing up was catholic and she didn't experience even 1/4 of the hell I went through with always feeling guilty, low self esteem. Her family went to church when they wanted to. There were really no other expectations like TSCC has.

Jeff Holland is the one guy I can't figure out. He's ivy league educated, talented, smart, funny, and a really great guy in real life. I met him when I was in college. He's the one big wig in the Mormon church who could probably have done better with his life outside the Church. Then he gets into General Conference, and he rants and raves and sounds like a maniac. Or he makes some ridiculous assertion like this one and gets busted on it. Why, Jeff? Why? What the hell is wrong with you?

He had the misfortune of being born into Mormonism and has reached the point of being contracted into staying as well as looking like a fool if he quits now that he's an apostle. He probably thought at the time that a sure thing was better than a risk of trying to make it outside the order. Now he's stuck preaching the tripe 'til his dying days.

It's the culture he grew up in and all that he would lose by leaving. I have many friends like him in the morg and I've scratched my head too many times wondering why they're still members as more stupidity arises within the church.

The mo-cultural-I-can't-leave-because-this-is-all-I've-known issue makes Steve Benson's leaving the morg all the more amazing.

With those kinds of numbers it sounds like the opposite is happening there!! More shrinkage!!

They spew these numbers out in hopes that no TBM has actually ever been to Asia

Since they are pushing this BS you can bet it's yet another confirmation that the cult KNOWS it is shrinking/dying. Otherwise, why be so blatant in the broadcasting the MIS-information?

Oh that jeff! Lol lying for The Lord.

Simon,

Thank you for posting this. Elder Holland is fu***ed up. Someone needs to look him in the eye and say "you are an affront to human intelligence. God gave you a brain. Why have you insulted the creator by not using it?"

There are almost 20 million Catholics in India. I work with quite a lot of folks from India. They are either Hindu, Muslim or Catholic.