In light of the many posts here on this board (the serious posts) my question is a big one. So bear with me and if it has been asked here before forgive me.

Do you think that with the Musical on Broadway and the Internet and the bad economy (no emphasis on where the before mentioned items are listed) that the Mormon Church will fall?

(My personal belief is that it will split under its weight into a fragmented shadow of its former self)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2011 03:52PM by jonesy.

It will change its beliefs and doctrines as it has in the past. It will bleed members and the youth. But it won't die out completely.

In Europe, maybe. But not in the Morridor.

I think the mormon church is in a no-win situation at the moment with regard to changing doctrine.

The big issue is the Prop 8/LGBT rights thing.

They can keep current doctrine and hemhorrage younger members and those who are sympathetic to their LGBT family members, or they can do like they did with black and the priesthood and risk some large factions breaking off to form separate churches.

I love the irony...

It'll be like the priesthood thing and be 20 years behind the times.

Ah, geriocracy.

Sorry, I meant to type fragmented. And as a noob, I didn't realize you could edit. LOL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2011 03:53PM by jonesy.

I want to say Thanks to those who have posted so far and will post in the future up front.
Sometime, I will post my story of why I came to this site and I think some of you would be interested in it.
Even though I am a Nevermo it has helped me realize and heal from some issues I had with the Christian Church in general.
THanks Again.

I agree with Raptor on this. The church will evolve and continue to keep its hard core members. Afterall it is an organism and will do what is nesscary to survive.

On the one hand, the church structure is well defined and rather rigid. I can't imagine how a single individual or even a group could splinter off. At least they wouldn't be able to take any resources with them. With the centralized ownership and total control there is just no way that I can see the organization splitting. Even if a half of the quorum of twelve wanted to "go their own way" the profit still holds all the cards and thus all the money.

On the other hand, a grass roots rebellion could do a lot of damage - at least to the tithing cash flow.

A top level scandal that involves federal courts mandating changes is about the only thing I can see bringing a swift decline to the church.

Mormonism has taken a lot of hits in the past and still survived. Book of Abraham fraud, polygamy, Hofmann, DNA, archaeology, etc.

I think there is always going to be a core of believers who will choose to believe no matter what.

"In his book The Psychic Mafia, Keene tells of a psychic medium named Raoul. Some people still believed that Raoul was genuine even after he openly admitted that he was a fake. Keene wrote "I knew how easy it was to make people believe a lie, but I didn't expect the same people, confronted with the lie, would choose it over the truth. ... No amount of logic can shatter a faith consciously based on a lie."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True-believer_syndrome


However, it is clear that the internet has had a big impact on rates of people joining and some impact on people leaving. Reliable studies have demonstrated that as many are leaving as are joining. TSCC will continue to maintain it's current membership levels until Mormons reduce their rate of reproduction.

The financial empire is another matter. TSCC leaders have amassed a huge business kingdom that, if managed wisely, will continue to support the upper echelon and their families for generations to come.

I clicked on this post simply because I adore your moniker. Your question is a good one, and I do think about that occasionally. In my opinion, the morg is no longer just a religion in the morridor. It is a culture, a way of life, a social network, a business model, etc. etc.

I will be long dead and hopefully morphed into a gorgeous 100 year live oak tree before mormonism dies. It will adapt and change doctrine and claw its way to survival because that what successful businesses do.

I look forward to reading more of your posts.

Thanks Queen, May I return the compliment on your name as well ;-)

Old people will stick with it....but eventually it will die off. Young people are just too smart for this to last at all. Or those left will join the fragmented religious sects already in existence.

They are fighting a losing battle but will continue to exist in the morridor in diminishing numbers. They will have a small hold in third world countries with those who want to be like Americans. The morg is run as a corporation by old men who are out of touch with the world. They have left no money and no opportunity/options for fun activities that would hold people to the church in a social manner. All that is left is obedience and tradition. The high utard birth rate keeps up their numbers for the moment, but even the church knows they are bleeding by the loss of youth.

I believe that they are in serious financial trouble. They spent money like it would never end. And now it has. And the magical thinking that the morg encourages has backfired. All those good tithers who knew they were the elect have now lost their jobs and .....heavenly father has abandoned them and so has the morg. Those who thought that mindlessly handing over their money would ensure that they got help when they needed it most have been rudely surprised with a "Don't bother us with your problems".

It is a god damned money making machine run by incontinent senile old men.

No, it will, sadly, continue to do quite well...

to Hebrews??? Its a test of your faith. BofA proven false??? What do scientists know???

Religious belief is based on feelings and emotions not facts. So when facts turn against you who cares? It wasn't facts but feelings that got them to become religious in the first place.

They will be among those staunch supporters who accept the changes the business model is forced to undergo. They'll never know the difference. And they'll continue to bear their weepy testimonies.

They might remain a weird sect or slowly change more toward mainstream Christianity. I don't think they will die out. They have their own subculture and large families. I think they will adapt to do whatever they need to do to survive. They might remain on the fringes but I think they will gain social acceptability as they make themselves more recognizable as Christians. Heck, there are weirder Christians out there.

The fundy polygamist Mormons that exist in the shadows are the scary ones. I hope they die out but as long as they can isolate and indoctrinate they will thrive. Their numbers have grown too.