So Quentin basically just said that the idea that more members are resigning than ever before is not true, and that the church is stronger than it has ever been. What say you to this?

Perhaps it could be justified by considering the remaining members are the most indoctrinated.

Not a case of the most numbers, but rather those still there being considered the most faithful.

The problem with that thinking is less numbers, no matter how faithful, will result in less tithing revenue.

so they went from an admitted "great apostasy" just a couple years ago to the church being stronger than ever and fewer people leaving that ever before in 2015? Bullsh1t.

I'd love to see some hard data on this subject. Until we're able to look at reliable statistical evidence, all we can do is engage in baseless speculation.

Church growth 2014 vs 2013 is the slowest rate since 1974.

Obviously they need another Kimball to bring the numbers back up. That slow, gravelly voice really made people look forward to the next life.

Weaselly confusing words from a lawyer.

The fact that he talked about it says that it's a BIG DEAL and that he is trying to placate the scared sheeple that remain.

I agree, I suspect there were a whole lot of members over the last two years suddenly seeing someone they know leave for the first time. I suspect today, almost no members don't have an ex-mo or two in their circle of family or friends. They then hear from others in their ward about how they are also seeing people leave and suddenly everyone is buzzing about there being a problem. If the higher ups (who are usually insulated from such talk I am sure) are hearing that the average member is concerned about the church shrinking, I think the exodus may be bigger than most of us have been thinking.

then why emphisise doubts, internet...

His job is to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titantic.

"Some passengers say that others are leaving the boat. That is simply not true. The boat has never been stronger."

Cook actually claimed that the number of people leaving the church has declined significantly in the last few years.

He provided no hard numbers, no evidence.

I thought that him mentioning this was a sort of weather vane -- it shows that the top geriatric fools are all worried about the number of people leaving the church.

I thought about this point, and I think what he is saying in lawyer talk is "we aren't losing as many members to resignation as we did in 2012 during the Mormon moment."

The top leaders tell the members what they want they to know in such a way that they are remain faithful with the tithing coming in.
They double talk, fudge, wiggle, ramble, never prove a thing but placate the members because so many are so often very gullible.

It's stronger in his wet dreams. The Boner.

I think this would be an appropriate time to consider Hitchen's Razor.

"That which may be asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence."

The irony is that Hitch actually did better prophecy than the lords anointed Quinton Cook.