But, thank Ananna, a big ole chunk of them are coming around, have found their senses and are using their amazing brains for something besides reading the BofM, listening to mormon books on tape, or planning yet another family home evening.
I think there is a huge rainbow (no, not complete) shining over the whole Salt Lake Org area that will only grow more complete and brighter.
The church only changes if it has to. Right now they are assessing how big this LGBTQ thing really is. It hasn’t been on the radar all that long. So that ball is in play.
The church really is concerned about two things. Keeping the church together and growing the church. Right now there are a few threats to the church. Information on the internet. The old strategy of hiding the truth and revising the history doesn’t work. The church will have to focus on Christ more and phase out Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. The church wants to buck Mormon because people have a negative perception of Mormons. The original name won’t work because it’s too long.
So the church will probably adapt a short Christian name and phase out Joseph Smith. They have already phased out Brigham Young. They probably will rename the Book of Mormon.
They will soften their stance on LGBTQ. They are feeling that out to see where they want to go.
I imagine the LDS church in Utah will morph into something that resembles The Community of Christ. This will take time. But becoming more mainstream Christian won’t solve all the problems. Christianity is in decline.
So the church is going to lose numbers regardless so it could become more fundamentalist. Ha! Maybe the church will focus less on religion and more on it’s business holdings.
What I would do is slowly move the church to a feel good, anything goes New Age node. I would make the temples advanced meditation centers or we could call them sanctuaries. Just sell people what they want. Have a bit of that but focus mostly on the business side of things. It might even be worth phasing the church out all tog their and just become a holding company.
I always remind myself that exMormons were once "Mormons."
As an exMormon I used to endorse Mormonism, but never as a TBM. I did the temple and mission but I was always questioning and rebellious, even left my LDS mission to Brazil mid way through because of a knee injury but what really motivated me to leave the mission for the physical therapy I really did need -- which took courage to go through all the red tape to go home -- was my doubting of the church doctrine and policy of dark skin is a curse from God (this was 1996 when that was openly taught).
So I was a "thinking" Mormon who eventually thought my way free.
So I think some Mormons will come to their senses at some point, and some NEVER will.