What is the best that I might hope for the LDS Church? The Church could conceivably disavow its man-made doctrines and scriptures. However, the economic cost to the Church, at least over the short term, would almost certainly be devastating. The Reorganized LDS Church—now known as the Community of Christ—underwent a transition from religious sect to Christian denomination at the behest of a group of impetuous liberal members, who embarrassed and coerced church leadership to such an extent that the transition was allowed to occur. This reorganizational wrecking crew relentlessly demythologized church history, theology and assorted traditions, thereby overturning the church’s traditional ideological consensus. Most of the issues that the Reorganized LDS Church faced were identical to those faced by the Utah LDS Church today. Joseph Smith, finally acknowledged to be a polygamist and adulterer, was no longer a prophet of God, but merely the church founder. The Book of Mormon was also given the axe, and is now considered to be an historical artifact and a fictional literary work of the same genre as Pilgrim’s Progress. The Reorganized Church became an organization devoid of identity, adrift in a sea of woke relativity, with no compelling reason for membership. As a consequence of this reorganizational debacle, active membership has declined some seventy percent, and revenues from member contributions have fallen even farther than active membership. With the Community of Christ flirting with insolvency, the Utah LDS Church provided an infusion of $192,000,000 (yes, $192 million) to that organization by purchasing the Nauvoo House (Joseph Smith’s home in Nauvoo, Illinois), the Kirtland Temple in Kirtland Ohio, the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon, and other sundry items from the nearly bankrupt church. The Utah LDS General Authorities are acutely aware of this cautionary tale of organizational collapse. The LDS Church, of course, has the option of gradually downplaying its spurious content by de-emphasizing the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price (the volume which includes the Book of Abraham), temples, and temple rituals. The Church has already accomplished this feat with respect to Brigham Young’s Journal of Discourses and Joseph Smith’s “inspired” revision of the King James Bible. Church officials– obviously embarrassed by the latter work, on which Joseph Smith spent much time and effort–have refused to canonize and print it. Consequently, few members are even aware of its existence. Fewer, still, know that it can be purchased from the Community of Christ. During the first two decades of the twenty-first century, the Church does not appear to be following either of those courses of action. More than 300 temples are either completed, in construction, or planned, obviously with the hope that the increase in Church revenues will more than offset the cost of construction and maintenance. Though Church members now hear very little about the Pearl of Great Price, the importance of the Book of Mormon is now emphasized more than ever. Prophet worship is encouraged. Revisionist history abounds. From reading the 1999 priesthood lesson manual on the life and teachings of Brigham Young, one would mistakenly conclude that the man was monogamous. On the other hand, if the LDS Church were completely stripped of its unique features, it would be nothing more than an empty shell unless it were to accept and legitimize the Bible in a way that it has heretofore refused to do. Moreover, if the spurious content is eliminated, the Church would become nothing more than a very large and, perhaps, wealthy version of a community Bible church. In order for the LDS Church to survive and thrive, there must be a compelling reason for members to pay tithing. Membership in the LDS Church is expensive, and there are many less-costly religions. Presently, the compelling features of the LDS Church are its claim to a restoration of the primitive Christian church, which supposedly gives it God’s priesthood or authority. With God’s priesthood comes efficacious ordinances such as baptism, annointings, the temple endowment, and temple sealings of couples for time and eternity (i.e., eternal marriage). The elephant in the room, however, is the Book of Mormon. With each passing year, it becomes increasingly indefensible. Add to that Joseph Smith’s sexual exploits with barely pubescent young girls and with women already married to other men. If an LDS Church member comes to accept the overwhelming evidence that the Book of Mormon is a sham, or if he comes to the realization that Joseph Smith’s character makes him unfit to be a prophet of God, everything collapses; there is no restoration of the primitive church, there is no priesthood authority, there are no efficacious ordinances, and there is no marriage for time and eternity. What remains is the world’s best-managed religious fraternity, featuring a superlative Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra. Is that enough to prevent organizational collapse? Time will tell, but I predict that the LDS Church will eventually suffer the same fate that has befallen the Community of Christ. However, whereas the collapse of the latter organization was analogous to a high-speed train wreck, the LDS General Authorities will cautiously, and perhaps unwittingly, orchestrate a slow-motion train wreck that will last scores of years.

The leadership of the church seems to be more concerned with propagating a charitable front to the investment company they operate for their benefit.

The membership isn't particularly critical to that.

Doctrine will evolve to best support the charity aspect within the laws under which the charity and investment arm operate. If that sheds or gains members that's not so important.

The Community of Christ did not have the funding the investment side of the LDS has to prop up the charitable facade.

It's not about members or doctrine. Those are set dressing to change as needed for the benefit of the investment company.