I haven't been a youth going to activities in over 10 years so I can't say on that but I would say it probably appeals less and less to the youth of the day as people, including the youth, become more exposed to and accepting of gay people.
I wasn't until after high school but I think times are changing and young people will get passionate about the cause of gay equality younger and younger...which kind of leaves tssc out in the cold.
They all have internet access, so I would say they are as likely as I or more so to explore the non faith-promoting church history. Especially since it's a big no-no to do so! What teenager isn't tempted to check into the forbidden fruits?
unforch I didn't/wasn't tempted to look at the forbidden fruits. The internet has been around since I was in jr. high but I only got around to looking up "anti" mormon info late last year.
but hopefully the kids of today are smarter and have bigger balls than I did!
In a sense - in the convert sense - I think mormonism will ALWAYS appeal to youth. I know/have read blogs by/heard of SOOOOO many young (late teen/early adult) converts. Think about it, it's a time when many feel insecure, lonely, perhaps like they aren't special. Maybe their friends don't give them enough attention. But they get love bombed by the missionaries and the other youth. They become the project (unbeknownst to them) and all of a sudden, they have TONS of BFFS, people who "care" about them. SOmething to do all the time, people around, places where they are wanted and so "missed" if they don't show up. Who could turn down such popularity? Things like this give them "the spirit" and feeling like they belong. Also the milk before meet part probably extends to discussions about politics and social issues. So that feeling of being wanted and accepted will never, ever become unappealing to young people, and the convert baptism rate amongst youth probably won't ever suffer much of an impact.
BUT once they join and are no longer the project, they will leave, at least history shows that they will (no including ones that hook up right away with a mate and marry before they get to the meat) ETA: no pun intended.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/16/2012 11:57PM by wittyname.
If so, the scientologists and the moonies should be seeing great growth as well.
Cults have always preyed on the vulnerable, and the young are definitely one of the demographics. However, I think that the kids of today are getting smarter and more independent in general. The internet allows them additional social avenues to meet more people who share common interests, and the types of people likely to fall into a cult don't necessarily feel as lonely and insecure where they may otherwise become a victim to the transparent love bombing and peer pressure influences of a brainwashing cult.
Plus, I frankly don't believe that Mormonism has done a very good job of keeping up with the culture. Their strict adherence to traditional old-fashioned, conservative, top-down authority just does not mesh with an egalitarian, diverse, pluralistic society; not nearly as much as their PR campaigns would mislead one to believe.
Most people who are internet savvy (and who isn't these days) google anything that may come across. And it doesn't take long for them to discover that there are two sides to mormonism.
What I find amazingly hilarious is that the top brass thinks that they can manipulate their negative press away by playing with the search engines. What they don't realize is that people looking to explore both sides of an issue/religion/group/topic realize that this is what's going on when they cannot find opposing websites and so they get smarter with their search terms.
THe youth/young adults they lure in don't care about they truth, they only care about how they feel. They are targeting a segment who are needier than they are rational. This doesn't make for lifelong members, just baptisms.
Oh absolutely. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. I should have said "mormonism, as a cult, will always have success with those in transition, suffering from disaffection, depression or lonliness, things youth tend to feel, be it hormonal or reaction to change. They will always prey on the youth, and they will always have success, till they get what they want and move on. And in most cases, so will the youth. Hopefully before being too psychologically damanged"
I spend a lot of time around teenagers, and even the geeky ones that would likely end up in scouting are socially healthy these days.
I see lots less vulnerabity and isolation because there are connections out there in social media. even those home schooled are not the freaks they used to be.
so it's a double whammy for TSCC. The BIC have access to the truth (and all have family members who have left the church and are just a Book of Face click away) and those potential converts are a lot less vulnerable these days.
What to do? Build expensive construction projects with padded contracts comes to mind.
It didn't appeal to me because of all the standards. I'd like to dress like a normal person and coffee is too good to give up. I also can't stand sitting through three hours of boringness.
Young woman's activities are far from fun. I always felt like I didn't belong with the rest of the girls. Their brainwashing didn't work on me. I never agreed when they talked about getting married as early as possible and Joseph Smith as some kind of prophet.
It's so different from when I was young. Dances aren't as frequent, plays and roadshows and dance festivals are a thing of the past. Girls Camp in our stake last year wasn't even a week, like the boys get. They left after lunch on Tuesday and came home before lunch on Friday. The first 8 items on the packing list were things like: Scriptures, Journal, Ensign ...
Some places still do a decent handcart reinactment but I heard of one stake in Utah that spent one day doing free yardwork at This Is The Place park, spent the night there, took handcarts around the park for a couple hours the next morning then went home after lunch. Having to spend most of the day gardening - that's what they call a youth activity? Youth groups are also asked to clean the church every other month or so, depending on the number of wards meeting in the building. And now the new emphasis on Family History. DD stayed home from the last YW meeting because it was a class on doing genealogy on line at the little "church history library" in our building. Her BFF that is always trying to get her to attend admitted she was ditching too in order to go shopping at a one night sale at the local teen favorite clothing store. But seriously, youth doing genealogy?
The only thing likeable about the church for the youth is the feeling of a superior clique that the youth can belong to so they feel included, defined and part of something that makes them special. Of course, we know it's all B.S. but it's the same reasons kids join gangs.
Mormonism is not appealing to non mo youth in general. Mormon youth will in general stay mormons through childhood. They believe with good reason, that they will stop being loved if they stop being Mormon. Text book cognitive dissonance.
Plus as CA girl pointed out, feeling superior to others for what they choose to eat and how they dress is appealing.
I has no appeal to the youth of today, minus the lonely and directionless, who would as soon join the Hare Krishnas or Manson Family, if anyone took an interest in them.
In one word: No! I don't think religion in general appeals to youth, period. Unless, the religious leaders are smart enough to have specific programs that does appeal to them.
Mormonism's youth will keep a few of their youth, in my experience, but that is the time, that most drop out.
So, yeah, there will be some young people whose personalities match Mormonism. Conservative minded, authoritarian followers, continuity seekers, cravers of certainty and validation...
No, nothing about church was fun. Everything that wasn't EFY was nearly put together at the last minute and without a reasonable budget. That, and the leaders have no idea how to relate to the youth at all.
The sanitized kiddie nonsense makes kids go into autopilot. A lot of them hate it but they go along with it because it's what their families expect of them and that "the church is true." In a lot of cases I don't think their qualms with TSCC go beyond that. Attendance is expected of them so they'll go along to get along. If they happen to find something in Mormonism that they like they'll hold onto it with a death grip. They're cultural Mormons through and through. If they happen to find something in Mormonism that caters to their interests then their testimonies will suddenly blossom. It's interesting though, how embarrassed some of them are about their Mormonism. They'll say things like "I'm not a Molly Mormon" or "I don't really want to talk about the church with my friends." They're the types who keep their eyes on the clock until the last second of church.
I fell for it big time as a senior in high school, i had been active on and off until then. Just broke up with a boyfriend and all my friends took his side so there i was lonley and rejected and along comes the ward.... I was laurel president and the cutest girl in the ward for a year. It was awesome. When i turned 19 and they sent me to the singles ward that was the end. I don't think the current youth are buying into it anymore, They care alot about being accepted by non mo peers and looking cool.