While TSCC has always had a member missionary focus, it seems that this is increasing exponentially. We know that most members don't enjoy doing missionary work so my question is whether the over saturation on this topic could backfire as some members start to see the church as nothing more than a MLM obsessed with 'recruitment'?

missionary work, tithing, dead dunking......missionary work, tithing, dead dunking........missionary work, tithing, dead dunking......and I am sure that tomorrow, the "marvelous" broadcast will be about missionary work, tithing, dead dunking.
And this is uplifting???

Every summer there are gangs of troubled teens roaming my neighborhood selling magazine subscriptions. One year I bit and paid around 3X the normal subscription price to a monthly fitness magazine. Fool me once........

So ask yourself if there were twice or three times as many of these kids selling magazines would you be more likly to buy? If they knocked on your door six times in the summer instead of twice would you pay $200 for Newsweek? I think I would start to get pissed off and get really rude and angry with them....it would make me less and less likely to buy what they are peddeling. It would have the opposite effect of what they were hoping for.

Everything the church has done in the last couple of decades has backfired. Why would this be different?

I think it will backfire for a lot of people. Even when I was an ultra die hard TBM, the missionary work push bugged me. I hated it. In fact, most people hate it (especially the ones who paste on a smile and pretend, pretend, pretend they like it). These are the ones who need to lie to themselves, convince themselves they like missionary work in order to spread the gospel.

The whole thing was sick. Man, I am SO glad that I never have to do "missionary work" again. I hope it does backfire.

Even as a TBM, I couldn't and wouldn't do missionary work. If someone asked me about the church I may talk about it, but never in the form of "I am right and you should follow me". I knew others felt the same about their beliefs as I did about mine and it I knew it was the peak of arrogance to try and change their mind. And I never, ever would have started a discussion with someone with the intent of getting them to convert. I suspect that most members don't really care for missionary work and that the increase push only servers to make them feel even worse about themselves than they already do. At some point they will reach a critical mass where they have pushed too many people too far and a large chunk of the church will just suddenly fall away.

IM NOT SURE IT'LL BACKFIRE. BUT... I Do see it as a big Last harrah for the church! Kind of a hail mary pass. They pulled a big blunder w/the Jesus Mall. Letting people see their true colors. I heard after that the membership dropped considerably. I see the dropped missy age and this world wide "historic" missy mtg. as Kinda Big Push to reactive believers and (I suppose...eye roll) Increase numbers. It may work for a while but I dont think it'll save the church.

I think that inactive Mormons will see this new surge coming and resent being a project. It's going to be a big waste of time and money. I would like just the money that is wasted on cookies. How many people do you know that will eat cookies that came out of a kitchen they haven't seen.

It may make members consider what they're really trying to sell to people, and to view their beliefs through an outsider's eyes. To help them consider what needs to be downplayed and dismissed, what needs to be half-truthed. To question who is the sane one in the conversation.

And to question: does this make me happy? Why do I sell it?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2013 01:10AM by lastofthewine.

I don't know how typical I am as an apostate, but here's the deal. I thought and studied for a long time in coming to my conclusion that TSCC is a fraud. I didn't take quitting it lightly. Changing my mind with cookies or mishies at this point has a snowball's chance in hell.

I'm in exactly the same situation. I put in much time and effort to study my way out to the point where I was able to mentally drop all the lies I had been taught my whole life.
A plate of goodies isn't nearly a large enough blinder to cover up the problems in tscc. Now bring me a time machine, and then we'll see..

It depends on whether or not they're just basically asking Mormons to be like Jehovah's Witnesses. I think it stands a big chance of failure mostly from the anecdotal standpoint that I've never seen anything in the church succeed, unless it's something nefarious, like correlation.

All I know is most members feel REALLY uncomfortable trying to "share the gospel" with non-members. Its one thing going door to door as a full-time missionary talking to complete strangers who you have no invested interest in, but its another to try and talk to a friend, co-worker etc about your church. I don't think the members are going to be super excited about this member missionary work.

However, its a different story with inactives. At least to me it was less awkward talking to inactives about the church because you already have a history of the church and you just assumed they already believe and just need a little "fellowshipping."

Honestly, I think the church's best success WILL be with the inactive members. Obviously there's going to be a few people like us who aren't going to budge, but I personally believe there tons of inactives who still believe.

I'm sure most I actives do not believe. This is why the Mormons are veering away from discussions, lessons, scripture reading, and the JS stories. Instead missionaries are asking people if they need help with yard work or chores. Most of the I actives I know who have returned to the fold were lonely, or were forced back by their family. Shunning, coercion, threats and false promises actually are effective! It doesn't make any difference if the inactive believes, or not. What a scam.

They're never going to get anywhere until they get much younger, much more diverse leadership, lose the garments, let people wear normal clothes, and stop prohibiting things that the vast majority of people consider normal. But they can't do that, because it would upset a lot of the more traditional, tithe-paying members who don't mind being weird.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2013 07:22AM by munchybotaz.

They have been preaching this same message for as long as I can remember. Why would it be any different today?

Members will get excited for a day or two, and then will settle back into their normal lives. They've already bugged everyone they know to join, and they don't want to risk what few non-lDS friends they have.

If you do everything else the church wants, and if you spend at least some time taking care of your family and home, there's no time to socialize with people who aren't already in the church. Besides, gentiles are evil influences that must be avoided, right?

Okay, so there are gentiles at work (only the LDS husband works, of course). But the average Mormon learns very quickly the dangers of being seen as the proselytizing weirdo on the job.

Or maybe there are those nice people down the street. They won't notice at all that your friendship is cover for an agenda, right?

So if the brethren are going to make an even bigger member missionary push, and want it to work out better than every other member missionary push over the past century, then they'll need to eliminate a lot of the meetings and callings and busy work. THAT would be an amazing announcement.

People don't like doing missionary work (for obvious reasons, as a mormon you get laughed at by other people when you talk about the church).

In my ward they used to have activities where the Bishop would urge everybody in the ward to invite someone. We also did this one Sunday a year too. At most probably about 10 non-members would ever be at these events, even though there were over 100 people supposed to be inviting others (although I suspect some invitations were simply declined).

People don't like it, but it doesn't seem to be backfiring much. People just avoid it. It's like with Home Teaching as well. Most mormons seem to hate it, but instead of leaving the church they simply don't do it and make up excuses why they couldn't do their visits each month.

Oh great, there is going to be a major push of cookies on us ex-Mormons, just as my doctor is telling me to cut back on the sugar. Guess I can't go back to church now.

The simple solution is to go back to church! Once you do, you and your doctor can sleep well knowing that you'll never get another batch of reactivation goodies.

In my teenage years I hated stake conference talks on missionary work. I hated the group coercion tactics to raise your hand if your going to do x, y or z in the coming year. I NEVER raised my hand.

I served a foreign mission. I hated knocking-doors ad infinitum, or street contacting. I didn't want to push myself on others - you know, I preferred do unto others as you would have them do unto you? I went on my mission out of guilt, pressure, and obligation. What a waste. I just want LDS INC. to implode for the hoax perpetrated on millions, and for the hundreds of thousands extorted from me, my siblings, and my parents in offering$.

I hated my mission president - numbers, and more numbers - he wanted more hours logged in on your weekly reports (78 hours/week minimum) and of course, more baptisms. ABSOULUTELY NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN ALL THESE YEARS - NOTHING.

Every missionary program is a guessing game with the 15. Corporate testing trials and test missions are the norm to figure out what to do next. There's NO REVELATION.

TSM and BKP know LDS INC. is not true. Why else would KKK tell CES not to teach the truth - otherwise they are traitors to their covenants.

I hate Sacrament Meeting talks on missionary work. I hate being told about quotas or goals. I hate intruding into other folks' privacy. For me, religion or faith is more toxic and polarizing than politics. I hate it and never pushed it on others.

After 6 decades of TBM status, MormonThink has freed me - JS never saw God and Jesus - it's all a gigantic waste and con job. But, the correlated BRAINWASHING for BIC members is so effective on the vast majority of ignorant believers.

BTW, in case you haven't figured it out, now I truly hate missionary work.

And yes, I think nothing great will come of this effort - no matter how much stinky breath they try to blow out Moroni's clogged golden trumpet.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2013 11:05AM by jiminycricket.