Mormon Numbers Not Adding Up

Religion Dispatches ^ | February 2, 2012 | Joanna Brooks

[C19fan]

The ascendancy of Mormonism as a world religion once seemed inevitable. The year was 1984, and sociologist named Rodney Stark made a startling projection: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would grow to 267 million members by 2080.

.....................................................

But new data suggests that Mormonism may no longer be (as it is often described) among the fastest growing faiths in the United States. Instead, American Mormons appear to be settling into the twenty-first century as a maturing minority having an increasingly hard time holding onto younger members.

[Elsie]

Less than 2% of the population, about the same as homosexuals.

I'm a MORMON ...

 

 

 

http://www.affirmation.org/

[RedWhiteBlue]

I think you are spot-on. If Romney gets the nomination, it will be their worst nightmare. You can bet that Obama, the Democrat party, and the MSM already have a well-laid out plan of attack — and they won’t even have to lie or use half-truths, the truth is so bizarre that it will be decimating to that church.

[Elsie]

---

Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).

Joseph Smith: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).

 

 

 

Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" (Journal of Discourses 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).

 

 

 

Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).

 

 

 

Orson Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses

, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (Journal of Discourses , 18:172).

 

 

President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (Journal of Discourses , 10:127).

 

 

 

James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (A Study of the Articles of Faith, p.182).

 

 

 

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (Doctrines of Salvation, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.282).

 

 

 

More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (Mormon Doctrine, p.316).

 

 

 

President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).

 

 

President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 2, p.196).

[Elsie]

I will pray their eyes will be opened and that they will leave Mormonism for a real relationship with Jesus Christ.

 FREE KITTENS

A pretty little girl named Suzy was standing on the sidewalk in front of her home in Salt Lake City. Next to her was a basket containing a number of tiny creatures; in her hand was a sign announcing FREE KITTENS.

Suddenly a line of big black cars pulled up beside her. Out of the lead car stepped a tall, grinning man.

"Hi there little girl, I'm President Thomas Monson. What do you have in the basket?" he asked.

"Kittens," little Suzy said.

"How old are they?" asked Monson.

Suzy replied, "They're so young, their eyes aren't even open yet."

"And what kind of kittens are they?"

"Mormons," answered Suzy with a smile.

Thompson was delighted. As soon as he returned to his car, he called his PR chief and told him about the little girl and the kittens.

Recognizing the perfect photo op, the two men agreed that the president should return the next day; and in front of the assembled media, have the girl talk about her discerning kittens.

 

 

So the next day, Suzy was again standing on the sidewalk with her basket of "FREE KITTENS," when another motorcade pulled up, this time followed by vans from Deseret News, The Ensign magazine  and KSL.

Cameras and audio equipment were quickly set up, then Thompson got out of his limo and walked over to little Suzy.

"Hello, again," he said, "I'd love it if you would tell all my friends out there what kind of kittens you're giving away."

"Yes sir," Suzy said. "They're Christians."

Taken by surprise, the Living Prophet® stammered, "But... but... yesterday, you told me they were MORMONS."

Little Suzy smiled and said, "I know. But today, they have their eyes open"

 FREE KITTENS

[troy McClure]

Mormons are a CULT plain and Simple, no differant than Scientology.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/episodes/s07e12-all-about-mormons

[elcid1970]

How ironic it will be - the truth about Mormonism will reelect Obama.

Truly, G-d moves in mysterious ways. Or will this prove that He indeed has a sense of humor?

[annieokie]

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeee so cute, story is great.

[Elsie]

Truly, G-d moves in mysterious ways. Or will this prove that He indeed has a sense of humor?

Or show that HE is patient in our looming destruction??

Over 47 MILLION 'CHOICE' participants are screaming from their trashcans...

[Elsie]

Over 47 MILLION 'CHOICE' participants are screaming from their trashcans...

Of course; if you are MORMON; those 'meat shells' were NOT infused with a pre-born human SOUL until birth, so they merely get re-cycled back to Heaven to await another human body to infest.

[Elsie]

... to infest.

Silly me; I meant inHABIT!

[Elsie]

Tiger STILL hasn’t shown up for his photo shoot...

[ansel12]

OTOH, Evangelical churches and ministries are reporting a large increase in those who are claiming to leave the LDS for a relationship with Jesus Christ. One Evangelical pastor I know in Utah states his congregation is almost 40% ex-LDS.

I bet that is one very intense, engaged, passionate, group of Christians.

[StPaulRevert]

http://saintsalive.com/

[StPaulRevert]

http://www.saintsalive.com/resourcelibrary/mormonism/the-mormon-plan-for-america-and-the-rise-of-mitt-romney

[Vendome]

Annnnnnnd....I’m suppose to be working and I get this important ping.

LOL

Incoming, next post.

[elcid1970]

“Of course; if you are MORMON; those ‘meat shells’ were NOT infused with a pre-born human SOUL until birth, so they merely get re-cycled back to Heaven to await another human body to inhabit”.

Do you mean that for a Mormon, abortion is not only permitted but is perfectly OK!!!!!?

Amniocentesis and other tests for fetal defects must be really popular among them. But then they pressure their wives to have lots & lots of kids.

Frankly, I’m confused. But apparently there’s no doctrinal prohibition against abortion in the COJCOLDS.

Again, the Obama crowd will run (truthful) ads about Romney’s religion that’s going to have all kinds of folks asking, “They believe in WHAT?”

[Vendome]

It is totally true. Look at the literacy rates of countries south of the border, excluding Chile, and you will find 70%+ illiteracy.

We deal with it all the time in California. Our literacy programs are directed at helping them achieve some level of literacy in their original language and then we help them achieve a level of literacy in English so they can function at a higher level in American Society.

Now, go to any report you can find, regarding LDS growth rates and you will find that total numbers are coming from places that have challenges emphasizing competency in their respective languages, with the highest percentage illiteracy outside major cities, which is where you will find LDS success in converts.

[Vendome]

Can’t find it.

It’s on another computer.

I’ll post when I get home this evening.

[reaganaut]

It is. And there is a new church starting in AZ specifically for ex-Mormons to help them transition into Christian churches. The format is similar to LDS services, but the messages are Biblical.

[IWONDR]

“You can bet that Obama, the Democrat party, and the MSM already have a well-laid out plan of attack — and they won’t even have to lie or use half-truths, the truth is so bizarre that it will be decimating to that church.”

No they won’t need to rely solely on the MSM or the Demoncratic party to inform the public, if Romney becomes the nominee, they just need to contact a few Freepers such as Colofornian, Elsie, et al.