What exactly qualifies Mormonism as "mainstream?"
* It's practically non-existent in Asia.
* It's not there in most of Africa -- and barely discernible in other parts of Africa.
* In Brazil, the Mormons are literally asking the question of where are the almost 1 million missing members?
* In Sweden, the Mormon hierarchy has come up with a "Rescue Sweden" plan because many there -- including leaders -- are in apostasy.
* In America, Mormonism's "home-grown 'hot spot'" -- is still @ only 1.7% -- and only about 0.3% of Americans are temple Mormons. Many, many ex-Mormons and more on their way out...many others are "jack" (inactive) Lds. [See below asterisk line for links proving this]
So you're defending becoming a god--which is what Mormonism purports-- as "mainstream" "religion?" The New Age movement, which has been embraced by one of the Dem 2008 POTUS candidates Kucinich is much more "mainstream" than Mormonism...why don't you go to bat for the New Age cultists as well?
Wow! Just wow!
********************
Documentation of American Mormon exodus in process:
*Notes: Mormonism and the Internet [Duplicity/mixed messages cited; baptism-of-dead issue lingers]
* Survey on Mormon Disbelievers to be Released at UVU Forum [74% point to theological concerns]
* Why Mormons flee their church
* Number of faithful Mormons rapidly declining
* Mormons opening up in an Internet world [& Losing members accordingly]
* Special report -Mormonism besieged by the modern age [Lds church is hemorrhaging in member losses]
* See also 2010 posting: Why Mormons Leave Per study linked below -- a survey of over 3,000 Mormons -- the greatest reason Lds say they question their faith is theology (a full 74%).
(So much for those who portend that "theology" doesn't matter)
Per the survey results from over 3,000 Mormons seriously reviewing their faith --
--see released a survey for 26-page results!
-- Here are the top five "General Factors Contributing to Disbelief"...[this is found on page 8 chart of results]:
1. I ceased to believe in the church's doctrine/theology (74%)
2. I studied church history and lost my belief (70%)
3. I lost faith in Joseph Smith (70%) [my note: A very bad place to place & transfer faith toward to begin with!]
4. I lost faith in the Book of Mormon (65%)
5. I lost confidence in the general authorities (50%)
Two other factors within the Top 10 included:
* "I did not feel spiritually edified at church" (47%)
* and "Church's stance on race issues (blacks, native Americans, etc.)" (43%).
In contrast to the reasons Mormons & Mormon leaders often pin upon such disbelievers, only 4% said it was because they were offended by someone in the church and 4% also pinpointed "I wanted to engage in behaviors viewed as sinful by the church" [the very bottom reasons listed on the chart].
12% said they "received a spiritual witness to leave the church and go elsewhere"...Over 1/4 said they lost their faith in God/Jesus.
Every point you make is exactly why LDS is as mainstream as any other part of the fractured Christian Religion. All one has to do is look at the number of strip mall churches that have splintered off on a preacher’s power trip. Look at the size of the “non-denominational” empires shouting that they are the true salvation. Yep, all those warts and the fact that the church is still there after over a hundred years make it mainstream. Not my personal choice, but mainstream none the less.
Before you start, I said Religion, not Faith. There is a marked difference.