In trying to somewhat get away from all things Mormon and lead a more ‘normal’ life (and being retired), I spend a lot of time enjoying books and documentaries about science and nature. I also enjoy gripping works of fiction and have just read Dan Brown’s latest offering, ‘Inferno’, which I can highly recommend. One statement from a character in the book struck me as the very essence of the adult Mormon psyche. The book (and the statement), has absolutely no connection with the Mormon Church whatsoever, but it made me stop and think, and realise, that this was me for many decades; and it continues to represent the mindset of millions of others who are still trapped in the delusion that Mormonism represents the ultimate truth, when in reality it is an easily provable hoax, perpetrated by Joseph Smith in a conspiracy of lies, with which Church leaders continue to deceive the faithful today.
“…most adults seemed like nothing more than aging children, lacking even the most basic understanding of the world around them, and, most troubling, lacking any curiosity or concern about it.” (Inferno, p.349).
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Meanwhile, in other news, the Church is changing tactics regarding proselyting. The Mormon god is moving in even more mysterious ways; he has reportedly found a “better way” to proselyte, as his old system continues to show decline in conversion ratios.
“Door-to-door work has not been effective for many years, said Matt Martinich, a member of the LDS church who analyzes membership…”
“Perry acknowledged that the new shift marks a “better way” to proselyte.”
“There are 70,000 young men and women on missions now, and church officials say there will be 85,000 by the end of the year. The previous record total of missionaries at one time was 61,600 in 2002, church figures show.”
From a money.msn.com article. [Since deleted].
My own prediction is that the effects of temporarily swelling the Mormon missionary ranks, bolstering them by reducing the missionary age from 19 to 18 for men and from 21 to 19 for women, will be short lived and the numbers will inevitably fall back to below the 2002 figure of 61,600 by 2016-17 (unless they invent other strategies, such as extending the missionary term). The Mormon god’s (or at least the earthly analysts and PR crew who concoct new ideas), new ‘method’ of proselyting is unlikely to proportionately increase conversion figures, as those contacted through the internet also have the knowledge, skills and ability to search out the truth in a few easy clicks, whilst many who are contacted by door-knocking or in the street may be less inclined (or perhaps not even have the facility) to do so.
As always, time will tell, but all the evidence suggests Mormonism is becoming less and less popular with members who are leaving in droves and investigators who are not joining. The Church is slowly dying and there are no measurable signs of recovery. This latest strategy will be a short lived desperate episode in the death throws of a small and insignificant cult.
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My old friend, Simon Southerton (author of ‘Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church’), updated his blog on DNA and lost Lamanites during May and it is well worth reading. Previously, apologists tried to rationalize Simon’s findings, but now there is no hiding place. So, where are those elusive Lamanites? Nowhere. Absolutely nowhere!
Jim Whitefield 