Bishops Warned Of Mass Exodus?

[Ceeboo]

I wonder if that's true. *sigh*

You "wonder if that's true. sigh"

No matter what one happens to believe (LDS, Baptist, atheist, agnostic, Muslim, etc), you wonder if it is true that the folk who read the letter, read reactions to the letter, read responses to the letter, the one who wrote the letter, will be impacted by what they read????????????????????????

???????

Peace,

Ceeboo

[mercyngrace]

You "wonder if that's true. sigh"

No matter what one happens to believe (LDS, Baptist, atheist, agnostic, Muslim, etc), you wonder if it is true that the folk who read the letter, read reactions to the letter, read responses to the letter, the one who wrote the letter, will be impacted by what they read????????????????????????

???????

Peace,

Ceeboo

No. I wonder if an online discussion of disaffection and how we respond to those who leave will have any impact...

[Ceeboo]

No. I wonder if an online discussion of disaffection and how we respond to those who leave will have any impact...

You can wonder no longer (Ceeboo is here to help)

It not only has impact on "those who leave", it has impact on those who remain and it has impact on those who never were.

Peace,

Ceeboo

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Because I was involved (on another board) in a thread about this very topic, I wanted to offer a few thoughts (to the members of this board) for your consideration.

If I may.

I can't imagine anything being more important (on a Mormon Apologetic and Discussion board) then discussing a LDS Bishop's "loss of faith"

Peace,

Ceeboo

Why? Bishop’s are not seminary trained clergy like in the Catholic Church, where a Bishop is the same as a General Authority in the LDS Church. So one Bishop writing a letter to SLC is not the same as martin Luther leaving the Catholic Church.

[Garden Girl]

I have no doubt that there are inactives who have basically left the Church behind. I've met of few of these personally as well. But there are also many who still maintain Latter-day Saint as their primary religious identification.

In addition, it's helpful to remember that large numbers of Church members will experience one of more inactive phases in their lives. This means that we need to see inactivity rates in many cases as a fluid figure, not always comprised of the same people. Many of the very active, committed posters on this board have been inactive at some point in their past.

As regular posters know, I was inactive for just over 30 years following my marriage to my dear non-LDS hubby, but I always considered myself LDS. And I retained threads of a testimony. I rocked along like that through the years until the death of my mom, and when I saw the light go from her eyes and knew that she had passed through the veil, it sent me literally running back to the Church. And here I am, 15 years later, the person you know from this board... and TBM.

My experience is not different from maaannny other LDS (and I know numerous in my ward).

So I agree with HT... inactivity rates do not denote "mass exodus," in fact, far from it when one considers the number of members who have been inactive at some point and then returned.

GG

[Ceeboo]

Why? Bishop’s are not seminary trained clergy like in the Catholic Church, where a Bishop is the same as a General Authority in the LDS Church. So one Bishop writing a letter to SLC is not the same as martin Luther leaving the Catholic Church.

Huh?

Peace,

Ceeboo

[Nathair/|\]

I've considered becoming inactive, so I don't drive anyone else away, but I could never give up my testimony and I would still live it as best I was able.

[Garden Girl]

Hello Nathair...

I encourage you to remain active, regardless of how you think you impact others. And continue to strive to live the gospel in the Church rather than outside.

With all good wishes... from the beach... GG

[mercyngrace]

I've considered becoming inactive, so I don't drive anyone else away, but I could never give up my testimony and I would still live it as best I was able.

Maybe I'll come with you Nathair. I just got told by a TBM on another forum that I am an enemy of Christ and was invited to repent of the satanic doctrine in which I believe. I've been painted as an apostate here by some TBMs...

Good news is I'll see my bishop tonight since the kids have youth activities. That'll make it easy to turn in my temple recomend...

[Duncan]

Maybe I'll come with you Nathair. I just got told by a TBM on another forum that I am an enemy of Christ and was invited to repent of the satanic doctrine in which I believe. I've been painted as an apostate here by some TBMs...

Good news is I'll see my bishop tonight since the kids have youth activities. That'll make it easy to turn in my temple recomend...

I don't think you are apostate mercyngrace!

[mercyngrace]

I don't think you are apostate mercyngrace!

Thanks Duncan. I don't think I am either. Good thing these categorizations aren't determined by online polling... LOL.

[Nathair/|\]

Hello Nathair...

I encourage you to remain active, regardless of how you think you impact others. And continue to strive to live the gospel in the Church rather than outside.

With all good wishes... from the beach... GG

The only thing I want for myself more than to be fully engaged is to keep my family together.

Maybe I'll come with you Nathair. I just got told by a TBM on another forum that I am an enemy of Christ and was invited to repent of the satanic doctrine in which I believe. I've been painted as an apostate here by some TBMs...

Good news is I'll see my bishop tonight since the kids have youth activities. That'll make it easy to turn in my temple recomend...

You, an apostate!? What!? Why? If you're an apostate, what does that make me?

[Mars]

Online discussion forums are hardly the place to discuss such important matters, but it's a great way to bring a ton of people together so I guess we make do.

I hope you're not thinking too much of it, mercyngrace. I've had a few posters here in the past accuse me of the same. I wonder if they remember doing it... I still see you, you accusing jerk.

[mercyngrace]

You, an apostate!? What!? Why? If you're an apostate, what does that make me?

My friend.

[mercyngrace]

Online discussion forums are hardly the place to discuss such important matters, but it's a great way to bring a ton of people together so I guess we make do.

I hope you're not thinking too much of it, mercyngrace. I've had a few posters here in the past accuse me of the same. I wonder if they remember doing it... I still see you, you accusing jerk.

I don't think much of it at all, which oddly enough, seems to really annoy some of my accusers.

If real life adversity hasn't compelled me to abandon my faith, a fellow sinner, sitting behind a computer screen and using his keyboard in place of the desperately needed therapy he should be getting, certainly won't rock my world.

(Okay that was neither merciful nor gracious. Sometimes, even I need to let off a little steam. )

[Ariarates]

As regular posters know, I was inactive for just over 30 years following my marriage to my dear non-LDS hubby, but I always considered myself LDS (...) My experience is not different from maaannny other LDS (and I know numerous in my ward). So I agree with HT... inactivity rates do not denote "mass exodus,"

I wonder if this is the same the world over. One of the problems I see with the church in Europe is that you are either totally committed or you are not committed at all. There is no middle way, no cultural Mormonism, no Jack Mormons, nothing. If you become inactive, the church will lose track of you in no time, never to be found again. When I was a mission leader, I reduced the membership of my ward from 362 to 184 just by checking all the addresses and confirming that we had lost track of half our membership over the years. Of the remaining 184, about 60 attended regularly, which corresponds to the 1/3 activity rate mentioned in this thread.

I very much doubt that the lost half of our membership self-identify as Mormons. Most people in the ward didn't know most people on that list; the numbers also indicated that a good portion of these "members" were children when their parents became inactive.

Still, I'm not worried about mass exodus as much as I'm worried about mass indifference. I only know of one family in our ward to have actively resigned. The rest just stay away and there are too few of us to keep home teaching them.

[BCSpace]

I'll hazard he's just making it all up based on rumor and innuendo. He's one of the new breed of antiMormons who are verbally charismatic and able to draw a lot of sympathy for that which does not exist or never happened.

For what it's worth--and since I'm my mum's son, and she never liked dog piles--I think it's possible that this former bishop's stake president did say something to him at one point, either along these lines or far enough along that he understood it this way.

If one googles "mass exodus from the Church", one sees that it's a pretty comming topic among all christians. If one adds "Mormon" or "LDS" to the search, one finds quite a bit of rumor and innuendo. Also, I've been in positions (and still am) where I would have heard such a thing if the Church put the word out. It's not just those, but I too know a dog pile when I see one.

[mercyngrace]

I forgot to mention that I did pose the question about the statement's origin on the former bishop's blog and he responded. Here is the exchange:

Steve,

Thanks for posting your talk. As compassion is the primary emotion attributed to Jesus Christ in the four gospels, I imagine His followers would all do well to better emulate His example.

I am wondering about one statement from your talk and would like to know the origin of the quote you used as follows:

The General Authorities have warned the Bishops, through the Stake Presidents, to “Prepare for a mass exodus from the church, even from the leadership.”

Was there a meeting, letter, or other communication from the church’s general leadership containing this admonition to prepare?

Thanks in advance!

MnG

I know nothing more about the original source other than we received the instruction as Bishops in a training meeting by the Stake President.

At the time, we were told it was privileged information.

I now know that members were already leaving the Church in huge numbers, so it wasn’t as much a prophecy or prediction, but a statement of fact. An observation of a current trend or event occuring as a consequence of members gaining access to more information via the internet as well as books.

I now feel this was a cynical form of mind control.

[rameumptom]

Quote is untrue, but I feel the "parable of the Ten Virgins" will happen one day.

In addition, sometime in the future, a "day of pentecost" when countless will flock into the Church - i.e.. "Prophecy of the South" by Vaughn J. Featherstone. (can anyone find a reference for this?). I think it was a dedicatory prayer of one of the Temples.

When this will all happen is unknown.

I happen to have a copy of the letter containing Elder Featherstone's prophecy. The original is in the foundation of the Atlanta Temple. In it (I don't have it handy here at work), he prophesies that there will be temples throughout the South, including Birmingham, Raleigh, Nashville, etc. It is a very impressive prophecy given in 1980/81, that among the first small temples built by Pres Hinckley around 2000, all of those named by Elder Featherstone were included.

He foresaw that many blacks would join the Church and help defend it against mobs and evil people.

[lizrenowden]

Just reading through this and I have to ask - was this an American or British Bishop - the reason I ask is because it sounds rather uncomfortably like my ex-bishop.

[mercyngrace]

Just reading through this and I have to ask - was this an American or British Bishop - the reason I ask is because it sounds rather uncomfortably like my ex-bishop.

British.

[Pahoran]

I've seen Ex-Mormons comment many times that people are "leaving the church in droves", so who knows.

Yes, it's an apostate article of unfaith.

It's always amusing to note how avidly apostates and anti-Mormons will swallow any tale, however far-fetched, if it reinforces their prejudices, and yet -- sometimes in the very same breath -- will use Mormon "FPR's" as an excuse to pour scorn and derision upon believing Latter-day Saints.

Regards,

Pahoran

[Pahoran]

I can't imagine anything being more important (on a Mormon Apologetic and Discussion board) then discussing a LDS Bishop's "loss of faith" and or his enormously sad and heart wrenchimg "resignation letter".

Why?

Regards,

Pahoran

[bookofmormontruth]

I happen to have a copy of the letter containing Elder Featherstone's prophecy. The original is in the foundation of the Atlanta Temple. In it (I don't have it handy here at work), he prophesies that there will be temples throughout the South, including Birmingham, Raleigh, Nashville, etc. It is a very impressive prophecy given in 1980/81, that among the first small temples built by Pres Hinckley around 2000, all of those named by Elder Featherstone were included.

He foresaw that many blacks would join the Church and help defend it against mobs and evil people.

Thanks for the info!

It is in storage now, but I was given the prophecy from the mission home on my first mission to Alabama and can't find it anywhere online.

We loved it as missionaries because it talked about us teaching sun up to sun down.

[MorningStar]

I can't take anyone seriously who uses the term "mind control" and if people who leave the church are confused as to why still active members don't want to hear about why they left, maybe it's because they love the Gospel and don't want to listen to them trash it? I have had a lot of relatives leave the church and I love them just as much, but that doesn't mean I'm obligated to listen to their complaints about the church. We talk about common ground instead. My uncle and his children have all left now. The son who left most recently called his mom and asked her to leave the church so she could "join the family". That is seriously lame. She has respected her children's decisions no matter how messed up.