One in 4 US Mormons has thought about leaving the LDS Church, study shows

[LoudmouthMormon]

I did leave the church from ~1990 for about 6 years or so.  Inactive, unbelieving, came to grips with the fact that I never had a testimony to start with.  

Then I "took the Moroni challenge", read and prayed, gained an unmistakable spiritual witness, and have been going strong ever since. 

[carbon dioxide]

2 hours ago, Hamilton Porter said:

On one hand it's sad to see young people leave the church, even if they're just following national trends. On the other hand, God is sovereign so we don't need to worry.

It is sad BUT they the church is still fine.  The church is the vehicle that God has given us if we want Celestial inheritance.   Some people just don't want it.  The righteous that remain inherit all things and those that leave end up serving the righteous that remained while inheriting a lower kingdom.  It is kind of sad but kind of funny how everything turns out in the end. 

[Tacenda]

1 hour ago, InCognitus said:

Nah, we need you.  I would miss you anyway.

😄

[Teancum]

3 hours ago, Hamilton Porter said:

Key line:

In addition to widespread secularization being an underlying reason, another possible explanation is demographic. Mormons, said Deckman, tend to be younger than other religious groups, “and disaffiliation among GenZ is much higher than among the general population. So I would not be at all surprised if age is a factor.”

So the fact that many are Gen Z makes this any less of an issue for the church exactly how?

[blackstrap]

1 hour ago, rodheadlee said:

What is EOM?

Given today's environment , I was thinking , Equal Opportunity Mormon .😁

[Tacenda]

2 hours ago, carbon dioxide said:

It is sad BUT they the church is still fine.  The church is the vehicle that God has given us if we want Celestial inheritance.   Some people just don't want it.  The righteous that remain inherit all things and those that leave end up serving the righteous that remained while inheriting a lower kingdom.  It is kind of sad but kind of funny how everything turns out in the end. 

I don't believe this whatsoever.

[MorningStar]

Doesn’t surprise me that so many people are leaving with society going down the toilet. 

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, MorningStar said:

Doesn’t surprise me that so many people are leaving with society going down the toilet. 

Yep. Just look at the suicide rate. I wouldn’t be surprised if pretty soon 1 in 4 people think they are transgender.  

Society is a mess. 

[MustardSeed]

7 hours ago, Hamilton Porter said:

Not me. My three siblings are all active.

You don’t know or love anyone who has recently left? Unusual, considering how many people have left since Covid. All my siblings are in as well but I love a lot of people outside of that circle who have left the church. 

[Hamilton Porter]

29 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Yep. Just look at the suicide rate. I wouldn’t be surprised if pretty soon 1 in 4 people think they are transgender.  

Society is a mess. 

I wanna leave the country.

[Hamilton Porter]

3 hours ago, MorningStar said:

Doesn’t surprise me that so many people are leaving with society going down the toilet. 

Why are you named after the devil?

[Hamilton Porter]

1 hour ago, MustardSeed said:

You don’t know or love anyone who has recently left? Unusual, considering how many people have left since Covid. All my siblings are in as well but I love a lot of people outside of that circle who have left the church. 

Maybe it's because I go to a language branch and I don't have extended family in the church (aside from a distant cousin we found through genealogy).

[MorningStar]

1 hour ago, Hamilton Porter said:

Why are you named after the devil?

I’m not, silly. 

[MorningStar]

2 hours ago, bluebell said:

Yep. Just look at the suicide rate. I wouldn’t be surprised if pretty soon 1 in 4 people think they are transgender.  

Society is a mess. 

Thank goodness my boys don’t enjoy social media. I will be keeping my girls off of it except for connecting with family. Sad that I have to innoculate my 2nd grader against social contagions. 

[MorningStar]

51 minutes ago, Hamilton Porter said:

The USA is such a clusterf*k right now.

My son got a ride over the pass from college and we went to meet him and his friends for a late dinner. The music at this restaurant went from Coldplay to Wet A** P****. 🤦‍♀️😡 Our 8yo is with us, so now she’s eating/trying to cover her ears. 

[Hamilton Porter]

1 hour ago, MorningStar said:

I’m not, silly. 

https://www.biblestudytools.com/isaiah/14-12.html

Edited May 27, 2023 by Hamilton Porter

[MorningStar]

36 minutes ago, Hamilton Porter said:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/isaiah/14-12.html

 

[Tacenda]

I definitely see a change a comin. I think back 10 or so years ago at the idea of most of my children not having children would have killed me. But now? Who wants to raise a child the way it is, but I'm only talking about the US. I think in another decent country it would be good. 

[Navidad]

16 hours ago, carbon dioxide said:

It is sad BUT they the church is still fine.  The church is the vehicle that God has given us if we want Celestial inheritance.   Some people just don't want it.  The righteous that remain inherit all things and those that leave end up serving the righteous that remained while inheriting a lower kingdom.  It is kind of sad but kind of funny how everything turns out in the end. 

You really sum it up from an LDS viewpoint! Wow! If I don't care to join the LDS church because I would have to repudiate my prior testimony, faith, and witness, then I "just don't want" eternal life with the Father and Son. Oh, and I will end up "serving the righteous that remained". Oh, and that means "everything turns out in the end." Again, I say "wow!"

I guess all of my personal faith, trust, and relationship in and with Christ, lo these umpty-ump (not empty-ump) years has been for nothing because it hasn't been in "the church." Its been "in Christ." You have the Moroni test . . . I have the Christ test; oh and the Holy Spirit test, and the peace, goodness, and mercy test too. I am just shaking my head at your message 🙃 as you might shake your head at mine.

I guess I am happy for you for your absolute certainty. Please be happy for me for my absolute trust and faith and the peace that brings in the presence of provisional certainty. Faith and trust don't seem to me to be companions with certainty, but competitors. That may not make any sense to you, but it sure does to me. Oh, and as long as I am in the constant presence of Christ and the Father for eternity, I will happily wash your feet every day! Take care!

[Navidad]

11 hours ago, Hamilton Porter said:

I wanna leave the country.

Come to Meeheeco!

[MustardSeed]

9 hours ago, Hamilton Porter said:

The USA is such a clusterf*k right now.

[Calm]

1 hour ago, Navidad said:

You really sum it up from an LDS viewpoint

From one LDS viewpoint…it might be even relatively typical, I haven’t taken a poll or seen a study, so wouldn’t know.  I do know it’s not the only one though. 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Calm

[Navidad]

14 minutes ago, Calm said:

From one LDS viewpoint…it might be even relatively typical, I haven’t taken a poll or seen a study, so wouldn’t know.  I do know it’s not the only one though. 

Well said. It helps me when folks call me on generalizing. I am pretty opposed to normalizing and generalizing, even when it is me doing it! Especially when it is me doing it!

[Hamilton Porter]

1 hour ago, Navidad said:

Come to Meeheeco!

Would love to.

[Tacenda]

12 hours ago, Hamilton Porter said:

Maybe it's because I go to a language branch and I don't have extended family in the church (aside from a distant cousin we found through genealogy).

Why do you attend a language branch, not sure what that even is. First thought it might be because you may have served your mission in another language and you like to keep it fresh in your mind.