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As I mentioned in an earlier post I’ve become a Facebook addict and have now reached the milestone of one hundred “friends.” (Somebody toot a horn) Most of these are people I knew over a decade ago while growing up in Utah and back then I was your unoriginal “Molly” and I’d dare say only a handful of people in my peer circle were not Mormon. As you know from this blog, that all changed for me after I started working for the church. So, imagine my surprise when I reconnected with people from the past and started to realize a trend—many of them have also become inactive or left the church all together. Today was the biggest shocker when I was “friended” by a kid who was on seminary council with me and was perhaps the most devout Mormon peer I had, but has now listed himself as “agnostic” on Facebook. Another of my reacquainted friends served a mission but according to his profile/photos, is now a big fan of recreational drugs and alcohol (which was sad to read/see). It also seems that recently my celestial sex partner and I have had several friends who we’ve met as we moved that are “coming out” as no longer being believers in the church.
Now this doesn’t mean the church isn’t true- it could have something to do with my generation and the life stage we’re all at, or the area we all grew up in (small SLC/Ogden suburb), the availability of information on the internet, the world being more evil now, we’re getting close to the last days and people are choosing sides, etc. Or, I could be witnessing a trend in church membership with people who have demographics similar to mine.
What do you think? And if there is a trend, how should the LDS church go about stopping this loss of members? What would bring you back if you’ve left?
fMh Anniversary
8 months ago
8 comments:
Hmmmm...
What would bring me back to the LDS church?
Let me see...um...well...um...
I can't seem to think of anything that would bring me back. Maybe I'm experiencing a stupor of thought.
I think the trend is a lot more common the then General church wants to admit. It's something bishops/ stake presidents and other local leaders don't know how to handle so they ignore it.... which doesn't help bring the members back.
I would come back if they served bigger pieces of bread or different flavors. It would be like a treat each Sunday, one day sourdough, raisin, chocolate swirl. Then to top it off, they should serve sports drinks, like PowerAid. "... please bless and sactify this PowerAid...."
That's awful! I have to say the ward I'm currently in has domestic goddesses that cook heavenly homemade bread for the sacrement...problem is you only get one bite so it's nothing more than a tease!!
Not much they could do to get me back, unfortunately. Especially living here in the heart of Utah. My daughter has been able to integrate her flaming liberalism with her firm testimony for quite a few years. I am worried about the inevitable day when these two parts of her will collide. My exit was so gradual that I hardly noticed until it was over.
I think many people in the church had questions but no way to find answers. Information was tightly controlled when I was growing up in Utah.College and moving out of state opened my eyes to all the differences.I thought I was really on the fringe because I subscribed to Sunstone. Travel and the advent of the internet helped me transition to a recovering mormon. I don't believe I will ever return.
Being able to be Mormon without subscribing to the dogma. I have a great fondness for the church, and I'd be happy to participate if there was more tolerance for cafeteria Mormons (pick and choose).
Sigh. I should have been raised Quaker.
Growing up I always had Jewish envy--they could be full members of the congregation, happily participate in all the rituals, but weren't required to believe, and even, even, even got to argue their hearts out. And argue some more. And have emotions. Ah well.
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