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The Internet is Destroying the LDS Church

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  • The Internet is Destroying the LDS Church

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/21/us...oubt.html?_r=0

    Honest men like Hans Mattsson are asking serious questions. They have been decieved and the dissonance between what is true and what the leaders of the Mormon church has taught is growing.

    If the Church tells the true story many more people will leave Mormonism or live in a state of dissonance.

    The question is will these revelations destroy the church or will the church actually start to distance itself from the prophets prophecies and call them more of opinions. It sounds like in the case of Bringham Young the church is fine with distancing themselves from his doctrines.

    Interesting questions.... right?

  • #2
    I find it sad that the guy in the article, despite knowing about the lies and inconsistencies and being told to shut up about it, still remains a mormon.

    But the internet and sites like theologyweb.com are about helping people know the truth. We can't help what they do with it, but we hope they are brave enough to accept it and leave their cult.

    Comment


    • #3
      At some point it is more like a club than a church.

      Comment


      • #4
        The Mormon Church will evolve to survive. It has never had a problem throwing its Prophets under the bus when it meant survival. There will be some new revelation that makes everything OK, OR they'll just adapt and pretend the past didn't exist, as in the case with the ban on Blacks in the Priesthood.
        Last edited by Cow Poke; 05-18-2014, 04:13 PM.
        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

        Comment


        • #5
          If you are a Mormon or a potential Mormon and listen to this I can't imagine your faith would not be shaken and you would also steer clear of Mormonism. The answers that are given by the Mormon "Historians" are at times scary and at times laughable.

          The below are in response to Mattsson's inquires they sent over some LDS leadership to stop the mass exodus of membership from the church. I think their responses will actually result in many more Mormons leaving the church and millions will never sign up. This should be required listening for any new convert.

          https://ia800902.us.archive.org/26/i...eden-part1.mp3

          https://archive.org/download/Firesid...eden-part2.mp3

          Comment


          • #6
            I have a funny feeling that because the Mormon Church is beginning to go more and more "mainstream" It'll become less and less cult like in the doctrine. I think in some areas it pretty well has been less and less cult like, in fact they are becoming harder and harder to classify as a traditional cult, and closer to being classified as a Religious Group who happens to be wrong. Their secrets are out. so....
            A happy family is but an earlier heaven.
            George Bernard Shaw

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by DigitalInkling View Post
              http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/21/us...oubt.html?_r=0

              Honest men like Hans Mattsson are asking serious questions. They have been decieved and the dissonance between what is true and what the leaders of the Mormon church has taught is growing.

              If the Church tells the true story many more people will leave Mormonism or live in a state of dissonance.

              The question is will these revelations destroy the church or will the church actually start to distance itself from the prophets prophecies and call them more of opinions. It sounds like in the case of Bringham Young the church is fine with distancing themselves from his doctrines.

              Interesting questions.... right?
              Something else that is interesting, is that it isn't just Mormonism:

              What surveys say about worship attendance
              The percentage of Americans who say they “seldom” or “never” attend religious services (aside from weddings and funerals) has risen modestly in the past decade. Roughly three-in-ten U.S. adults (29%) now say they seldom or never attend worship services, up from 25% in 2003, according to aggregated data from Pew Research Center surveys. The share of people who say they attend services at least once a week has remained relatively steady; 37% say they attend at least weekly today, compared with 39% a decade ago.

              10 Ways the Internet Undermines Christianity and Promotes Atheism
              http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/fo...omotes-Atheism

              Technology Undermining Religion
              http://www.atheistrev.com/2014/04/te...-religion.html

              -7up

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by seven7up View Post
                Something else that is interesting, is that it isn't just Mormonism:
                True, but the header is "Some Mormons Search the Web and Find Doubt" - that's the main point of the article.

                What surveys say about worship attendance
                That doesn't change the fact that the Mormon Church has flat out lied, contradicted itself, has had major scandals and goofy "prophecies" which are later "repealed" or just ignored... and, oddly, your Church maintains the records for its own people to see the confusion. Mormons are coming to see that their whole foundation in Joseph Smith is a house of cards.
                The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by seven7up View Post
                  Something else that is interesting, is that it isn't just Mormonism:

                  What surveys say about worship attendance
                  The percentage of Americans who say they “seldom” or “never” attend religious services (aside from weddings and funerals) has risen modestly in the past decade. Roughly three-in-ten U.S. adults (29%) now say they seldom or never attend worship services, up from 25% in 2003, according to aggregated data from Pew Research Center surveys. The share of people who say they attend services at least once a week has remained relatively steady; 37% say they attend at least weekly today, compared with 39% a decade ago.

                  10 Ways the Internet Undermines Christianity and Promotes Atheism
                  http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/fo...omotes-Atheism

                  Technology Undermining Religion
                  http://www.atheistrev.com/2014/04/te...-religion.html

                  -7up
                  One is not shocked to find you equating anti-Mormon to anti-religion. Of course, most Christians counter atheist arguments with opposing arguments instead of pretending their history never happened and throwing past leaders under the bus. And the Protestant churches which have most aligned their teachings with secular society are the ones hemorrhaging members.
                  Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                  Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                  sigpic
                  I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
                    One is not shocked to find you equating anti-Mormon to anti-religion. Of course, most Christians counter atheist arguments with opposing arguments instead of pretending their history never happened and throwing past leaders under the bus. And the Protestant churches which have most aligned their teachings with secular society are the ones hemorrhaging members.
                    EGGzackly. The foundation of my preaching is still Christ crucified, buried and risen again. That hasn't changed. What the article is pointing out is that the FOUNDATIONS of Mormonism are being challenged....

                    Source: the article

                    But when he discovered credible evidence that the church’s founder, Joseph Smith, was a polygamist and that the Book of Mormon and other scriptures were rife with historical anomalies, Mr. Mattsson said he felt that the foundation on which he had built his life began to crumble.

                    Around the world and in the United States, where the faith was founded, the Mormon Church is grappling with a wave of doubt and disillusionment among members who encountered information on the Internet that sabotaged what they were taught about their faith, according to interviews with dozens of Mormons and those who study the church.

                    I felt like I had an earthquake under my feet,” said Mr. Mattsson, now an emeritus area authority. “Everything I’d been taught, everything I’d been proud to preach about and witness about just crumbled under my feet. It was such a terrible psychological and nearly physical disturbance.

                    © Copyright Original Source



                    IF I were to be convinced that the resurrection didn't happen, I'd be in a similar state as Mattsson. And Paul.
                    Source: 1 Cor 15:14

                    *And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

                    © Copyright Original Source

                    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I don't think the internet is destroying anything it particular so much as it is forcing everything to adapt. A method of communication that can be used to bring an idea into question can also be used to spread that idea.
                      Last edited by Soyeong; 05-20-2014, 11:58 AM.
                      "Faith is nothing less than the will to keep one's mind fixed precisely on what reason has discovered to it." - Edward Feser

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Soyeong View Post
                        I don't think the internet is destroying anything it particular so much as it is forcing everything to adapt. A method of communication that can be used to bring an idea into question can also be used to spread that idea.
                        With regards to the Mormon Church, it's not so much "the internet" "destroying" the Church as it is making it MUCH MORE DIFFICULT for the Mormons to conceal their rather shaky foundations.
                        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                          With regards to the Mormon Church, it's not so much "the internet" "destroying" the Church as it is making it MUCH MORE DIFFICULT for the Mormons to conceal their rather shaky foundations.
                          Yeah. It is "exposing" the LDS church.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            "But Mr. Mattsson and others say the disillusionment is infecting the church’s best and brightest. A survey of more than 3,300 Mormon disbelievers, released last year, found that more than half of the men and four in 10 of the women had served in leadership positions in the church."

                            This statement I found to be extremely interesting and funny. Most members of the Church at one time or another are put in some leadership position of some sort. It would be a rare thing for any member to go a long period of time and not get a leadership calling.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I will admit the LDS Church has done a HORRIBLE job at responding to issues that people have raised up over the years. I think the attitude has been if something is just ignored it will go away or people will just forget about it. I have read a lot of anti-Mormon material in my life. Much on the internet. I have read through James White "Letters to Mormon Elder". Marvin Cowan "Mormon claims answered, Walter Martin "Kingdom of the Cults" section on the LDS Church. I have read through much of the Tanners "The Changing World of Mormonism" and plenty of other articles whether it be from Matthew Slick to Bill Mckeever. Suffice to say, I pretty much have heard it all. My faith has been made stronger by not avoiding the issues but taking them head on.

                              I wish the LDS Church would have a class on anti-Mormonism. Have an alternative class during Sunday school where members deal with a topic each week and study through it. Have a comprehensive lesson manual or DVD set that goes through all the issues. It would make good family home evening lessons. Have classes at BYU dedicated to Anti-Mormonism. Just educate the members. If my son goes on a mission, I will be sure to go through an Anti-Mormon book, paragraph by paragraph so he knows the issues and how to respond to the issues presented. I can't get the Church to defend itself as it seems to like having rocks throw at it and passively does nothing but I can do some things in my very small sphere of influence with my family.
                              Last edited by carbon dioxide; 05-27-2014, 11:35 PM.

                              Comment

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