it help the Church fix some of the problems and keep people from leaving it?
2007-05-01 05:17:05 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
kisses: how can you say "barely any" leave the church? have you ever been in downtown salt lake during Conference weekend? all those people with pickets outside are former members. there are about half as many people leaving the church as there are new members that join.
2007-05-01 05:30:14 · update #1
Honestly, I don't think so. It's not that there is necessarily problems with the church, it's just that some believe in it, some don't. When I left the church, it was because I didn't believe in any of it. I went to other Christian churches, but ended up leaving because I didn't believe in any of that either.
I really think most people leave simply because they don't believe. It would be next to impossible to change that.
2007-05-01 05:23:08 · answer #1 · answered by KS 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have serve as a stake clerk for sometime, the Church have no problem accepting former member returning, if they repent fully.
The church doctrine and law is just great, why need to change it to suit man? Man is the one that need to change to meet the requirements of God.
We are more concern with building up character of man rather than concern about people leaving the church.
2007-05-01 08:07:20 · answer #2 · answered by Wahnote 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Private institutions are usually setup with certain requirements. If you want to join that institution than that private institution has the right to require certain things of their members. If you don't like (or believe) in those requirements than it is your responsibility to either leave or re-evaluate what those requirements are and see if you believe in them or not.
Unfortunately it is even more intense with religious institutions. Because we are dealing with deeply believed, ingrained into ones soul you might say, beliefs and doctrines. Especially when dealing with religions it is even harder for changes because there is a feeling that God is in charge and God does not change his requirements. He may revoke them at certain times but that does not mean it is not there any more.
So sitting down with church leaders to discuss changes is most likely not an option. It is up to you to decide if you believe in God and if so what that path to Him is. Whether it is thru an organized religion or just by living a good life. Once you feel you have found that way it will most likely be an easy thing to do to follow it. There must be something about the religion that you like if you want to change a few things to make it work for you. Is that true??
2007-05-01 06:07:31 · answer #3 · answered by jrc 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It depends on how open minded the person is to sincerly (or not) consider the leader's thoughts.
But, for someone like you, I'd say it's worth your while to give it a shot.
My father went through a similar time shortly after he was baptized when his dad (my granpa) decided to give him a book showing all the errors Joseph Smith had made as a person. My dad met with his branch president, and honestly expressed his concerns over how a prophet could be so wrong sometimes. His branch president asked him to read through the Bible again - this time really paying attention to who the prophets and apostles were just as people: and he started to find things in there - Jonah gave a "false prophesy" and really wanted the people to be destroyed, David got into all sorts of scandal, Moses couldn't speak well, Paul helped stone people, and he and the other apostles were frequent jail birds.
I don't think my father would have found these things, if his branch president hadn't asked him to look for them. My father is serving a mission with my mom now in Canada - BTW.
best wishes
2007-05-01 06:03:22 · answer #4 · answered by daisyk 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
No. I left the Church because I stopped believing in Christianism. No matter what the church changes, I will not go back, but as a visitor, not as a member.
2007-05-01 05:37:25 · answer #5 · answered by David G 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If the Mormon church has problems, I don't know what they are. I reside in Utah, I've never met a Mormon who decided later that it wasn't right for them. I have, however, met many people who didn't want to be Mormon early in life, but come around when they want to get married. They pay back tithing, get their temple recommend, and are right back in the swing of things.
I am an Atheist, so I believe all churches have problems, but as far as the Mormons go...they seem to have it made. Dress how we say, act how we say, think how we say, and give us %10 of your paycheck. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me. And, in Utah anyway, people seem to be lining up to become a Mormon. There are barely any who leave the church, and stay gone.
***EXTRA NOTE*** Replying to your "additional details" section. Well there are, I don't know, maybe 50 picketers. There are alot more mormons inside than that. And I don't know the exact statistics...all I know is I don't know any ex-mormons. I know that almost everyone around me who decided in high school that they weren't going to be like their family, they werent going to be mormon..blablabla.
Every single one of them took out ther belly button ring, paid back tithing, and got married in the temple. All of them are now good mormons who go to chuch every Sunday.
If it is a statistical fact that Mormons are leaving the church quickly...then thats what it is. But I was just letting you know that I have lived in Utah now for 21 years as a non-mormon...and I have never known anyone to leave the lds church.
But, just for curiosity, what are some of the problems that the Mormon church needs to fix? They are a rapidly going, extremely wealthy chuch...it seems that they are doing well.
2007-05-01 05:24:24 · answer #6 · answered by kisses8808 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
You've said you've been a member for 25 years. Then you know you should have long ago gone to your bishop to seek reconciliation and forgiveness.
You are wasting valuable time and risk losing that which is precious to hold. Go to your bishop ASAP and get yourself squared away in the Church.
The Church will not change doctrine to suit your desires, but it does want you to stay and build upon a testimony of the truth.
2007-05-01 05:31:27 · answer #7 · answered by Guitarpicker 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
No. God makes the rules, not humans. If you make rules as a parent that you know must be obeyed for the child to be happy, and the child throws a hissy fit and pouts and demands that you change the rule, you hold fast, because you know best.
Ex mormons who believe the church should change do not really believe the Gospel and do not believe that it is Christ's church. They simply wish to do things their own way and have everything change to suit them.
2007-05-01 05:22:12 · answer #8 · answered by SLWrites 5 · 2⤊ 3⤋
the Church doesn't need fixing to meet everyone else's standards. People who choose to leave do so on their own free will, those who stay also do so on their own free will.
gw
2007-05-01 07:47:33 · answer #9 · answered by georgewallace78 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Although your thought processes are working towards improving the situation, the truth is "ex" anything are "ex" because the powers that be don't want them to infiltrate and contaminate their congregates.
It will not work because people's pride and self-righteousness gets in the way of pleasing and worshiping God not man and man's dogma.
It's not just Mormons, it's any organization that excommunicates, disfellowships, shuns etc.
2007-05-01 05:22:21 · answer #10 · answered by Carol D 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋