What keeps Mormons attending?

[_why me]

http://4thefirsttime.blogspot.com/2007/ ... es-to.html
http://www.bibletoday.com/archive/popeapology.htm
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/201 ... ual-abuse/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14871562/ns ... nts-islam/

And please show me where catholics can openly discuss the past issues in church? I have not seen it at all. But here is the rub: not many catholics care about the distant past. Now the abuse scandal is different...but it is also mums the word.

[_CSA]

What keeps Mormons attending?

The free bread.

That's pretty funny, but I would guess that the majority are true believers of the restored gospel in this dispensation.

[_why me]

I have seen bart on the taliban catholic site. I think that many catholics who are critical of the LDS faith can not see the imperfections in their own faith and its history and how history has been treated in the catholic church. It is quite amazing really. But such is the human being. We are not perfect.

[_keithb]

I'm not questioning the motives of LDS members, but I know for a fact there are many LDS members who do question some aspects of their religion even as they maintain "there is truth therein." And they can get into trouble if they begin to discuss it openly so they don't. They may show up on message boards with fake names to cover their identity. They may just eventually slowly go inactive. There are a lot of "new order Mormons" around.

What of it? I question some things too, but that doesn't mean I'm not squarely convicted that "the Church is true". I am. That's why I attend. I know that doesn't mean everyone's the same as me, and there are exceptions, but by and large my experience is LDS attend because they are genuinely convinced it holds truth and meaning and is in essence sanctioned by God.

I am sure that you do believe the church is true. Maybe you'll maintain that belief throughout life, maybe you won't. Personally, a wager where your views of the LDS church change like this:

Stemelbow (1 year future) == Runtu (today)

but I could be wrong. If the church makes you happy, keep letting it make you happy. When I was a TBM, some aspects of the church did make me happy. Now that I no longer see that position as valid, I am happy still.

[_Buffalo]

I have seen bart on the taliban catholic site. I think that many catholics who are critical of the LDS faith can not see the imperfections in their own faith and its history and how history has been treated in the catholic church. It is quite amazing really. But such is the human being. We are not perfect.

Mormon truth claims depend on Mormon history, more so than any other church I can think of. That's why it's a hot topic.

[_cafe crema]

I have seen bart on the taliban catholic site. I think that many catholics who are critical of the LDS faith can not see the imperfections in their own faith and its history and how history has been treated in the catholic church. It is quite amazing really. But such is the human being. We are not perfect.

Can you talk about Mormonism without dragging Catholicism into it? You turn just about all LDS conversations into "look how bad the Catholics are". Can't you defend Mormonism on it's own merits?

[_stemelbow]

I am sure that you do believe the church is true. Maybe you'll maintain that belief throughout life, maybe you won't. Personally, a wager where your views of the LDS church change like this:

Stemelbow (1 year future) == Runtu (today)

but I could be wrong. If the church makes you happy, keep letting it make you happy. When I was a TBM, some aspects of the church did make me happy. Now that I no longer see that position as valid, I am happy still.

Cool. I don't think the Church is for everyone. I'm glad you're happy. And if I turned into Runtu in a year, life wouldn't be bad, I'm sure. Plus, I'd increase my rate of intelligence increase by the millions or something along those lines.

[_Themis]

Members attend primarily because of belief, but I would never underestimate the social needs. I think a minority attend due to social reasons but have little to no belief in Core LDS claims. I would suggest this number is greater among members whose families are mostly active, and members who live in high LDS populations.

[_Hades]

What keeps Mormons attending? Fear.

[_Themis]

What keeps Mormons attending? Fear.

That would entail belief first, although I am not sure fear is the primary motivator for most members.