Church is stagnant in Brazil

[_hobo1512]

These articles don't specifically address Brazil, but they do paint an interesting picture about the current, and possible future membership worldwide.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_st ... JYnRA.cspx

and

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/ ... CM20120131

[_Maxrep]

Growth in Brazil or anywhere else in the world is immaterial. What matters is growth in the USA. That's where the majority of the tithes and offerings come from.

Oh, bingo!

Members won't voice this, but yeah, we don't care about membership outside the promised land. Why? Because they cannot self sustain. We send Elders there, seniors there, and give local Americans strategic spots in leadership, and still the wards and branches are in a perpetual state of catastrophe.

Anyone who has taught a child to ride a bike knows the drill that involves running behind the little two wheeler with a hand on the back of the saddle. Running, running....running. Unfortunately, with overseas replicas of U.S. wards, the "child" never learns to ride the bike. The church then has the necessity of providing a never ending supply of adults to run behind the bike, hunched over, with hand on the backside of the saddle.

[_why me]

Elder Jensen has confirmed this happens when members reach 18 to 30 years old and start investigating the historicity and truth claims of the Church using non correlated sources.

I will have to say that the critics have certainly thrown dirt on much of church history regardless if they have the truth or not. But what they do have are interpretations of events and yes, critics have been very successful in conveying their interpretation. It doesn't take much to cast doubt in people's minds when there is a concerted effort to do so.

[_why me]

Growth in Brazil or anywhere else in the world is immaterial. What matters is growth in the USA. That's where the majority of the tithes and offerings come from.

Which of course go to the poor and the operations of church buildings world wide, especially in those countries whose fast offering or tithe would no be much.

[_why me]

For comparison purposes, in the same decade Evangelicals have grown 62%, Spiritualists have grown 65%, and No Religion (Atheists, Agnostics, etc.) have grown 20%.

http://vozesmormons.com.br/2012/06/30/q ... -brasil-2/

Yes, this is much better for brazil. I think that it is wonderful that atheism is increasing and the spiritualism too. I am sure that this may include voodoo. Brazil is now in much better shape socially with these two advances.

Evangelicals are very busy on Television, requesting donations for their broadcasts. Plus, many catholics head toward this group for excitement. I would assume that the catholic church is losing more members to the organizations listed in the OP.

[_why me]

These articles don't specifically address Brazil, but they do paint an interesting picture about the current, and possible future membership worldwide.

You should be more concerned with the catholic church in brazil since much of the increases in atheism and evangelicalism comes from former members of the catholic church.

[_hobo1512]

Elder Jensen has confirmed this happens when members reach 18 to 30 years old and start investigating the historicity and truth claims of the Church using non correlated sources.

I will have to say that the critics have certainly thrown dirt on much of church history regardless if they have the truth or not. But what they do have are interpretations of events and yes, critics have been very successful in conveying their interpretation. It doesn't take much to cast doubt in people's minds when there is a concerted effort to do so.

People find this stuff out on their own and develop their own interpretation by simply reading the church published and endorsed "History of the Church".

It's not hard for people to do the math when they find out smith was fooling around with other men's wives before the so called polygamy revelation. He was diddling around with other women for at least 3 or 4 years before Emma caught his butt. Then all of a sudden its a "revelation".

It pisses people off. No news agency, no critic, no anti-mormon telling them this stuff, it is right there in church literature.

People are amazed when they read the church history and find out that smith shot back at Carthage, and at least one of the people he shot died. Elder Reed stated at later hearings that he learned that at least one man died of his wounds.

So, was the church lying then, or now?

All of this affects current, and future membership.

Any rational person would know you can't blame the anti's for everything.

What am I saying....Like you would understand that

Neither of these are things the church leadership (or missionaries) really tell anyone now is it.

[_hobo1512]

These articles don't specifically address Brazil, but they do paint an interesting picture about the current, and possible future membership worldwide.

You should be more concerned with the catholic church in brazil since much of the increases in atheism and evangelicalism comes from former members of the catholic church.

What does the Catholic Church have to do with this conversation?

As usual, you can't face the truth, or even discuss a current topic without trying to drag it somewhere else.

By the way, have you talked to those imaginary nuns and priests lately? They treating you good?

Just as an aside. I find it interesting how much you talk about critics of the Mormon church, and throw around the word anti so much.

You realize you're anti-Catholic right?

Pot, meet kettle.

[_hobo1512]

Growth in Brazil or anywhere else in the world is immaterial. What matters is growth in the USA. That's where the majority of the tithes and offerings come from.

Which of course go to the poor and the operations of church buildings world wide, especially in those countries whose fast offering or tithe would no be much.

Let's not forget that fancy dancy Jesus Mall!!

How many Billions is that up to now?