On and Off the Bus
Visions of Modern Day Prophets; Some Followers Are Still Aboard
Back in the 1830s a religious movement began, like others before it, religious and visionary in some ways like other movements that had started for thousands of years, and also unlike others like it before or since.
All movements have their unique qualities and idiosyncratic features.
Today (in 2018) this religious organization is known to most people, at least casually. There are many millions around the globe who have never heard of Latter-day Saints or Mormons, but there are new venues all the time where people learn. More lands and media than ever touch on its missions.
There is an active effort for it to expand and grow, to evangelize and proselytize. The Latter-day Saints are interested in proclaiming their message and inviting others to become members.
There is an active effort for it to expand and grow, to evangelize and proselytize. The Latter-day Saints are interested in proclaiming their message and inviting others to become members.
Some join. Most do not. It's hard to calculate how many people every year have the opportunity to open up their ears or homes to full time missionaries and do not. One million? 10 million? Maybe more.
Meanwhile, among those born and raised in the faith, there are those who "stay on the bus", and others who opt to get off and never return. Some return after lapses.
Some ex-members become belligerent; others are simply not interested or involved any longer, or have peripheral connections. Some of those who leave are somewhat lukewarm; there are those less actives that are somewhat favorable but not active, in all different shades.
There are three main reasons why Latter-day Saints stop practicing their active religion.
1. They do not believe in the faith or its doctrine or policies.
2. They find the practices and standards too difficult to practice.
3. They find the socialized peer pressure against its beliefs too heavy to bear.
Inevitably there is a mix of all three.
For example, a young (or old) person may feel large amounts of social peer pressure against their religion and their personal attempts at trying to live it, and therefore that person may cling to the doubts that counter the unique stances and beliefs of, in this case, the Mormon faith. When these two heavy negative weights are working against the member in powerful tandem, then the third weight of falling away from the practices and standards is a natural progression, or digression.
Sometimes some less active members point to an incident or moment where they were insulted, or perhaps overwhelmingly lost their faith from some smaller or at times traumatic event, and some indicate that the time of their less faithful activity came gradually.
Whatever the case, there are usually more "less-active Latter-Day Saints" (inactives) than there are active ones. Especially in some countries, like Chile, where thousands have joined the ranks on paper but have not attended meetings for years or decades.
So arguments are made and pitched around, how active and robust are the Mormons in the United States and around the world?
LDS temple activity is one indicator that the Church is in good shape. More temples (which require thousands of man hours to maintain) are functional and busy throughout the globe than ever before. There are more full time missionaries than ever.
There are robust numbers in the LDS Church's favor.
But there are plenty of disaffected and less active members, some of whom are hostile towards the faith. There are popular musicals and television or movies that mock the beliefs and notions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Some current LDS leaders have referred to membership in the Church as "being on the Good Ship Zion." In other words, on board a bus of sorts.
A vehicle, a movement united in one cause, a place or thing aimed in one direction, stationary yet in motion, progressing or developing towards and end or means to those ends.
Some would contend it is worth the ride, to stay on board.
Others get on and off.
Others would have you avoid it, to turn away from it or even convince others to avoid or even stop it, to destroy it.
You can choose: to get on or off the bus.
I have ridden it a while. I am used to it. I enjoy it.
I invite others to come along and take the ride, enjoy the journey.
Get on, and stay on.
But that is just me. And a few million others.
Me, and most of them, believe that God Himself and His Son Jesus want the same.
At least, consider the passage necessary, and its destination.
Consider it well.
Sometimes some less active members point to an incident or moment where they were insulted, or perhaps overwhelmingly lost their faith from some smaller or at times traumatic event, and some indicate that the time of their less faithful activity came gradually.
Whatever the case, there are usually more "less-active Latter-Day Saints" (inactives) than there are active ones. Especially in some countries, like Chile, where thousands have joined the ranks on paper but have not attended meetings for years or decades.
So arguments are made and pitched around, how active and robust are the Mormons in the United States and around the world?
LDS temple activity is one indicator that the Church is in good shape. More temples (which require thousands of man hours to maintain) are functional and busy throughout the globe than ever before. There are more full time missionaries than ever.
There are robust numbers in the LDS Church's favor.
But there are plenty of disaffected and less active members, some of whom are hostile towards the faith. There are popular musicals and television or movies that mock the beliefs and notions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Some current LDS leaders have referred to membership in the Church as "being on the Good Ship Zion." In other words, on board a bus of sorts.
A vehicle, a movement united in one cause, a place or thing aimed in one direction, stationary yet in motion, progressing or developing towards and end or means to those ends.
Some would contend it is worth the ride, to stay on board.
Others get on and off.
Others would have you avoid it, to turn away from it or even convince others to avoid or even stop it, to destroy it.
You can choose: to get on or off the bus.
I have ridden it a while. I am used to it. I enjoy it.
I invite others to come along and take the ride, enjoy the journey.
Get on, and stay on.
But that is just me. And a few million others.
Me, and most of them, believe that God Himself and His Son Jesus want the same.
At least, consider the passage necessary, and its destination.
Consider it well.
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