My book Saints and Scoundrels is not just detached facts about good guys and bad guys. In every chapter I endeavor to draw out lessons that can be applied in our daily walk with Christ.
Here is a point I make at the end of my chapter about the villain Joseph Smith. These reflections arose from my fascination with the way Smith's followers, the Mormons, are able to so successfully perpetuate the faith to the next generation. While the Latter Day Saints represent only 1.7% of America’s adult population, they have the largest retention rate of any religious tradition in America.
Here is a point I make at the end of my chapter about the villain Joseph Smith. These reflections arose from my fascination with the way Smith's followers, the Mormons, are able to so successfully perpetuate the faith to the next generation. While the Latter Day Saints represent only 1.7% of America’s adult population, they have the largest retention rate of any religious tradition in America.
The way the Latter Day Saints have achieved self-perpetuation has not primarily been through conversion but through organic growth from within. Being encouraged to have large families plays a key part in this process. But even more significant is the fact that Mormon children are raised not simply to accept their parents’ religion, but to love it. In Solzhenitsyn’s Nobel Lecture he noted, “In vain does one repeat what the heart does not find sweet.” Mormons repeat what they are taught because they have been trained to find it sweet. One major reason for this is the sense of community shared by those within the movement – a strange antidote to the individualism in which the movement was birthed. The Latter Day Saints look after each other, put a high premium on loyalty to the extended family, practice hospitality in one another’s homes, and intentionally structure their parishes in a way to facilitate a sense of community among their members. Children growing up in this environment simply do not want to leave it.
Joseph Smith's Vision
The rest of us stand to learn a valuable lesson here. As Christian parents our task is not merely to pass on the truth to our children; rather, we must endeavor to show them that the truth is also lovely. Many Christian young people have willingly walked away from a faith they knew to be true because they were enticed by the illusory attractiveness of idols. But few will abandon a faith they believe to be both true and beautiful. The deceptiveness of Mormonism is that it is packaged in such a way so that the youth find it beautiful.
2 comments:
Robin,
Have you done any study on whether your comments remain true in Utah where Mormons still carry what might be called a cultural majority? It seems your words may carry some weight outside Utah where the LDS Church finds itself in a minority position and has to maintain an image. However, Utah does not seem to differ much from other states all things considered in terms of how people actually live. There is a lot of image-related posturing that takes place--I'm not sure we want to give more credit than they're due.
Robin,
I think I've missed the point somewhere, both in this article and the one about the high retention rate of Muslims.
I didn't retain my Christian Faith because my parents told me to. I retained it because they lived it.
And I loved my parents who demonstrated a lovable faith that was backed up by the Church. The Church was active in the Community, encouraged family life, and supported her members.
So what are mormons doing that is so different?
I can think of 2 things:
1) They put more effort into evangelism. Its a waste of time walking the walk unless you talk the talk as well. And vice versa.
2) They have more children.
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