One hundred things you should know about Mormonism (31-40)
[edit] Slowing growth rate
Mormonism is not one of the fastest growing religions in the world. [1]
- See main page: Growth rate
[edit] Secret financial data
"The Church does not release financial statements to the general public or even to the general membership, and has not since roughly 1963." [2]
[edit] DNA research and achaeology are affecting beliefs
There is a "behind-the-scenes revolution led by a small group of Brigham Young University scholars and their critics who are reinterpreting fundamental teachings of the Book of Mormon in light of DNA research findings. Along the way, he says, these apologist scholars, with the apparent blessing of church leadership, are contradicting church teachings about the origins of American Indians and Polynesians." [3]
"You've got Mormon apologists in their own publications rejecting what prophets have been saying for decades. This becomes very troubling for ordinary members of the church."
- See main pages: DNA and the Book of Mormon, and Limited geography theory
[edit] Original Mormonism's attitude toward "Christianity"
[edit] Mainstreaming efforts
Mormonism has taken considerable efforts to mainstream.
[edit] Denial of nearly every unique attribute of God
[edit] Joseph Smith boasted of doing more than Christ
"I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet." [5]
[edit] Plural marriage necessary for exaltation
Early Mormon leaders taught that plural marriage was necessary for exaltation.
[edit] Weight of golden plates
"Given the dimensions by Smith, some have concluded that the plates could have weighed as much as 234 pounds to as little as 100 pounds. The heavier weight is based on what would probably be the total weight of a solid block of gold measuring the size of Smith's plates. This weight would tend to be unlikely given the fact that engravings on a thin plate of soft metal such as gold would probably not lay perfectly flat." [6]
