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Growth is extolled

LDS Church growth extolled? According to Wikipedia, the world's population is believed to have reached over 6.7 billion, as of September, 2007. Mormons represent 13 million out of 6.7 billion humans (according to the LDS Church's statistics), or .0019 percent of the world's population.

Christians represent approximately 1.7-2 billion, Buddhists, one of the fast growing of the world's religions, represent up to 1.5 billion, Muslims represent about 1.5 billion and Hindus represents nearly one billion believers. The rest are largely agnostics or atheists or have tribal-based religious beliefs. Keep in mind, nearly 2/3rds of Mormons on record neither attend either church meetings nor the temple regularly, nor do they contribute regularly financially (i.e. are regular tithe payers). So, 4.3 million people out of 6.7 billion (of which Utah's 2.5 billion white people represent the majority of the members) merit an article from a major metropolitan newspaper? Give me a break. The 4th column of government (free press) deserves better critical thinking and better representation.

This was an amazing conference session, and I will take the prophet's counsel and use these talks for each FHE. I have six months of Family Home Evening layed out for my family!

This was my first time attending conference in the conference center. I am still reveling in the spirit I felt there, and that I felt so personally administered to. Everyone needs the opportunity to attend conference, and to be able to feel the love and look into the faces of these inspired leaders.

Interesting that President Hinckley would have given any emphasis at all to the "growth" of the Church because that is an impersonal focus on sheer numbers. Indeed, from the Church's own web site we read: "According to the National Council of Churches, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the second-fastest-growing church in the United States. However, despite its increasing numbers, the Church cautions against overemphasis on growth statistics. The Church makes no statistical comparisons with other churches and makes no claim to be the fastest-growing Christian denomination despite frequent news media comments to that effect. Such comparisons rarely take account of a multiplicity of complex factors, including activity rates and death rates, the methodology used in registering or counting members and what factors constitute membership. Growth rates also vary significantly across the world. Additionally, many other factors contribute to the strength of the Church, most especially the devotion and commitment of its members."

Rob Shivelely,

Why are you trying so hard to discredit the LDS Church? Why is this news so unworthy for a major metropolitan newspaper? I have a feeling that if a article about the growth of any other religious, or anti-religious group appeared in the paper, you wouldn't be so upset.

Mr. Shively asks "for a break." Perhaps his mathmatical analysis could take another direction. In early 1823, there were no members and after 11 September that year there was one member. Now, considering all the discrimination early members went thru, including the assasination of Joseph Smith, governmental extermination orders and a trek to the Salt Lake Valley, to have reached 13 million in 2007 is amazing. If the church continues that same rate of expansion into the billions of the earths numbers, future growth will stagger the imagination. Anyone willing to bet on when the first billion occurs?

The exilaration, the good feelings of love, and wanting to do my part to help make the world a better place fill my heart when listening to conference. Thank You, Dear Lord.

Rob,
If your math skills are as accute as your ability to read an encyclopedia, you should take the time frame of Mormonism compared to Buddists, Muslims, and etc., compute in the LDS growth statistics, multiply all that by the time frame of the conseption of the other religions you've mentioned and bingo... you may get the reason for the excitement over the growth of the church.

As the prophet says, "This is only the beginning of the growth of the church." Look out. Here we come!

Mr. Shiveley, the church IS growing. It has grown tremendously in just the three decades since I was a child. In a day and age when attendance in many churches is shrinking, and growing churches provide spectacular entertainment to draw-in the crowds, it IS notable that a church which expects so much of its members 24-7 continues to grow the way it does around the globe. Clearly, you don't like the church. The fact that so many people decide they do (despite the cynicism and criticism of others) is certainly worth a mention.

I also question the alleged growth of the Church. Considering the size of my own ward in Davis County and incredibly high number of individuals who never attend, I seriously doubt that we have ever really broken the 10 million mark.

I am afraid that membership numbers are like home teaching percentages... highly inflated.

Utah has 2.55 million people Mr. Shiveley, not 2.5 billion.
Gettin' a little carried away with your numbers there!

ROBERT SHIVELY COMPLETELY MISSES THE POINT. YES COMPARED TO OTHER MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IS SMALL THE OTHER RELIGIONS HAVE HAD SEVERAL MILLENNIA TO GROW TO THEIR CURRENT NUMBERS. THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LDS HAS HAD LESS THAN TWO CENTURIES. iF IT CONTINUES TO GROW AT ITS CURRENT RATE WITHIN A FEW CENTURIES IT WILL SURPASS MANY OF THE OTHER MAJOR RELIGIONS. BY THE WAY, HE ALSO MENTIONS MANY LDS DON'T ATTEND REGULARLY, HE DOESN'T APPLY THE SAME STANDARDS TO THE OTHER RELIGIONS WHOSE WEEKLY ATTENDANCE AND FAITHFULNESS STANDARDS ARE FAR LOWER PERCENTAGE WISE.

That's quite a double standard you have. You refer to populations of Buddhists,Hindus, Muslims and Christians as if they're all 100% concrete in their faith "regular-sunday-go-to-meetin' folks" and then you turn around and nitpick the LDS church about it's membership not being "perfect" members.
What percent of those "billions" of other world faiths that you listed fall into that same description you have for the LDS? Do you have ANY idea?
I do. Ever been to Tokyo? One of the largest cities in the world. You ask any citizen what faith they are and 99% will likely tell you they're Buddhist. Ask them a question about Buddhism and the majority can't tell you much if anything at all. Go to a Buddhist shrine during a religious holiday/observance and you'll see maybe a hundred there in worship at a particular time, out of a population of around 12 million. count up the number of Buddhist shrines in the city and I think you'll find that it's really a very small percent (even less than what you were so critical of the LDS faithful over). Other Christians are no different.
I think the problem is your personal bias v. the LDS Church

Rob appears to be a very well informed person who does his research. I suspect also he falls into his own self-described catagory of "agnostic or atheist or tribal-based beliefs". Regardless of its affiliation to the church, the Deseret News is only reporting on what was said at the LDS Conference. And given its affiliation, it shouldn't be surprising that a message given at the LDS Conference would be reported by the News, as the vast majority of its regular readers are church members, not agnostics, atheists or believers in tribal-based rituals.

I likedthe conference very much,even though we watched on TV here in NM We love President Hinkley and the love he has for everyone. We liked the Saturday afternoon talks very well.

Indeed a wonderful conference. What a HUGE blessing to listen to conference. And I hope and pray fervently President Hinckley will be there in six months. Folks like him are among the rarest of the rare.

Conference as usual was a wonderful and refreshing experience. I love this time of the year.

About Rob Shiveley's comments, according to wikipedia ("Worldwide percentage of adherents by religion",if you suppose this to be reliable information) it only claims that there are 400 million Buddists not 1.5 billion and the other figures are off. Rob does not know how many members are active, nor much about where the majority of the church membership is. It would do well with any member of any church to not to seek to destroy another religion through their prejudices and bad information.

The church is .19% of the world population not .0019%,which makes "Mormons" just behind the Jew population which is .20%. God never said his church nor people had to be the biggest.

I would encourage all to read the words of the prophets and seek the spirit in guidance so that they may come closer to Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

Hey Rob,

Speaking of critical thinking.... Utah has 2.5 BILLION white people?? We should have a few more electoral votes...

Seems you have quite the double standard Rob. You promote billions of Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Christians like they're all 100% practicers of their faith and then turn around and then rip LDS for not being perfect. Can you tell me what percent of Buddhists are regular in their keeping the faith? Do you have any idea? It doesn't appear that you do, but I do. Take a city like Tokyo, for example. 12 million or so people. Ask anyone Japanese citizen what religion they belong to and 99% will tell you they're Buddhist. That's over 11 million Buddhists. Then go to a Buddhist shrine during a major religious holiday and you'll see maybe a hundred people that actually make an effort to practice it. Count up the number of shrines in Tokyo and you'll see that it's likely quite less than the percent of LDS faithful that you were hyper-critical about.
It's no different with the 1.7-2 Billion "Christians" you mentioned. How many just go to church at Christmas/Easter, drop a few bucks in the collection plate and call it a good life?
Sounds like your problem isn't the article but your hard-feelings against the LDS.

Rob, you sound a bit bitter. Why always look for the negative in life? It was a great conference with very positive messages for all. While there are many less active Mormons, studies have shown that the Mormon Church has one of the highest activity rates of all religions.