Looking strictly at fertility rates among Christian groups, the Amish look pretty impressive. They are in my prayers and have my full support, but to protect their good they have fully isolated themselves from the world. They may serve as an example, but they don't try to "recruit" or spread their message.
By contract, the Mormons have around 88,000 fully active missionairies. They have managed to preserve and grow their good while participating in large corporations, politics, higher education, etc.
That is, instead of turning inward (defensive), they are actively looking outward (offensive). They are available so that people - like myself - might consider joining and participating in the good they have to offer.
Even if Amish, say, started actively inviting me in, going door-to-door asking people... I imagine they would be almost entirely unsuccessful. To disconnect fully from society (effectively career, family, friends, etc.) would certainly be too much to overcome - while a Mormon convert can still be fully integrated into the same life, while "merely" changing things like place of worship and habits.
Yet the crucial part, is they can still step away from the evil pervasive in modern society and mass media - the kind of "subtle" evil that utterly disconnects people from reality, that turns them into self-hating, destructive, pleasure seekers - without giving up technology, career, etc.
I wonder, though, if this will continue. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that popular culture has already made significant in-roads into Mormons' daily lives, typically.
ReplyDeleteMormon fertility rates have declined significantly over the last 50 years. Have Amish rates faced similar decreases?
I haven't been able to find out whether or not Amish fertility has declined, but some people are estimating it around 4. This is definitely higher than the Mormon rate. It looks on par with where Mormons were in the 70's...
DeleteI have encountered a lot of "liberal" Mormons online, but the ones I've met in person seem fairly conservative. A lot are pretty busy with family, job, and church activities and don't make a big show elsewhere complaining about why they think church needs to change (like the liberals do).
The church has been pretty active about embracing technology - which I think the Catholic organizational structure has done a very poor job of - and you can find a lot of free official "apps" for members with music, video, etc. They also try to keep their members fairly busy with church-orientated activities as a main source of social interaction. It definitely is a careful balance between church-focused socialization and being welcoming/outgoing in Gospel work.
I don't know where they'll go, but they've made some pretty firm stands against modern trends. The recent national conference had a speaker talking against homosexuality and stating that we should still "be fruitful and multiply."