The Church Purge of the Latter Days

I remember reading the history of Joseph Smith and how he had convinced his followers that the second coming would be in their lifetime. There were patriarchal blessings given saying early saints would witness Christ’s descent. My dad told me that he received the “you are the chosen generation” speech as a youth and how “the second coming is around the corner” so everyone would behave and help the church grow. I received the exact same lectures as a youth, and I’m seeing it repeated to the youth NOW, ten years later.

I think the church will always tell their next of kin that they are the chosen generation for their generation, but also that the second coming is “at nigh” to keep us on our toes. I think it will come when we are not expecting it, likely without any major reveal. I have not pondered this much, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Christ came down and quietly setup his kingdom. As members, we have been taught to expect trumpets and Christ to show up in Missouri or SLC or some place the Mormon Church owns property at. I would laugh (at us) if He chose to start out in someplace where poor people reside or where the gospel in spirit is followed.

I consider these “relaxing” changes to be creating more pressure. Back then we had exact rules and guidelines as to how church should function, but now many of these rules are “you figure it out” or “follow the spirit” which in practice shouldn’t be bad, but because we are a membership that naturally judges and criticizes each other, I’m not surprised if we continue to argue about how ministering should be performed, just as we still have issues with deciding what the word of wisdom means or how to honor the sabbath.

But do you think these changes have made it easier, or harder to be a member in good standing? I know grobert indicated above it’s harder because there is more room for us to figure out what to do — we aren’t told anymore to do X, Y, and Z. Personally, I think the issues on which we’ve been given more freedom are peripheral frankly. They are positive changes, and in my view, make it easier to be a Mormon and aren’t really challenges to membership or commitment. For example, we were always expected to study the gospel, so cutting out church for one hour and putting the onus on us to study for an hour isn’t really much challenge or indicative of a purge.

Expecting us to give 20% of our annual income to the church, now that’s a challenge.

Interested in others’ perspectives on this.

I would expect a purge would occur with stiffer rules that are harder to live to the less committed fall away, leaving only the chosen…

I don’t like the concept of a purge in that context, more on that later, but perhaps looking at it from the opposite angle can provide some insight.

You said you didn’t like six hour church, so I made church five hours.

You said you didn’t like five hour church, so I made church four hours.

You said you didn’t like four hour church, so I made church three hours.

You said you didn’t like three hour church, so I made church two hours.

You said you didn’t like two hour church, so I made church one hour.

Now you won’t even do one hour church.

In other words, church is becoming easier and easier. If people can’t stomach things when they are easy they have effectively been purged.

But like I said, I don’t particularly like the concept of purging people. A god that heaps burdens on people to test their love and loyalty. I wouldn’t know whether to be sad or relieved to be purged from such a god.

Maybe it requires belief in the traditional interpretation of the second coming, which I don’t have, so take this with a tablespoon of salt, but there are many scriptures that are what I’ll call “hedge your bets prophecies.”

In the last days many elect will fall. Sure, eventually there’s going to be people that will leave a religion. It’s a given. But this idea seeds the thought that the people that leave must have had something wrong with them. It works on adherents in a few ways; it creates fear of leaving, no one wants to “fall away,” and it rewards the people that stick it out by stroking their egos.

So it’s a hedge your bet prophecy. See? I told you people would leave and there they go. Just like I said.

Dande48:

“did you know we are the richest religious organization on earth?”

Maybe if you only consider liquid assets. Have you not been to the Vatican? They are literally sitting on a stockpile of priceless artwork and statuary, to the point that a bunch of it is gathering dust in closets.

Fascinating! All the more reason that the dinky little mass produced Christus statue was an odd gift to give to the Pope on their visit.

Maybe if you only consider liquid assets. Have you not been to the Vatican? They are literally sitting on a stockpile of priceless artwork and statuary, to the point that a bunch of it is gathering dust in closets.

Accounting for land assets, temples, business, etc, we’re sitting on ~$35Billion, and bring in an estimated $7 Billion a year. The Catholic Church’s property and wealth is estimated only around $30 Billion. Tithing for Catholics is “pay if you can” and pretty open ended. They also spend a LOT more than we do; paying their preachers for one thing; There have been more than a few recent years when they’re at a net loss. We only pay our GAs and Q15, and the rest is heavily tied up in business investments. Even building maintenance is kept at a minimum, with unpaid volunteers serving as janitors, tax exemptions, and only opening for a few hours a week.

Though in fairness, they all try to keep their true wealth a closely guarded secret. But even a rough ~$5Billion estimatd difference is still a LOT of wealth.

I don’t think apples are being compared to apples in those two wealth “estimates.” Just saying.

On topic, I also don’t believe the Lord is about purging. Clearly you can cite scripture, but so could I if I had a mind to – for every scripture there is an equal and opposite scripture.

He did purge the earth with Noah’s flood, and there is expected to be a purge before he comes a second time. But I agree the scriptures are slippery…full of contradictions so I’m not fully committed to either position on the purge issue. Just quoting what I read in the non-fiction book Lund wrote called The Coming of the Lord.

I agree that purging is totally within historic context of divine prerogative. I just don’t know of a prophecy that indicates it will be a central part of the run-up to the 2nd coming. And thank you for correcting me regarding the book. I only knew Lund as a fiction author and was not aware he had non-fiction work.