Shattering the Mormon Church's Growth Myth

Pointing out how the Mormon Church misleads members and the media about its subpar growth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in decline. The membership numbers of the LDS church are highly inflated. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is shrinking. Mormonism is therefore in decline. The Mormon apostle perpetuate myth the church is growing. Mormon temple building aimed at hiding LDS church's decline.

[@mikelray3965]

If you don't think for yourself, someone will think for you.

[@jonbaker476]

Act or be acted upon

[@c.retana-holguin8318]

Yes! Critical thinking is not a sin! Thank you for your most excellent video.

[@melorca1962]

Great points and info. Reminds me of what @ExmoLex said in one of her videos, that Mormon leadership keeps telling their young people that they should get married as early as possible. The reason for that is probably because they get fastest growth through children (easier to indoctrinate than adults).

[@MrArtist7777]

I grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ and never once heard anyone say to get married as early as possible, that's a complete lie! I have many Latter-day Saint friends who are in their late '20's, '30's and '40's, and beyond, who aren't married and have no pressure to get married until they want to. exmolex is a complete malignant liar, just like this Paul goof ball.

[@ksockpuppet8841]

@@MrArtist7777 and yet we have so many saying the opposite, who do you expect others to believe?

[@hbendzulla8213]

Love your reporting pertaining LDS membership. What a rip off. Thanks

[@johncunningham739]

When I was around them, they had a 60 % inactivity.

[@gilbertodominguez5212]

When I was an active church member and working with the missionaries, I saw many new members getting baptized, maybe going to services once, and then never returning. Yet, they remained on the membership rolls. There was a lot of pressure placed on the missionaries and even members to constantly be on the lookout for potential converts.

[@brucegillingham2793]

ITs easier to get into the church then it is to get out how convenient for the church.

[@BrettWellsMacGyver2004]

Wow, you clearly put a lot of work into researching this out! Every single data point I can think of you have covered with facts.

[@MrArtist7777]

No, every data point he mentioned are not actual data points, they're his opinion based on no facts, they are simply lies. The Church of Jesus Christ has never once published numbers of members from other churches or lied about how rapid other churches are shrinking because that's none of our business, yet, this liar Paul bends over backwards to show his bigotry and hate.

[@anthony212459]

@@MrArtist7777 I was a mormon yall do say you're the fasting growing church. Just search, even the site admits it was the fastest growing from 1990-2000s. It's been a lie everytime it's been said for 21 years. From the most true church on earth.

[@ksockpuppet8841]

@@anthony212459 yes and the only time it was true was when the church changed what it considered a member. It was never Real growth, just a trick on paper. It's hemorging members like crazy, and the salt lake tribune reported it just lost its biggest whale who was inactive (as 3/4 of them are) just resigned from it as he couldn't reconcile thier greed and dishonesty. The 7th day adventist church started out at the same time and it's quite a bit larger than the lds church. The fastest growing religion is still Islam with over a BILLION members, this is just one of the dishonest things church members do. It was true for a slight time in 2014 on paper, but that's it. It's just a flat out lie now.

[@bdm1957]

Well done, continual LDS lies!

[@MrArtist7777]

Name 2 Latter-day Saint lie. Every stat this Paul guy shows is a complete fabrication and lie and I'm happy to prove it to anyone.

[@ksockpuppet8841]

@@MrArtist7777 how about the lie the church told when they swore up and down tithe money would not be spent on the mall? How about the one they told when they claimed "the majority of church funds pay for temples and humanitarian projects" right before it was shown the "nonprofit" was sitting on 130 Billion in profits it made from stock?

[@ksockpuppet8841]

@@MrArtist7777 how about when the church lied that lds weren't practicing polygamy?

[@ksockpuppet8841]

@@MrArtist7777 just to let you know, you flat out accused the author of committing murder, in most states that could be considered defamation of character as the author is identified by his whole name and you knowingly published a statement that was knowingly a lie to cause harm to the person's character. It's one thing to say you disagree or call names, it's something else entirely to flat out say he killed someone as you have done. I reported your comment to youtube and I hope the author would consider legal action against you Mormon

[@macrograms]

The hording of cash at Ensign Peak Advisors is definitely growing. Then end.

[@priscillaastling8707]

Thank you for this!

[@theponderingplumb9790]

Thank you for this concise and skilled presentation!

[@joliettraveler]

The real problem is that their so called theology is based on quicksand. No historic connection to the original church.

[@sancraft1]

Thank you for this information. You have a lovely home also.

[@scottbrandon6244]

The only growth areas are some countries in South America and Africa. Chile is losing members in droves. Globally it is hard to keep youth and young adults (Gen-Z and Millennials) active. Membership is irrelevant if the church can't keep people active. Baptized people retention rates are also bad. There is also a trend since 2007 where the leadership has known the majority of converts are single adults aged 32 plus. For a church that promotes families that can be a challenge with dealing with singles. By age 32, chances of them marrying is almost nil. Then infertility sets in for women. Men will jut marry a woman ten years younger.

[@lukegraven7839]

thanks for the video

[@Bazcole93]

Ahhh I hate elder Cook . What a evil man

[@LeeThatcherlcthatch]

That doesn't count inactive members as well as resigning

[@lucasyates1893]

Wow. So good

[@jessenashvillejames150]

Thanks for the honest research..

[@camiloquiao3294]

I've been inactive for several years. But now I'm so very happy cause I'm active now.

[@cybertruckman634]

I approve this message!

[@natalies4375]

Good video. Thanks.

[@mikelray3965]

If you don't think for your self, someone will think for you.

[@starguy2718]

So glad I left the LDS cult!

[@KristinaUSA-x5n]

They made my life miserable and libeled me and tortured and covered up abuse and harrassment and intellectual property theft with Jesuit Masons and Mormons and Fraternal Order of Police.

[@jodystimm2098]

You, need to come ack to Truth instead of relying on you.

[@jodystimm2098]

@@KristinaUSA-x5n you; need to get off whatever you are on....

[@KristinaUSA-x5n]

@@jodystimm2098 Reporting abuse by abusive cults is the truth and they always libel the mental stability reputation of anyone who reports.

[@MrArtist7777]

@@KristinaUSA-x5n Sorry Kristina, you're claims are complete lies and nonsense as we have NOTHING to do with any Jesuit Masons or any fraternal order of police.

[@adamholloway7963]

Amen!

[@rabbithole2015]

Well done

[@jessicamasonsonneborn4864]

Thanks for your information and for you honest feedback because I'm looking for any truthfull input to help mewithmy interactions with mormons

[@jmalko9152]

Informative, thank you 🙂

[@JennLove]

Fantastic video!

[@SukunaIsAGod]

2 minutes. 4 to 5 million active members is a generous estimate. It's probably closer to 3 million (or less).

[@joebideb]

I recently left that church and you can imagine the " damage control"

[@scottbrandon6244]

I hear the average growth rate is 0.5% net growth average in the last five years. The church website likes to post its membership rates, but they look over retention of new converts and activity rates. It is estimated the activity rate (measured as attending at least two Sundays per month) is 4.5 million globally (out if 17 million members). Maybe half of those are full tithe payers and hold recommends.

[@jeffsaxton716]

We tend to be attracted to ideologies which reduce our uncertainty. How comforting it is to find a group who says they know all the answers! It's better to simply accept there's tons of stuff we don't know. I don't think Mormonism is true. It's just another "mind virus".

[@Jsppydays]

Absolute truth.

[@jamesstrawn6087]

Growth hype in any organization involves the failure to realize the dynmaic nature of stasis. In a church with fifty members one year and fifty the next, five died (say) and five were born. Or maybe five departed and five arrived. Anyone really think that is the same when there are 100? How about five million?

[@daneastill2058]

Not about the membership never was. People are free to join or leave. It's what happened in a Grove of trees 200 years ago.

[@noelhausler2911]

Interesting facts you gave on how they Indians caught buffalo.

[@moonman239]

So, "membership" is a meaningless statistic overall, due to how different churches define "membership." What's a more meaningful measure of growth?

[@LeeThatcherlcthatch]

What is the rate of the nonbelievers increase since 1970 for any reason

[@johnrowley310]

Kids are not being born. End of growth...

[@jimashman6251]

The church's growth for 2020 was an anomaly. Does anyone remember the upheaval in the world due to the pandemic? Missionary activity essentially stopped. For a while, we could not hold church meetings (families were allowed to hold worship services in their homes). So yes, convert baptisms for 2020 dropped significantly but still totaled nearly 126,000 individuals that chose to be baptized and to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2023, there were 251,763 convert baptisms in the LDS Church. I wouldn't say that leaders mislead anyone about the growth of the church. They don't even announce these numbers in general conference anymore. It is a little bit ironic that the author of the video complains about the church being misleading and then shows a misleading graph.

[@kenziek6707]

Have to love the fact the only negative comment i find is by a Member that says he has an angel with appears to him and talks to him and that Utah Power and light spend 200 million dollars building a power plant just to kill him. How sadly typical of the church.

[@juleshart8984]

💙💙💙💙

[@MATT-xv4bh]

I, (Paul Douglas), prove here that I have nothing better to bleet about!

[@HereForTheComments990]

Like missionaries, huh?

[@mothersellrobertjhon-fn3pd]

Hey Paul. Find a Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints and attend a meeting. They would love to meet you

[@digiphot2]

Here's another one...No matter how you wrap a bag of shit with a pink bow, it is still a bag of shit even when wrapped with a blue bow!

[@bradensorensen966]

10:05 Hey, Cook baby… not all members that separate themselves from the church have their records removed. It’s not true, why do all that hard work?

[@HereForTheComments990]

They ought to. The church has far too much political power, and it continues to misrepresent its membership numbers, giving the impression that it represents more people and opinions than it actually does.

[@micahspicer1]

You are wrong on the horses in North America comment. That’s it. My native ancestors were always horsemen even before the whites showed up.

[@kentthalman4459]

No doubt Mormons have the highest cost per capita of members. A cost model that Jesus would cringe to see. There are so much more charitable ways for the Church to spend their mountain money.

[@jaromsmiss]

2020 was a very unique year. COVID. that effected EVERYONE. at the very least lets put that into context regarding the growth.

[@Tofflemire5]

I was laughing with my son the other night when we were talking about people who spend their time fighting against the church. What a sad life. I'm sure there in a purpose in their mind. I don't know what that purpose it but I also don't care to know. The opposition to the true church only strengthens my testimony. If the LDS were wrong, there would be less opposition from those who've been fooled by the craftiness of men.

[@brucegillingham2793]

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. The LDS church comes under attack because Jesus (God in the flesh) calls on us to rebuke false teachings and false prophets. Since the LDS church is an abomination to God it gets the attention it does. Doesn't it bother you that every warning the Bible gives about false doctrines, false prophets, spiritual deceit, directly contradicts God's word, and makes Jesus Christ out to be a failure to protect the word and the church and forgiving all our sins?

[@johnmcdonald4938]

Growth in any church is always based upon interest in the message and feeling (does the Spirit reside there?) followed by attendance. Attendance and conversion are as varied as the people who attend. Read the parable of the different types of ground in matthew 13:3-9. There is no lying by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on this matter. All have their free agency and some are committed members and many not so much and these days many leave-- all christian faiths-- it is after all the "latter days" before Christ's return. There are evils and temptations abound. (2Tim 3:1-5) The difference in our church is that we keep good records of membership through the ordinance of baptism and confirmation and publish this while other churches don't have the organization and dedication to do this. You are a member of Christ's church until you formally request that your membership be removed which most by far do not take the time to request. The membership numbers reflect that fact; the church does not represent the membership numbers as "active", "inactive", "tithepaying" or any other subcategory. Active and dedicated members do seem to hover around the 30% range of all members or even less in areas, and that number is small (and we are reminded by our leadership that it will be small) -- remember Matthew 7:13 and 14? It takes work to be a Latter Day Saint and I am actually heartened that 30% of our membership is active as it is a lifestyle not a sunday only endeavor. What is more interesting I think is the vitreol and hate about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compared to all other Christian faiths; it is unrelenting and constant on many different topics about the church. This alone should give the potentially decieved pause to think about why this church above all others is so constantly attacked. Satan only attacks that which he fears, not that which lulls one to sleep. To me it is a subconscious and sometimes a conscious recognition of the good fruit of the church (matt 7:15-20) and the discomfort and even fear that this engenders in it's attackers and adversaries about it's message, efforts and success in the modern world. Those who deep down are uncomfortable with the negative viewpoints shown in these websites and many others should take a moment to look into their hearts to see if they might have some interest in a Church whose members unabashedly follow Christ in word and action-- not perfectly admittedly as we are all human and sin daily but with diligence and love. "by their fruits ye shall know them" (matt 7:15-16). Tearing down others for their beliefs and practices is not Christian by it's definition. There is definitely truth to the saying that those who leave the church can leave it (it's their choice) but can't leave it alone. I can't think of a better testimony for the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints than this fact. No hate here to the commenters; it's easy to jump on the bandwagon propagated by a few unhappy people who have a platform to tear down. However, resist this and come to a local church building and spend a little time feeling the spirit of the rank and file members and their local leaders and see if the contrast in their words and actions as compared to the negative deluge coming from the dissaffected doesn't give you pause to question whose ensign you wish to follow. Good luck to all of the well meaning seekers in this thread and many others like it. We who are active members of the Church of Jesus christ of Latter Day Saints do wish you well in your spiritual journey wherever it leads you!

[@gladegoodrich2297]

Honest hard working people. Wouldent trade one Mormon for twenty Catholics!!!

[@byonnoyb]

Such falsehoods and hatred you have been programmed with! Viva Cristo Rey!!!

[@RuthZeeck]

What a peculiar thing to say.

[@shawnjensen3896]

⁠ no not what a peculiar thing to say what a dumb as hell thing to say

[@henryortiz3969]

And the question is, what is the average of growth in other denominations, does it bother you if the LDS church thinks is the fastest growing church. Your report does not change anything about faith.

[@inChristalone1960]

Truth matters.

[@drewhanna9907]

This guy is deceptive. I travel and go to church in many different cities because of my job. There are multiple wards with many converts in every city in this country. I know its anecdotal, but anecdote is pretty powerful when what this guy says doesnt line up with my eyes in so many places.

[@Richard.Atkinson]

You admit in your comment why your comment means nothing. Anecdotes vs. actual numbers.

[@jodystimm2098]

The numbers; are,. STILL higher than growth of Mainline CHURCHES& even CATHOLIC I,. would question. HIS sourses...

[@MrArtist7777]

Good points, truth is, he has no sources, PDF screenshots he showed are his own opinion ONLY, and are based on lies. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has maintained an annual growth rate of: 2.1% for the past decade, with: ~110,000 missionaries in the field at all times, both proselyting and service missionaries. Average number of baptisms per day are: 860, which is far higher than any other Christian sect, by quite a ways. Average number of chapels built per day: 1. Average number of Temples built per year: 15. Number of members at the end of 2020: 16,663,663. Liars like Paul Douglas are nothing new, they are the same liars and haters who killed the ancient prophets, same liars and haters who killed Jesus Christ, same liars and haters who killed Joseph and Hyrum Smith and same liars who will spend eternity with the great liar and deceiver himself.

[@hbendzulla8213]

@@MrArtist7777 Where did you get your information from?

[@ksockpuppet8841]

@@MrArtist7777 wow so the author of the video, that sources his arguments unlike you, is guilty of murder? Look up defamation of character, I will wait for you to present all your evidence that the author "murdered" two people over 100 years ago. Words mean things, even if you are far too stupid to understand them. Wow, "murder", Mormons will lie about anything.

[@borderterrierpoppyadventures]

The Mormons keep trying to spin their words. No matter what they think, people are either leaving in masses or are simply “pretending” they are Mormon when in fact they simply pick and choose which policies to follow and which to ignore. It’s pathetic.

[@hbendzulla8213]

@@borderterrierpoppyadventures Hundred percent correct

[@Faithplus1SouthPark]

It is more about 💰 growth and growth of number of 🛕 t emples (not ⛪️ buildings).