It remains to be seen if we could survive after taking such a hit.
I believe the religion will be around a long time. Sure at some point its likely to shed members, but as long as people feel there is "nowhere to go" many will stay where they are.
Times have changed in that change actually (i believe anyway) keeps more members and makes the religion more attractive to prospective members in the long run, where as complacency in changing times leads to frustration.
Much of the problem has to do with our past emphasis on chronology and the end coming "soon". At the present time, many are realizing that "soon" can be a very long time, and the "urgency" [read "fear"] of armageddon is being replaced by a fear of dying in this system with no finances for retirement years.
Necessity dictates that many members, while still believing, have to cut back until the religion at least becomes more balanced and understanding toward the average person and what life in the system entails.
I believe the society will change to the point that all of these "weak" ones will be considered "strong" simply due to a change in routine and viewpoint and outlook. If the religion can still exert its strong influence in the belief structure of individuals without taking up so much of their time, they will do alright.
Many feel they have enough money to weather the storms of losses ahead. And money and a sucessful reinvention of themselves is what is needed to pull this off. That and a brilliant leader perhaps.
If we were to see some long overdue major reform, I wonder how many of us who have left would reconsider and return?
What is your answer to this? What would u do? Yeah, I know you'd love to throw on the pearls and strap on the "marry janes" and head off with a WT to your sunday meeting, but i don't think most would. Especially considering that open mindedness and acceptance and the end of shunning are major ingredients to reform, why would you go back if you were no longer "pressured" to.
Its often the policies that need to be reformed that force people to desire to return. (ie. shunning) They don't want to lose their family, and if they've lost them, they could feel lonely and want them back. Take those policies away, and combine that with free flow of information regarding the organization's history, who will go back? What is there to go back to if everything that made it what it was no longer exists?
However, to be unyielding once presented with incontrovertible evidence that you are wrong is also a means of losing a lot of members. So what does one do? Ah, ‘what tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.’
I think times have changed in that people look more at intentions, and honesty, and are looking not so much for leaders that are consistently right, but for leaders that recognized the flock is human but has good hearts. They want to see more faith put in them, that they will weigh out matters and choose to do what is "right" and where the church wants to dictate matters and later is found to be in error, they want apology and accountablity.
Path (in a "rambling" mood tonight :)
