Our Call to Action is serious and has consequence. Right now the Church is on a downward spiral in both member retention and happiness. Here are some statistics:
- High Rate of Suicide in the United States (2012 – Utah Has One of the Highest Suicide Rates in Nation; 2014 – Utah Suicide Rate Soars: Since 2010, an average 501 Utahns each year have died by suicide, and another 3,968 were hospitalized or treated in emergency rooms for injuries due to suicide attempts, according to the Utah Department of Health.)
- Highest Rate of Mental Illness in the United States (2014 – Utah Has Highest Rate of Mental Illness in the US)
- Highest Rate of Antidepressant Use in the United States (2002 – Study Finds Utah Leads Nation in Antidepressant Use; 2010 – Nearly 1 in 5 Utah Women Use Antidepressants)
- Highest Rate of Porn Use in the United States (2009 – Utah No. 1 in Online Porn Subscriptions; 2016 – Utah Governor Declares Pornography a Public Health Crisis)
Those are the fruits of darkened minds that result from the Curse of Condemnation as stated in D&C 84 for not following, i.e., “doing” what The Holy Book of Mormon teaches:
54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but TO DO according to that which I have written—(D&C 84)
True reform can only occur when The Holy Book of Mormon is used as THE STANDARD with The Holy Bible by which all Mormon doctrines are measured and either retained or removed.
Working Group
We suggest the Church form a Working Group that will compile a list of doctrines not in line with The Holy Book of Mormon and Holy Bible who will then propose a Plan of Implementation for having them removed and submitted to a Committee of the Brethren.
It is further suggested that a committee of qualified historians meet to write new Church History curriculum that recognizes where the forks in the road occurred, who caused them, who attempted to prevent them, and what Joseph’s original call was, etc. Historical events like the “Missouri War” and destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor press should be revisited and explained from a true cause perspective, etc.
What Happens Afterwards
After reforms are complete, the Church will find acceptance among Christians with greater opportunities for sharing the Good News from The Holy Book of Mormon with Jews and Christians. Other churches will no longer feel threatened that missionaries are coming to “steal” their members away. The Church could become the leading missionary force of Christ’s Good News throughout the earth and fulfill its role in uniting all people in love, not religion.
Incentive
As an incentive for following Book of Mormon doctrine and coming out from the curse of condemnation, members and leaders can use the expectation of receiving archaeological proofs and/or additional records which will prove the truth of The Holy Book of Mormon (as prophesied) because God will lift the curse off Book of Mormon lands, and its archaeological treasures will begin to come forth similar to the Saxon Gold Horde discovery in England:
