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It would seem that most believe that evil is increasing in the world.  A question  -  opinions on the forum - Do you believe that people of faith are increasing in strength and resolve?  Or are the societies of faith becoming weaker and having less influence?

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Guest MormonGator

My honest opinion is that, while evil certainly exists, the church is growing and more than ready to combat it. I think the church is one of the few forces of good left in the world, including other churches, sadly  

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Guest LiterateParakeet

Thought provoking question.  

 

My husband pointed out to me that our society is more civilized than previous generations.  Whether that makes us more or less evil is hard to know for certain.  For example, we don't crucify people as capitol punishment, we use lethal injection to kill them in the gentlest possible manner.

 

I agree with MormonGator the growth of the church, and the opportunities for people to receive the gospel are wonderful.  We have so many temples, and churches and internet access to LDS.org and other uplifting things.

 

I'm thinking along the same lines as Anatess.  I think the problem is the break down of families...this includes divorce, sex outside of marriage, some, perhaps a large number?, of God-fearing parents not teaching their children.  I say God-fearing because I mean anyone who believes in a Higher Power.  I think all of us who believe in a Higher Power except Pagans, who believe in a Goddess, I think, and obviously Satanists worship Satan...but everyone else Christian, Catholic, LDS, Muslim, Jewish....worships the same God, even if we do understand his instructions and guidance in vastly different ways.  And as far as I know pretty similar ideas about family and morality.  

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Guest MormonGator

It's a catch-22. We are far more modern and luckier than our ancestors. We no longer die at 45 and or as children from various diseases that we have vanquished. So in that way, it's a very good thing we are alive today. 

But in 2015 we seem to be living lives that are devoid of something. Personally, I think LitPar was onto something. Family breakdowns, increasingly tolerant of sinful behavior. 

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Guest AnnieCarvalho

Like the others, I think it goes both ways.

I do think in general, parents aren't doing the job they used to do in bringing up their children the right way.

In some ways, they've been made powerless by the government - sparing the rod is mandatory in many states.

I'm not saying you need to beat your children, but a good spanking on occasion brought mine to attention.

 

I think many of the churches are losing their hold and weakening. 

Much of this is because of one fighting against the other, a lot like politicians do.

Instead of telling you what they've done or will do to make things better, they waste time slandering each other.

I'm glad we don't attack other religions.

 

I have a very close friend who is pagan and even she says what the world needs now is for children to go back to attending Sunday School, where they learned all the lessons in morality and etiquette their parents failed to teach them. 

 

I think some societies of faith are becoming stronger within their own tiny church communities, but less influential in the community at large.

 

People do things now they would NEVER have thought of doing when I was a child, breaking into and robbing churches (church was never locked in 1955), coming to church or going shopping in pajamas, frivolous lawsuits, it just goes on and on. It's sad, really...

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Sometimes it's hard to keep in mind but people are as they have always been. I look at photos from the 1800s and it's an effort to remember that these individuals were just as sophisticated and intelligent as we are. They were just working off a smaller body of information.

The question was about these latter days. People being what they are and always have been, there is no more or less evil in the world than there always has been. The difference is that the world is becoming increasingly polarized. There are more and more people at the far edges of extraodinary righteousness and extraordinarily evil. i assume this pattern will continue until the world is entirely divided down the middle and the Savior steps in and divides the two camps.

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I think throughout time, there is a tendacy to think everything is getting worse and the new upcoming generation doesn't meet up to the stands of our forefathers. Certainly some of the evils in the past are right up there with the evil acts committed today, but are they more frequest or less so?  I have no idea, from my personal experience compared to my limited historical readings, I think it's pretty much the same.  Historians like to sugarcoat alot of things in the past in regards to morality, honesty, etc, but I think man in general has showed his natural self all throughout time.  Surely it is easier to see now a days, even more so, in your face, but I think your average person given the circumstances matches quite well compared to your average person in the past.

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RESPONSE TO OP:

 

Those two options are not mutually exclusive.

 

The harvest is upon us.  The wheat is getting stronger.  The tares are about to be plucked.  Some are removing themselves.

 

Societies of faith that are based on earthly principles (whether money or influence or even some societal champion issues such as "social justice" or "gay marriage") are getting weaker.

 

Both terrestrial and celestial people and faiths will come together in their fight against evil.

 

 

RESPONSE TO MULTIPLE COMMENTERS ON PARENTING/FAMILY:

 

While the family is always under attack, and is always a primary tool to save our brothers and sisters, I think there is something else going on that we're missing that is a greater cause than the dissolution of the family.

 

My in-laws are fantastic and amazing people.  All their children were fine upstanding people who were very active in the faith into adulthood.  

 

One has decided he's no longer going to try anymore.  He says he's simply never felt the Spirit, and it's been too long.

 

Another is probably the smartest person I know (and I'm no slouch myself) -- and he's the smartest that many of you would know. But he's having difficulty reconciling some things he knows about the gospel with some things he knows about science.  I hope he finds what he needs.

 

My point is that while the family is a great place to put our energies into, so many other things are going on in the world that it is changing people that we never would have thought would be tares.  It really makes me wonder whether I'll make it myself.

Edited by Guest
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 It really makes me worry whether I'll make it myself.

 

Which is what we really ought to focus on: ourselves, and the children we're raising. 

 

DH and I accidentally went to the adult session of Stake Conference early last weekend. We caught the last thing said, which was that as we follow and sustain the prophet and live our lives in harmony with the Gospel, the words we say won't matter so much, because our lives will say everything that needs said. I don't think getting there early was an accident. It was what I needed to hear in regards to a family member who is really struggling and right now needs my love, example, and consistence. Not preaching, but steadiness in how I live my life and give love to my family. 

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Guest LiterateParakeet

It really makes me wonder whether I'll make it myself.

It's good to worry, it will make you more watchful. I think we all need to be watchful over our own testimonies, and less judgmentAL and more loving and patient toward those who struggle. The counsel to "endure to the end" is both a warning and wise counsel.

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I can't speak for other societies of faith, I can only say in the church I attend as long as HT & VT remain the same, the number of endowed without TR's remain the same, the number of new converts still active after the first year remains basically unchanged year after year...I can't say we're growing stronger by measurable metrics.

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The per capita child of record baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita convert baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita atheists and non-practicing religious are growing.

Many Christian faiths are seeing shrinking numbers.

Many Jewish communities in the US are seeing shrinking numbers.

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I grew up in the 50's and 60's and have observed many changes in our society - including good old happy valley in Utah.  I have watched as entertainment has changed drastically.  Language and even subject matter has morphed significantly.  I honestly believe youth were prepared much better.  I started working at age 8 at various agriculture jobs - thinning sugar beats and picking cherries and other fruit.  During the winter I shoveled snow at office building with my brothers and cleaned walls in the spring,  Jobs that are now considered abusive for child labor?  By 13 I would live for several weeks away from home moving irrigation pipe. A few weeks after 17 I joined the army.  Serving a mission was not difficult but something that I considered a very refreshing - even easy time of my life.

 

It seems to me that in today's society our youth have, not only a lot more distractions (that do not build character) but next to nothing of any importance or value to do with their time.  As I talk to youth very few have any idea what they want to do with their life beyond vague generalities. 

 

It seems that adults have not done much better.  I am amazed how many adults (including and especially LDS) struggle with finances and ill health.  My father was convinced that poverty is spiritually debilitating.  He taught me that poverty is overcome by a spiritual resolve to love hard work directly related to service - to always give more than we take and a willingness to do and serve at what others consider the lessor, excessive or even undesirable labor.  A recent thread on this forum complained about being worked too hard at a job.  If I ever complained to my father about being exploited or overworked I would be lectured about the virtue of work - so many times I was told to never fain hard or difficult work but consider such an opportunity to demonstrate how exceptional I am.  He would say - no matter how hard or difficult something is there are always a few that will succeed and not matter how easy something is there will always be those that fail - then he would say be one of those that succeeds and never be one that fails because you quit.

 

I was touched by the many talks at this conference - that we need to be better.  That we should be living by a higher standard and more stalwart in faith - that we can.  It is my honest impression that we really have not seen how much is expected of the saints before Christ will return.  It is imperative that we do better 

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The per capita child of record baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita convert baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita atheists and non-practicing religious are growing.

Many Christian faiths are seeing shrinking numbers.

Many Jewish communities in the US are seeing shrinking numbers.

Statistics are the most misunderstood and misused of facts.

Child of record baptisms and convert baptisms are increasing. They are simply increasing at a pace slightly below the increase in population. Over the last 6 years the Church dropped a whopping .08% as a percentage of the US population (that's just under 1/10 of 1 percent). And though Carborendum failed to mention it, that is limited to the US. The growth of the Church outside the US is even higher (though our numbers as a percent of population are much lower. It's a big world).

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The per capita child of record baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita convert baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita atheists and non-practicing religious are growing.

Many Christian faiths are seeing shrinking numbers.

Many Jewish communities in the US are seeing shrinking numbers.

Statistics are the most misunderstood and misused of facts.

Child of record baptisms and convert baptisms are increasing. They are simply increasing at a pace slightly below the increase in population. Over the last 6 years the Church dropped a whopping .08% as a percentage of the US population (that's just under 1/10 of 1 percent). And though Carborendum failed to mention it, that is limited to the US. The growth of the Church outside the US is even higher (though our numbers as a percent of population are much lower. It's a big world).

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The per capita child of record baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita convert baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita atheists and non-practicing religious are growing.

Many Christian faiths are seeing shrinking numbers.

Many Jewish communities in the US are seeing shrinking numbers.

Statistics are the most misunderstood and misused of facts.

Child of record baptisms and convert baptisms are increasing. They are simply increasing at a pace slightly below the increase in population. Over the last 6 years the Church dropped a whopping .08% as a percentage of the US population (that's just under 1/10 of 1 percent). And though Carborendum failed to mention it, that is limited to the US. The growth of the Church outside the US is even higher (though our numbers as a percent of population are much lower. It's a big world).

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The per capita child of record baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita convert baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita atheists and non-practicing religious are growing.

Many Christian faiths are seeing shrinking numbers.

Many Jewish communities in the US are seeing shrinking numbers.

Statistics are the most misunderstood and misused of facts.

Child of record baptisms and convert baptisms are increasing. They are simply increasing at a pace slightly below the increase in population. Over the last 6 years the Church dropped a whopping .08% as a percentage of the US population (that's just under 1/10 of 1 percent). And though Carborendum failed to mention it, that is limited to the US. The growth of the Church outside the US is even higher (though our numbers as a percent of population are much lower. It's a big world).

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The per capita child of record baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita convert baptisms are shrinking.

The per capita atheists and non-practicing religious are growing.

Many Christian faiths are seeing shrinking numbers.

Many Jewish communities in the US are seeing shrinking numbers.

Statistics are the most misunderstood and misused of facts.

Child of record baptisms and convert baptisms are increasing. They are simply increasing at a pace slightly below the increase in population. Over the last 6 years the Church dropped a whopping .08% as a percentage of the US population (that's just under 1/10 of 1 percent). And though Carborendum failed to mention it, that is limited to the US. The growth of the Church outside the US is even higher (though our numbers as a percent of population are much lower. It's a big world).

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There is an explanation for why evil has increased in the world. It has to do with the number of wicked people who die in their sins. There are two types of evil spirits: devils and unclean or foul spirits. Devils are the third part of the hosts of heaven cast out for rebellion. Unclean or fouls spirits are the spirits of wicked people who died in their sins. This was taught originally by Joseph Smith and by nearly every apostle and prophet since. Here is a quote from Parley P. Pratt.

 

 

Many spirits of the departed, who are unhappy, linger in lonely wretchedness about the earth, and in the air, and especially about their ancient homesteads, and the places rendered dear to them by the memory of former scenes. The more wicked of these are the kind spoken of in Scripture, as "foul spirits," "unclean spirits," spirits who afflict persons in the flesh.... (Key to the Science of Theology, Pg. 110)

 

If you die a wicked person, you become subject to Satan and are compelled to do his bidding. If at first you do not want to do his will, he will torment your spirit to the point that you will acquiesce. Wickedness has increased in the world because more and more wicked people are dying. In turn, they become unclean spirits and do Satan's bidding, afflicting, tormenting, tempting, influencing, etc. The more the wicked die, the more unclean spirits there are to cause trouble.

 

I believe that people of faith are decreasing in number and resolve.  I think this is self evident in the increasing number of "Christians" who support gay marriage, cohabitate, seek out pornography, lie, steal, cheat, etc.   There are more perversions and idle past times to distract and tempt those who would follow Christ. The number of unclean spirits has increased dramatically in proportion to the current population, consequently there are more per person to cause affliction.

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I am not convinced there are more wicked people as a percentage of the population as there ever has been. Considering only murder, for example, I would hazard a guess that fewer people (as a percentage) have murdered someone else than at most other times in history.

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