Some Mormon Demographic Information

Some Mormon Demographic Information

While researching the translation process of the Book of Mormon (BOM), I came across a video, “Joseph Smith-Money-digging and Seer Stones- An Evangelical LDS Dialogue (edited),” featuring Grant Palmer and Alma Allred (a former LDS Institute instructor).

(Note: While I take some issue with the below comment by Alma Allred, we should remember that it’s hard being in a room full of critics—I’ve been there.)

Alma Allred said that if you never heard of the seer stone in the hat translation process for the BOM then it’s your fault. He said that he’s been teaching that fact for 20 years (I think). I personally never heard the seer stone from any of my teachers at Church. I heard it for the first time AFTER my Mission. I dismissed it at the time because it was a statement from Martin Harris and (to my then knowledge) only Olive Cowdery and Joseph Smith were involved in the translation process and there were no other witnesses.

I thought: where would I hear this (formal instruction)? At Church, at seminary, at Institute? More than likely it would have to be at Church because only about 25 to 30% of LDS youth attend seminary or Institute base on my late 1980’s to early1990’s and Californian Mormon experience.  My wife, from the same geographical area, said her memory on seminary and Institute attendance is basically the same. 

So I did some Mormon demographic research:

(2013 Seminary Report) (US Demographic) (News Article)

In 2012:   

   204,684 US Mormon youth enrolled in seminary

   152,734 US Mormon students enrolled in Institute

This does not tell us the percentage of youth attendance. I could not find any Mormon age demographic information, so I based my findings on US demographics and a 2011 Pew Research Study (i.e., 1.7% of the US population is Mormon). I took the seminary age to be between 14 and 17 and there are about 16,600,000 that age in 2012 (US Demographic).  I took the Institute age to be between 20 and 24 (because 27% of US Mormons serve missions) and there are about 18,400,000 that age in 2012 (US Demographic).

This means about 72% of Mormon youth in 2012 ENROLLED in Seminary.

This means about 49% of Mormon college students in 2012 ENROLLED in Institute.

(Note #1: There is no data on actual attendance rates that I could find)

(Note #2: The years of my Seminary/Institute age have about half the 2012 enrollment rate or about 36% . This is in line with my memory.)

I have some further comments:    

1.  Alma Allred might be relating the “Utah experience” where the standards of the Church and Mormon culture are more the norm; thus, increasing Church, Seminary, and Institute attendance.
2. The seer stone information is more likely to be taught in Institute (and may only be found in an Institute manual, if at all—we’ll see). According to the 2011 Pew Research Study, 64% of US Mormons attended college but only 31% continued and received a degree.  Because only about 49% of 2012 Mormon college students enrolled in Institute, this means at best 32% (15% at worst) of 2012 Mormon college students MIGHT be taught about the seer stone in a hat assuming the teacher covers it. (Note that the percentages are worse as you go back in time.)

"Fun" Mormon Facts From the 2011 Pew Research Study:

• Mormons make up about 1.6% of the US pop. (1.7% in 2007). 
• Note: Christians made up 70.6% of US population (78.4% in 2007).
• 74% were born in the faith and 26% are converts.
• How important is religion in your life:
• 82%= important
• 13%= somewhat
•  4%= not at all
• 77% attend church weekly (and 67% say they are “very active”).
• I think this represents active Mormons.
• Activity rate in 1992 was 48% (Church source). 
• Activity rate in 2014 was 30% (Source). 
• 83% pray 1 or more times a day.
• 27% served missions (43% of men).
• 79% pay tithing.
• 65% hold a temple recommend (85% with “high religious commitment”). 
• On Polygamy:
•      86% said it is morally wrong (79% for sex between unmarried adults).
•        2% said it is morally acceptable (7% for sex between unmarried adults).
• On the BOM:
•      91% believe Joseph Smith translated by the BOM.
•            8%  believe Joseph Smith wrote the BOM.