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Re:People aged 80 and over top 10% of Japan's population for... by rayiner on Monday September 18, 2023 @02:34PM (#37560136)
Mormon society is well-functioning for the same reason that Japanese society is well-functioning. People share common values and culture which enables a high-level of social reinforcement of societal rules and norms. The Japanese realize that immigration would destroy their society. The Mormons don't, but that doesn't make it any less true.

I find your use of the term "gross" inexplicable. Are you positing that you can have a high trust, high cohesion, orderly society that accepts lots of immigrants? If so, show me one. Otherwise, your position seems to be that immigration is a moral requirement in and of itself, regardless of the consequences it has for societal order.

Re:People aged 80 and over top 10% of Japan's population for... by Tor3 on Monday September 18, 2023 @03:12PM (#37560618)
I'm really scratching my head at the comparison of Mormon society and Japanese society. Have you tried living in Japan?
Re:People aged 80 and over top 10% of Japan's population for... by rayiner on Monday September 18, 2023 @03:36PM (#37560914)
I’m neither Mormon nor Japanese, so no. But I have visited Utah and Japan, and know quite a few people from both cultures. They share many common characteristics. (As someone from a different part of Asia, Mormons are the most relatable white people to me in terms of the relationship between individuals and society.)
Re:People aged 80 and over top 10% of Japan's population for... by akerl_ on Monday September 18, 2023 @04:50PM (#37561850)
Isn’t one of the basic tenants of the Mormon community sending their people out to find other people and merging those people into their society?
Re:People aged 80 and over top 10% of Japan's population for... by freedomben on Monday September 18, 2023 @05:30PM (#37562352)
No, not anymore at least. The church used to in its early days (mid 19th century) encourage immigration to Utah (aka "Zion"), but many years ago they declared that "gathering of Zion" should take place where people already are.

Modern-day missionaries try to build up the local church where they are. Some people do end up wanting to emigrate to Utah, but this is not something the Church encourages.

Re:People aged 80 and over top 10% of Japan's population for... by freedomben on Monday September 18, 2023 @05:31PM (#37562370)
FWIW, I was Mormon for many years and grew up (partly) in Utah, and I agree with your analysis.
Re:People aged 80 and over top 10% of Japan's population for... by skissane on Monday September 18, 2023 @06:07PM (#37562758)
> The Japanese realize that immigration would destroy their society. The Mormons don't, but that doesn't make it any less true.

Go back to the 19th century, and the LDS Church was heavily involved in encouraging people to convert to their religion and immigrate to Utah. Many of their missionaries in Europe were not just seeking converts, but also immigrants.

Nowadays, the LDS Church doesn't put any great emphasis on encouraging their overseas flock to immigrate to Utah. But if they changed their mind about that, I doubt LDS immigrants from Asia or Latin America would destroy the society of Mormon Utah, any more than 19th century European Mormon immigrants did. If anything, I think it would be less destructive than US intrastate migration of non-Mormons into Utah, which has been going on for a long time now.