I said earlier:
Personally, I think that it’s just him trying to scare people away from Mormonism and into the arms of his brand of Christianity
Colofornian replied with:
There ya go again, trying to speak on my behalf as to what my motivations are. (What? Did I hire you as my spokesman?) Do you enjoy reading my mind?
I say now:
Sorry to have confused you Colorfornian with words like “I think.” I didn’t say anything was your motives, just what they could be. That is what “I think” means.
But what I find interesting is that while you accuse me of reading your mind AND declaring your motives as if I truly knew, you are doing the very same things to me. You declare, as a fact, what I am doing.
So Colofornian, before you try removing the mote you believe is in my eye, please, please, please, please, look at what might be in your eye.
Colofornian finally lets go with a screaming fit:
IF YOU THINK I SHOULD BE MORE FORWARD ABOUT THE ‘SIN IN THE CAMP’ OF CHRISTIANS, THEN, PLEASE, I SIMPLY REQUEST THAT YOU SET THE EXAMPLE FOR ME; START POSTING THREADS ABOUT LDS SCANDALS.
I, terrified and quivering in my boots, reply:
Hmmm, you rant and rave about us Mormon and you only post article about how terrible we are and still refuse to say word one to anybody about the skeletons in your closet. You hold us to one standard, but hold your own to a different standard.
If you haven’t noticed Mr. “Let’s Expose Our Neighbors’ Sins To the World and Hide All The Good Things They Do, While Doing Just the Exact Opposite for Us,” you seem very much a hypocrite to me by your actions.
You ask me to talk with you, but which is better, to talk to somebody or to watch their actions. Actions speak louder and clearer than words. You want me to do the same as you, but I really have no desire to do that. I don’t look pointing out the evils of others or what I deem as their evils very often and very seldom do.
The simple fact that you only talk about the evils of Mormons and never say word one about the evils of “true” Christians© nor do you ever say anything about the good things Mormons do point to an probable underlying layer of anger and/or hatred of Mormons with a good heap of fear thrown in.
BTW, “worry” can mean “to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts.” It can also mean “to be concerned for.”
BTW, have you ever thought about pinging me or do I have to ping you?
Urroner. Please. My point was simple on this. If you speaking about me (mentioning me, as you were in your post to svcw)...it's simply common internet courtesy to also ping the person you're talking about. You didn't. If I didn't review that thread, I wouldn't know it, and in some cases, it can lead to talking about another "behind their back" -- tantamount to gossip. That's not so hard to ask, is it?
The simple fact that you only talk about the evils of Mormons and never say word one about the evils of “true” Christians© nor do you ever say anything about the good things Mormons do point to an probable underlying layer of anger and/or hatred of Mormons with a good heap of fear thrown in.
You know, I've asked you and suggested repeatedly that you quit superimposing motives within me. You don't know my heart. The Bible says only God knows the inside of us -- that man looks only upon the outward part -- but only God knows the inside. Please, I ask you again, in this way, to follow the Bible you say you subscribe to (1 Sam. 16:7). Don't your guesswork about additional motivations as applicable to me. I don't hate Mormons; I have Mormon family.
They've been very nice to me. They are great people relationally. The Lord loves them, just like He loves you. You -- and them -- and all Mormons -- are people of great value whom the Lord proved your worth by dying on the cross for you. I am not angry. No Mormon has betrayed me. There's no bitterness. There's no revenge motive. Nothing of the sort.
If you look at whom the Lord practiced "tough love" upon, it was the Pharisees and legalistic teachers & scribes. He comforted the afflicted; and afflicted the religiously comfortable. He did not go to the Gentiles; He kept His focus on the lost children of Israel; but then sent His disciples to a broader circle.
Likewise, if you want to know why I focus primarily on Lds at this stage of my life, well, just ask yourself: "How many Lds missionaries spend 30 hours a week in one state and 30 hours in the same week in another state? Colofornian finally lets go with a screaming fit:
Hey, I concede I was loud & boistrous (screaming, no) -- and I did say "PLEASE."
As to how I respond to "closeted" scandalous behavior among Christians, #1, don't assume FR is my only venue of providing feedback. (It's a misguided assumption). #2, as I indicated, when the closet may be in our own house, we deal with it best by going directly to the person. (I'm not going to rent the Goodyear Blimp & send a message that way, or rent a plane to fly across the sky carrying a banner).
YOU are the one who keeps urging me to air dirty laundry within the Christian community -- yet I don't see Mormons airing dirty laundry within the Mormon community. You keep urging me to commit to an action that you yourself refuse to assume. Hence, that is a double standard -- sheer hypocrisy. (Bottom line: Don't ask people to do something you are not willing to do yourself)
You have now, by mentioning that Lafayette youth pastor and the ELCA denomination, attempted to air out our Christian closets. (Therefore, doesn't that also deserve you airing out a proportionate "single" airing of dirty laundry in the Mormon church?) If not, why not? You say I do one side, but not the other. Well, what about you? You've done one side, now are you going to do the other?
YOU are the one who says there should be "balanced coverage." Since this is YOUR standard (not mine), you should practice what you preach and follow that standard.
Bottom line, Urroner, you know as well as I do that both versions of the gospel -- Christian and Mormon -- involve calling people to repentance. When sin is in the camp, you call people to repentance.
You don't know my history. So don't assume I haven't had my "seasons" of calling Christians to repentance (past, present or future).
A future Mormon missionary may be somebody on the BYU campus who attempts to be a "spiritual sparkplug" and challenges fellow roommates to repentance. If he leaves on a mission for two years, it would be utterly ridiculous to accuse him of, "Hey, Elder XYZ, why don't you go back to Provo and challenge your fellow students to repentance there! Stop being a hyprocrite. Be consistent!"
#1, he already was; and #2, who's to say he won't when he returns? But for two years, he is in a distinct "season" of focus.
Can't you understand that? Why is this such a difficult concept for you to embrace? Why does it bother you so much that you don't know my complete life? Are you just so itching to know so that you can complete your judgment of me?