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?
Colofornian, you have asked me to treat you with respect and quit superimposing motives upon your actions, but your actions are superimposing motives upon me just being a Mormon AND a Christian. Why should I treat you any better than you treat me?
By only posting articles about Mormon or probable Mormons who do bad things, you are stating that Mormons are bad.
Colofornian said:
#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).
I say:
You say that you don’t want to air the family’s closet in public, but at the same time you say that there are Mormons in your family. There is a disconnect in there somewhere Colofornian.
You said:
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?
I ask:
What are you talking about?
Colofornian said:
YOU are the one who keeps urging me to air dirty laundry within the Christian community...
I say:
The only reason I say anything about you airing dirty Christian© laundry is because you seem to think that by airing dirty Mormon laundry is helping your cause. It isn’t.
Colofornian said”
Bottom line, Urroner, you know as well as I do that both versions of the gospel — Christian and Mormon...
I say:
You forgot to put the “©” after Christian.
Colofornian said:
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?
I say:
Tell you what Colofornian, you stop itching to judge me and mine and then I will return the favor. You have judged me and found me wanting. I have applied the same standards to you and, by these same standards, you have been found wanting also. Of course, I think those standards are silly. It’s not the Bible standards you are judging me by, the standards you impose upon me are “your interpretation of the Bible and your own concept of God” standards and before you go off, lambasting me for being a silly Mormon who doesn’t understand God nor the Bible, and how my standards are all screwy simply because I’m Mormon, I suffer from the same problems. This is why I don’t go around trying to find skeletons in other people’s closets.
If you would just take a breath and look at most of my posts, I am not judging you nor your beliefs, rather I judge the way you are trying to get your point across, IOW, it’s about the weakness in your arguments.