Texas LDS deal with confusion

Deseret News ^ | 04/21/2008 | Ben Winslow

[JRochelle]

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Shortly after the raid began on the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch, a group of Mormon missionaries sat down to eat at a restaurant here. A man shouted out "compound!"

"There was this guy. He held up a knife and yelled at us," said Elder Tyler Duffy from Orem.

Some of the fallout from the raid on the YFZ Ranch is being felt by members and missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the FLDS Church is not connected in any way to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some Mormon faithful have said they feel they are being found guilty by association.

"There are some people here that believe anything bad about Mormons and that's what they're going to do," said Charles L. Webb, who serves as president of the Abilene, Texas, stake.

The LDS Church's presence in this part of Texas is small. The Abilene stake covers an area 25,000 square miles in size with about 3,000 members. There are only two LDS chapels in San Angelo, but a number of Baptist and other evangelical Christian churches. It's the polar opposite of Utah, where the LDS Church is the dominant faith.

In repeated statements, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have differentiated between the two faiths and expressed disappointment that some news media outlets have lumped the two together.

"Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often called Mormons, do not practice polygamy and they have not practiced polygamy for over a century," Elder Quentin L. Cook, an LDS apostle, said in a video clip the church recently posted on YouTube. The LDS Church has said there is no such thing as a "fundamentalist Mormon," although an estimated 37,000 people who practice it consider themselves as such. Fundamentalists argue that the LDS Church has strayed from its original doctrine by abandoning the practice of polygamy in 1890.

Here in the Bible belt, many LDS members have had to explain the differences in their faiths — the practice of polygamy being the chief example.

Clinton Hudson, a student at Sonora High School, is a member of a Christian student fellowship. During a lunchtime meeting, he said one student said they should pray for the children taken in the raid. Another student said they should "pray for the Mormons."

"I approached her and said, 'They're not Mormons. They're fundamentalists. They broke off from the church' and described our history and how they broke off. It really helped a lot," Hudson said Sunday. "It was a great opportunity to get them to understand there's a difference between them and us."

Not everyone is interested in hearing their explanations.

Duffy said he was speaking with a man interested in converting to the LDS Church. After the raid, the man gave them back a copy of the Book of Mormon, saying he did not want to hear from them again.

"He didn't even give us time to explain," Duffy said.

As they go door-to-door, the missionaries have had to alter their introductions a little to clarify the differences between the two faiths.

"We're not from the church in Eldorado, but we share this message," said Elder Nicolas Librandi, from Murray.

Some have lashed out at the missionaries, blaming polygamy and allegations of child-bride marriages on the LDS Church. But some say there is more interest in the mainstream church, and its message.

"The purposes of God won't be frustrated," said Elder Ryan Bartley, from Carmichael, Calif.

Webb said he has discouraged members from helping out in the name of the LDS Church to avoid confusion between the two faiths, but said they should offer their services as individuals. The local Baptist congregations have contracts to provide relief services in disaster situations.

San Angelo 2nd Ward Bishop Jeffrey Bushman was contacted by a chaplain helping the FLDS women when they were being housed at Fort Concho. The women had requested copies of the Book of Mormon.

He sent them some copies.

"They didn't have anything or bring anything with them, I guess, and they wanted some scriptures and they asked for the Book of Mormon," Bushman said. "I didn't mind. We don't ever mind giving out (copies of the) Book of Mormon to people."

[Zakeet]

Even Freepers like DelphUser agree [Smith] practiced polygamy and had sexual union with them.

It is my understanding some Community of Christ (RLDS) historians now admit Joseph strayed.

Frankly, the evidence is so compelling, the issue of Joseph's sexual perversions is settled with almost all reasonably educated third party individuals.

Proponents of the theory Joseph did not stray have been basically reduced to Bill Clinton's argument that, "It depends on what the meaning of the word IS is.

[Elsie]

Wow! So "Elsie-like!" (Is Elsie incarnating thru you today? LOL)

My wife says I should get BANNED for 3 days more often!

She was AMAZED at the work I could get done by not being on this computer all day!

[Elsie]

Well, what we have are a certain group of mainstream moron buttholes ....

I have suffered through interminable repeated posts by your pal Elsie over the past year or so and mine are NOTHING compared to the vile hypocracy coming from that keyboard.

[Elsie]

Baptist Polygamy.

[Elsie]

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

You left out the all imposrtant:

As long as they go along with what our GOD has said.

[Elsie]

Anyone who believes in Christ is a “Christian” to one degree or another.

KJV James 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

[SkyPilot]

Welcome back Elsie!

Thanks Admin Mod.

[Elsie]

My suggestion to you lame mainstreamers is this: if you can’t take the heat, learn to be civil.

[Graybeard58]

Welcome back.

[colorcountry]

Woo Hoo!!! Yer Back!!!

[Elsie]

We believe in the Bible, and much of our doctrine is the same as mainstream Christianity.

Yeah!!

What SHE said!

(At least in the parts that are translated correctly.)

The REST of our doctrine is made up of bits and pieces of our Beloved D&C's and our Temple Rites® come from GOD only knows where; for they sure are NOT described in ANY of our Scriptures.

--MormonDude(I wish headquarters would be more open about all of this...)

[Elsie]

Joseph smith was a great guy, baseless slander not with standing, however you guys are a poor johnny one note and it gets old.

Historical FACTS damn him though...

[Elsie]

I came out here to talk doctrine and I have now learned the truth:

FINALLY!!!

Someone who may shed some light on the illusive UNTRUEness of PRESBYTERIANISM that Joseph Smith described so long ago!

[Elsie]

Ehrman (not a Mormon) says there are about 30,000 inconsistencies...

WHO??

[Elsie]

Wouldn't that make it PolyBaptistry? LOL!

[Elsie]

He probably won't have time to read this either, so Oh well, but since I want to follow the rules and I'm talking about him, I'll ping him anyway.

All in the spirit of not being a jerk, I suppose...

[Elsie]

On the other hand, the passage in 1 John cited by most believers in the Nicene Creed, called the Johannine Comma, is now universally recognized as having been added hundreds of years after the fact by a monk.

And yet; it is still there today!

(Kinda like D&C 132 is STILL valid SCRIPTURE of the LDS Organization [and others])

[Elsie]

Are you aware...

I don't know that we teach that...

--MormonDude(I don't know a LOT of stuff that conflicts with my belief system.)

[Elsie]

 

It makes me laugh when you take it upon yourself to pronounce judgment on my immortal soul. It sounds ridiculous and presumptuous.

 

 

I just HATE when that happens!

 

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They succeeded in killing Joseph, but he had finished his work.

He was a servant of God, and gave us the Book of Mormon.

He said the Bible was right in the main, but, through the translators and others, many precious portions were suppressed, and several other portions were wrongly translated; and now his testimony is in force, for he has sealed it with his blood.

As I have frequently told them, no man in this dispensation will enter the courts of heaven, without the approbation of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun.

Who has made this so?

Have I?

Have this people?

Have the world?

No; but the Lord Jehovah has decreed it.

If I ever pass into the heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of the Prophet Joseph.

If you ever pass through the gates into the Holy City, you will do so upon his certificate that you are worthy to pass.

Can you pass without his inspection?

No; neither can any person in this dispensation, which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.

In this generation, and in all the generations that are to come, everyone will have to undergo the scrutiny of this Prophet.

They say that they killed Joseph, and they will yet come with their hats under their arms and bend to him; but what good will it do them, unless they repent?

They can come in a certain way and find favor, but will they?

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"If I ever pass into heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of Prophet Joseph"
--Brigham Young
--JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, vol. 8, p. 224

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[Elsie]

The Spirit has borne witness to me over and over that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the church of Christ restored, with the same priesthood that existed in the original church, the same ordinances, and the same doctrine.

 

 

Ya gotta watch them 'spirits'; as they can be VERY deceiving!!

 

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2 Corinthians 11:12-15
 12.  And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.
 13.  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
 14.  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
 15.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Like these fellows???

 

 

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/19#19

 

 

17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

 

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Galatians 1:6-9
 6.  I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--
 7.  which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
 8.  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!
 9.  As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

 

 

 

ANYBODY???

 

Like this fine looking fellow???