Hi II
When the LDS show a little out of character the nemesis are the first to call us on it, while they 24/7 pound on the LDS and the Church.
The LDS have to strive to keep the natural man in check as those who profess to be Christian do everything that is contrary as to how to treat your fellow man.
At no time did Jesus teach to bash those you disagree with, but in their mind this is how they justify their behavior.
I love the “clean hand theory” of course no one is perfect but some here get away with their ugly ness because the mods paints all with this broad brush!
There have been many observers who have posted on the open RF to mods how one sided this seems which seems to fall on death ears!
anyways thank for your support II!
****At no time did Jesus teach to bash those you disagree with, but in their mind this is how they justify their behavior.***
But Jesus did say this...Did he use sweet words?
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Mat 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Of course "bash" is your word meant to replace what more often goes on similar to the days of Paul and Apollos...You say "bash"...
...We say...
vigorous disagreement/dialog,
refutation,
disputation (Acts 17:17; Acts 19:8),
reasoning (Acts 18:4),
bold speaking (Acts 18:26; Acts 19:8),
persuading (Acts 18:4, 13; Acts 19:8),
teaching diligently to less-than-hospitable people (Acts 18:25)
May I encourage all of you, LDS & non-LDS alike, to take to heart what Paul would do on REGULAR basis -- go to where the religious folks hang out and do -- or receive -- the above!
Certainly, we all -- me included -- need reminders to watch our tone to some degree. But continue to be consistent like Paul & Apollos..."show up" to boldly converse like they did.
And those who represent the 60,000-Mormon missionary force has no cause to complain...they put their young folks on our front porches. Just consider these posts your Mormon neighbor porches -- as well the porches where those LDS missionaries are going to show up. (Some lurkers on these threads will one day open the door to an LDS missionary, and you are equipping them as well)
I think LDS are worth thousands and millions of conversations because God loves them so dearly. And I won't apologize for taking the time to speak the truth to them...because that's yet another way of loving them.