What a supercilious post!
Posted on 02/12/2010 8:29:49 AM PST by colorcountry
I asked for it.
My column last week was met with an overwhelming response from active Latter-day Saints, objective religious observers and fervent anti-Mormons. It made its way onto several message boards and blogs, sparking discussions that ran the gamut from the insightful and constructive to the snarky and fruitless.
All in all, the column -- in which I encouraged Mormon readers to genuinely ask aggressors why they so dislike the church and its members -- garnered hundreds of replies. There was no way I could have responded to every message.
Still, many of their responses were insightful and, I believe, important for Latter-day Saints to hear. I struggled with whether I should post them in my column because, after all, I am an active, believing Mormon writing for other active, believing Mormons. But ultimately I determined I would be remiss if I asked a question in this column without providing any of the answers.
I should say now that I definitely do not agree with or accept every assertion made in the following comments. But I do believe they are opinions that are held by many sincere, reasonable people, and that means we should take notice
The purpose of sharing these comments is not to discourage the faith of active Latter-day Saints. Rather, it is intended to be an education to those of us who hope to change others' opinions and perceptions of our church.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
"If you want respect, respect others. Respect my time and understand that the intrusion of missionaries, pushy or otherwise, is an encroachment on my time. I don't appreciate having missionaries trying to strike up a conversation on the street that inevitably leads to debate. I have my beliefs ... among which is that the Mormon Church is false. I don't want to talk about it in a conversation that ends up in a mental battle over who got in the final word and who happens to be right. If I say 'no' I mean it. Don't try striking up the conversation from a different angle. Simply say 'OK,' say something nice like, 'Have a nice day,' smile and go about your business."
JUDGE NOT THAT YE BE NOT JUDGED
"So, about a year ago, I decided to read the Book of Mormon one more time, and pray about it, just like an investigator would. ...
"What do I hate? When I share that story with a member (usually someone I trust) and they tell me that God didn't answer my prayers after years of questioning and studying and, yeah, pleading for guidance because 1) I wasn't sincere enough, 2) I wasn't worthy enough, 3) I wasn't listening hard enough, or 4) I'm a liar.
"You see, none of these faithful members know my heart, yet despite a 'divine' commandment to 'judge not,' or to 'judge not unrighteous judgments' that's exactly what they do."
THREATENING THEIR BELIEF SYSTEM
"As a non-member, I can offer you a few thoughts concerning this subject. For starters 'they' are taught to hate you. Mormons do not fit the 'traditional' definition of Christianity as understood by several of the predominant denominations. As a youth I was raised Roman Catholic. It was taught at that time (mid- to late '50s) that if you were not Catholic you were a follower of the devil and would automatically be condemned to hell. ...
"One thing the so-called traditional faiths share is a belief in the New Testament of the Bible as their sole source of religious inspiration. They also share a common resentment of anyone who challenges that belief system.
"Now arriving is the Latter-day Saints, the Mormons, newcomers to the religious community with a new book of spiritual inspiration that is outside of the traditionally accepted realm of truths. It most certainly does not 'fit in' with long-accepted dogma. With your aggressive pursuit of growth and well-funded expansion 'they' feel threatened.
"Unfortunately, as with any new challenge to one's beliefs, if it doesn't reinforce the belief system of the established traditional congregation, they fear it.
"As to 'Why do they hate us?' I can only suggest that you haven't convinced 'them' of the truth of your message. But take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. 'They' challenge each other as vigorously as they challenge you for the right to claim exclusive rights to understanding our creation and our place in a spiritual kingdom."
(Excerpted)
The FOOL and all the LURKERS notice that you have no answer for the PRESBYTERIAN question.
Who cares Johnny one note!
Congratulations!
You just won a new set of undergarmies for being the 1,000th user of the word of the month: PROGRESSIVE!
Stop by any ZCMI today and recieve your gift!
And I am the Fool?
PSST!
The PRIVATE REPLY tab is just to the RIGHT of the POST REPLY one.
Yes I did serve a mission for the LDS Church because I believe in the message of my Church and wanted to share it with others.
If people wanted to listen I was happy to talk about my faith. We’d get into discussions, but I tried very hard to avoid being mean-spirited and offensive.
If people are satisfied with their own beliefs, even if I might disagree on some points, I think they should have the freedom to live and practice as they please. And I will try to be kind and helpful and friendly towards every one.
I think that was what Christ was trying to teach us in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
ttt
What a supercilious post!
Resty,
I still like you, but we will have to disagree.
Why, you might ask? Here are some comments below.
“It is the Tradition of men that is doing the denying!”
Since you are the mainstream LDS, it is you who are the mainstream! The “traditions of men” are in full force in
mormonism, since most of it cannot be found in the Bible.
“A gospel dispensation is a period of time in which the Lord has at least one authorized servant on the earth who bears the keys of the holy priesthood.”
Umm, could you point to one verse that says what you just
wrote? In the Bible, I mean. Because it isn’t there. In other
words, it is the Traditions of LDS Men that say it, not God.
“Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, and others have each started a new gospel dispensation.”
Demonstrably false. The Gospel came through Jesus Christ alone.
“When the Lord organizes a dispensation, the gospel is revealed anew so that the people of that dispensation do not have to depend on past dispensations for knowledge of the plan of salvation.”
Can you show me that in the Bible? A verse or more that actually
says that? It isn’t there, resty, which means you are following
the Traditions of Men.
“The dispensation begun by Joseph Smith is known as the “dispensation of the fulness of times.”
This is simply an assumption, resty - an assumption that God
had anything to do with Joseph Smith. I know He chose ordinary
people to be prophets, but the ones He chose were not dishonest,
vile people like Mr. Smith.
“when the Lord Jesus Christ to annoits His prophet and restores the priesthood as mention of the restitution of all things in Acts 3, just keep listening to your Tradition of Men! AMPU”
Can you point me to one verse in the Bible that says what you
just wrote? One. Unfortunately, this is simply an LDS Tradition
that is without Biblical support. Jesus Christ is not coming
to “anoint his prophet” or to “restore the priesthood”.
“The Church of Jesus Chrsit of Latter Day Saints is once again on earth. Ye are the children of the prophets!”
Since it was never on earth to begin with, you are wrong here
too.
Still, I like you as always.
All the best,
ampu
1 Cor 11:16 et al,
Resty, why are you posting verses about the proper way
to celebrate the Lord’s Supper? You lost me there.
Best,
ampu
resty, your feeding your mind junk.
Trinitarian Monotheism is the view that there is only one God, but within this one God are three distinct yet equal persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (“trinitas” means “three”).
Latter-day Saints are not polytheists in any reasonable sense of the term that does not also exclude most other Christians who deny the Modalist heresy.
Polytheism is the belief in and/or worship of multiple deities, called gods and/or goddesses. Of course it is mormons who continue to mis-define the doctrine of the Trinity - in the local vernacular - FAIRLDS lies. Note the definition again - belief in - doesn't matter if you only 'WORSHIP' just on of them.
See I, and the others, have reality on my side.
For example Christ is not a subordinate “god” to a separate god whom is his father and one of many other gods through out the galaxy ala Zeus and Apollo and the gods of Olympus.
Second, Christ is not Satan's brother.
Third God doesn't lie or tell stories of fantasy lands that cannot be proven, he deals in reality and is straight forward and complete in the information he gives real prophets.
I could go on, but I don't like running up the score board.
However it is a laughable irony that a Mormon would say anything about vanity given there claim to being the “one true church” and the only true keepers of the “gospel”. That is worth a chuckle...
Wow...since no one has used the word hate here, it sure is obvious that this is a thread full of love.
ttt
Have you counted the removed posts?
Yeah, I didn’t think so.
No, I didn’t count every one, although I did note there were a lot of them. Since they were removed, how would I have known what they said?
I didn’t think so either.
You must be someone full of love.
It wouldn't be right to "hate" anyone who is duped into a cult which was clearly created by a con man; a man named Joe Smith who was only in "religion" for the cash and for stealing other men's wives.
Many mormon cultists have broken free.
Here's the full truth on mormonism:
and
Same as with most disruptors, they're only in it to hear their own “greatness”.
(LOL)
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