(And I don't know why you assume, wintertime, that the body that sends out 60,000 of its own missionaries each year -- not to mention many retired LDS folks and part-time proselytizing activity by many thousands of others -- is not worthy of having missionary & evangelistic efforts geared toward them. You're not suggesting a one-way street, are you?)
Also have you not read about the apostle Paul's and Apollos efforts to evangelize the religious in Acts 17, Acts 18, and Acts 19? Did they not go to where these religious folks hung out on a frequent basis?
Very good point, and I **agree** with you!
In an early post I mentioned marketing.
Have you noticed that you will find very few advertisements that mention the name of the competing product? In reading most ads one would have the impression that the advertised product was the only brand available in the world.
I think Christian missionary efforts would be far more effective if we extolled the wonderfulness of our religious belief. It is wonderful, isn't it? Everyone would be attracted to know more about the Gospel ( including Mormons) if they knew what we Christians believed and what your specific denomination preaches.
We should then use the tactic of successful marketers. Ignore the competition, definitely not arouse curiosity about the competitors by mentioning their name or beliefs, and present our Christianity message as if nothing else would even enter a person's mind.
Essential these Mormon threads have the drum beat of explaining how wrong Mormonism is. Geeze! Do you think Mormons would be persuaded to join a group that is constantly telling them they are wrong, deluded, misguided, or that Utah has the highest percentage of “X” moral problem? I don't think so. Essentially, these Mormons are being told they are stupid.
The better tactic is to **expect** all non-Christians to be SMART and intelligent and to treat them that way. If we present the “wonderfulness” of our Christian belief. People are smart enough to recognize it.
I will give an example:
One of my patients was a highly ranked minister in a well-know mainline Christian denomination. He said that membership in the U.S. was dropping but that in Africa the missionary effort was exploding in growth with many strong and faithful members.
“Gee! Why?”, I asked.
He said that in Africa the choice is plain! One can be a Christian or a barbarian. Christianity is by **far** the better choice.
Please see my tag line. Christianity is a GOOD idea! Because people are NOT stupid!
If the only thing that the people who are opposed to Mormonism do is harp on Mormonisms flaws they are sending the subtle message to them that they are stupid.....but...worse! They are not giving them the maximum opportunity to hear the GOOD IDEA of Christianity and specifically that of **your** denomination.
On too many of these threads I have absolutely no idea what religion the poster is practicing in his personally life. The only message that is coming through is that Mormonism is wrong.
That Mormonism is wrong is NOT a good enough reason to become a Christian of any denomination. People need to know what it is about your (or my) denomination that is such and absolutely terrific idea that they ( being smart) would naturally join it. Of course!