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Dear Colofornian,

As a Catholic, I may have a different perception of this than you have.

For us, “proselytize” can be a pejorative term. In Russia, some time after the fall of communism, we established diocesan structures for our Church, and for this and other “offenses” we have been accused of “proselytization.” We admit that we're happy if someone comes to Catholic faith in Russia, and enters into our communion, but we don't think that what we're doing is nefarious, and as the connotation of “proselytization” is that it is nefarious, we reject the label out of hand.

Yet, there are Orthodox Christians, including perhaps folks here at FR who DO think that our actions are nefarious, and thus accuse us thusly.

Are we happy to gain converts and others who wish to come into full communion with our Church? Certainly. But we don't think that what we're doing is evil, we don't think that we're using evil means, and thus, we reject that label.

I kinda doubt that most Mormons think that they're doing something evil in trying to share their faith and bring others to it. So, they might reject terms that label their actions as nefarious.

You may disagree with them. And, it may be that you're objectively correct, and their methods ARE nefarious.

Yet, they may not be persuaded of that.

I will say that my own experience with LDS missionaries is that they've always been:

- polite;
- upfront;
- willing to stand and own their own beliefs when I name them.

As well, without exception, I've never worked or done business with a Mormon who hasn't been:

- hardworking;
- scrupulously honest in all work and business dealings;
- fair;
- reliable.

The experience of others may differ, but there it is.

So, having experienced real decency in my own personal dealings with members of the LDS religion, it's a tough sell to me to say that they're all liars when it comes to religion.

They all believe a REALLY WHACKY RELIGION that has always made me laugh (I visited my first LDS stakehouse when I was perhaps around 10 years old, with my father. We laughed all the way home. I've actually been to Salt Lake City, looked at the presentations the Mormons make of themselves to us non-Mormons. I used to actually know a fair bit about the religion.). I don't take seriously the claims of Joseph Smith. I don't actually believe that he had special specs to read gold plates or tablets or whatever. I don't actually believe that Jesus was in North America, or that there were ancient Hebrew tribes here in North America, or that God was once a man like us and through dint of hard work & superior efforts got to be God, I don't believe that the LDS religion is even monotheistic, no less Christian, I don't believe that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers, etc., etc., etc.

But heck, I don't believe in the Lord Krishna, either, but I've known, met, and loved any number of Hindus. And I don't call them liars because they actually DO believe in the Lord Krishna.

sitetest

I kinda doubt that most Mormons think that they're doing something evil in trying to share their faith and bring others to it. So, they might reject terms that label their actions as nefarious. You may disagree with them. And, it may be that you're objectively correct, and their methods ARE nefarious. Yet, they may not be persuaded of that.

Sitetest...one of the interesting pheonomena that seems to occur among some non-Mormons on Mormon FR threads is...
...some will come in on a Mormon scandal thread, and say nary a word about the victim(s), but they'll talk as if they're an advocate or PR agent for the Mormon perp caught up in the crime...
...or some will come in on a thread where Mormon theology is being critiqued and they'll accuse some of us of "bashing" no matter what the tone or attitude is...if it's negative at all, they'll wonder why you aren't taking on the Muslims, the liberals, the Dems, whoever.

And so, at times, I'll ask them the "consistency" Q:
"Tell me, do you rush into threads where a public school male educator has been arrested for a sex crime vs. a female student & start defending that educator? No? Why not? Where's your sense of consistency?"

Or I'll say, "Hey, the Mormon church has been badly bashing Christianity for 180 years with their billion $ budgets and multi-media venues at their disposal. And yet, instead of contacting Salt Lake City HQ to give feedback on their scorched-earth religio-politics, you scold us -- a mere handful of posters?"

So, based on your comments, it's time to ask you a similar Q: What if I essentially repeated back some of your words to you...only changed the group we were talking about (words in italics are yours):

I kinda doubt that most liberal journalists think that they're doing something evil in trying to share their worldviews often imbedded in their articles. So, they might reject terms that label their actions as nefarious. You may disagree with them. And, it may be that you're objectively correct, and their methods ARE nefarious. Yet, they may not be persuaded of that.

My "consistency" Q for you: Do you occasionally go into FR threads where the liberal MSM is being "bashed" and torn asunder, and defend them similarly to your words highlighted above? If an ex-MSM Journalist wrote an article about "Ten Lies" he used to tell as a lib journalist, do you feel the need to accuse the journalist himself of lying in how he's presenting the MSM?

No? If not, why not?

I mean, c'mon...you've now gone on record saying the Mormon faith is "goofy" and "whacky." Certainly much of the MSM worldview is "goofy" and "whacky." Do you feel similarly compelled to be an MSM advocate of their goofy, whacky pet agenda?