Female missionaries mugged at gunpoint

[CQUIRK]

Here.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Richmond County investigators are looking for an armed robber after two women said they were mugged in South Augusta Saturday evening.

The two women say they were preaching on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the 2300 block of Winston Way when they approached a man and talked to him about behind baptized, according to an incident report filed with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.

The women say the man pulled out a pistol and demanded their purses. He made off with a cellphone, digital camera, credit cards, cash, a Bible and a Book of Mormon, according to the incident report.

The women said the man ran off through the Winston Arms Condominiums. They told deputies they were not sure if they wanted to press charges.

[Mordecai]

The women say the man pulled out a pistol and demanded their purses. He made off with a cellphone, digital camera, credit cards, cash, a Bible and a Book of Mormon, according to the incident report.

The good news is, he made off with a Bible and Book of Mormon.

[TAO]

The good news is, he made off with a Bible and Book of Mormon.

Who knows, maybe he'll read it... and if so... maybe he'll apologize 0.o

[The Nehor]

Well, my Mission got a baptism when a guy came to the Church parking lot to steal car stereos to support his drug habit. Stranger things have happened.

[Avatar4321]

The good news is, he made off with a Bible and Book of Mormon.

I wonder if he knew that they would have given him those without the need to resort to robbery

[LDS Guy 1986]

Thank the Lord that the Sister Missionaries were not hurt and I applaud there compassion in not seeking to press charges against there unknown assailant.

[emeliza]

Out of curiousity, do the missionaries now have a credit card they keep for gas and such? That would make sense, but I honestly never thought about it before.

[Judd]

Out of curiousity, do the missionaries now have a credit card they keep for gas and such? That would make sense, but I honestly never thought about it before.

They should have a card for gas, but I would presume that's to be kept in the car. I served in the states ('04-'06) and we received our monthly allotment via card. I would only presume that's still the case.

[Mordecai]

Thank the Lord that the Sister Missionaries were not hurt and I applaud there compassion in not seeking to press charges against there unknown assailant.

Not pressing charges? That sounds like a terrible idea. The dude pulled a gun on them.

[Avatar4321]

Not pressing charges? That sounds like a terrible idea. The dude pulled a gun on them.

And let the incident distract them from their missionary work even more?

Not to mention we are supposed to be turning the other cheek. How is pressing charges fulfilling that commandment?

[dirtius maximus]

Not to mention we are supposed to be turning the other cheek. How is pressing charges fulfilling that commandment?

why wouldn't this mean that Christian societies should have no laws. The State prosecutes the offense that was dealt the people, so in a Christian society, the State, representing the Christian people, should turn the other cheek.

But as Joseph Smith wrote in the Doctrine and Covenants offense should be dealt with according to the offense.

[thesometimesaint]

Avatar4321:

Turning the other cheek is not a requirement to be a punching bag.

[emeliza]

Not pressing charges? That sounds like a terrible idea. The dude pulled a gun on them.

I think they said they didn't know if they were pressing charges. My guess is that they needed to talk to the Mission President about it all and since the person hasn't been caught yet, they aren't sure.

[bluebell]

They should have a card for gas, but I would presume that's to be kept in the car. I served in the states ('04-'06) and we received our monthly allotment via card. I would only presume that's still the case.

Our gas card was kept in the car as well, but we had debit cards in our names so we could access our funds and i wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't the type of card that was taken. You never know though.

[Avatar4321]

Is it any wonder we haven't learned to turn the other cheek as a society?

Individuals have. Mahatma Gandhi is a hero of mine and he learned to turn the other cheek from the Words of the Master. When people attacked him, he would go out of his way to make sure the charges were not pressed.

Obviously, the state can do what they choose to punish such crimes. But I don't see how turning the other cheek is and deciding not to press charges makes you a punching bag.

[Mordecai]

Obviously, the state can do what they choose to punish such crimes. But I don't see how turning the other cheek is and deciding not to press charges makes you a punching bag.

This guy could kill someone next time. He's dangerous. That's why you press charges. Besides, if people think missionaries don't press charges, they'll get mugged even more.

[TAO]

I'm with Avatar on this one. Yes, this guy was armed and dangerous. But we as church members really should realizes what the effect of giving the man a second chance might have on him. Because it might have a big one. Let's hope it does.

[Calm]

I think the sisters missionaries should have another chance to talk with him at which time (assuming he is caught) they can then decide whether or not to press charges. We don't know if the guy has a history of this or whether he just decided it was too good of an opportunity to miss thinking that missionaries would be pushovers (including not pressing charges).

I think we should also take into account the police and being kind to them, if this is a man they've had to deal with before, spent time and effort and put their lives at risk tracking down and arresting, is it christlike to dismiss their efforts by refusing to press charges?

Perhaps the sisters can work out a deal with the man...he reads the Bible and Book of Mormon to their satisfaction, does some community service for the police or neighbourhood and they 'turn the other cheek'. Win, win.

[USU78]

I learned on my mission the problematic nature of religious communication with prisoners. I won't share the details, but our correspondence proved fruitless from a proselytizing standpoint and of, at best, minimal usefulness from a humanitarian/service/etc. standpoint.

I share another's anecdote:

Missionaries in European town are contacted by mail by local jail inmate. They do not get any background information (being young and naive) on the correspondent, but write letters, send religious literature and books (beginning with the BoM), and arrange to make visits. After the inmate is released it becomes clear that he has another agenda than religious enlightenment. He is on the make and likes 'em young and naive.

Caused a real big stir back in the '70s, thought probably nobody will remember it. I remember it because of its parallels with my own experience.

My point?

Be more than cautious here: Some drugged-up and over-armed street thug commits a first degree felony on you, you do NOT mess around with it. They're first degree felonies for a reason. People can end up dead but for the narrowest of marginal chances. G-d granted these girls protection. Let's not tempt His anger by putting ourselves or others willfully in harm's way.

[Mordecai]

Let's not tempt His anger by putting ourselves or others willfully in harm's way.

Good scriptural reference. I think this is quite applicable. This guy is dangerous, so get him off the street. What kind of person pulls a gun on sister missionaries? Probably someone very hardened and, like you said, could be on drugs and his brain doesn't even work right. Should the sisters show him kindness and not hold a grudge? Obviously, we know the answer to that. Should he go to prison? I'm going to say the answer to that is also obvious. Too dangerous to let him go free.

[Avatar4321]

Is it tempting God to turn the other cheek and trust in Him?

[Walden]

This guy could kill someone next time. He's dangerous. That's why you press charges. Besides, if people think missionaries don't press charges, they'll get mugged even more.

How does one press charges against an unknown assailant?

[USU78]

Is it tempting God to turn the other cheek and trust in Him?

I was thinking about the guy stuck on top of his house in a flood praying for rescue, who later turns down the rowboat, motorboat, and helicopter . . . who later drowns and who, when he meets his Maker, asks Him why He did not rescue him . . . whereupon the Maker said, "What do you mean? I sent you a rowboat, a motorboat, and a helicopter."

Yeah.

Something like that.

[Avatar4321]

I was thinking about the guy stuck on top of his house in a flood praying for rescue, who later turns down the rowboat, motorboat, and helicopter . . . who later drowns and who, when he meets his Maker, asks Him why He did not rescue him . . . whereupon the Maker said, "What do you mean? I sent you a rowboat, a motorboat, and a helicopter."

Yeah.

Something like that.

I don't think the two are even slightly comparable.

I really don't think it's tempting God to turn the other Cheek and forgive those who hurt us, even if they put our life in danger. In fact, I think it's putting more faith in God.

[USU78]

I don't think the two are even slightly comparable.

I really don't think it's tempting God to turn the other Cheek and forgive those who hurt us, even if they put our life in danger. In fact, I think it's putting more faith in God.

We're talking about 2 different things, as I suspected.

I was responding to the notion that the lady missionaries should seek this maroon out and, thereby, willfully put themselves yet again in harm's way after G-d saw fit to deflect mortal danger from them the last time they encountered it. Willfully to seek it out after previously being saved therefrom by G-d is to tempt His anger.

Forgive?

Of course. Who said anything about not forgiving.