Robert F. Smith Posted June 15, 2013 Posted June 15, 2013 This came out almost a month ago. Some older members here might be interested in the blog post and comments at the David Waltz blog, Articuli Fidei, which also has comments from yours truly, and another LDS friend, tOm, who used to post here frequently.http://articulifidei...ians.html#linksVery nice, Rory,Thank you.
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted June 15, 2013 Posted June 15, 2013 http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/may/what-can-christian-leaders-learn-from-surge-in-mormon-youth.html?start=1They are completely wrong on our missionary motivations. But it's interesting to see that our efforts are being noticed.In answer to thread question...example, even though it cannot be copied by any faith on earth today. A full time youth force such as ours would take a 100 years or more to begin to produce such a force in the world. It takes time and generations of believers.
Stargazer Posted June 16, 2013 Posted June 16, 2013 Great! Just as long as they spell our name correctly. That's L D S
EllenMaksoud Posted June 16, 2013 Posted June 16, 2013 Yeah. My experience in the Midwest with EVs was not very good. I don't ever remember an LDS Sermon berating EVs, but the local EV congregations not only put on anti-Mormon seminars, but would periodically publish attack editorials. I have no problem with the concept that the Jesus and the Heavenly Father we worship are different than the Trinity worshipped by the EVs. We should just accept that and move on.I never stopped to fully analyze who in the christian fold would be EV. My experience was with Baptists, Community Churches,4 Square, and the showy, often hateful TV preachers. I did get thown out, but by then I was glad they did. The Judgementalisim, Shunning, and hatefullness, still is a cause for the lack of ease when ...
Stone holm Posted June 16, 2013 Posted June 16, 2013 I never stopped to fully analyze who in the christian fold would be EV. My experience was with Baptists, Community Churches,4 Square, and the showy, often hateful TV preachers. I did get thown out, but by then I was glad they did. The Judgementalisim, Shunning, and hatefullness, still is a cause for the lack of ease when ...Calvary Temple was usually particularly vicious in the Midweast, along occasionally with Church of Christ. But you also saw the nonEVs like the Lutherans putting on lectures condemning us as a cult. The JWs who normally got attacked along with us, had a laundry list of anti-Mormon talking points for whenever they tracted out Mormons , but I found them fun to talk to and they never ran editorials against us or denounced us in their brochures.
EllenMaksoud Posted June 16, 2013 Posted June 16, 2013 Calvary Temple was usually particularly vicious in the Midweast, along occasionally with Church of Christ. But you also saw the nonEVs like the Lutherans putting on lectures condemning us as a cult. The JWs who normally got attacked along with us, had a laundry list of anti-Mormon talking points for whenever they tracted out Mormons , but I found them fun to talk to and they never ran editorials against us or denounced us in their brochures. I was Muslim in Ohio, before I was taken captive of the Mormons. Tea baggers were quite fond of raining damnation on Muslims there Still no one was in my face hateful there.
Stone holm Posted June 16, 2013 Posted June 16, 2013 I was Muslim in Ohio, before I was taken captive of the Mormons. Tea baggers were quite fond of raining damnation on Muslims there Still no one was in my face hateful there.They weren't in your face hateful to Mormons unless you consider newspaper editorials and Christian talk shows in your face. Face to face encounters were rare because a well read Mormon could easily have them for lunch in a face to face encounter.
EllenMaksoud Posted June 17, 2013 Posted June 17, 2013 They weren't in your face hateful to Mormons unless you consider newspaper editorials and Christian talk shows in your face. Face to face encounters were rare because a well read Mormon could easily have them for lunch in a face to face encounter.I prefer salt and lemon.
Stone holm Posted June 17, 2013 Posted June 17, 2013 I prefer salt and lemon. Gave up my tequila drinking days when I joined the Church.
cdowis Posted June 17, 2013 Posted June 17, 2013 The JWs who normally got attacked along with us, had a laundry list of anti-Mormon talking points for whenever they tracted out Mormons , but I found them fun to talk to and they never ran editorials against us or denounced us in their brochures.My technique with JW is fairly simple -- I show them how similar our teachings are, and give them additional scriptures. One example is that the earth will be the final paradise -- show them "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth". How the Father and Son are separate beings, etc. I use their term for "church" -- kingdom.Quite amusing. Then I ask them what the Bible tells us to recognize the true kingdom of God. That really blows them away, asking a Bible question for which they are totally unprepared. I point out that the kingdom of God always has a prophet at the head -- Moses, Peter, etc. At this point they are trying to get back on the street.I even had one tell me that all churches are alike, doesn't matter which one you attend.
Stone holm Posted June 17, 2013 Posted June 17, 2013 My technique with JW is fairly simple -- I show them how similar our teachings are, and give them additional scriptures. One example is that the earth will be the final paradise -- show them "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth". How the Father and Son are separate beings, etc. I use their term for "church" -- kingdom.Quite amusing. Then I ask them what the Bible tells us to recognize the true kingdom of God. That really blows them away, asking a Bible question for which they are totally unprepared. I point out that the kingdom of God always has a prophet at the head -- Moses, Peter, etc. At this point they are trying to get back on the street.I even had one tell me that all churches are alike, doesn't matter which one you attend.I usually ask them a lot of questions about their religion, and then when they pull out their list quietly refute them. Some of the questions on the list are pretty easy to refute. I remember once one of the Junior companions started agreeing with me, and was showing evidence of actually having read the B of M, so I gave them a paperback B of M. I noticed the Sr. Companion harranguing him as they walked to the car and that B of M being torn to shreds. They didn't come back for quite awhile thereafter. One time we were at it until about 1:00 in the morning and my wife was ready to shoot me....lol
bluebell Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Well glad others are witnessing the surge haven't noticed anything in my little corner of New England and we were hoping for a pair of Sisters.I live in North Dakota, where members are few and far between, and we've definitely seen the surge here. When we got here about ten months ago, we had one set of elders serving in both wards. Next month we will receive our second set of sisters making the total missionary count 8. Four in each ward. It's wonderful but also a bit of a trial. We don't have a lot of active members and keeping the missionaries fed has been difficult.
cdowis Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 I suspect that such a surge in your mission will be temporary until the 58 new missions are fully functional.
Avatar4321 Posted June 20, 2013 Author Posted June 20, 2013 An interesting side question, what can we learn from the missionary surge?
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted June 22, 2013 Posted June 22, 2013 Amen (no points left for the day)Thank you, I often feel I add nothing here.
Calm Posted June 22, 2013 Posted June 22, 2013 Thank you, I often feel I add nothing here.I understand the feeling, but you are quite, quite wrong. If you ever decide to leave the board, you must get permission from me first and I will tell you up front you better have a very good reason for your decision or I will automatically reject it as nonsense.
Bill “Papa” Lee Posted June 23, 2013 Posted June 23, 2013 I understand the feeling, but you are quite, quite wrong. If you ever decide to leave the board, you must get permission from me first and I will tell you up front you better have a very good reason for your decision or I will automatically reject it as nonsense.After six years I fear it has become an obsession. Also with the back problems...not much else to do.
Calm Posted June 23, 2013 Posted June 23, 2013 After six years I fear it has become an obsession. Also with the back problems...not much else to do. You and I are in the same boat....
cdowis Posted June 24, 2013 Posted June 24, 2013 I often feel I add nothing here. There was a young boy who had no arms or legs. He was always complaining to his mom that the kids would not let him play baseball with them. She went over to the ball field and really let them have it.A week later he was so excited, "Mom, mom, they let me play baseball.""That's great. What did you play?""I was the third base."
DH Posted June 24, 2013 Posted June 24, 2013 I think viewing non-Mormons as "the enemy" is unhealthy. Granted, some of them are enemies in that they hate us and would do us harm, but not most of them, not by a long shot. If anything, most non-LDS are indifferent about Mormonism.There are things they can learn from us, and there are things we can learn from them. Rather than dismissing everything they say out of hand, I think it would be more helpful to engage in interfaith dialogue. Or at least pay attention to what they're saying with a humble attitude to see what we could change for the better. I'm not saying that everything they say is right--you have to sift the wheat from the chaff--but they may well be right about some things.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.