4/30/2008

Mormons

Graeme and I got to talking to some of them a while back. We gave them our numbers, so we might end up talking to them again. Don't worry they won't be converting us but I highly doubt we will convert them. I think mormons have been trained to deny and not believe anything that would prove them wrong. But we might be able to do something. If you people have any suggestions on what to say when whatever part of their religion they are talking about, I would be more than happy to here.

6 comments:

David Stoker said...

I think you should judge them by their character and not their circumstance, if you feel their circumstance has caused them to not be open to alternative religious views.

I've grown up Mormon my whole life and do not feel I was ever trained to be closeminded or to dismiss evidence. I think Mormons like evidence as much as the next person so they jump on little evidences of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon for example but I think they have a relatively good balance in recognizing that the element of faith will always exist in the equation and so even in the face of some "new" evidence or information Mormons would tend not to "throw out the baby with the bathwater" instead acknowledging that there are things we don't know and that the book is not closed both in terms of what science will "discover" and proclaim as truth as well as what God will reveal and explain.

So even if you personally think all Mormons are delusional I would hope you can accept them as people of faith and good works, even in the face of their cultural quirks. Cheers.

Evan Gunn said...

i actually think mormons tend to be some of the nicest people I know. i think it is great that they care for people being saved into your religion, because i don't think i have ever seen another religion of sorts going door to door to try and accomplish what they believe is becoming saved. I haven't seen people care like that except in christianity. But I just believe their views are wrong. i don't think they will completely save you.

Listen, I am only sixteen, and so even though i know what I believe, my arguements aren't strong yet. If you want a real good debate with Mormon to christian talk to my dad, Evan Wilson, the pastor of All Souls christian. He has got some views some good debateing. you find a link to his blog from mine close to the bottom of the side list.

RespectMyAuthorita said...

I always tend to stick to the bible saying that it is the word of God and Jesus is his son. Along with the no adding or subtracting to the text. They always refer you to their higher elders because they dont know how to answer these. I kinda think they hope you dont ask that. Just stick with 1 or 2 good arguements that are sound, ask your dad. then dont let them get you onto other things. they will try to switch the subject all the time. In fact, i had one say that they believed the bible was the word of god, but that this was just another testament of jesus christ. them i made arguements about that using the bible, and then they went on to say the bible contradicts itself. I was like ok, so you said the bible was the word of God, but it contradicts itself? So then if yours is a second testament, he must have contradicted himself there too, so they both have to be thrown out. They didnt know what to say there either. I would stick to those they are strong. ask evan senior tho.

Evan Gunn said...

yeah that sounds like good plan.

David Stoker said...

But I just believe their views are wrong.
That's fine, as long as you truly know what their views are, and I would suspect that a Mormon would describe their views quite differently than how your father would describe Mormon views. If you wanted to understand game of baseball would you talk to a lacrosse player?

i don't think they will completely save you.
What does that mean? Does any church claim to save their members? A Savior saves.

I always tend to stick to the bible saying that it is the word of God and Jesus is his son. Along with the no adding or subtracting to the text.

I'd recommend continuing to study how the bible came to be. How were all the individual books collected, ordered, translated? And then ask yourself about the saints of early Christianity, did they have "the Bible", were they not saved then?

They always refer you to their higher elders because they dont know how to answer these.

Didn't you just refer me to your father? Is there anything wrong with referring someone to someone else if one is not sure how best to field a question? You have to remember LDS missionaries are young men 19 years old, they are not scholars or theology students. Compared to what other young men around the world are doing when they are 19-21 and how well each missionary can generally speak about the church and it's doctrines is actually quite remarkable and unprecedented.

You are still young, I'm still young and I have a whole decade on you, never think you've figured it all out, never be so confident in your current level of knowledge that you close yourself off to new knowledge and viewpoints, the minute you do you end your education and what God can do with you.

Good luck my friend.

Evan Gunn said...

ok, well then. you can believe on this when I say that my dad has done his share in understanding what the mormons believe. Even one of the deacons at our church use to be mormon but is now christian because of my dad.

Yes I agree with you. a savior is the only one who can save you. But what I was trying to comunicate (but did poorly) is that some of what mormons believe, is actually sinful.

my dad has done a LOT of research into the bible. my friend commented that it is best to just stick to the bible and its commands. Generally he is suggesting to obey the ten commandments and the fruits of the spirit. He and i see no reason why there would have to be more to this already great thing. Joseph Smith just came out of nowhere and claimed he was a prophet. Dude, the saints knew jesus and helped write the bible. We never said that you can't be saved with out the bible.

sounds kind of stupid to me to be sending unexperienced mormons out to witness. Sounds like if they come up to our doorstep my dad might make them question their faith and they go back to their pastor and get reasured.

its not confidence man, its faith. you just said yourself that you are still young so why are you trying to make such a big point against a 16 year old. is it to try and make me cry? or is it because you know who is right so you know you what you have to do to look right. Pick on the 16 year old.

I am still going to give you my dads e-mail adress. send him some arguements and maybe you guys settle this. ewilson@turbonet.com.

i don't know if you have heard of Jim Wilson, but he is my grandfather, and i suggest that if you could get a hold of him, that you talk to him.