Encounter With Mormon Missionaries

[TheLightWithin]

A couple of weeks ago I was walking up the street and a white SUV stopped abruptly. A young man leaned out and asked me if I had heard of his church and asked me if I had ever wondered why there were so many denominations. I shared that I had looked into it quite a bit and let him share with me a bit about Joseph Smith having asked himself that question and praying about it in the mid 19th century. He assured me of the truth of the Book of Mormon, how necessary authority is to tell us the truth, while also asserting it was possible to ascertain the truth yourself about the Book of Mormon through petitionary prayer (asking for assurance). Their church really is just around the corner on another street. It was a very interesting conversation.

I used to romanticize the LDS or Mormon religion when I was a kid (but back then all religions seemed like romanticizable mysteries) but the more I learn about the theology the more puzzled I am about the role of women. I didn't ask the young man this, but if I understand correctly, men and women are supposed to have different afterlife destinies. I do not know if any other religion has this? I did not ask the young man that. He was most insistent on telling me things though, everything he could think of and having people in the back seat dig through boxes to give me handouts. I did manage to politely break away after a bit, but I think he really wanted a particular answer of some kind and wasn't really trying to let me go on my way...

Tell me your experiences, and your thoughts on their theology.

(I have chosen the general Abrahamic thread for this as that is how I see Mormonism. I realize both Christianity and the Modern Religions sections seem like plausible homes for discussions of Mormonism.)

 

[wil]

My interest in world religions, but also disdain for aggressive proselytizing has lead to me getting a copy of the gita from Hari Krishnas, Bibles from Baptists, and the Book of Mormon from LDS elders...

My format has always been to ask them what parts I should read before our next visit as I know little to nothing about their belief.

The when they return I have highlighted their book and have questions...

Some return once...some twice (with moral support) and then they avoid me.

I have seen the Baptist ladies cross the street and point at my house shaking their head...and the Mormons quickly ride by on their bicycles.

Back to Mormons... i and the communities they build benefjcial...but i already like the concept of communes, of working as a group for the common good as better than reliance solely on a nuclear family. I find their insistence on having survival food and striving for a 2-3 month preparedness of life without outside help valuable.

I question the plates and interpretations of the language, as well as Jesus speaking to the indigenous in precolumbian America all wuestionable....however I believe if I had the time and inclination to explore the belief further I would find other tidbits I would be willing to incorporate in my life.

 

[moralorel]

A couple of weeks ago I was walking up the street and a white SUV stopped abruptly. A young man leaned out and asked me if I had heard of his church and asked me if I had ever wondered why there were so many denominations. I shared that I had looked into it quite a bit and let him share with me a bit about Joseph Smith having asked himself that question and praying about it in the mid 19th century. He assured me of the truth of the Book of Mormon, how necessary authority is to tell us the truth, while also asserting it was possible to ascertain the truth yourself about the Book of Mormon through petitionary prayer (asking for assurance). Their church really is just around the corner on another street. It was a very interesting conversation.

I used to romanticize the LDS or Mormon religion when I was a kid (but back then all religions seemed like romanticizable mysteries) but the more I learn about the theology the more puzzled I am about the role of women. I didn't ask the young man this, but if I understand correctly, men and women are supposed to have different afterlife destinies. I do not know if any other religion has this? I did not ask the young man that. He was most insistent on telling me things though, everything he could think of and having people in the back seat dig through boxes to give me handouts. I did manage to politely break away after a bit, but I think he really wanted a particular answer of some kind and wasn't really trying to let me go on my way...

Tell me your experiences, and your thoughts on their theology.

(I have chosen the general Abrahamic thread for this as that is how I see Mormonism. I realize both Christianity and the Modern Religions sections seem like plausible homes for discussions of Mormonism.)

I have had negative experiences with any religion whose members go out of their way to teach me about their beliefs. They usually aren't prepared to speak with someone who is actually going to ask them questions they don't know the answers to.

As far as the Mormon faith I have little experience with their members. However, I ran into a lot of young Mormons who were spreading their message to people in Guatemala. I know that the people of Guatemala are quite annoyed by missionaries who are trying to convert them. There are plenty of missionaries who do NOT push their faith. They are just there to help. I encountered a few of these polite church groups when I volunteered with UNICEF.

I would attend church in Guatemala. It is expected that you will bring your bible to services, unlike most churches in the United States. When the locals would see me in a suit with my bible, they assumed that I was a missionary. One day I was bartering over some items at a market. I knew the woman was inflating her prices for me. I told her that I wasn't a missionary and that I was visiting friends. I also remarked that I wasn't here to teach the people of Guatemala any messages. I told her that I'm too busy learning from the Guatemaltecos. The price plummeted.

 

[DerekhHikmah]

Tell me your experiences, and your thoughts on their theology.

I don't have much personal experience with them, only a few brief interactions when I have seen them out doing missionary work on my street.

Their theology is interesting, from what I understand they believe in a pre-birth existence, where you live in heaven, but once born on earth you forget all of that. That is from what I understand close to the Mazdean (Zoroastrian) beliefs around the Fravashi, preborn heavenly souls who choose to become incarnate as humans. In Christian theology the only person with a prehuman existence is Jesus of course. Also, they believe in the immortal soul, so life is viewed as a temporary existence when you forget the past and don't actually die. You go on to a spirit world, but eventually at the last day resurrected physically again.

Another thing that is interesting is that Joseph Smith, I suppose had a revelation of earlier periods in American history, which includes ancient Israelites who left Judea before the Babylonian conquest, they came over to America from Israel around 600 BC. Then he recounts centuries of epics of these native American peoples and various prophets during this time. I don't know a lot else, they can't drink any alcohol or coffee or tea, so I couldn't do it lol.

 

[iBrian]

I used to happily invite Mormons in many years ago. However, I did find it funny when boys in their late teens called themselves by the title of "elder".

 

[IndigoChild5559]

A couple of weeks ago I was walking up the street and a white SUV stopped abruptly. A young man leaned out and asked me if I had heard of his church and asked me if I had ever wondered why there were so many denominations. I shared that I had looked into it quite a bit and let him share with me a bit about Joseph Smith having asked himself that question and praying about it in the mid 19th century. He assured me of the truth of the Book of Mormon, how necessary authority is to tell us the truth, while also asserting it was possible to ascertain the truth yourself about the Book of Mormon through petitionary prayer (asking for assurance). Their church really is just around the corner on another street. It was a very interesting conversation.

I used to romanticize the LDS or Mormon religion when I was a kid (but back then all religions seemed like romanticizable mysteries) but the more I learn about the theology the more puzzled I am about the role of women. I didn't ask the young man this, but if I understand correctly, men and women are supposed to have different afterlife destinies. I do not know if any other religion has this? I did not ask the young man that. He was most insistent on telling me things though, everything he could think of and having people in the back seat dig through boxes to give me handouts. I did manage to politely break away after a bit, but I think he really wanted a particular answer of some kind and wasn't really trying to let me go on my way...

Tell me your experiences, and your thoughts on their theology.

(I have chosen the general Abrahamic thread for this as that is how I see Mormonism. I realize both Christianity and the Modern Religions sections seem like plausible homes for discussions of Mormonism.)

Their theology as in their beliefs? I think it's about as nutty as they come. Do I care? I don't care what people believe. I care how they treat their fellow human beings. Mormons are good people. That's not to say that there aren't exceptions. Any time you are dealing with humans, you will find evil. But the LDS teach people to be good, to resist that evil inclination. You can't ask for better than that.

 

[TheLightWithin]

Their theology as in their beliefs?

Yes, their theology, their theories about G-d and the supernatural and the relationship to all humankind etc.

I think it's about as nutty as they come.

This could be taken as disparaging them or their faith despite your other more generous comments.

If you know anything about their theology in particular you disagree with that you would like to explore and challenge, that could be a great conversation

 

[TheLightWithin]

In Christian theology the only person with a prehuman existence is Jesus of course.

Yeah sadly the idea was declared heretical at some point by the early church even though Origen apparently believed in the pre-existence of souls.

they can't drink any alcohol or coffee or tea, so I couldn't do it lol.

The lack of tea would be a total nonstarter for me. And to some extent the coffee too. As well as that level of micromanaging.
I understand how religions might ban alcohol, along with cannabis and other harder drugs, due to the intoxicating effects and the problems that go along with dependency on those substances, as compared to caffeine dependency.

I read somewhere that the ban on coffee and tea started with pettiness: males in the Mormon community being upset that alcohol and tobacco were banned and wanting to make sure women gave up something too or whatever. Which makes little sense given that males also consumed coffee and tea in quantity. I'm not even sure that rumor is correct.

 

[wil]

I did find it funny when boys in their late teens called themselves by the title of "elder"

At Oceti Sakowin (the native American stand defending of their water from spillage of the black snake (oil pipeline) near standing rock... i was invited to drum with the 'eleders'. I inquired saying i sort of knew a little about roles of a chief or medicine person, but what makes an elder? I got the response "Don't die." There was chuckles amongst the drummers.

I think it's about as nutty as they come

I think there is some biblical quote about stone throwing.

I understand how religions might ban alcohol, along with cannabis and other harder drugs, due to the intoxicating effects

Me thinks we would have a lot fewer prophets, scriptures, religions and beliefs without them

 

[IndigoChild5559]

This could be taken as disparaging them or their faith despite your other more generous comments.

There is plenty of nuttiness in my own religion. Every religion has its own unique nutty side. My whole point is that this not what you base your judgement on. Besides, if my religion didn't have a nutty side, most of my best jokes would disappear.


A bunch of Marines doing reconnaissance out on the Pacific discover a Jewish man who has been stranded on a desert island. In addition to his home, he has built two other elaborate huts, so naturally they ask him what these are. "This one is the synagogue I attend. And this one over there is the synagogue I won't step foot in."


A synagogue was split down the middle over whether the congregation should stand or sit during the Shema. They argued and bickered so much that finally they decided to ask the Rabbi.
"Rabbi, is it our tradition to stand during the Shema?"
"No," said the Rabbi, "that's not our tradition."
"So it's our tradition to sit during the Shema?"
"No," said the Rabbi, "that's not our tradition either."
"But Rabbi," they said, exasperated, "You don't understand! You have to help us! We are at each other's throats arguing about this!"
"Ahhhhh," said the Rabbi, "Now THAT is our tradition."

 

[koinonos]

Tell me your experiences, and your thoughts on their theology.

At some period in my life they used to address me on the streets from time to time. The impression about them is that they were trained to memorize their principles but have great lack of any understanding of the principles of the Word from any affection for truth. So, if they hear something that is not in agreement with their views, they are usually not able to enter into reasons, but politely listen, and then continue with promoting their own views, as if they did not hear anything. At one point of time, they asked me to have some sessions of discussions, but during a few classes they discovered, that they do not arguments with which to reply. At first they begin to change the instructors. Then when we had a more general meeting, and I still remember hteir faces, when it was shown to them that their teaching does not agree both with the Sacred Scripture in some respects, and also, essentially, with the sound reason. One of them kept saying that he would continue to believe what he has learned earlier, apparently from childhood. Though another one, more reasonable guy, reluctantly and slowly agreed, when he comes back from his mission to the USA, to read the book True Christian Religion by Emanuel Swedenborg, which I have suggested him. I wonder whether he did that or not. For in such close communities, when the indoctrination is from childhood, it is rareryl given that a person would seek the truth itself, thus to compare the teaching of the church in which he was born, with the Word itself, and this independently from others, from the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

 

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

I encounter/ed several Mormon "elders" in my sixty-one years. A few encounters I recall were with either my dad or a former next-door neighbour (dad was a "secular" Jew and Houston was a lay deacon in a [Southern] Baptist church [one of his sons became a minister in their church].)

Both dad and Houston used to "school" the Mormons (along with the JWs) with sadistic glee...

I'm not as knowledgeable as they were, but I remember enough to "teach" several Mormons/JWs when they attempt to "school" me when I'm out an about...

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine