Why are people so threatened?


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I have a few questions, why are people so threatened by the LDS church, why do they say we are not christians, last time a checked I am a christian.... They like to say they know there religion is true based on archeology and mine is wrong because its based on feelings... When I hear someone bashing on my religion I see red.... I just wanna start yelling at them and everything.... Does this make me a bad person haha... I love my religion and everything it stands for....

I will share an experience when I was at college I saw a man holding a banner that says jesus saves on it.. well I went to investigate (after I did some studying of course haha) and saw that he was against mormons.... he said we are Polytheistic because we believe that we can become gods ourselves, telling us that we dont beleive in the same christ as others, I was getting so angry that I just had to leave, but now I am preparing for a mission haha.... I need some things to say to people when I hear them bashing on the religion I will be preaching... I know I will learn some in the MTC but are there any scriptures I can learn in the HB that go with the BoM like that prove its right I know of some in Isaiah but that is all.... any help is greatly appreciated... thanks

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why are people so threatened by the LDS church, why do they say we are not christians

People have an understanding of who God is and how things are put together. Sometimes that understanding is very well researched and defined, sometimes it's vague and nebulous. Our view can differ pretty fundamentally from other's views. So, when confronted with new info that fundamentally contradicts what someone has always believed, a gut reaction is to say the new info is wrong. It's a human reaction, not limited to reactions against our church.

When I hear someone bashing on my religion I see red.... I just wanna start yelling at them and everything.... Does this make me a bad person haha...

No, it might indicate you need to develop your love of your fellow man and ability to be charitable in the face of opposion though.

are there any scriptures I can learn in the HB that go with the BoM like that prove its right

No. No faith can be proven right. All you can do is have a firm grip on what you believe, and why you believe it. It also helps to gain an understanding of common dumb beliefs people have, and why they are dumb.

As you go through life, you'll encounter people who are off spreading church criticism, and people who have heard the church criticism and don't know what to think or how to respond. You will probably never, ever make a single dent in the first type of person. You can have a great impact on the second kind. If the second kind sees you off yelling at the first kind, it's sort of a turn off though...

LM

Edited by Loudmouth_Mormon
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he said we are Polytheistic because we believe that we can become gods ourselves,

That makes us not polytheistic, but henotheistic.

I need some things to say to people when I hear them bashing on the religion I will be preaching... I know I will learn some in the MTC but are there any scriptures I can learn in the HB that go with the BoM like that prove its right I know of some in Isaiah but that is all.... any help is greatly appreciated... thanks

Answer by the Spirit, not by logic or debate.

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i have a few questions, why are people so threatened by the lds church, why do they say we are not christians, last time a checked i am a christian.... They like to say they know there religion is true based on archeology and mine is wrong because its based on feelings... When i hear someone bashing on my religion i see red.... I just wanna start yelling at them and everything.... Does this make me a bad person haha... I love my religion and everything it stands for....

I will share an experience when i was at college i saw a man holding a banner that says jesus saves on it.. Well i went to investigate (after i did some studying of course haha) and saw that he was against mormons.... He said we are polytheistic because we believe that we can become gods ourselves, telling us that we dont beleive in the same christ as others, i was getting so angry that i just had to leave, but now i am preparing for a mission haha.... I need some things to say to people when i hear them bashing on the religion i will be preaching... I know i will learn some in the mtc but are there any scriptures i can learn in the hb that go with the bom like that prove its right i know of some in isaiah but that is all.... Any help is greatly appreciated... Thanks

truth...required change of life...required repentance...loosing worldly friends! ^_^

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People who are truly against the Church are generally paid clergy for another and see the Lay Leadership as a serious threat to their souce of income; specifically their claims to the keys of heaven (which we know to be untrue, therefore they're liars), the correct interpretation of the scriptures (theology taught by those who are also interested in making religion a business and who make a great living from praying off the fears of their congregations (all puns intended).

I just ignore people like that; if they want to persue the issue with my after I've walked away, I'll give em' one warning to back the heck off, and if they still continue my Hulk side comes out... "You're making me angry.. You won't like me when I'm angry...

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a couple of weeks ago someone was telling me they had seen a poster on a billboard outside a church which said "Don't pray about the Book of Mormon. That's how they get you!"

I doubt your friend actually saw a billboard of it. It's one of those church sign things you can generate online, and the only people I've ever heard talk about it are Mormons themselves.

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People who are truly against the Church are generally paid clergy for another and see the Lay Leadership as a serious threat to their souce of income;

This just ain't so. Most of the "Anti" organizations are directed by lay-leaders, many have no denominational ordination, and they often bemoan the clergy lack of interest in evangelizing LDS and JWs. Post-modernism, secularism, and "the cares of this world," are a far greater drain on mainstream churches than is LDS growth.

specifically their claims to the keys of heaven (which we know to be untrue, therefore they're liars),

That's LDS-talk. Most evangelicals have no idea what you are talking about. We've embraced "the priesthood of all believers," and do not believe that church leadership needs any specific authority, other than the call of God and confirmation of the church. A lie is an intentional deceit...so accuse us of error...but not fibbing.

the correct interpretation of the scriptures (theology taught by those who are also interested in making religion a business and who make a great living from praying off the fears of their congregations (all puns intended).

If you want to poke at televangelists, you may have a point. Then again, LDS growth has little impact upon the prosperity gospel crowd. As for most clergy, they make what school teachers make, without the cool hours...hardly a way to get rich quick.

Edited by prisonchaplain
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I have a few questions, why are people so threatened by the LDS church, why do they say we are not Christians, last time a checked I am a christian.... They like to say they know there religion is true based on archeology and mine is wrong because its based on feelings... When I hear someone bashing on my religion I see red.... I just wanna start yelling at them and everything.... Does this make me a bad person haha... I love my religion and everything it stands for....

1.) Christians who claim their religion is provable via archaeology are extremely naive. Virtually every traditional Christian faith believes in ex nihilo creation (creation of a fully formed earth instantly out of nothing.) Geology contradicts their belief, showing substantial evidence that the Earth is MUCH older than their theory requires.

They believe in a world-wide flood which wiped out all but 8 people. Archaelogically, nothing of the sort can be proven. The details of the Exodus, the prophets, miracles throughout the history of Israel -- none of them can be conclusively proven by archaeology and science. Some are very nearly contradicted by it.

The best that they can say is that Biblical events and stories from Abraham onward occurred within a loosely known and somewhat verifiable geography. We know where Jerusalem, Tyre, Gaza, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Samaria, Shechem, Jericho, and other places were. But everything that makes Judeo-Christianity true is not provable by any science. None of the miracles or plagues of ancient Biblical times -- the events that would perhaps prove God's existence to some degree -- can be proven to have occurred in true miraculous fashion. We stand together with them in that we just have faith that the miraculous events in the Bible really happened.

2.) We're no different from them in one important aspect: We both have to have faith and trust in God. Nobody has ready to hand evidence proving the existence of God. So the statement that "our religion is based upon feelings, theirs upon facts" is complete hogwash. They have no better proof of God than we do. They have to find God through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost just like we do.

3.) Your passion for truth is admirable, but you're going to find that spending any length of time debating with our detractors is going to be a waste of time. Their mind is solidly made up. You have as much chance of convincing them as you might turn a staunch Democrat into a hardcore Republican -- probably less chance than that.

I will share an experience when I was at college I saw a man holding a banner that says jesus saves on it.. well I went to investigate (after I did some studying of course haha) and saw that he was against mormons.... he said we are Polytheistic because we believe that we can become gods ourselves, telling us that we dont beleive in the same christ as others, I was getting so angry that I just had to leave, but now I am preparing for a mission haha.... I need some things to say to people when I hear them bashing on the religion I will be preaching... I know I will learn some in the MTC but are there any scriptures I can learn in the HB that go with the BoM like that prove its right I know of some in Isaiah but that is all.... any help is greatly appreciated... thanks

It sounds like a typical buzz-word focused anti-Mormon.

The truth of the matter is we believe in the same Jesus Christ. We just disagree about his attributes and characteristics. Specifically, we disagree on HOW the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one.

But they like to say "Mormons believe in a different Jesus" because it makes us sound more scandalous.

They'll call us polytheists. Well, Jews believe that Trinity-believing Christians transformed the God of Israel into a polytheistic belief. So they are throwing the same accusation at us that they're receiving from others. What we believe about the Godhead is Henotheistic (as Wingnut said). Henotheism is considered a form of Montheism.

But the polytheism accusation carries more scandalous implications. So that's what they say.

The folks who spread this nonsense are usually so completely indoctrinated against the Church of Jesus Christ that there is no possible way to bring them around.

You're going to want to know the answers for the people that are influenced by them though. People who "heard that Mormons believe ______" but didn't think about it much at the time, and still have an open mind. You will be able to tell very quickly which ones are which.

Edited by Faded
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Guest mormonmusic

I have a few questions, why are people so threatened by the LDS church, why do they say we are not christians, last time a checked I am a christian....

I have my theories:

1. We have a very active missionary force that often takes from the membership of other Churches. They don't like this, so you get a lot of anti-Mormon propaganda taught to their membership to "guard the flock". And the propaganda is not true, or distorts our beliefs.

2. Anti-Mormon propaganda distorts our religion and closes people's minds; we get labelled a cult so people become afraid of us without ever knowing what we truly believe.

3. Some Churches have itinerant preachers who go around showing anti-Mormon videos about the Church, which creates opposition.

4. Our message is true. They say "the wolf doesn't come a howling unless there is bacon in the house". Remember, people in the time of Christ said he did miracles because He had a devil. Throughout history, people have been persecuted for being true and living the gospel. I think the truth of our message attracts opposition.

5. One smear campaign about the Church is to make us appear weird and not mainstream by labelling us as non-Christian on an academic argument that our conception of the form of Christ. We believe He's got a body and is separate from God the Father, while traditional Christianity believes they are essentially the same Being, and only spiritual, not possessing a physical body.

They say that because we disagree on His physical form, we don't believe in the same Christ they do, and are therefore not Christian.

They ignore our belief in his death, resurrection, his ministry, his role as Savior etcetera, and his role as the Head of our Church.

How do you combat such people? You don't. You have to find the elect -- the people who want to listen. Spend your time with them. Let the Church worry about it's own public relations and public perception.

How do you find the elect?

1. Be unified with your companion. For some reason God blesses companionships where there is mutual respect and unity between missionaries.

2. Be humble and seek His direction about where to go and who to see.

3. Work your heart out and obey the mission rules.

4. Act in ways that build confidence in you as a missionary in the Ward(s) you're assigned to. Engage in mature conversation, bear your testimony in Church so the membership can feel your spirituality (rely on the Lord for this to happen), and most of all, spend your time with the people who are interested in missionary work.

Avoid trying to turn unwilling members into member missionaries. Be like Paul who spent his time with the people who wanted to hear him.

5. Visit new move-ins in your Ward. Get the list from the Ward clerk and make sure you're on it. New move-ins often have non-members in the household who you can teach.

Hope this helps!

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People who are truly against the Church are generally paid clergy for another and see the Lay Leadership as a serious threat to their source of income; specifically their claims to the keys of heaven (which we know to be untrue, therefore they're liars), the correct interpretation of the scriptures (theology taught by those who are also interested in making religion a business and who make a great living from praying off the fears of their congregations (all puns intended).

I think you have the right general idea but have their motives all wrong.

Traditional Christian clergy who do preach or offer advice based upon anti-Mormon views are a lot like the Jews reacting to the early Christian Church. The Jews believed with all their hearts that Christianity (initially a Jewish sect) was a blasphemous contradiction to everything they thought they knew about God. And the Jews got extremely mean-spirited in their attacks against this perceived blasphemous sect. But they didn't stand to lose all that much if Christianity was successful. They were mostly just self-righteously certain that everything the Christians taught was theologically toxic. Pure poison to everyone who heard the message of Jesus of Nazareth and these cultists that hailed him as the Messiah.

That is exactly how traditional Christians approach the Church of Jesus Christ. With contempt for it's heresy and blasphemy, believing that it is spiritual poison to all who hear it's message.

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That, and they've never heard of henotheism.

True, it isn't your ever day dinner-table conversation kind of word.

But it is true that they spin it to sound as scandalous and offensive as they can. The verbiage used by the anti-Mormon promotes misunderstanding, fear and ignorance. If they can come with meaner things to say about us without outright lying, they will. The goal is to make people afraid of the "Mormon Church."

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Guest mirancs8

Some time ago I went with my soon-to-be ex to this independent Baptist Church and they do not shy away from bashing the LDS. Especially here in AZ in a heavily LDS populated community. I have an acquaintance her husband is a IBC Pastor and I can't tell you the number of times he and I went at it with his "let me reverse the brainwashing." Ow then there is my Pentecostal acquaintance who father in law is an ex-Mormon who threatens every couple of months that her, her husband, and their 5 kids were going to drive 1.5 hours to undo this brainwashing the Mormons have done to me. Another IBC acquaintance of mine completely stopped talking to me though she and I are mutual friends to the Pentecostal friend. Makes for interesting conversations. I kind of feel bad for them because they really don't have a clue.

What's funny is that I find it all very entertaining. I still talk to them on a regular basis and once in a while they threaten me that they are going to come to my house. I make my threat very clear as well and add that I'd love for them to come over but not for the reasons they give.

The IBC Pastor who's wife I'm friends with is always in front of the Mormon Temple in Mesa with his hand outs and big sign. There are many of them who are out there for the Easter Show and they are so annoying. There is nothing inaccurate about that show from the perspective of any Christian denomination so I don't get their point.

I have my views as to why I think there are such negative views on Mormons but it can vary based on who you encounter.

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Some Fundamentalist Christians (such as IBC) take very much to heart a phrase in scripture that commands us to "contend for the gospel." They take that literally--we are to contend, or argue, or fight, or be contentious, for the gospel. They hunt outside the church, and within, for any false teachings. Sometimes they go after one another, for not being fundamental enough. Most of the big-sign wavers are this category of Christian. On the bright side, I understand that some evangelicals have actually taken to counter-demonstrating.

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Guest mormonmusic

On the bright side, I understand that some evangelicals have actually taken to counter-demonstrating.

Can you expand on this? I've never heard of counter-demonstrating. Does this mean you join the demonstrators with your own signs, which counter the demonstrator's message? How do they implement counter-demonstrating?

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Music, I thought I had read that one year some evangelicals came to the conference, posted themselves near where the Antimormons were, and held up generic "God is love," type signs. Unfortunately, I cannot find anything about that now. I hope my memory is sound on this.

Perhaps a better contrast would be the work of evangelical groups like Standing Together, which organizes evangelicals to engage LDS in respectful conversations, and to askew any baiting, or aggressive confrontation. Consider also the approach of President Mouw, of Fuller Seminary, and Craig Johnson, of Denver Seminary, who have both engaged in thoughtful, respectful dialogue with LDS theologians.

The evangelical-LDS divide remains mostly contentious, and much of the interaction is still rather hostile. I would like to believe that it's moving in the right direction, however slowly.

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Yeah, Standing Together Ministries pretty much rocks.

And so do the counter-protesters at temple square who show up dressed as Satan with a "this guy is one of my best henchmen" sign stands next to the protestor. (I don't think many of these guys are actually evangelicals, more like college kids with too much free time. But they rock anyway.)

LM

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