Don't like Dr. Jeffress' comments about our faith?

[families4ever]

I encourage everyone to send an email and let Dr. Jeffress know how you feel about comments that he made this last weekend regarding our faith. We need to speak up for our faith and not let people continue to spread misinformation!!

Edited October 11, 2011 by john doe
removed contact info

[Vort]

Why? He doesn't care. He says what he believes, **** the evidence, and people writing to him to tell him he's wrong will have exactly zero effect.

[Spartan117]

What did he say?

[families4ever]

That's exactly the opinion that we need to change as a collective group of religious people. Are we going to be chased out of the US again because we won't fight for our beliefs and let misinformed people sway the government in this country? It is our right to speak out and stand up for what we believe. Just a thought...

[prisonchaplain]

Jefferies defines a "theological cult" as one that disagrees with historic Christian teachings. I'm sure he has in mind the Trinity, salvation by grace alone, etc. So, by his definition, he's right in his own mind. If 10,000 LDS sent him letters, and he responded, "So, do you believe in the Trinity?" All 10,000 would likely respond, "No." Then he'd triumphantly pronounce that he was right.

Currently all the GOP candidates have disavowed the slur, and the media is pouncing on it. The reverend probably did your church an unintended favor.

[sister_in_faith]

I don't think the guy deserves our attention. I think he would probably enjoy getting a rise out of us. I say ignore him. just my opinion!

[skippy740]

I've posted in other forums that if Reverend Al Sharpton could apologize for HIS remarks back in 2008, then this 'no-name' guy will too.

He's just basking in his 2-minutes of fame and feeding into the same tired old rhetoric.

We're used to it by now.

[Vort]

That's exactly the opinion that we need to change as a collective group of religious people. Are we going to be chased out of the US again because we won't fight for our beliefs and let misinformed people sway the government in this country? It is our right to speak out and stand up for what we believe. Just a thought...

Sometimes the best response is silence.

[families4ever]

I choose to disagree...respectfully. Speak up people its the only way things will change!! This is what groups of people are doing all around the world to make change happen. We are all missionaries of our faith and if we don't speak up no one will. This person spoke up and now his opinion is out there for the world to see but where is yours?? Quietly hidden away because you don't think it will help, or think silence is best....hmmmmmm

[ldspreper]

Sometimes the best response is silence.

I signed up just to add my 2 cents on this post.... The quote I copied here is a great example of what Jesus DIDN'T teach us. When someone needed help did he turn his cheek? When they acted out did God ignore them? These are exactly the kind of people that need our attention, they need to know we care and we show that by sending him an influx of "Love letters"!

I agree with the OP, when the time comes I do not God asking me why I blantly ignored someone acting out for the truth like a 2 year old! That's what it is, he needs us and your willing to fore go your duty as a child of GOD because it inconviences you or because you do not want to be bothered by it? Not me :)

By the way, I sent my email in already :)

[ldspreper]

I choose to disagree...respectfully. Speak up people its the only way things will change!! This is what groups of people are doing all around the world to make change happen. We are all missionaries of our faith and if we don't speak up no one will. This person spoke up and now his opinion is out there for the world to see but where is yours?? Quietly hidden away because you don't think it will help, or think silence is best....hmmmmmm

I will probably be blasted for this but it reminds me alot of the mentality of the Jewish people around 1940....

[Guest mormonmusic]

Sometimes the best response is silence.

Yes. I use that principle all the time when people make snarky comments meant to provoke unhealthy conversation, make a personal attack or simply be disrespectful. It stops the provocation, it takes the oxygen out of the fire, it removes the fuel. Someone once said that "Silence is the most perfect form of scorn". While scorn isn't necessarily the goal, it is certainly a low-effort biproduct.

[skippy740]

If every time the LDS church is "offended" we all wrote letters, the post office would be busy for a lifetime.

Let's see:

- Reverend Al Sharpton (who later apologized after meeting with church leaders)

- Tom Hanks

- Big Love

- Proposition 8

Shall we go on?

People convinced against their will... is of the same opinion still.

All you can do is offer them the source of the truth of our beliefs and let them choose for themselves.

I, for one, will not be losing any sleep over this.

[Blocky]

I live in a town that is really big on picketing. They picket the lack of fairly priced housing. They picket the government, those who make the decisions at the college here, corporations, lack of health care, etc. The actions of the people I meet around town volunteering and actually making a difference in the world speak so much louder than those picketers.

We live our faith. We strive to be good friends and neighbors. We answer questions when someone is genuinely curious even though it's out of our comfort zone. That will do more good for us and others than any letter written to Mr. Jefferies.

This doesn't mean we let people walk all over us but there's only so many hours in a day and it'll be all wasted if we spend it on the haters.

[Spartan117]

I signed up just to add my 2 cents on this post.... The quote I copied here is a great example of what Jesus DIDN'T teach us.

Welcome to forum, I have to disagree with you :)

While I like where you went with this (sending love letters) the idea of not engaging someone when they make remarks like Robert Jeffress did is not only the right course of action, it's the only thing we can really do. While I admit that sending love letters is a kind of awesome idea, it wouldn't accomplish anything. No more than sending him a strongly worded letter would. We are taught to avoid the spirit of contention. A letter campaign (whether it be letters of disappointment or anger in what he said, or letters of "love" in a sarcastic effort to prove something) would only encourage that kind of behavior. It justifies it. I personally don't have any feelings of outrage of offense at what he said. I truly feel sorry for him. I feel even more sympathy for the members of his church.

I can't think of a more unChrist-like thing a church leader could do, as someone who says and believes he is a disciple of Christ, he couldn't be more off the mark if he tried. The fact he goes on believing he didn't violate any standard is what makes this tragic.

When someone needed help did he turn his cheek? When they acted out did God ignore them? These are exactly the kind of people that need our attention, they need to know we care and we show that by sending him an influx of "Love letters"!

The only way he would be swayed from his beliefs would be in a setting where he would be receptive to the spirit and the message of the restored gospel. The public and political arenas are not even close to that setting. A public outcry would strengthen his resolve. The Savior didn't teach that we have to attend every fight we're invited to. He knocks, but we have to let him in. He doesn't kick the door down if you ignore Him.

I agree with the OP, when the time comes I do not God asking me why I blantly ignored someone acting out for the truth like a 2 year old! That's what it is, he needs us and your willing to fore go your duty as a child of GOD because it inconviences you or because you do not want to be bothered by it? Not me :)

I'll swing by and pick you up and we can drive to his house with some missionaries and knock on his door and give him a Book of Mormon. Message me your address.

By the way, I sent my email in already :)

Now he knows that people listen to him when he talks out of his ***. That will only encourage him to do it again next time he wants national attention. You were part of the problem, not the solution.

I do sincerely hope, though, that you stick around the forum. You are welcome and I have a passion for debate. I am definitely guilty of allowing the spirit of contention to influence how I react and respond. Sarcasm is a passion of mine, and I'm wrong for it. I love a good debate though, as do a few other people here. So make yourself at home :)

[captmoroniRM]

The Church put out an official statement regarding his comments:

Church Response to "Not Christian" Statement - LDS Newsroom Blog

In response to media calls regarding comments made by a Baptist minister at a political event stating that Mormons are not Christians, the Church issued the following statement today:

We really don’t want to comment on a statement made at a political event, but those who want to understand the centrality of Christ to our faith can learn more about us and what we believe by going to mormon.org .

Pastor Jeffress expressed his views and while they show a lack of understanding as to the centrality of Christ to the LDS Church, they are his views. Nothing he says can cause the Church any harm. If anything, those who honestly want to know if he is telling the truth about us being a cult or not, will find their way to Mormon.org, in front of missionaries, or asking their Mormon friends about it. Like my dad always says, "you can't kick the Church down the stairs."

Edited October 11, 2011 by captmoroniRM
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[Spartan117]

I didn't know the church had publicly responded. I don't know what's best for the church but I kinda wish they hadn't. By ignoring him, they're saying "A cult? What an original idea you have there. You should run with it, go on national TV and get yourself 15 minutes of fame. But be careful, you can only play the "Look how ignorant I am" card once to get on TV. Next time you'll have to NOT be ignorant to get media coverage, so now you're basically screwed. We will now return you to not mattering again."

I paraphrased a little but that's the message that was being sent. Although, I do like how the response was vague with the details .. "Some guy said something ignorant about the church at some political event. We love Jesus. Now go to mormon.org" I paraphrased again but if you read between the lines that's exactly what was said. I should work in public relations

[captmoroniRM]

Yeah, I get what you are saying. I only caught this because I subscribe to the LDS Newsroom on facebook. Things like this pop every now and then.

[Spartan117]

I'm glad you posted the link, I got to go back and edit my comment on Facebook about this. I had like 2 paragraphs about the church's 'no-response' and how great I thought it was. But just like Jeffress, I was misinformed.

[Dravin]

Sometimes the best response is silence.

To add to that:

As the Savior demonstrated with Herod, sometimes true disciples must show Christian courage by saying nothing at all. Once when I was golfing, I barely brushed up against a large cholla cactus, which seems to shoot needles like a porcupine. Thorns from that plant stuck all over my clothing, even though I had barely touched the cactus plant. Some situations are like that plant: they can only injure us. In such instances, we are better off to keep our distance and simply walk away. As we do, some may try to provoke us and engage us in argument. In the Book of Mormon, we read about Lehonti and his men camped upon a mount. The traitorous Amalickiah urged Lehonti to “come down” and meet him in the valley. But when Lehonti left the high ground, he was poisoned “by degrees” until he died, and his army fell into Amalickiah’s hands (see Alma 47). By arguments and accusations, some people bait us to leave the high ground. The high ground is where the light is. It’s where we see the first light of morning and the last light in the evening. It is the safe ground. It is true and where knowledge is. Sometimes others want us to come down off the high ground and join them in a theological scrum in the mud. These few contentious individuals are set on picking religious fights, online or in person. We are always better staying on the higher ground of mutual respect and love.

In doing so, we follow the example of the prophet Nehemiah, who built a wall around Jerusalem. Nehemiah’s enemies entreated him to meet them on the plain, where “they thought to do [him] mischief.” Unlike Lehonti, however, Nehemiah wisely refused their offer with this message: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:2–3). We too have a great work to do, which will not be accomplished if we allow ourselves to stop and argue and be distracted. Instead we should muster Christian courage and move on. As we read in Psalms, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers” (Psalm 37:1).

Linky: Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship - Liahona Nov. 2008 - liahona

[Spartan117]

To add to that:

Linky: Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship - Liahona Nov. 2008 - liahona

To add to that ...

But each of us has agency to choose. As the eleventh article of faith states, “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”

In matters of personal belief, how do we know what really is true?

... when our outlook is dominated by skepticism, cynicism, criticism, and irreverence toward others and their beliefs, the Spirit cannot be with us. We then act in a way that the prophets describe as the natural man.

“The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” This “natural man is an enemy to God, … and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, … and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, and full of love.”

I am so guilty of this

[beefche]

I choose to disagree...respectfully. Speak up people its the only way things will change!! This is what groups of people are doing all around the world to make change happen. We are all missionaries of our faith and if we don't speak up no one will. This person spoke up and now his opinion is out there for the world to see but where is yours?? Quietly hidden away because you don't think it will help, or think silence is best....hmmmmmm

Personally, I think living my life according to my beliefs makes a bigger statement than anything I can write. I would love for a neighbor or friend to approach me to say that they heard what this guy said and why is he so against your faith? That allows me to talk directly with someone who wants a real conversation as opposed to his attempts on being on TV.

I don't remember who, but either one of the reporters or opinion makers on TV said something to the effect, "I don't know exactly what Mormons believe, but all the ones I've met have been very moral, upstanding, and nice people." (this is paraphrased).

[pam]

To be honest..I think he offended more religions than just ours with his most recent comments in his interview with Anderson Cooper. I believe he will just come off as looking like a fool.

Edited October 11, 2011 by pam

[MarginOfError]

If every time the LDS church is "offended" we all wrote letters, the post office would be busy for a lifetime.

It is our civic duty to express our outrage, send these letters, and keep the post office alive.

Afterall, isn't the prophecy that the post office will hang by a thread and the Elders of the Church will rescue it?

[Windseeker]

Local clergy weigh in on LDS 'cult' claims, Christianity

I thought this was pretty cool

"As an evangelical, born again, Bible believing Christian, and a pastor with more than 25 years' experience living with and ministering among a majority Mormon population, I find the comments by Pastor Jeffress unhelpful, impolite, and out of place," Rev. Crowder indicated in a statement issued over the weekend. "I've been around long enough to remember when independent Baptists wouldn't pray with Southern Baptists, when fundamentalists called Southern Baptists compromisers and liberals, when Southern Baptists wouldn't keep company with Pentecostals, and when Pentecostals wouldn't keep company with Catholics. That wasn't helpful to anyone. Insulting Mitt Romney adds nothing to the conversation about who should be president. We're picking the country's chief executive, not its senior pastor."

Rev. Crowder said that his experience in Utah among Mormons "has been overwhelmingly positive," theological differences notwithstanding. "If you believe in and support the Constitution, there's no religious test for office, nor should there be," he wrote. "We're looking for the best president and commander in chief. Let's let the political process make that selection, and the churches make the selection on the best theologians.

"In my opinion," Rev. Crowder concluded, "Pastor Jeffress owes an apology to Mitt Romney and all other Americans he's offended through his unkind and irresponsible remarks."