Better relations with LDS?


Moksha
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Could members of other faiths enjoy better relationships with Mormons? Could other faiths enjoy better relations with the LDS Church?

How?

Absolutely! I think we as Mormons have many things in common with members of other faiths that we can all leverage to foster better relationships. I think we all believe in strong morals, strong families, the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, just to name a few. We believe in the Bible, in God and Jesus Christ much like the rest of our Christian brothers and sisters. Sure, there are differences in certain doctrinal points but we shouldn't let those things get in the way of practicing the teachings of Christ as given in the Bible, namely of loving our neighbor as ourselves. I for one, hold members of other faiths in high regard. I respect them for what they believe. In the world in which we live, I believe we can collectively strengthen each other by our faith no matter what Church we may belong to. Christ's teachings and example apply to all and is the common bond that binds us together as believers in Christ.

Thanks for your questions...:)

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It's hard to work with certain faith's opposed to the LDS. Some are opposed to working on good causes with LDS. They want to witness to LDS not dialogue with them. But not all Evangelical's are that extreme, but some are.

Evangelical's are not the same group though under an umbrella term.

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Years ago I ran across the movie, Baptists at Our Barbecue. I remember suggesting to my Bishop, that we should perhaps have a ward picnic and invite one of the local Christian congregations as a gesture of goodwill and harmony. The idea was received like a lead balloon.

Since that time, I have mentioned this idea and found that wards in various parts of the country have indeed met with success in fellowshipping with other congregations in order to create good will. They have participated in such activities as fund raising, potlucks and even hosting a Christmas concert together. Ideas are certainly out there.

Do you have any such experiences?

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We have great relations with the community church across the street. They rented space for us when we were building our branch. We lent them our chapel when theirs was damaged by weather.

We do a yearly joint cantata, trading off which building it's held in. They got a new pastor last year and we didn't do it, which worried me. But we're doing it again this year - hooray!

LM

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In my last ward we used to run a Nativity Pageant every year on church grounds. While the pageant was running every 30 minutes or so, there were Nativity Sets on display inside the gym and choirs singing in the chapel. There would be a Mormon choir and a local Catholic choir that would sing Christmas Songs. Every year the community association would ask us if we were doing it again. They would advertise it and everything. It was great.

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Every other year we host a Luau and invite other faiths and advertise it in their buildings. We cook up 600#'s of pig in big cookers and we have a BLAST. People from all the churches come and its fun times. We have a Christmas gig every year and again, its all faith. We have done community projects together and we announce over the pulpit other church activities that they have invited us to. Not that its perfect but it works. Its about being civil regardless of what EXACTLY they believe in.

A local congregation was building a new chapel for their faith and it coincided with the remodeling of our chapel and we gave them all of our pews for their building. I believe that we even delivered them to their chapel:-) Our town of 3500 people has 25 churches and 4 bars... thats got to say something:D We try and keep in contact with other faiths but i would have to say that even with this... people are still snotty about the not mingling with others beliefs.

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Years ago I ran across the movie, Baptists at Our Barbecue. I remember suggesting to my Bishop, that we should perhaps have a ward picnic and invite one of the local Christian congregations as a gesture of goodwill and harmony. The idea was received like a lead balloon.

Since that time, I have mentioned this idea and found that wards in various parts of the country have indeed met with success in fellowshipping with other congregations in order to create good will. They have participated in such activities as fund raising, potlucks and even hosting a Christmas concert together. Ideas are certainly out there.

Do you have any such experiences?

Moksha,

I could even make a case that what your suggesting is biblical, Deut 14:22-29, two out of three years the purposes of the tithe was to throw a party for yourselves. Ok so I don't expect you (or PC since he is an AOG minister) to obey God by buying "wine or other fermented drinks".

However the other year it is to supply the Levites (ie temple workers), aliens, orphans, widows with a chance to feed others. From that I think that God's people should be in the habit of throwing parties and inviting people to come and celebrate God's goodness to us all without strings attached, just because God has blessed us.

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  • 1 month later...

Originally Posted by Brother Dorsey Posted Image

That's right...I have calmed way down since I came here and have accepted PC as my brother....even though he's darn near as tall as the Statue of Liberty!

What were you upset about before you accepted PC as your brother, assuming it's not his height?

Elphaba

Hmmmm...never said I was upset....I said "I have calmed way down since I came here" meaning I was just plain sick and tired of those radical Evangelicals who spew their lies about the LDS church and when I first came here I was on the attack against any anti-Mormon who came into the forum....this is when I went too far and judged PC wrongly...I apologized to him way back when and also...PC was originally my sister....then I accepted him as my brother.;) Since then I have waited to confront anti-Mormons to make sure that is exactly what they are and I've been right 100% since!!!

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Since then I have waited to confront anti-Mormons to make sure that is exactly what they are and I've been right 100% since!!!

He drew a circle that shut me out--

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.

But Love and I had the wit to win:

We drew a circle that took him in!

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Originally Posted by Brother Dorsey Posted Image

That's right...I have calmed way down since I came here and have accepted PC as my brother....even though he's darn near as tall as the Statue of Liberty!

Hmmmm...never said I was upset....I said "I have calmed way down since I came here" meaning I was just plain sick and tired of those radical Evangelicals who spew their lies about the LDS church and when I first came here I was on the attack against any anti-Mormon who came into the forum....this is when I went too far and judged PC wrongly...I apologized to him way back when and also...PC was originally my sister....then I accepted him as my brother.;) Since then I have waited to confront anti-Mormons to make sure that is exactly what they are and I've been right 100% since!!!

You're right. "Upset" was clearly the wrong word.

Elphaba

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I think we need to make an effort to be civilized to other denominations, ESPECIALLY as Mormons because I think a lot of people have us unfairly pegged as being secretive or cultish. The only way we can dispel those stereotypes is by being open and friendly with other faiths! Even if they aren't always friendly to us in return.

Here in the midwest where our faith's population is a little lower there is a lot of animosity from both sides. We are scared of getting persecuted so we don't always put ourselves out there, and other Christians are scared of us because of all the nonsense they've heard about Mormons. So there is a lot of separation in my community at least.

I like the idea of the cookouts that somebody mentioned. I think friendly gatherings like that are very Christlike in nature, semantics and details don't necessarily need to be involved.

What denomination could have a problem with something like that? Everybody just getting together to celebrate their faith in Christ can only be a good thing. : )

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You're right. "Upset" was clearly the wrong word.

Elphaba

I give Bro. Dorsey credit. He and one other (name escapes me), initially approached my posts with a good bit of skepticism. Perhaps that's not ideal, but past experience sometimes makes folks a bit quick to the draw. Both Dorsey and the other poster were also fast to reconsider, and welcome me. Perhaps even better than always being right, is being quick to correct course when the occasional over/understeer occurs. :cool:

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I give Bro. Dorsey credit. He and one other (name escapes me), initially approached my posts with a good bit of skepticism. Perhaps that's not ideal, but past experience sometimes makes folks a bit quick to the draw. Both Dorsey and the other poster were also fast to reconsider, and welcome me. Perhaps even better than always being right, is being quick to correct course when the occasional over/understeer occurs. :cool:

I couldn't agree more PC.

Elphaba

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I think traditional Christianity could be much more accepting of the LDS Church and its members. At all the Baptist and Presbyterian churches I've been too throughout my life, I've never seen a Pastor openly denounce the Mormon faith, but I still see some major misconceptions and downright animosity towards the Church in some of the members of the congregation, especially in the Youth.

I think what we all need to realize is that in the end, we are all serving the same God. Sure, we may all believe different things, but that shouldn't stop us from loving each other as human beings.

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