Why is it that people ask questions about LDS (Mormon) people when they don't even understand basic beliefs?

Question

It's as if all LDS people are for is a punching bag. Who else is sick of not being listened to by people who don't understand what they are talking about? I'm not meaning people who really want to know, just those who think they are smart, but haven't researched anything about our religion but anti-mormon literature or doctrine. Why can't people just ask someone in the church for answers, instead of asking people who aren't of the faith?

Sean W. Thank you for your insightful and testimony filled answer!

Annie, Thanks for your answer. Both of these are intelligent, insightful answers by people who are of the same faith as me.

John, if you want your questions answered, maybe you should read the Book of Mormon, with a prayer in your heart that you will get a truthful answer. I'm not trying to convert you, just press on a point that some of your questions can only be answered by faith and by asking God.

Ted, the Kinderhook plates were proven to be false. Thanks for asking though.

Answer 1

I asked a question like this- something about going to the horse's mouth... I got a bunch of answers about Mormons being deceitful and liars and spin doctors...

Too bad-
"We believe in being HONEST, TRUE, chaste, benevolent and in DOING GOOD TO ALL MEN..."

"Wo unto the liar for he shall be thrust down to hell..."

And the next person who says that our temple ceremonies are some huge secret- I'm going to call them a lot of mean names that imply purposeful ignorance, negligence and plain old laziness!!!! Go check out the Library of Congress- the scripts for those ceremonies are copyrighted, which means they are available for reading to ANYONE who wants to do so.

BTW- I think Blue God is a chicken-- won't allow IM or email....
You want to find out about the Kinderhook plates... here's what Wikipedia says... They were proven to be fraudulent at the time of Joseph Smith...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinderhook_Plates

Miranda, I kind of think that there are a lot of other chickens who've answered here- They want answers, but they don't allow IM or email... How is anyone supposed to answer their questions if they don't allow converstaion?? Hey, I've got it- maybe they don't really want to know, they just like being ignorant, rude, lazy rumor-mongers... ya think?

Answer 2

The honest to god truth is that they really don't read much at all. They go looking for the wrong answers intentionally. People thrive on gossip. People who read the Bible know and cannot deny that it speaks of the spirit world, celestrial marriage, and things to that nature. If they have earnestly read the Bible and cross-referenced it to the book of Mormon it would make perfect sense. Gee why don't we pray about these things and ask who we should and maybe we would get some confirmation--In the bible I am pretty sure that it says that if there is anyone lacking in knowledge ask or knock and it shall be given. (Hint you need faith)

I have been there and it is hard to be a Mormon because of the persecution, backbiting and educated people trying to make sense of things that require Faith to understand. I dont let it get me down anymore. God puts the receptive and unprejudice in our paths. The last will come first and the first will come last. It is sometimes hard to deal with all this nonsense but you have to remember you cannot change the world. Most of these people are expecting a sign just like people back in Christ's time.but that is not how you get answerer's and any remotely religious person knows that. This is the reason I joined the church. It is the most persecuted - I had to see why - It is because it is TRUE. Look at all the apostles from Jesus's time.They were stoned and tortured and everything else imaginable and they were the best people to walk this planet. It is spoken and will be the same for our church and the people who cannot have the faith to see through that persecution just are lacking in faith. Just remember there are roughly about 30 million of us and the church is growing at a rapid pase. Far greater then any other church in history. You are by no means alone. The best part is that we all have a unspoken trust in one another and know what is right. I would'nt go looking for answers on here:)

Answer 3

Sean :)
John: I have answers to several of your questions. However, I can see that you are not wanting answers so much as someone to be contenious with. I won't join your game.

I think some people (those that don't want answers, but just want to prove themselves right) are the way they are because they're prideful. The prideful are not happy with HAVING, they are only happy if they have MORE than the next guy.
I'm reminded of a scene in the first The Work & The Glory movie. They're in the barn drinking and Will Murdock or one of his bunch mentions how the angels told Joseph he would "have to wait a spell" to get the plates, and that that time was coming up. So, it would seem that even the "bad guys" believed that an angel came to Joseph. They didn't seem to question that, when it was convienent to them. All they wanted was the plates so they could melt them down for the money.
I think John and people like him, are really quite close to believing, but their pride of possibly being wrong about something trips them up and gets in their way.
As for others who are not as vehement, I think for some, at least, they are afraid to ask a member because they have so little knowledge about us that they don't want to get "sucked in" to something and not have the spiritual strength to withstand it. If you think of it from their standpoint - one of "the only knowledge I have of them is negative, and yet I have true, honest questions" then it's pretty easy to see where they would be liery of asking us. In the hopes that I'm answering one of these questions, I answer Mormon based question here on YA.

Answer 4

It happens for me on a regular basis and I am not a Mormon. Did you know that the best antiMormon literature I have found is put out by 3 publishers? Bookcraft, Deseret Press and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints puts out antiMormon literature that tops ANYTHING that Ed Decker, Floyd McElveen, and John Farkas PUT TOGETHER!!!!!

The answer to the last question is simple. Go to Google videos and watch the president say that it is fair game to lie to those who do not deserve to know the truth. The elders came past here and lied to me about key teachings. THAT is why the people who have questions will take them to someone outside the church. They CANT get the truth inside your church.
I am sorry if you feel that you are a punching bag. This is the truth of what is going on.

Answer 5

I think that people ask people that arent in the faith instead of people that are in the faith because its easier!...Its always easier to ask a buddy or a pastor, or someone in their church....Its hard though to ask someone in the faith because they might not know one, and they might already have had their minds polluted with a bunch of bias opinions so going to a lds church to figure out for themselves is out of the question!...Im lds and in 2 1/2 months will be servin a mission and i have already experience alot of people ask the craziest questions about the church!....Do u guys pray in the name of Joseph Smith or Jesus Christ, i heard missionaries get paid good money, or i heard mormons arent christians because ur just a cult and stuff...Most people believe alot of negative things about our church, especially when the media portrays mormons in such a negative way!...If a man killed someone, cool.....If a mormon killed someone ohh front page, top story and all that!...so thats why i think that people ask others instead of askin people from the faith...because its easier!

Answer 6

Why can't people just ask someone in the church for answers, instead of asking people who aren't of the faith?

I tried-- and I was told I would have to go to A Bishop if I wanted anything more exact than he could tell me.

Return Missionaries were quite informative-- but it seems they do not have the TRUTH.. What they told me keeps getting Challenged by people like this Questioner/Commentator.

Answer 7

Mormons are a punching bag because their religion is more modern. Because it's more modern, and recorded, it seems more obviously silly. Silly things get taken more seriously after they have been part of tradition for centuries. Joe Smith having english written templates made from gold...which he wouldn;t show his followers until after he'd collected a good bit of money......tends to invite ridicule. Having as a belief that Native Americans are the lost tribe of Israel who were burned red for spurning Jesus....and that they'll become white again after they accept him.....really opens the religion for ridicule. It's no more silly then any other religion....it just has less tradition behind its silliness.

Answer 8

People who don't really want to know rarely go to legitimate sources. Lots of people, especially here, want to find people who agree with them already. They're not really interested in what other people have to say.

However, I decided that I would rather face their wrath on the off chance that they really do mean to learn rather than miss an opportunity. For the fullness of my intent is that I may persuade all men to come to the god of Abraham, the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob and be saved.

Answer 9

Sometimes it's easier to ask your stupid-sounding questions online than face-to-face. I asked about the "undergarments" here a few months ago; I wouldn't have wanted to pester a co-worker or acquaintance ITRW with that.

Answer 10

because they are asking to here the answers they want to hear not asking to find out the truth. bear with it dear there will always be people that think there beliefs are right and all others are wrong remember its does not matter to us who is right and who is wrong it is to god to judge. we must just keep the faith...