Born Again Christians and Baptist... when talking to a Mormon, why don't you state your main point immediatly?

Question

Sorry about this guys... but I've notices that you have this mechanism:

...talking with someone who in a conversation may say "I'm Mormon" and then you guys start by asking like: "Oh really, what do you believe?" and keep "nicely" questioning... What bugs me is that then you you start with the bashing you, yourself start to talk about Joseph Smith, say weird things about the church that differs from what the church really is because you don't want to accept that we are Christians and the we are not a cult. So if you are so close minded about us and anyways you will still believe in your mistake about Mormonism, why do you ask things and start questioning as if in court? Right after someone say "I'm Mormon" state your point about us and madly preach how wrong and lost we are [according to you]. Ah... and then say that we are going to hell, anyways you always do!

I'm sorry for the stereotyping and for mentioning names but for previous experiences... I can tell !

I also understand that not all you you may be like that. I have two evangelical (born again) older sisters... one of them was in my house the day that missionaries were supposed to come and they talked to her about our church and she never bashed! My dad is the same relligion than hers and he's very happy that I'm a Mormon.

My JW aunt sometimes acts like that about Mormonism with me.. with the only difference that she don't even ask.. she bashes directly! but I know that not all JWs are like that. So if the main point is to bash, why to ask if you're gonna bash anyways??? Just do it like my aunt ;)

Answer 1

All Christians are taught to preach the gospel to all people. However, one of the main reasons why I left the Baptist church and wandered in atheism (and much later became LDS) was their failure to understand basic differences in dogmatic faith do not make others hellward-bound.

SDW's response marks him as the poster child. Even though it's not usually my style, I will word my response as he did, just to show you what LDS like myself and Love Yahoo!! are tired of:

Have you seen the facsimiles of the Biblical manuscripts used in canonization? (I have). Do you believe that every 3rd-5th century Catholic priest that struck through the words of God channeled through apostles acted on God's will? No? Then you aren't a Christian.

John 10:16 "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.".
Do you think that Christ was referring to another group of people? No? Then you aren't a Christian.

Do you believe that Psalm 82 and John 10:34 say "ye are Gods", with ye meaning y'all? No? Then you aren't a Christian .

Do you believe that faith is a principle based on action as James taught? No? Then you aren't a Christian.
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That is not how Christ tells me to engage my fellow man, and why I left the Baptist church and wandered alone for so long.

Answer 2

I personally do not believe that Mormonism or Jehovas Witnesses are Biblical Christians. At the same time, many said Christians and Baptists don't follow after Christ as well. I think that other "christians" all to often attack the person, not the belief. We don't even need to be Mormon bashing, I don't agree with your religion and I want you to know the truth, but that can be done in love, not in a judgmental way. So, I'm sorry that christians bash so much instead of loving, instead of being Christ-like.

Answer 3

The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that there is only one True and Living God and apart from Him there are no other Gods (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10,11; 44:6,8; 45:21,22; 46:9; Mark 12:29-34).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that there are many Gods (Book of Abraham 4:3ff), and that we can become gods and goddesses in the celestial kingdom (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20; Gospel Principles, p. 245; Achieving a Celestial Marriage, p. 130). It also teaches that those who achieve godhood will have spirit children who will worship and pray to them, just as we worship and pray to God the Father (Gospel Principles, p. 302).

2. WAS GOD ONCE A MAN LIKE US?

The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that God is Spirit (John 4:24; 1 Timothy 6:15,16), He is not a man (Numbers 23:19; Hosea 11:9; Romans 1:22, 23), and has always (eternally) existed as God — all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere present (Psalm 90:2; 139:7-10; Isaiah 40:28; Luke 1:37).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that God the Father was once a man like us who progressed to become a God and has a body of flesh and bone (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22; "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!" from Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-347; Gospel Principles, p. 9; Articles of Faith, p. 430; Mormon Doctrine, p. 321). Indeed, the Mormon Church teaches that God himself has a father, and a grandfather, ad infinitum (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 373; Mormon Doctrine, p. 577).

3. ARE JESUS AND SATAN SPIRIT BROTHERS?

The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that Jesus is the unique Son of God; he has always existed as God, and is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father (John 1:1, 14; 10:30; 14:9; Colossians 2:9). While never less than God, at the appointed time He laid aside the glory He shared with the Father (John 17:4, 5; Philippians 2:6-11) and was made flesh for our salvation; His incarnation was accomplished through being conceived supernaturally by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:34-35).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that Jesus Christ is our elder brother who progressed to godhood, having first been procreated as a spirit child by Heavenly Father and a heavenly mother; He was later conceived physically through intercourse between Heavenly Father and the virgin Mary (Achieving a Celestial Marriage, p. 129; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 546-547; 742). Mormon doctrine affirms that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers (Gospel Principles, pp. 17-18; Mormon Doctrine, p. 192).
The MORMONS ARE NOT CHRISTIANS with these beliefs, I took the quotes from their books to prove it.

Answer 4

It's like this:

They want the meat before the milk.

They know all of the beliefs that we know, but without the basic principles of the gospel. They simply don't understand why we believe certain things to be true.

I've seen this question many times:
There is no god but god, how can Mormons claim to one day be gods themselves...

That's the meat...the milk is, we believe that we are all children of God with divine potential. We believe that when we die will live in heaven with our heavenly father. We believe that those who have entered into the holy covenant of marriage in the temple, are the only ones who have the ability to reach godhood. We believe EVERYONE is privy to this opportunity if they repent, are baptized, receive the gift of the holy ghost, and endure to the end and follow God's commandments. We believe that because we must marry in the temple to reach exaltation (godhood) then we assume God was once a man by what he tells us... the explanation goes on and on but are all based upon BASIC gospel principles.

You can't possibly explain that to someone who has no understanding of our faith. They only see the thing that "cannot be," because the bible says so and not how it IS possible because of modern day revelation.

This is a lot to say to someone who's not even listening.

I take what they say with a grain of salt and practice what LDS Tenshi says, that sounds pretty good. We're not in the business of head bashing or taking it either.

Answer 5

*historical past* verses 6-19 are Jesus praying for his disciples the worldwide is in fact each little thing that may not of God. a undemanding accepted of what God concurs with is the ten Commandments. and sure the government many times does not carry on with what God needs or enables. even nevertheless it incredibly is as much as us, the aspects and/or Christians, to make certain what politicians & rules coincide with God's will. and from there, our political evaluations ought to be shaped. and peace (between countries and such) can ensue different strategies. each from time to time conflict is needed to get rid of an undesirable and injustice chief, like with WWII and Hitler, which became area of the explanation why the human beings joined in that combat. i think that George W. Bush had the comparable usual intentions with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. sure hundreds upon hundreds of human beings have been killed however the winning reason is to attempt to chop back the quantity of terrorists and the affectiveness of terror on the worldwide. word: i'm no longer precisely professional-Bush yet i will see the place he's coming from with a number of his strikes

Answer 6

it's in the definitions. In the traditional sense mormons are not christians. Mormons claim to being christian lies in their definition that a christian is someone who believes in jesus christ. Born agains, baptists, and catholics have a different conception of christ and the trinity-god, christ, spirit, that is very, very different than mormons. the real problem is that often people arguing about religions only know what they've heard within their own religions about other people's beliefs. Then based on that knowledge and a desire to show loyalty to their personal beliefs they go out and argue with someone else who's doing the same thing. Here's some advice, if you want to know something-anything- about any sort of rival, don't try to learn about it from someone within your institution, because that information will be biased (ie. mormons shouldn't learn about baptists from mormons, and baptists shouldn't learn about mormons from other baptists).

Answer 7

I'm sorry, but your question comes across as you bashing Baptists and Born Again Christians, just as, in your experience, they have bashed you.

My experience is different. I also, am LDS. I've travelled all over the world, and the only bashing I have experienced personally has been in the media. I do know that it exists, but, it is - like everything else - on an individual basis. (One person, one congregation, one preacher, etc. ) I have found the same true in our church. (One bishop, one ward member, one ward) Attitude is attitude.

The only way to overcome this bashing is by your response to it. When people ask questions, you can share your beliefs, and perhaps they will go on to whatever "bashing" they want to do. At that point, walk away. (This is a Dr. Phil situation --- they get payoff by your response. You get up in arms - they get payoff. If you don't fight back, there's no payoff and they will soon quit.)

Or, try a technique my mother taught me. When they come at you with venom, come back with sugar. Find something nice about their religion and, when they start, hit them with a compliment about their religion's activities or something. It'll flabbergast them. It's like sticking a pin in a giant hot air balloon.

Whatever you do, remember, our 11th Article of Faith. "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."

That doesn't mean you have to stand and be bashed. What it means, is that, we support their right to believe what they believe, even if they believe that bashing others is the way Christ would have them behave.

Answer 8

I was told once that the best way to end an argument with a vile person is to agree with them.

For example:

With people who like to tell me I 'm brainwashed...I tell them "Some brains need washing...you should try it sometime." and smile sweetly.

If they say I'm not Christian...I say "I am a Follower of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, Redeemer of the World. If that means I can't Be Christian...then I guess I won't be Christian."

If they say I follow another Christ, I say something similar to the above like "I am a Follower of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, Redeemer of the World. If you follow some other Christ...then I guess you're right."

Sometimes you just need to laugh at the absurdities of life. Get together with your friends who are also members and just sit around and think of ways to agree with the antis and still tell the truth. Because face it...they don't want to know the truth...so why throw the pearls of the gospel before swine?

Answer 9

Bashing is never good no matter what beliefs are being bashed. People's tolerance for disagreeing beliefs also affects what is considered bashing and what is considered discussion about differences. The mormon church does teach things that are very different from "garden variety" christianity; that, you have to admit at least. However, this does not mean anyone should be bashing your religious beliefs. We should respectfully disagree if anything imo.

Answer 10

Jesus would never ever bash people. The Bible also speaks of not getting involved in such arguing. If Christians read their Bibles, and actually listened, they'd be less judgmental. BTW - keep in mind that it takes two to argue. God bless.