Or any other LDS event? Did you say or do anything?
I was at the Manti Pageant a year ago and of course there were lots of protestors trying to point out the "truth" to us... I was with my Young Women's group during camp time and we were sitting on the temple grounds waiting for the pageant to start. A man with a large sign stood next to the fence and yelled obscenities... we started to sing some songs "I Love to See the Temple" "I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" and "I am a Child of God" He went away and the people around us cheered and thanked us.
Has anyone had similar experiences?
2007-09-21 09:05:22 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
James B - EXACTLY.
2007-09-22 05:11:45 · update #1
I was at a general conference session a few years back, and there was a guy standing outside temple square. He was hold a bible in one hand, and garments in the other- you know.. our magical underwear ;). He was yelling about how they were never mentioned in the bible, and all of us that were wearing them would burn in the hot place for wearing them. It got really bad, and the cops were called on him. He even grabbed a guy that was just walking by and tried to rip his shirt off to show that he was one of the "unclean" men.
About the time the cops were called, one of the general authorities were walking by. I didn't think they went anywhere without a body guard, or were even able to walk around during that time, but I think there was a reason he was there then. He walked up to that man, grabbed the package of garments, put his hand on his shoulder and told him to "kindly take his rubbish elsewhere". I couldn't see the general authorities face, and I can't remember his name for the life of me. The protester turned white as a sheet, his mouth dropped open, his eyes bulged, and threw his bible on the ground and literally ran away. I have never seen anything like it!!
I really think that God was working through His messenger that day and showed the guy something he didn't want to see. I will always remember that, and know that the Lord is looking out for His church. Yes, there may be people who hate us, or don't understand us and fear what we are about. That won't change until the end of times, but things like this show me that I'm where I'm supposed to be, and that God has a plan for this church.
2007-09-23 10:30:51 · answer #1 · answered by odd duck 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I haven't really ever experienced this. I guess where I'm at LDS are better received than other areas. Here in California people don't really know too much about LDS and/or don't really care. The two most common reactions I get once people hear I'm mormon are: "Oh is that the Samoan Church?" and "Oh is that the big castle-church in the hills?" (Oakland Temple). I really wouldn't have thought that in Utah of all places you would find protestors at the temple! Thats like people picketing the Vatican. I guess you learn something new each day.
2007-09-21 11:23:05 · answer #2 · answered by Feelin Randi? 5 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Every time I've ever been to Temple Square, I had to pass by a person at the gate outside distributing anti-Mormon material. I didn't say or do anything, except place their garbage in the trash. I just wonder to myself, "Don't they have anything better to do with their time?" Seems like their time would be better invested in sharing their own beliefs with others, than focusing on destroying the beliefs of a particular group.
Take some reassurance, though, that there is so much opposition to this work. If no one was opposed to the Church and its teachings, then I'd be concerned (unless, of course, we were living in the Millennium).
2007-09-21 13:06:59 · answer #3 · answered by all star 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I had a similar experience with mormons, but they did not protest, they came to our church and handed out mormon material and avoided the coffee shop like the plague, LOL and then had three bishops show up to see why our church was so big, (4 thousand strong). They were friendly.
When I was a mormon in UT, I can vagely remember if there was protests. All I remember is that it rained everytime there was a conferance and my mom would say "the angels are crying."
2007-09-23 06:48:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i've got not fairly ever experienced this. i assume the place i'm at LDS are better gained than different factors. right here in California human beings do not likely comprehend too plenty approximately LDS and/or do not likely care. the two maximum basic reactions i'm getting as quickly as human beings hear i'm mormon are: "Oh is that the Samoan Church?" and "Oh is that the super fortress-church interior the hills?" (Oakland Temple). i myself would not have theory that in the time of Utah of all places you will possibly locate protestors on the temple! Thats like human beings picketing the Vatican. i assume you learn something new every day.
2016-10-19 08:14:28 · answer #5 · answered by carlstrom 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah Ive seen a lot of them.... Manti Pageant, Salt Lake Temple on General Conference, and Newport Beach Temple during the tours.... Of course we're always instructed not to contend. I usually ignore them, or give them a Book of Mormon. Sometimes i results in a disrespected BOM but I think it's good to give them what they fear most. I've sung like you sometimes too, but they never left..... oh well
2007-09-21 15:54:47 · answer #6 · answered by The Delicate Balance 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yeah... I'm not a big fan of most of the picketers. Unfortunately, however, it is only the loud obnoxious ones that really get noticed. I remember having a lovely discussion with a pious young couple who was absolutely beaming with the Spirit of God at the Mesa Easter Pageant down in Arizona.
This couple had little pamphlets, of which I took one, and didn't have any big signs. They didn't shout profanities. They didn't mock the LDS beliefs. They didn't tell me anything about Mormons going to hell. They were simply there to testify of what they felt was true, and to help those who were interested to get to know their version of the truth a little bit better.
Of course, there are several protestors who would angrily send the whole LDS Church to hell in a handcart and not feel bad for it, but I do think that we can't generalize and stereotype the protestors, just like they shouldn't stereotype members of the Church.
2007-09-21 09:29:52 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 11⤊ 1⤋
yea. I attend the Manti pageant every year and there are always protestors and other groups handing out pamphlets and so on. Usually I just ignore them, but sometimes when I am feeling really cantankerous I stay and debate until one of my kids comes back and drags me off. It's always been in the spirit of good fun though and never have argued hurtfully with any of them.
...and they are always at General Conference.
I was at General Conferance years ago (when I was 17-18) and all the woman's lib protestor's stopped me by hitting me with their signs and blocking my way into temple grounds, to let me know how picked on I was - it made me laugh. I could see even then, that I was much happier where I was, than they were where they were.
2007-09-21 09:19:53 · answer #8 · answered by phrog 7 · 12⤊ 1⤋
i act in the Manti pageant every year and before we go up to get ready we walk around the streets and look at booths and stuff. the protesters annoy me and i live with them i ignore them for the most part but there particularly pushy little buggers that try their hardest to give me a brochure or a DVD. and if they give me a little brochure then i will stop, look at it for about thirty seconds and crush it in my fist and throw it in the nearest garbage can and i try to let them see me. then they don't hand me stuff anymore. and they have their huge groups that gather in the middle of the sidewalk and i will wear a ctr shirt or something to identify me as a Mormon and walk right through their little group and ignore them completely. and they don't dare say anything to me because i am really intimidating.
one guy that comes every year has another guy follow him around with a video camera, and a couple years ago he went up to this guy who was really sick and tired of all the protesters crap and he started harassing him. like protesters do, and then the guy got ready to hit the guy (the guy who had the camera following him around, he wanted to get it on film so he could say Mormons are violent and possessed by the devil or some other nonsense.) but the guy didn't punch him and now every year a cop follows that specific protester around all night to keep him out of trouble
2007-09-21 11:36:46 · answer #9 · answered by Brutus Maxius 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
At the Hill Cummorah pagent this year there were protesters yelling about how we were all going to Hell for worshiping idols and how we would be looking for "old Joe in Hell when we got there". I had the local missionaries with me and one was a little irate and i pointed out to him that our lord Jesus Christ did not gain followers by putting the people down. He gained them through love and acceptance not belittlement and humiliation. So if this is how protesters of our peaceful gatherings choose to be can they really be true followers of Christ as they claim to be?
2007-09-21 20:33:06 · answer #10 · answered by james b 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋