As I was getting ready to run off to the post office today..

BarryK said:

well, i had my visit the other day,
when the young men arrived, I broke out my bible, my 1920 BoM, and my 1971 quad as we sat down at the table. This is when I asked thenm why are they trying to evangalize Christians. the "senior" of the two said "i feel a spirit of contention here" to which i replied that The Holy Spirit told us in Jude to "conted earnestly for the faith" , which I the showed them in my KJV, JST, and the Inspired Version.

this is when the politely (but hastely) excused themselves and left

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Katya said:

I kinda get why they left, and yet not really. I've never served a mission, but does it always have to be about trying to convert someone?

Why not just have a friendly discussion about religion. With neither side trying to convince the other that what they believe is wrong.

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Zechariah said:

No. Not only does it not have to be, but it is often not about that at all, but about showing love and kindness to one's fellowman, and planting seeds of friendship and good will, regardless of religious belief.



Sounds like that's the reason they did leave. When the spirit of contention is present, it's not conducive to a friendly discussion about religion, or much of anything else, so it's far better to leave than to be sucked into the muck of it.

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xenic101 said:

Contending earnestly for the faith doesn't mean you sit around arguing with someone not interested in listening. Jesus repeatedly told the disciples not to waste time where it would do no good, but to move on to the next town. Jesus didn't perform miracles to 'prove' to non-believers that he was the Messiah, but used them to grow and nurture the seed of belief that were already there.

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SoftSpoken said:

I'd have left, too. That senior companion was right on the money, as far as I'm concerned. You and I, we can talk all day about things because that serves the purpose for our being in this forum. The full-time missionaries are not called to endless debate. They are to seek out and find the elect, not mince words with those who have no interest in hearing their message. (See D&C 63:57-58) It's not like they were talking to someone who had never heard the message before.

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well guys,
it never even got to the point of having any discussion,
when they came to my door the other day, I told the i AM a Christian, an Elder in my local church, an intercessor, a worship leader, and a street preacher, and they told me that the still wanted me to come to their church.
We the set up the appoitment, and they arrived on time, and as we sat down asked them why they are trying to recuuit commited christians to their church, they bought up the "spirit of contention"
when I shoed thenm the verse form Jude ( out of the quad) that is when they left

skylark1 said:

Why did you show them this verse in both the JST and Inspired Version?

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because when/i quoted it from the KJV, they had a look of disbelief that this actually was in the Bible

skylark1 said:

Why did you "break out" your 1920 BoM? What was your purpose in using such an older copy of the BoM in your discussion?

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to let them know that I am very familiar with what the L.D.S. teach, and to have "waiting in the wings" the tools to show that thier "divinely translated" text changes many times

skylark1 said:

Maybe they left because you came across as hostile?

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perhaps, but then again, they are the ones who twice came to me with the declared intent to bring christians out of the EKKLESIA where Christ has put them, the local body where Father has joined them to.

bbbbbbb said:

This reminds me of a visit I once had with a pair of Mormon missionaries. At the time I hardly knew a thing about Mormonism (nor do I claim to know much even now). I did ask some sincere questions which seemed to be beyond their ability to answer so they accused me of having deceived them and being an expert in their faith. All I wanted was some answers, but they left in haste, too.

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they accused you of being and expert in their faith?
they accused you of knowng more than they did?
and despite this admission,rather than learn from someone who they admit has more expertise, they left in haste?