Mormon Missionaries are Driving Me Nuts

Rescued One

...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me
Dec 12, 2002
35,529
6,408
Midwest
✟80,125.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Widowed
Mormons are political liberals? Who'da thunk it?

Most of the Mormons I knew personally were very Republican. They've made many new converts in America among people who don't know their Bibles; they might be converting Democrats. IDK.
 
Upvote 0

Rescued One

...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me
Dec 12, 2002
35,529
6,408
Midwest
✟80,125.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Widowed
I have always had an intellectual interest in comparative religions. So as a young man while on vacation to the Adirondacks, I dropped by the visitor center in Palmyra, NY, where Joseph Smith said he had his revelation. Being young and still somewhat naive about the ways of the world, I signed the guest register. Mistake.

Six months later I had two Mormon missionaries standing on my porch excited to talk to me because they knew I had stopped by Palmyra. I politely let them know I had my own faith practice which I had no desire to change, and my visit to Palmyra had been intellectual only. I politely refused to talk more with them and sent them on their way. They did not come back or make a nuisance of themselves.

They try to visit every non-Mormon who goes to Palmyra or another of their sites.
 
Upvote 0

Rescued One

...yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me
Dec 12, 2002
35,529
6,408
Midwest
✟80,125.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Widowed
I don't believe that I called anyone "intrusive." They are nice, but I have found that any willingness on your/my part to engage on whatever they bring up then makes politely cutting off the discussion rather difficult. And that is what our questioner wanted to know--how to end it.

My apologies. I knew you hadn't called them intrusive; I was just sharing information for everyone to read. What you say above is true.

I think JWs are pushier. However, they want to leave literature if you don't invite them in. I simply ask, "Will you take some from me?"

They say, "No," and they go away. One time I was extremely friendly at the door and told a JW that I used to be a Mormon and didn't believe in the Trinity. I then told him why I now believe in the Trinity and shared several Bible verses with him.

For use with JWs:
GOD IS ONE GOD
1 Deuteronomy 6 : 4 — There is only one God, Jehovah.
2. Isaiah 43 : 10-11— He is the LORD and only Savior.
3. Isaiah 44 : 6 — He is the first and the last.
4. Revelation 1 : 8 — He is the Lord God Almighty, the Alpha and Omega.
5. Revelation 22 : 13, 16 — Jesus is the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.
6. Revelation 1 : 17-18 — The one God who was the first and the last died and rose again!
7. Hebrews 1 : 1, 2, 8 — God the Father calls the Son, "God."
8. Acts 5 : 3-4 --Peter calls the Holy Spirit, "God."
9. John 6 : 27 --Jesus calls the Father, "God."
(forgotten source)

The Trinity Revealed in the Resurrection
1. Acts 10 : 39-40 — God raised Christ from the dead.
2. 1 Thessalonians 1 : 10 — God the Father raised the Son from the dead.
3. Romans 8 : 11 — God the Spirit raised the Son from the dead.
4. John 2 : 19-22 — God the Son raised Himself from the dead.
God's substance
 
Upvote 0

Gregory Thompson

Change is inevitable, feel free to spare some.
Site Supporter
Dec 20, 2009
28,369
7,745
Canada
✟722,927.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Christian Seeker
Marital Status
Married
These guys are very aggressive. It was my fault for letting them in because I felt sorry for them. But I don't believe what they believe. In fact, I think they add to the Bible. Now I can't get rid of them. Help!!!!
Determine what they believe, and how they rebutt christian theology, and illustrate the truth from every where in the bible except where thy have rebuttals already prepared.

Maybe they're different where you are, but missionaries from JW and Mormonism have one thing in common. they think they can convert you. Show them different.
 
Upvote 0

seeking.IAM

Episcopalian
Site Supporter
Feb 29, 2004
4,275
4,943
Indiana
✟962,392.00
Country
United States
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Married
They try to visit every non-Mormon who goes to Palmyra or another of their sites.

Yes, of course. I know that now but I was too naive on the ways of the world in my 20's to have figured that out. Had I known at the time that they always called on non-Mormon visitors, I would have signed the name and address of one of my chums or perhaps my mother-in-law. I was in my 20's afterall. ^_^ :sunglasses:
 
  • Haha
Reactions: 1 person
Upvote 0

Introverted1293

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Jul 22, 2017
2,981
3,079
Washington
✟687,143.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian Seeker
Marital Status
Single
PloverWing is right, IMO. I find that arguing with them, pointing out the errors in their theology, and that sort of approach is not nearly as effective as saying that you have your own church and are happy with it.

Be polite, but if they persist at all, cut it off. They can conclude that you are deceived or uninformed, but none of that matters so long as they give up!

Thank you very much. This was helpful.
 
Upvote 0

Introverted1293

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Jul 22, 2017
2,981
3,079
Washington
✟687,143.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian Seeker
Marital Status
Single
Sorry for saying that they are agressive. That was probably an over exaggeration. They are very nice young men. But when you have anxiety, their persistence seems like aggression. But you are right, they are nice. I just did not know how to respond to them.

To @Phoebe Ann
 
Upvote 0

Introverted1293

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Jul 22, 2017
2,981
3,079
Washington
✟687,143.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian Seeker
Marital Status
Single
They may have some pat answers to everything (not good or true, but y'know...available), and they may not admit to you that they're stumped or they're doubting, but they're only there in the first place because they think they can plant a seed that will cause you to doubt your own religion, or at least start looking at Mormonism differently.

Well if they can (and they can, so make sure you know your faith better than they do before you let them in again), then you can do the same to them. Mormonism doesn't tell its communicants actual history (either of Christianity or of Mormonism), but other sources aren't operating with the same 'faith promoting' strictures in place.

50 problems with Mormonism (short form):


50 more problems with Mormonism (long form):


Top 10 Mormon Problems Explained (very long form investigation):


I wouldn't recommend showing these actual videos to the Mormons (this is a mistake I've made over in the "Debate Other Religions" subforum of CF, thinking that Mormons are intellectually honest enough to actually take others' arguments as seriously as they wish for their own arguments to be taken, and...well, it's not that they're dishonest, exactly, but they are trained very thoroughly from a very young age to dismiss anything that goes against what the Mormon religion tells them as 'anti-Mormon lies', and will do so basically reflexively, no matter what its actual pedigree), but familiarizing yourself with the issues they bring up (if you are not familiar with them already) well enough to where you can comfortably and confidently, but not arrogantly, bring them up extemporaneously would be a very good thing. Unfortunately YouTube did not exist when the Mormons used to visit my own family when I was a teenager (my father's then-wife became interested in the religion through her friendship with the contractor who was hired to work on the family home and instead spent a lot of time preaching Mormonism to her, so the missionaries came quite persistently after that), so I was not aware of these kinds of issues, but if I had been I would have definitely brought them up.

The way I see it, if you're willing to go into strangers' homes in an effort to spread your religion, you should be willing to answer difficult questions about it, especially by people who can present themselves as honest investigators. If they can't handle that, then they'll basically self-select themselves out of preaching to you, and the problem will fix itself.

For some reason I can't rate anything. It is driving me nuts.

But thank you for this. And I do agree that they should be able to answer difficult questions. I am unable to answer difficult questions of why I believe what I believe. But I am starting to read more and try to understand more. Also, I wouldn't no how to sow seeds of doubt in them; but that would be nice if I could.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Introverted1293

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Jul 22, 2017
2,981
3,079
Washington
✟687,143.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian Seeker
Marital Status
Single
Ask them about JWs and about the similarities between them. (The two groups don't get along) This will get rid of them.

I would have to read up on JWs, which I have no clue what they believe in.
 
Upvote 0

Introverted1293

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Jul 22, 2017
2,981
3,079
Washington
✟687,143.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian Seeker
Marital Status
Single
I am not in favor of telling them that their beliefs are false. Simply tell them that you wish them well, but that you are not interested and do not let them in anymore.

That's an interesting approach. Thank you for that.
 
Upvote 0