Mormons

[randompalindrome]

There is a mormon posting about hell and being a christian and it got me thinking about mormons and how christians see them.
There aren't many mormons in england but i think i know enough to have my own opinion (John Smith etc came up while studing American history and south park did an episode on it).
Mormons are just mockable, not as much as scietologists but its ok to have a mormon joke.
I have a theory that is is just cause its new and we know how it started and we can see that believing that appears silly. If we really knew the truth about the other religions they would seem pretty silly as well.

For some weird mormon beliefs from ex-mormons go to
www (dot) exmormon (dot) org (slash) mormon (slash ) mormon178 (dot) htm
(I don't have enough posts for an external link)
My favorite is that you get a planet after you die that you become god of and repopulate with your spouse.

So, my question is. Do you mock them? Do you respect them ? (this would seem odd as you 'know' that they are wrong or you'd be a mormon). What do you think of them and their chosen beliefs?

 

[039]

I got you covered.

(The link from the above post: www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon178.htm )

To me, with mormons, I feel the same thing as I do about buddhists and atheists: worried. It's not that people are stupid and deserved to be mocked, but rather just blind and in need of the truth. I don't think mormonism is truthful, but there's no reason to mock others for their beliefs, and it's most certianly an unloving and counterproductive thing to do. I don't care who you are; you are made in the image of a holy God, and as such, you reflect God to some degree. To me, insulting others is like insulting God to his face.

Everyone has the potential to accept the hand of God.

 

[randompalindrome]

In need of truth? from their angle you are the one in need of truth.
"I don't care who you are; you are made in the image of a holy God, and as such, you reflect God to some degree. To me, insulting others is like insulting God to his face."
So you don't insult anyone ever? saying that someone needs to see the truth implied that they are wrong currently and is like an insult. there is no sports team politician you hate? What about scientologists? You have to mock them, they're deluded (unless there really was that Xenu and brainwashed confuse souls do give poeple depression, theres a chance)

Thanks for putting the link up

 

[039]

I didn't say I never insulted anyone. Infact, I still do it often. Sinning against others is the same thing as sinning against God. Correction and insult are two different things. Insulting is merely belittling someone for your own entertainment or to validate yourself, correction is trying to push someone in the right direction. Naturally, if you are devout to a position and someone tries to convince you otherwise, you feel insulted. This is where love comes into play. Truely loving someone doesn't mean letting them get everything they want, especially if what they want is destructive.

Scientologists are the same as mormons. We have the potential for spirtuality, as humans. Without proper guidance (we humans are unlike animals: we're not born with the knowledge of life, but rather must look to others to learn it. This is necessary for free choice, I think), we cling to one thing or another, such as family, science, or loyalty in another religion, to fill that need for devoution. This is the blindness I'm referring to.

About the link, you're welcome. =D

 

[randompalindrome]

You think that mormons and scientlogists are without proper guidance? That depends on who is right, if they are right then you are without proper guidance although that point had no relevence to the point.

I'm trying to find what people think of mormons (and scientlogists if you like) and (from my interpreation) 039 thinks that they are without proper guidance.
I think they're silly but I think everyone (inclulding myself) is a bit silly. What do you the rest of you think. i want a poll

 

[OldChurchGuy]

You think that mormons and scientlogists are without proper guidance? That depends on who is right, if they are right then you are without proper guidance although that point had no relevence to the point.

I'm trying to find what people think of mormons (and scientlogists if you like) and (from my interpreation) 039 thinks that they are without proper guidance.
I think they're silly but I think everyone (inclulding myself) is a bit silly. What do you the rest of you think. i want a poll

Personally, I can't prove that Joseph Smith didn't have an experience with God. I don't believe he did, but cannot prove it.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is seen as a cult by some, silly by others, yet seems to fill needs or it would have died out long ago.

The few Mormons I have met have been on my porch as they were going door to door on their missionary work. The one thing I noticed is their absolute certainty of their faith / beliefs. It seems almost too rigid, as though there is no room for independent thought.

OldChurchGuy

 

[epy]

[quote=randompalindrome;33068526]So, my question is. Do you mock them? Do you respect them ? (this would seem odd as you 'know' that they are wrong or you'd be a mormon). What do you think of them and their chosen beliefs?[/quote]

Throughout childhood I just saw them as being outside the realm of mainstream Christianity. In the years that followed I looked into their beliefs only long enough to know I that their theology and mine were incompatible, my overall view at the point not changing appreciably from my former view. With the recent Romney candidacy, I decided to look into their ideas further. I would describe my current thoughts about them/their beliefs as being "They have some ideas I could agree with (at least on the surface). We have at least some political/social common ground. However, their biblical interpretation is such that I don't think it could even be reasonably compared with the traditional interpretations, and is thus contradictory to my theology."

Do I respect or mock them? I respect them just as I do others with differing but non-highly-destructive beliefs. At least for the moment, I feel that mockery should be reserved for absurdity(primarily in the practial realm) as opposed to what I see as bit off track.

 

[Bluewing]

Hi randompalindrome,

"So, my question is. Do you mock them?"

No; even though I don't agree with their beliefs, we must learn to differentiate between the person (who Christ died for) and their beliefs.

"Do you respect them ? (this would seem odd as you 'know' that they are wrong or you'd be a mormon)."

As with above, I respect them as a person - someone fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) in the image of God who Christ willingly gave His life for. Do I respect their beliefs? I don't agree with them, but if you mock them or rubbish their beliefs disrepectively, then they'll go into the "defensive mode" rather than being more open to what you are saying to them about the Gospel.

I'm starting to find that it doesn't matter if you win the argument. What good does that do if we win but loose the person we are trying to reach? We are not about winning arguments, but rather saving souls from death and bringing them to Jesus.

"What do you think of them and their chosen beliefs?"

I think that this question is answered above. They are probably great people, the only problem is that they have been deceived and are living their lives for a faulty and misguided cause.