What can we do to counteract this sort of thing?

[Macrina]

Someone in the rules discussion posted this YouTube video. It's about three minutes long, and it's a clip of a teacher instructing young Mormons who are about to go out on their missions. It provides strategy for avoiding controversial doctrines and deceiving potential converts.

I don't want this thread to just be about Mormons, though... I've seen people get sucked into other cults, too. The cult-like behavior I'm interested in talking about is the practice of deliberately withholding potential off-putting information in order to gain a convert. This can be very, very effective, sadly.

So what do we as Christians do to counteract this kind of behavior? If we get shrill and hysterically angry, that's counterproductive. If we ignore it, that's irresponsible. So when it comes to behaviors that cult members do to bring in new people, what can we do to protect those they are going after? Any thoughts?

 

[Hentenza]

Knowledge and God. We are to fully utilize the full armor of God when dealing with cults. We are to pray for those that have been sucked in to a cult and bring the gospel to them in a loving and patient manner. However, at some point we have to put our foot down and don't allow the cultists to spread their lies.

An example, I have JW's come to my door all the time and I will discuss theology with them but I will not allow them to read passages to me from their bible. I also do not invite them into my house except for the one time when one told the other to leave and we sat in my backyard and discussed theology. Thanks to God he listened and is not longer a JW. I know that if I would have been rude and critical, this person would not have listened to me and might still be a JW. So we have to be lovingly forceful and not allowed them an inch.

 

[desmalia]

First of all, it's vital to always approach teachers of false doctrines and victims of false doctrines with the fear of the Lord. Remember who is all powerful, who is our master, who is in charge, and who we do not want to dishonor. We cannot approach them with any other attitude than this. The fear of the Lord. It's vital.

Second of all, we do not rely on the philosophies of man, twisting and adjusting our words to fit whatever sounds nicest. We share the truth in love, but we share it as it is. Nothing we can say is more powerful that the Gospel itself.

And finally, in constant prayer for the soul of these lost people we are talking with. We must remember to hate the spirit of the false doctrines, but strive to snatch these people from the fire, knowing that God loves them and passionately desires that they turn from darkness and come to Him.

No matter how much they twist and turn and attempt to avoid the truth, keep on sharing it. Let the seeds plant as God desires, and remain faithful to Him and His will.

Excellent question, BTW!

 

[Macrina]

Knowledge and God. We are to fully utilize the full armor of God when dealing with cults. We are to pray for those that have been sucked in to a cult and bring the gospel to them in a loving and patient manner. However, at some point we have to put our foot down and don't allow the cultists to spread their lies.

An example, I have JW's come to my door all the time and I will discuss theology with them but I will not allow them to read passages to me from their bible. I also do not invite them into my house except for the one time when one told the other to leave and we sat in my backyard and discussed theology. Thanks to God he listened and is not longer a JW. I know that if I would have been rude and critical, this person would not have listened to me and might still be a JW. So we have to be lovingly forceful and not allowed them an inch.

Praise God that he used you to make a difference for that person! And kudos to you for avoiding the rude and critical attitude in what must have at times been a very frustrating situation.

First of all, it's vital to always approach teachers of false doctrines and victims of false doctrines with the fear of the Lord. Remember who is all powerful, who is our master, who is in charge, and who we do not want to dishonor. We cannot approach them with any other attitude than this. The fear of the Lord. It's vital.

Second of all, we do not rely on the philosophies of man, twisting and adjusting our words to fit whatever sounds nicest. We share the truth in love, but we share it as it is. Nothing we can say is more powerful that the Gospel itself.

And finally, in constant prayer for the soul of these lost people we are talking with. We must remember to hate the spirit of the false doctrines, but strive to snatch these people from the fire, knowing that God loves them and passionately desires that they turn from darkness and come to Him.

No matter how much they twist and turn and attempt to avoid the truth, keep on sharing it. Let the seeds plant as God desires, and remain faithful to Him and His will.

Excellent question, BTW!

Good points, thanks.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Great thread. After reading that thread, I prayed and prayed and the sadness sort of lifted. Because I think we approach them in much the same way we approach anyone who needs to be saved. They've been brain-washed into believing something false... hasn't any person who doesn't belong to the Lord?

Have noticed something. Sometimes people seem to feel they have converted someone who comes to Christ. It's a peculiar thing. As if we've done it through cleverness or persuasion, instead of acknowledging God did all of it from start to finish. We must remember on our own we're capable of nothing; we're incapable of removing the blindness of people. Completely impotent. But the Lord can do it all. We have to use His words; use His anger; use His sadness; remember it's for Him, not for us. If they refuse to open their eyes, they haven't harmed us - and maybe God has used us to plant a seed.

It's hard when it feels like you're banging your head against a wall. Ultimately, I think we trust God, and we know that if He wants to use us to talk to people who are blind, or lost, He'll use us. But we can't know what role we play in the grand scheme of things, how many people are also sharing the Truth with them, so we just have to trust that God has it all worked out already.

 

[Hentenza]

Great thread. After reading that thread, I prayed and prayed and the sadness sort of lifted. Because I think we approach them in much the same way we approach anyone who needs to be saved. They've been brain-washed into believing something false... hasn't any person who doesn't belong to the Lord?

Have noticed something. Sometimes people seem to feel they have converted someone who comes to Christ. It's a peculiar thing. As if we've done it through cleverness or persuasion, instead of acknowledging God did all of it from start to finish. We must remember on our own we're capable of nothing; we're incapable of removing the blindness of people. Completely impotent. But the Lord can do it all. We have to use His words; use His anger; use His sadness; remember it's for Him, not for us. If they refuse to open their eyes, they haven't harmed us - and maybe God has used us to plant a seed.

It's hard when it feels like you're banging your head against a wall. Ultimately, I think we trust God, and we know that if He wants to use us to talk to people who are blind, or lost, He'll use us. But we can't know what role we play in the grand scheme of things, how many people are also sharing the Truth with them, so we just have to trust that God has it all worked out already.

Hi GM,

Absolutely! We can never boast that WE did the work of the Lord. The lord works through us to achieve His will. All we can do is listen for the call and hope we recognize it. However, the one thing that we can do when we open our mouths is mess it up. So we can't let unwholesome talk come out of our mouths.

Ephesians 4:29
29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Hi GM,

Absolutely! We can never boast that WE did the work of the Lord. The lord works through us to achieve His will. All we can do is listen for the call and hope we recognize it. However, the one thing that we can do when we open our mouths is mess it up. So we can't let unwholesome talk come out of our mouths.

Ephesians 4:29
29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Perfect verse!

I'd say Mac has been keeping her cool wonderfully, too Tis easy to get properly riled up when people are just so difficult. I was thinking about something else relating to it, and if someone believes anything goes, by the same token they don't care what goes... isn't that indifference, almost?

And trying to tell the Truth to someone indifferent is sooo frustrating.

 

[Sketcher]

Learn about why their faith is not true, expose them, and be nice about it. Mormon missionaries don't always have good answers to difficult questions about their faith. Ask the right one, and they'll scatter in a hurry.

 

[desmalia]

Learn about why their faith is not true, expose them, and be nice about it. Mormon missionaries don't always have good answers to difficult questions about their faith. Ask the right one, and they'll scatter in a hurry.

The video speaks well to that. They're not trained to know what they really believe and why. They're taught to divert and change the subject whenever possible. It's all about manipulation and mind games, not about pure truth.