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Mormons - When Shall We Defend? Mormon Publicty - Page 2

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Although to ignore may solve somethings, it will not work in community based perceptions of the Church. Here is an example... for many in Trinidad the Church is conceived as being a 'White Man's Church', 'Blacks hold no ministerial positons'. Now, if all that people see on the streets are 'white' missionaries going around saying, "We arefrom the Church of...' then why would that be wrong? It will be only until a black member goes walking with the missionaries to dispell the ignorance will that point of view change.  Sometimes it is necessary to open your mouth indeed. I was once on air via a local radio station, I coul not believe that the announcer asked, if it is that we do not drink Coke, coffee, etc because they were all 'black'. I could not help myself and laughed at the idea. I think over the years, because members did not speak out the population 'acquired' these strong misconceptions about the Church here, more especially because the country is 90% Afro-Indian descent.

You are quite right, JB.  We do have to open our mouths and discuss things like that.  I think I misunderstood the question.  I thought it was about people who are attacking the church, and how we deal with that (or not).

But certainly it's important to dispel certain misconceptions about the church, particularly in our own communities.

Roz

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I thought it was about people who are attacking the church, and how we deal with that (or not).

That is what we are talking about. The point of my scribbles is to say that when members do not rebuttal, speak out, express, correct misunderstanding, etc. then often times the public is made to believe in erroneous ideas and myths perpetuated by the anti-mormons. Hence my example with the idea of blacks not holding the priesthood, etc. Now some members take it to the extreme thinking to answer every false statement made by an opinionated individual, but I do not think that is necessary as you have indicated, but at the same time if 'many' start to say the same thing then it should become worrying for PR purposes.

From the first post:
We know that the Church does not go out and defend itself against every exploit that someone makes against it, but there must be a point when enough is enough. When do you think that point is?

Mormons - When Shall We Defend? Mormon Publicty Studies Doctrine Mormon

We had a similar thread on another forum... Mostly Mormons... I thought that the post I made there might be helpfull here also ... so here it is in all its glory...

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I was, preparing the Lesson for Gospel Doctrine class this week and I was looking for Ideas on lesson 29... anyway not important... I came across a seminary answer to this question ACTS CHAPTER 7 Have the students break into groups and defend the church in the following situations: - Why do you Mormons have your own bible?   - Why do you Mormons have to serve your church for 2 whole years? - Why do a bunch of old men run your church? - Why don't you Mormons believe in Jesus Christ? - Why can't women hold the priesthood in your church? - Why do you Mormons worship Joseph Smith? - Why is there a statue of Joseph Smith on each of your temples? - Why do you have to give so much money to your church? - I thought salvation was free to all. - There's only ONE God, right? Then how can you say that you'll become a God? - I have a friend that's Mormon and her mom couldn't go to her wedding in your temple. Why is that? - Why do have to go to church EVERY Sunday? Do you think that God will curse you if you don't go to church? - Why can't you Mormons get tattoos and body-piercing? - You can't tell me that there are prophets today! I mean, I can see it in bible times, but not in the year 2000. - Why did Brigham Young need to have 46 wives? - I think that people should see if they are compatible before they get married, so they should live together first. Why don't you Mormons think that compatibility is important? Do you really believe that God and Jesus are 2 separate people? - What's up with the Superman underwear that you Mormons wear? - Do you believe that you must be a Mormon to go to heaven? - Why do you Mormons baptize dead people? Have them defend these logically using scriptures, etc. Then explain that they did it all wrong! They need to see each of these questions as an invitation to share the gospel. Give them a second question and ask that they, rather than defend the church, invite their friend to learn more about it. Read the account of the stoning of Stephen as he is rejected by Jewish leaders in Acts 7:54-60. What truths do we learn from this passage? Godhead, type of Christ, the result s may not always be favorable when we defend our church, but the blessings will always be great. ROMANS 1:16, etc. Notice the leaders stop their ears vs. 57 and yell as Stephen testifies of Christ. Submit that one characteristic of a true prophet is that they are always rejected by their people. Write the name Gordon B. Hinckley. Is he rejected by his people? Do we stop our ears and yell loudly when he speaks? What is it he says that cause the people to reject him? (gambling, pornography, R-rated, working women, abortion, Book of Mormon, Pride, Constitution [prayer], caffeine) How has your life been blessed by following the prophet? (Quoted from the Seminary Files) Sometimes all we need to know, we really did learn in Seminary...  :-D Line upon line, precept upon precept 8-)

I hope this is usefull to you all here... 8)

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I hope this is usefull to you all here...

All doctrine is useful. I am often reminded oif this scripture when I think to be quiet:

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek.

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[center] I'm Active [/center]
Hi everybody. First official post. I was raised in the LDS church and was always taught that those who criticize will be proven wrong in the future. If you watch and listen, these people who offend us tend to disappear or at least be proven wrong. It used to bother me, but it doesn't anymore. There are also times when we do need to stand up and, in the proper spirit, proclaim our beliefs. It just can't be done for our own self-gratification or pride. It does happen though.

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[center] I'm Active [/center][table] [tr][td] Years a Member: [/td][td] Lifetime (43 years) [/td][/tr] [tr][td] [/td][td] [/td][/tr] [/table]

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Have them defend these logically using scriptures, etc. Then explain that they did it all wrong! They need to see each of these questions as an invitation to share the gospel. Give them a second question and ask that they, rather than defend the church, invite their friend to learn more about it.

This is exactly along the lines that my mind was working.  Years ago, when I first starting going online and entering into online discussions (do I dare admit that it's been almost 10 year ago?!? : ) I got involved with a man who ran a cable TV show which was decidedly anti-mormon.  We got into a rather heavy email discussion.  He continued to try to convince me of where Mormonism was wrong and finally I just had to tell him to stop it.  My response to him was that instead of attacking my beliefs and religion and tearing me down, instead he should be building me up.  He should be pointing out what his beliefs were, basically bearing his testimony, and then let the truth fall where it may.  The truth always wins.  I told him that if he couldn't stop attacking my beliefs than I would stop all correspondence with him.

I think the same goes for when we are dealing with people who have misconceptions about the church.  We state to them what the church believes.  We bear our testimony to them if appropriate, and then we let the Holy Ghost do it's job and testify of the truthfulness of our words to their heart.  It is then left up to them whether they are going to listen to the spirit or if they are going to harden their hearts against it.  We have done our part.

Just last Sunday we discussed this in SS when talking about Paul's ministry.  There came a point when Paul had preached repeatedly to the Jews and they just wouldn't listen to him or accept his teachings, so Paul just basically washed his hands of them and left them to themselves... this because of their hard-heartedness and inability to listen to the spirit and accept Paul's teachings.  

This is found in Acts 18:6 - "And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles"

Paul didn't stick around and continue to argue with the Jews.  He realized that he was getting nowhere with them and the contention that was arising wasn't worth it.  Their hearts were just too hard.... so he left them.  He was cleared because he had borne his testimony to them and testified of the truth to them... the sin was now on their heads because of their inability to accept that truth.

The same is true with us.  Contention is of the devil and is to be avoided.  All we can do is state our testimonies and try to correct incorrect beliegs about the church.  Then we've done our part.  If the person continues to persist in their misconceptions or in their anti comments after we have expressed the truth, then we are free to just leave them to kick against the pricks.

The truth will always win.  The spirit is what testifies of truth, not the individual.  The spirit cannot be present where there is contention.  Our only obligation is to testify of the truth... it's up to the individual to open their heart to the Holy Ghost and accept that truth.  That is the reason that the church doesn't go out defending itself against all their persecutors.  They would rather spend their time and energy preaching of the truth and reaching those who are open and willing to listen.

Mormons When We Defend Mormon Publicty - Page 2

Patty, thanks for your comments.

Melodi, great post that's what I try always to tell to a couple of the LDS members who go on and on and on and fight with anti-mormons on the net, it doesn't  make any sense :. You share your views, your testimony and they are the ones who has to believe it or reject it and then just move on!

Mormons When We Defend Mormon Publicty Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

HOW ABOUT TOLERANCE FOR ALL?

Some Muslims wear sacred clothing.

So do some Jews. The same for Native Americans and some Hindus and others.

Bits of cloth or string that are physical reminders of God and his bond with man. Sacred things, really. Prayer shawls or beads, head coverings or aprons, medicine bags. Things that are special to people, honorable and good things.

Things that should be respected.


Maybe six guys, Baptist ministers, mocking the Mormons as they came out of a meeting. Shouting rude things to people coming out of church.

And they had these sacred garments.

And one supposed minister of the gospel was wiping his backside with them, laughingly treating them like toilet paper as thousands who held them sacred walked by.

Can you see that being done to a prayer shawl in front of a synagogue, or a prayer rug in front of a mosque?

Wouldn't that sacrilege be publicly denounced by all decent people?


It was an affront. It smelled like the bigotry of the Klan and the Third Reich. And yet the ministers boasted of it to reporters and posed for pictures and no one in the Utah or American religious, media or civil rights communities has condemned it.