After I left the JWs a couple of Mormons came to my door. Although I knew I didn't want to be a Mormon, I was curious about how they did church, so I went to a service with them. Once was enough.
Ever consider joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
by rawe 139 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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poppers
One of the first things I do when they come to talk is get them to tell me their first name. Then they can't use their "elder" title as some sort of buffer between us. Titles are artificial barriers that tend to keep people at arm's length. I like to butter them up by telling them I admire how they show dedication to their beliefs through their missionary works and how they value education so highly, unlike some religions like the JWs. After I've gotten them on my side I bring up the idea of shunning, giving the example of the JWs and get them to verbalize that it isn't right. And then I get them to admit that they themselves shun people who leave. They usually will say that it does happen, but it isn't part of their official teaching as something they should do. Then I bring up the fact that there is no DNA evidence to support their belief about a connection to the ancienct Jews.
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JWOP
Steve 2, that's funny -- I actually did a video called "Out of the Frying pan", dealing with a Mormon who became JW, LOL!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF0wGEXk3ow -
Mum
I have never considered becoming a Mormon, but I have been curious about them. I have read two books written by former Mormon women. The first was Sonia Johnson's book, the title of which I have forgotten. Sonia Johnson was a Mormon who was excommunicated from the church and became a feminist. I read about her first in Ms. magazine in the late '70's, just after I left the JW's. In her book, she describes being the perfect Mormon wife and mother, playing the piano at church and doing mission work in remote corners of the globe. Then her husband left her for a "younger and blonder" woman. She began to question her life choices (or handed-down beliefs) and was avidly watched by the church. They had an excommunication trial where she was accused of worshipping "God the Mother." It was her against a bunch of men, some of them very prominent, so she didn't stand a chance. What they put her through was inexcusable.
The other book I read was called Secret Ceremonies. The writer describes her Mormon wedding in the temple. She has to swear to disembowel herself rather than reveal the rituals of Mormon temple marriage. She wears the obligatory underwear, which sounds like torture in itself. She spent some time in a mental institution. She and her Mormon husband get a divorce, and she later marries a non-Mormon. That marriage doesn't work out either. She does have a successful career as a journalist or writer. Her family (parents and 4 brothers) are ultimately disappointed in her, but they still communicate with her.
When I lived in the east (United States), I didn't know any Mormons. Living in the west, I have met many. They all seem like such nice people that it makes it hard to believe they buy into their bizarre belief system. It seems to me that many of the males have the "class clown" kind of personality. Some of the women are baby factories, but others are serious career women.
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Bungi Bill
Presented with the choice of having to choose between the LDS and the JWs, I probably would opt for the LDS:
- if I didn't shoot myself first!
Bill.
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TD
If you haven't joined the LDS or considered it, what is your general view of the LDS faith?
I grew up with Mormons. -Went to school with them, played with them, worked with and for them, dated them and attended their services out of curiosity. I still have a BOM with my name embossed on it; a gift from an employer who was Stake President.
They have a similar set of problems to JW's, including but not limited to:
An aging and fallible leadership that picks up the mantle of inspiration from time to time.
A church history that is not openly presented to potential converts today
Views that are thoroughly refuted by science, but can't be changed because they are too central to the faith.
A vocal 'apostate' community that points these things out out.
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Earnest
Read their literature - Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, Doctrine and Covenants. Also read Robert Lindsey's A Gathering of Saints which was about a couple of murders in Salt Lake City and quite illuminating.
I did consider their interesting claim that God has continued to reveal himself and so the Book of Mormon is a continuation of scripture, but there was so much dishonesty I could never quite take it seriously.
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KateWild
Searcher, Steve2. My thoughts exactly. I may as well just keep going to the KH if I want a cult. Kate xx
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Cold Steel
Interesting comments.
I've been LDS for more than 40 years and I've never seen any shunning. But if there is, it's not in any way condoned by the church. In fact, the church strongly discourages shunning. Why? Because it runs counter to the gospel of Christ, which teaches love and forgiveness. In one revelation to the church, the Lord states, "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive; but of you it is required to forgive all men." The church can't control who gets shunned, and people are people.
As for those who call us a "cult," well, granted. We are a cult in the same sense that first century Christianity was a cult. Jesus was head of a small but eclectic group of followers that grew into a large, mobile community that threatened the religious structures of the day. Jesus declared himself the messiah in a day when the Jews thought he would come and free them from their enemies (see Zech. 12:12-14). Revelation had ceased for more than 400 years and suddenly an angel appears to the priest, the father of John the Baptist, and declares a new dispensation. John prepared the way, and then Jesus fulfills his destiny.
Joseph Smith was a poor New York farm boy who did odd jobs for people to get money to plant crops. He experienced a miraculous vision in 1820, and ten years later began to fulfill his own destiny. Was he a con man? Not according to those who knew him best. Of course there were affidavits signed by many of the townsfolk, but those who hired him and those who grew up with him said he was a hard worker and an honest man. But then Jesus had those who swore he wasn't such a sterling character and that he was sired by a Roman soldier, so who are you going to believe?
Scientifically, the Book of Mormon has only gained credibility and has lost none over the years. The DNA tests were on the wrong people and the entire issue has received a scholarly response from our apologists, which, unlike people in the Society, were encouraged to seek higher educations and are recognized as being some of the tops in their fields. These include professors of ancient scripture, archeologists, historians, antropologists and geologists. And the evidences for the Book of Mormon grow each year. They have a huge list of possible "problems" regarding the book and each year they check mark the areas they've eliminated. The book has one leg in 600 B.C. Jerusalem and Arabia and the other in Mesoamerica, where the Lehites are thought to have arrived and flourished. If anyone wants information in any of these areas, PM me, and I'll send you info backing up my claims.
Finally, the LDS church is the only Christian sect with apostles and prophets, and which claims its leaders are called and ordained by divine authority. We have bishops, seventy, elders, teachers, priests -- all offices held by the ancient church. When our leaders speak, we listen because we believe they are true apostles, and that the revelations they receive are of God.
Most of the people on this site know very little about what they're talking about when it comes to the LDS faith. When I've commented on the JW faith here, I make damn sure I know what I'm talking about or I apologize. I mean, it's fine if you don't want anything to do with our church or any other for that matter. I hate to see people driven to atheism by religion, but it happens when people feel bamboozled. I have read extensively on every issue brought up here and yes, some of our doctrine clashes with traditional Christianity. But we've learned from the Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hammadi fragments that ancient Christianity believed many of those same doctrines, like theosis and premortality of the soul. But one has to be open. The Lord will provide a great deal of evidence, but he won't give you proof (though I think he comes pretty close).
If you really want to follow the path to see if there's anything at the end, drop me a line.
See this comprehensive article if you're interested. It covers just about all the misinformation above.
The LDS church follows the law of witnesses for all conferrals of authority. The
Book of Mormon also had numerous witnesses, and none of these ever retracted
their testimonies, but carried them to the grave..
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Gypsy Sam
No. Seriously, just act like you're buying a car and google the hell out of any religion. Positives and negatives. Then, make up your own mind. Once I learned TTATT end of last year, I googled other US relgions I'm familiar with and it was easy to see how they were nonsense.
