What draws people to the Mormons?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...The OFFICIAL religion of the PGA!


People are drawn by their idyllic ads and frequent mention of JESUS.

I am insulated from anything the various cults such as the LSD...er...LDS...hafta say. Why? BECAUSE I KNOW THEIR HISTORIES BETTER THAN ALMOST ALL THEIR MEMBERS DO. Please don't think I'm boasting...ANYONE can learn the history of any cult if they take the time to READ about them.

I asked the last LDS missionaries that visited me if they'd ever seen an 1830 edition of the BOM, & they admitted that they hadn't. I showed them my replica & compared just a few passages with the current edition. They were skeptical that my replica was accurate, so I told'em to visit the big house in Salt Lake City where many of Smitty's artifacts are kept, to see for themselves, and to copy the differing passages they'd seen, as well as taking their current editions of the BOM for further comparison. I also showed'em some of Joey's and Brigand's failed prophecies, which cannot come to pass because the specified time periods have come & gone.

I sowed the seed of doubt in their church, and I prayed that God make it grow. However, I have never heard from those two young men.

Believe me from experience, it's HARD to witness to a LDS or a JW. To me, it's easier to witness to a complete pagan. It takes *PATIENCE*, and the guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT to give you the right words to penetrate the shell their teachers have built into their heads. The FIRST thing I do when I know I'm confronting a member of one of these pseudo-Christian cults is to silently pray for the HOLY SPIRIT'S help.(Praying aloud generally turns them off at once!)

If you ever find yourself having the chance to witness to a LDS or JW, BE PATIENT & remember Jesus died for them also!

In Christ,

Cranston

 

I was watching a show on FOX last night about missing people. They had the family of the girl missing in OR on. The family is Mormon. I know this might seem a rude statement, it is not meant as such, but they seemed brainwashed. It was like watching Elizabeth Smart's parents. It is just this smiling face that doesn't seem to be lit up inside. Maybe that is just the way the deal with tragedy. I don't know. It just seems weird to see a mother of a missing girl not crying and pleading for the safe return of the child.

 

Mormonism appeals to the basest trait of man, that he is the author of his salvation!

OR

 

Plain and simple, Ignorance of what the Bible says. PERIOD

 

LorrieGrace, I don't believe it's EVER unkind to heap aspersions upon cults or cult members. If allowed to go unchallenged, they recruit more unknowing people into their ranks.

 

Well, I have seen people after a good presentation of the gospel sucked into Mormonisim as soon as I left the house. I have seen them pay peoples rent, buy food, pay utilities all for a commitment to attend church services and get baptized.

I belong to a door knockin church. There aren't many in my area. The cults do a pretty good job to. They dress right and look more like Christians than most Christians do. They follow up and do it right.

A pastor told me once that his church was growing so he must be doing something right. I told him he needs to check that way of thinking because Mormons, Jahovah Witnesses, Catholics etc. all grow.

It is the laziness of the real Christians and their lack of standards that make it easier for the cults.

When you see a single man or woman comming up to your door, (lets say two women or men) dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, or generally unorganized. Then you see two young men dressed in dress pants, a white shirt and tie with a name tag, all the appropriate literature to answer your questions, who are you going to listen to?

Christians need to leave their churches on Saturday mornings and hit the streets. They need to be organized and knowledgable and well dressed. We should be leading the way!! We have the Holy Spirit. We should be filling our churches and only leaving those that reject Christ. Unfortunately the sad fact is that the laborers are few. You know what happens to ripe fruit not picked in a timely manner? It rots and becomes food for the worms(cults).

 

Soulman, good post and good points!

 

Would it be a bad thing then to call their number and request one of their books to have them deliver one to you just so you can witness?

I guess I mean is it mean to order something without real intent/want of it?

azwyld
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One of the reasons the Mormons and JWs do the door-to-door thing so well is that they know their stuff (if you get them off of "their stuff" they flounder, however). They have been indoctrinated very thoroughly. They do not let a new convert hit the streets until they have been trained to do so. Their children come to their church before schools for classes.

How is that different from our churches? We ask for volunteers, and just throw them out there with little or no training. Our children are ignorant (as a whole) about the bible and our beliefs. Our members are spiritually anemic or on life support. Most members never pick up a bible during the week, much less read it.

LDS and JWs are growing because they are out there, and they are prepared.

In Christ,
Trotter

 

Lori, you could just call and say you would like to meet with a Mormon missionary because you would like to discuss Christianity. I bet they would still show up.

 

Dr. Bob,
No offence intended but I think you are wrong on this one. Although there are many ways to get the word out these days, door knocking still does work. Mabey not as effectivly as in the past, but it does still have merit. I see several people every month saved using this method. Many people try to do it exclusively from the pulpit. I believe Christ meant for individuals to tell individuals.

 

Who draws who?

"no one comes to the Father unless the Spirit draws him."

There are two forces out there drawing--God drawing the spirit and satan drawing the flesh.

There are multitudes which seem to know not the difference.

Selah,

Bro. James

 

Soulman,

That analogy about ripe fruit rotting on the tree is very effective.

When I lived in Italy, up on the mountain, I could NOT believe it, but JW came buzzing my door buzzer. I did not even know that they were everywhere. It was really amazing. The first time that they came, I let them in because I was so lonely for company as I didn't know Italian and couldn't communicate with my neighbors yet. But the other times they came I wouldn't let them in. I decided I was NOT that desperate for company.

 

Both Mormons and JW's are thriving abroad.

The way they operate overseas, according to a friend of mine who specializes in the area of cults in the mission fields, is that they wait for Christians to go in and pave the way, giving out Bibles, getting people interested, maybe some saved.

Then the Mormons and JW's go in, appearing to be Christians, too, and they carefully twist the Bible and previous teachings into their heresies. Many of the people, being new believers or unbelievers at this point, cannot tell the deception.

A community of believers becomes divided and confused because of the presence of the JW's and Mormons. Most of the Christian pastors and missionaries do not have the resources or manpower to deal with this all the time. It is how Satan is going in to undermine the church.

We know that the church will stand, whatever Satan does - thank God! - but it is a battle, and sad to see.

 

Thank You Mr. President
by R. Philip Roberts

That's right, a special thanks to the president. No, not the one in the White House, but the one based at Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City - Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Recently Mr. Hinckley did both the cause of the true biblical Gospel as well as that of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints much good. Interestingly, both causes were served well, through a speech Mr. Hinckley gave recently in Paris, France. There, on June 4, 1998, in addressing LDS church members and others, Gordon B. Hinckley stated that those outside the Church, who say Latter-day Saints "do not believe in the traditional Christ," were correct.

In fact, Hinckley commented, "The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages." (Church News, June 20, 1998, p. 7).

In making these comments, Hinckley went on record that mainstream Christianity and the Mormons really do believe in two different Jesus's. One, the Jesus of Christianity, is Eternal God - God of the Word - the Jesus of the Bible. The other is God's offspring, who was born to him and his heavenly consort. This Jesus of Mormonism is also the spiritual elder brother of Lucifer and of us, as well. Traditional Mormonism teaches that their Jesus was married to Mary and Martha, and that the sacrifice for sin was principally paid for in the Garden of Gethsemane.

With his comment, Hinckley placed himself in alignment with previous Mormon leaders, including Bernard P. Brockbank who wrote: "It is true that many of the Christian churches worship a different Jesus Christ than is worshipped by the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

"For example, from the Church of England's Articles of Religion, article one, I quote, 'There is but one living god, everlasting, without body, parts or passions.' The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worships a God and a Jesus Christ with bodies, with parts, and with passions." (The Ensign, May 1977, p. 26).

President Hinckley, first of all, has done the Mormon church an enormous good in clarifying the issue of which Jesus Mormon's believe in. Mormons have often been thought of as dissembling the issue of Jesus Christ and actually masquerading the differences between their Jesus and the one of the Bible.

This approach is thought by some to be utilized by Mormons in order to enhance their proselyting efforts. In leading Christians to believe that there is one Jesus who fits both beliefs, they can more easily proselyte members of Protestant and Catholic Churches. This perceived lack of candor has led to mistrust and even animosity between Latter-day Saints, their missionaries, and followers of the Christian faith. Without genuine candor and honesty, meaningful interfaith dialogue is impossible. President Hinckley has stepped in the right direction of making clear communication possible on this critical issue.

Regrettably, however, it appears that once again the Latter-day Saints want to have their cake and eat it too. In responding to a letter from Southern Baptist Convention President, Dr. Paige Patterson, in a letter to Gordon B. Hinckley, commending him for his openness, LDS spokesman Mike Otterson commented: "We believe that we have more information on the life of Christ than the Christian community already has. That doesn't mean that we don't embrace the New Testament account of Christ." (Baptist Press, September 25, 1998).

But you have missed the point Mr. Otterson. Your president is right. The Jesus of the Latter-day Saints is altogether different than that of biblical revelation. The two cannot be reconciled. Hence President Hinckley has done service to the biblical and Christian Gospel to have pointed out these obvious and glaring differences between these two Jesus's. It is on our notion of who Christ is that the Gospel stands or falls. Either He is Eternal God, God the Word, who is able to atone for all sin, or He is not. Either He was and is uncreated, CO-existent and CO-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit, or He is not.

As Jesus Himself so dramatically portrayed it, there will come a day when many self-confessed followers of His will appear before His judgment seat, but instead of being invited to reside with Him eternally, will be rebuked instead for having gotten it wrong (Matthew 7:21-23). The concept of knowing the right Jesus is a crucial and eternally important one in evangelizing Latter-day Saints and members of all cult groups.

During the Southern Baptist Convention this past June, 1998, I shared a tract and a word about how the Jesus of the Bible had changed my life, with a young man whom I thought to be a young LDS adherent. I was right, he was a Mormon. He immediately shared with me that he believed in Jesus too! I asked him to tell me more about the Jesus he was trusting. With a slight sense of hesitation, he voiced that he believed Jesus was the Son of God, that he suffered the atonement and was raised from the dead. That all sounded so positive and without reflection that it could have passed for being biblical.

The conversation was continued when I asked, "Tell me, the Jesus you believe in, is it the same Jesus who told Joseph Smith that all churches were wrong, that all Christians confessions were an abomination and that all Christians ('professors') were corrupt?" When he hesitated to respond, I reminded him of the source of those words - Joseph Smith Religious History 1:19 in The Pearl of Great Price.

"Yes," he reluctantly admitted, "it is the same Jesus who said that to Joseph Smith." Then I told him it is impossible that you and I believe in the same Jesus, because the Jesus you believe in (the Jesus of Mormonism) is the enemy of Christianity. The Jesus of Mormonism has declared everything that the Bible teaches, and hence the Church believes, about Christ to be an abomination. "It is very critical that we know which Jesus we believe in," I told him. "The Christ of the LDS Church and the one of the Christian faith are not the same."

So, kudos to President Hinckley for agreeing with us about the cavernous difference between the Jesus of Mormon faith and that of Christian revelation and belief.

Simultaneously, we appeal to President Hinckley, his well-meaning advisors, and every thoughtful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to visit again the Jesus of the Bible. Not only is He eternal God, and therefore an altogether different species than the Jesus of Mormon revelation, but He is also Savior - a Savior, who, as God, was able to suffer and pay the price for all sin. As the Eternal One, crucified and risen, His grace as Redeemer is sufficient for all who recognize Him and will bow the knee to Him as Lord.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Mormon friend: Please read the following Scriptures. These are the words of Christ:

"Then if any man shall say unto you, 'Lo, here is Christ,' or 'There;' believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matthew 24:23-24.)

And again, from the Gospel of Mark: "And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ;' or, 'Lo, he is there;' believe him not. For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed; behold, I have foretold you all things. (Mark 13:21-23.)

Paul, in speaking to the Corinthians, said, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.(2 Corinthians 11:3-4.)

And Paul continues in verses 13-15, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

Consider again which Christ you are following and what "prophet" brought you this "other" Gospel.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Phil Roberts is director of the Interfaith Witness Evangelism Section
of The North American Mission Board
of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Retrieved December 3, 20004 from http://www.members.tripod.com/hismin/thankyou.htm

 

Thanks for posting this!

Phil Roberts was the director of Interfaith Witness but now is President of Midwestern Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, MO. I was just there in Sept. giving my testimony in the chapel, and then teaching on the New Age at a seminar in October.

 

Many people I know who have gone to the Mormon cult have said they were drawn in by the "family" atmosphere, something they say they did not find in the Fundamentalist churches of today. I myself have found this to be so very true, and much to our shame. Fundamentalists spend more time arguing over stupid secondary or third ranked issues than reaching the lost, discipling their people correctly and Biblically, and showing they can separate the sin from the sinner in their approaches.

 

It comes down to a lack of love for the truth. When we begin our search for God we must hold the truth above all else. The bible says we shall know the truth . It also says that if we truly seek God we will find him. We should never be content with what men teach. God will reveal Himself if we truly seek Him.