What draws people to the Mormons?

[Mark Bishop]

Originally posted by Dr. Bob:
The appeal of LDS -

Strong families. Some of the best in town. Lots of kids, well dressed, well mannered.

on the surface yes.. not always what is real though.

Submissive wives. While our ifb women are trying to run the church, LDS don't. Women know their place in a society where men feel threatened by the women's lib movement.

Bob...
Most fo the ifb churches where I have seen something
that might remotely be construed as such..
The ladies are not trying to run the church.. they
have been forced to do so because so many of my
dear brothers won't get off their backsides when
God calls..

Church community. If an LDS loses a home or job or has problems, the church family steps in and offers real care.

Yes.. it is a great social gospel. even with the
problems they have.. they do try to take care
of their own in many cases.

Works religion. Things a person can DO to make them feel a part of the religion, earning their way to heaven instead of being passive. Baptism for the dead is esp fulfilling for young people who research family trees, etc.

Sexuality. How many men don't like the idea of plural marriages (celestial unless in parts of Utah). Had one LDS man tell my wife she was going to be HIS wife in Paradise. I hit him (last man I hit, as I recall) I was so angry with such lechery.

Bob,
I disagree with you on many things it seems...
But you just went up in my estimation of you.
I might put you in for the title of :
'Honorary Texan'

No "stupid" rules. They do have rules/regs for living a "godly" LDS life, but none of the hair, clothes, versions, - well, about half the stuff discussed on the BB - that Baptists fight over.

The largest single group converting to LDS are former Baptists. Many were reached (kinda) and made a profession of faith (kinda) and were baptized in a Baptist church (kinda), then adrift. LDS gobbles them up.

To our shame.

Absolutely.
The 'church' is very good at making both cult members
and Witches.

all because so many don't walk the walk.

mark
<><

 

[Plain Old Bill]

Here they are out visiting folks along with the JW's while most Baptist churches have'nt visited the people within 5 square blocks of thier churches. Then we wonder why it is so easy to prosletize.
I have never heard of an IFB pastor who encouraged people to have home Bible studies. I have never heard of an IFB church that encouraged anybody to do anything they did not fully control when it comes to any kind of personal evangelism,fellowship, or parachurch activities.
We Baptists do bus ministries well. We do Tuesday night visitation well. We are generally good at supporting missionairies.Some Baptist churches are good at Sunday school teaching some are not.Some are good at prison and jail ministries some are not.Few are good at helping the Mission that feeds the poor and homeless in the inner city.
Lots of things we could do besides majoring on the minors.
One thing the Mormons run circles around us on is they show a personal interest in a person before they try to convert them.This I know from personal experience.When I was a sixteen year old lad they came to our house many times. Before they showed me anything about the morman church they took me swimming, out for a burger,and bowling,and just sat in the front yard and talked to me about anything. Now for a young boy from the projects that was very impressive.They had a car, I rode the bus. They wore suits and ties back in the days when that meant something.Impressed you bet I was. Did I trust these guys you bet I did. Then they taught me what they were supposed to.I did'nt have to confess or really believe anything,I just had to listen to them and get baptized, they had the authority.
Of course later I found out what the real truth is and was really Born Again.
Anyhow that sort of gives you a first person picture.

 

[dianetavegia]

I understand what untangled is saying. Ignorance of what the LDS REALLY believe is what allows 'baptists' and 'catholics' to be mislead and enticed away from their denominations.

The former LDS who lived next door to us and still owns the home didn't even understand what the LDS believed. His mother was LDS so.... He's now a Christian and attends a Independent Bible church.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Originally posted by Mark Bishop:
The ladies are not trying to run the church. they have been forced to do so because so many of my dear brothers won't get off their backsides when God calls.

Problem (unrelated to LDS thread so will just state it and move on) is that ladies are NOT "forced" to do it. We have a church that only allows the men to vote and hold office. If there is not enough interest and support among the heads of households, why have a church? It's a sewing circle.

I've found that if you let the women run things (because men won't get involved) then women will run everything. And men will LET them, while they watch another football game . .

As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. Is 3:12

 

[Phillip]

In answer to the thread (In order of importance--1. being the highest):

1. Millions of dollars of advertising with professional ad agencies.

2. Family values. The heartland of America wants family values. Look at the results of the elections in the states such as ours that voted for a definition to marriage on their state constitutions. Mormon's PUSH family. Things for kids to do. Involvement of children, mother and daddy in their own activities.

3. Advertising that they are a "Christian" religion--giving away "King James Version" Bibles (They stopped giving away the BOM on television and switched to KJV in order to enshare.)

4. Door-to-door salesmen, Thousands of young honest looking, nicely dressed, missionaries. Not only local, but all over the world.

5. Keeping members in the dark until they are indoctrinated before they are allowed to enter a temple ceremony.

6. Family help. If a family gets into trouble the church jumps on the bandwagon and feeds and even helps pay their bills. Family support among members is POWERFUL.

7. Strong support for all members, even single ones. EVERYONE made extremely welcome when they join.

Isn't this how you sell anything, including whisky?

I do not know if this is just local or what, but the Reorganized LDS has changed their name to "Communities For Christ". In this new non-denominational world, isn't that a wonderfully "Christian" name?

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by Dr. Bob:

I've found that if you let the women run things (because men won't get involved) then women will run everything. And men will LET them, while they watch another football game . .

[/QUOTE]
That is true, not just in the churches.

 

[joyfulkeeperathome]

Dr. Bob, I agree with you fully!!! Women are too hasty at attempting to be in charge when that is not their place!!

 

[Marcia]

A good book by a Christian on Mormons, including their history, is One Nation Under Gods by Richard Abanes.

I've seen a Mormon video that is used for recruiting -- it's appeal is very emotional and there is basically no doctrine in it at all. God is mentioned, a little morality is mentioned, and there's the idea that a family who lost a son will see him again if they join the Mormon church. It's just total emotional appeal.

 

[Trotter]

Link: The Mormon Research Ministry Home Page

This is the site of the Mormon Research Ministry. I have a book by its founder, Bill McKeever, and Eric Johnson, entitled Mormonism 101.

In the book, McKeever and Johnson discuss point by point the beliefs and doctrines of Mormonism, and then compare each point with what the bible really has to say about each one. It is quite an eye opener.

A Mormon woman that I work with saw me reading it, and asked to look through it. She was extremely offended by the starkness of her beliefs being laid bare, and was almost in tears. She let me know that her father is a Mormon elder, and that she had read all the books that the authors quote, and if I wanted to know anything about Mormons that I needed to ask her.

Um, how about not?

In Christ,
Trotter

 

[Plain Old Bill]

Thanks for the site Trotter.

 

[untangled]

Gina L,

Sorry to say but you're wrong in saying that you could shake my faith with mormonism. Over the years I have learned quite a few things about the LDS. They do not even have the fundamentals of the faith. Nothing a mormon could say could shake my faith. I actually used to be close friends with a few mormons.

I am not the smartest man, but I know to stay away from the LDS. By the way, I'm not prideful and do not think I'm smarter than the average person. The thing I know is that they are heretical. Even to the fundamentals. I grew up right across the street from a mormon church and had quite a few visitors over the years. If people even knew the fundamentals they would know enough to stay away. The thing I've found with quite a few people is they don't care. They believe "religion" is "religion". When I'd ask my old missionary friend why he believed the way he did he'd say "because it feels right" or "Because I want to".

I still believe my statement is accurate. There is a dark side to their teachings and alot of people fall prey to them due to ignorance. My faith will not be shaken by mormonism, period.

In Christ,

Brooks

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by Trotter:


A Mormon woman that I work with saw me reading it, and asked to look through it. She was extremely offended by the starkness of her beliefs being laid bare, and was almost in tears. She let me know that her father is a Mormon elder, and that she had read all the books that the authors quote, and if I wanted to know anything about Mormons that I needed to ask her.

Often that is the case. When that happens they feel deceived and can go into nothingness or atheism. What they need to know is the truth of the gospel at the saem time. Often they will see all religions as the same, instead of just Christ.

 

[Gina B]

untangled, I agree that there is a dark side but disagree that we're all ignorant, although you said many in your last post so I'll go with that.

I still do urge you not to be so confident in yourself that you're positive your faith can't be shaken. Continue to pray for your faith to be strengthened and guarded regularly. Satan's duty is to destroy our faith through various lies and deceptions, and ALL of us can fall prey to that to some extent during our lifetime.
Gina

 

[dianetavegia]

Gina, there is no way a Mormon or JW could make me question my beliefs. Nothing any of them could say would make me waiver.

"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us." - 2 Thes. 3:6

"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." - 2 John 7-11

 

[LadyEagle]

Interesting article from Christianity Today:

Michael B. Bennett has heard the accusations many times: Mormons are not Christians. But to Bennett, who converted at age 18, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has provided answers he did not find as a Southern Baptist.

Bennett grew up in the heavily Baptist region of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His parents and grandparents had been active Baptists and he was baptized at age 12. He attended youth rallies and Billy Graham crusades. "I was about as active a Baptist as you can be," recalls Bennett, now 39.

Yet he found the behavior of some churchgoers inconsistent. His friends at youth group fervently testified about Christ one week, then smoked dope the next. An adulterous deacon continued to hold office after a hasty confession. Gossip and backbiting preoccupied many churchgoers.

Bennett was ripe for a change. When a high-school friend told him that his church had unpaid leaders, it sparked Bennett's interest. After attending several weekly LDS sacrament meetings and seeing a community that seemed genuinely to care and love, Bennett, now a lawyer in Salt Lake City, felt "compelled by the spirit" to be rebaptized as a Mormon. As a counselor to his congregation's bishop, Bennett devotes 20 hours a week to church activities.

Source

 

[untangled]

Sister Gina,

I was not trying to say that "we" are "all" ignorant. I just believe that is the case when it comes to people believing mormonism to be a true Christian religion.

About being shaken: I didn't say it was impossible for me to question my beliefs. What I said was mormonism would never shake my faith. They are out of this world. I do not say this out of the blue either. I have actually studied mormonism.

That's all I was trying to say Gina. Sorry if you think that I am arrogant. It is not meant to be arrogant.

 

[untangled]

About the article on Christianity Today.

I know many people that have been baptized and active in church that will flat out tell you they are not Christian and never were. I think most of the guys problem is that he tried to find happiness in being a Baptist. Though we are Baptists we are first and foremost Christians.

The funny thing about the LDS unpaid leaders is that if you look far enough into it the LDS are one of the richest organizations in America. Its scary. And they do pay missionaries. Its hippocrital. Paying a missionary is no different than paying a pastor. They are paid to do full time ministry. The only difference with the LDS is that they are heretical.

Sorry, this topic just ignites something.

In Christ,

Brooks

 

[Gina B]

Brooks, I seethed for a moment at your post as I'd fallen for the LDS church before. I'm over it now, although I still think I could rattle most people if I wanted to try!
I do believe it's dangerous for any Christian to think he can't be shaken by the LDS or anyone else. I've seen too many people, including myself, think this way and take on issues and people they end up not being able to handle and end up having serious doubts and spiritual crisis because of it.
Gina

 

[dianetavegia]

I do believe it's dangerous for any Christian to think he can't be shaken by the LDS or anyone else.

Gina, that might be true for someone who wasn't grounded in their faith or raised in a good church under a strong Bible preacher. Also, maybe someone who came to 'religion' later in life or was in other denominations that were not strong on discipleship.

I've talked with Mormons, JW's and lots of other folk over the years and have never doubted my Baptist stance. Their garbage was never more than garbage to me.

We won't even open the door to JW's or Mormon's now. I'll call out and tell them 'No thanks. We're Christian's'.

The Mormon's have lovely commercials aimed at those who are hurting ..... I'm sure they get into a lot of homes that way. Free videos and books, all full of garbage. No thank you!

 

[untangled]

It is as useless for a Mormon to try to convert me as it is to try to drive a car without an engine. You will not get anywhere. I know their beliefs. I was warned about them early in life. I understand what you are trying to say, but mormonism makes absolutely no sense. Some people that don't know about them may fall to their prey because they try to seem Christian. But if anyone is that church is honest with you they will plainly state they are not. They believe that we are the "Great Whore".