It must be time for General Conference again, because anti-Mormon propaganda is in nation wide circulation.
If you aren't familiar with what I'm referring to...well, I hate to bring attention to it, because the best way to fight against a bully is to flat out ignore it. What I'm talking about is an anti-Mormon DVD being distributed, 300,000 copies of this particular pontificating garbage.
The group "Concerned Christians" (ironic name, isn't it) created this DVD in order to sway "Mormons" to leave the LDS church in efforts to help "save" us.
First off, when did it become anyone's duty to "save" us "Mormon's"??? I thought this country was a place where religious freedom was a privilege. I guess for everyone but the "Mormon's."
Second, when did producing deceitful fountains of mis-information fall in line with "love thy neighbor as thy self"? I guess Concerned Christians feel that they are doing us a..."favor"??? They are determined to ensure they can take the credit for correcting the brain-washing 12 million people have been through. I guess they can help us see where we've all gone wrong.
This is just plain laughable and annoying. Why are the LDS always getting singled-out? Why are we the only ones that get chosen to be shown how incorrect our beliefs and doctrine are? I would never condone this treatment for anyone else, but why aren't they sending DVD's around to Jew's Buddhist's or Muslim's? Surely if a Christian sect can be so blindly wrong, well non-Christian religion's must also be just as false, why not be equal opportunity faith-destroyers?
The people behind this behavior are just as bad as Caiaphas and all that sought the life of the Savior. People aren't bad, it's their decisions that are poor.
I look forward to the day when people can more sincerely seek to know if the LDS church is true, because I know they'll find it is.
They'll come to find that there is more than just what is contained in the Bible, that a loving Heavenly Father is not a mysterious being without parts or passion's, that He literally is our father and he wants us to return to him.
That he's provided a Savior for all mankind to overcome sin and death.
That he has provided prophets throughout all time and didn't just stop with Jesus christ, he continues in this dispensation...even today, March 30, 2007 he has a prophet on the earth today: Gordon B. Hinkley who leads and guides His church on earth, even as Adam, Enoch, Moses, Noah, and Jesus did, so does President Hinkley do so in our day.
I would encourage all to listen to President Hinkley and the other General Authority's during this weekends conference address, which can be found at www.lds.org.
Friday, March 30, 2007
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5 comments:
First off, when did it become anyone's duty to "save" us "Mormon's"???
Mormons do the same thing my friend. Missionaries go out to "save" people from the "evils" of their religion. I know this because I use to be a Mormon and was a faithful missionary.
I'm not for bashing Mormons but lets be honest here. The LDS want to save everyone just as much as the anti-LDS crowds wants to "save" you (and other LDS).
You have completely missed the point.
It's the way that evangelicals and sorts try to do the LDS a "favor", it's their method that is despicable.
You don't see LDS, going to other people's religious events and making a fuss, throwing the Bible in to the gutters on the street. You don't see LDS standing around with signs that everyone accept the LDS are going to hell.
Yes, the LDS want to the share restored gospel...because it's true. You can deny that all you want and you'd be lying to yourself, unless you never believed it in the first place.
cctayl:
Point taken. The LDS aren't as militant as some of the Evangelical Christians.
I was raised LDS and always thought something didn't seem right about the stuff I was being told. I read the Book of Mormon, prayed over it and never felt a thing.
I prayed for years thinking I'd feel something but never did. I was very sincere. Then I went on a mission because of great pressure from my family and church leaders.
Going to the temple for the first time FREAKED ME OUT and I felt extremely betrayed that no one warned me what I was going to witness. NOTHING in my years of attending Sunday school looked or hinted at anything like what I found in there. I felt duped.I never felt "the spirit" in the temple in fact It just always creeped me out.
As I went out going "door-to-door" I was challenged on what I "believed" and that was the first time I was challenged in that way.
It made me think about what I really believed. I read the B.O.M over and over while out there (5 times) and while I thought it was a good story I never felt that it was the word of "God." I wanted to believe but in my heart of hearts I felt and heard silence--nothing. And the Bible was even more problematic for me.
By the time I returned home I was well on my way out the door.
I was always told NEVER to question my beliefs and read ANYTHING that might say ANYTHING other then what my LDS teachers and parents told me. Now I know why--because once I studied the pro's and con's the choice was obvious for me.
I know perhaps not everyone wants to do this but I believe in looking at both sides of the story before making a decision to accept something so important to my life such as a spiritual faith.
I removed my name from the official records (which was like pulling teeth I might add which I found VERY annoying) because I didn't want my name to be associated with a faith that I didn't believe in anymore.
I never looked back and am very sure that I made the right choice with each passing year. I always felt "icky" while in the LDS church and that I wasn't being told everything. Not long after I left I felt a HUGE weight off of my shoulders (and so did my wife who left at the same time I did) and the "icky" feeling went away.
I have since found a faith that feels right to me. I am very happy where I am and look back on my years growing up in Mormonism as lost years. I felt like I was brainwashed. NOTE: I'm not saying that everyone feels brainwashed but that is how I felt and still feel.
That is my story. It is all my OWN EXPERIENCE. I know you have other experiences, a different testimony, perceptions and views and I respect that--all I ask is that you respect MY opinion and experience as well.
You, my friend are a breath of fresh air...seriously. You are the first person I've heard that has left the church and taken personal responsibility for it, instead of blaming your choices on others e.g. "I left because so and so offended me."
I disagree about your choice to leave, but what can you do when you don't feel an internal conversion/conviction.
Thank-you. I appreciate your respect. It was indeed my decision. While I did experience some nasty members I know that most LDS are very kind and sincere. My parents are LDS and some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. They are very understanding of my decision and Buddhist faith.
If the LDS faith IS true (and Heaven DOES exist) then I know that it will be explained to me in a manner that I will understand and believe.
In the mean time, however, I remain unconvinced. As I said, I don't want to just follow a religion that I don't believe in and "go through the motions" and be a hypocrite. I cherish my integrity too much to do that. As well as respect the LDS faith too much to just "half ass it" if you'll excuse my language.
Thank-you for hearing me out.
All the best...
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