From: slhw4@cc.usu.edu (Jason Hunsaker)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Why do people give Mormons a hard time?
Date: 12 Dec 92 07:51:13 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <b1I.02qS2eAy01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com>,
 agr00@ccc.amdahl.com (Anthony G Rose) writes:
> hartigan@ac.dal.ca writes:

> The LDS church is built upon the assumption that there was a
> TOTAL APOSTASY within the Christian Churchs.  Mormonism cannot be
> true, unless there was a total apostasy, because if there wasn't,
> there was no need for a restoration, in which they claim.  So
> their "gospel" (see Galatians 1:6-9) includes "the apostasy". 

I think that we would define "total apostasy" differently than
you would, Tony.

> Therefore, they have over 46,000 full-time missionaries going
> door-to-door throughout the world telling people in their living
> rooms that all the Christian churches are an abomination in the
> eyes of God.  

This is not true.  No where in the approved missionary lessons
are people told that all Christian Churches are an abomination in
the eyes of God.  This is your interpolation.

> Wether they win a convert or not, they have indoctrinated this
> fallicy in the minds of the people they meet.
> 
> We are instructed as Christians, to contend for the faith that
> was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3), and to test ALL
> things by the Word of God.  Galatians 1:6-9 says that if we or an
> angel from heaven preach any other gospel, let them be accursed. 
> The origianl Greek word that Paul used is ANTHAMA, which is
> defined as THE WORSE POSSIBLE CURSE OF GOD.
> 
> Although the LDS church send thousands of missionaries all over
> the world to teach about the APOSTASY of the Christian Churches,
> they spend millions of dollars each year trying to convince the
> world they are Christian.  

That is because, Tony, in a general sense we *are* Christians. 
We believe in Christ, and try to follow his teachings as we
understand them.

It is only when you or others try to start narrowing down the
scope of what being a "Christian" means, that you begin to
exclude us, and others.  I  highly doubt that any Mormon
definitions of Christianity would exclude you or very many other
denominations that claim to be Christian.

> Despite this delimnam and spreading
> the false accusation that the Christian Churches are in an
> APOSTASY, we Christians love the Mormons with all our hearts, and
> want to reach them with the true gospel of Jesus Christ, so that
> they may come to know Jesus Christ for who he claimed to be.  The
> ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD, in the flesh.
> 
> You ask, as many Mormons do, "why are you persucuting us"? 
> When the fact of the matter is, that the LDS church threw the
> first stone when it claimed that all of Christianity was
> APOSTATE.

"... but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to
him the other also." (Matthew 5:39)

"... Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you
and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44)

"If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be
thirsty, give him water to drink:

For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD
shall reward thee." (Proverbs 25:21-22)

> If you were out in the middle of a river drowning, splashing
> your hands in the air while gulping water by the gallons, and
> sinking into despair, if I were on the shore safe and sound, and
> through you a life presever, would you ask me, "WHY ARE YOU
> PERSECUTING ME?"
> 
> If you came home one night and your neighboors house was on
> fire, and they were all asleep inside, would you say, I shouldn't
> bother them, they are confortably asleep and I don't want to
> bother them?
> 
> Well, as Christians, we are waking up the Mormons who are
> sleeping in the flames, and throwing ropes to those that are
> drowning.

This is a matter of perspective, Tony.  To you, Mormons are in
peril.  Mormons (to use your analogy) don't see the peril, and
are actually playing water polo, but you won't listen to them
when they tell you how fun it is.  You've actually managed to
convince some that they weren't having fun but were about to
drown, so they stopped playing and have gone off to mope.
 
> When PERSON A tries to save PERSON B, even though PERSON B's
> church sends thousands represenatives around the world to tell
> everyone that PERSON A is APOSTATE; PERSON A can hardly be
> accused of persecution.

But when PERSON C (the original poster) can't see why PERSON A is
making such a fuss, and neither can PERSON B, or PERSON D, then
it begins to look more and more like PERSON A is just bullying
PERSON B by trying to ram their morals, opinions, and
perspectives down PERSON B's throat.

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Jason Hunsaker  -|-  Logan, Utah  -|-  Internet: slhw4@cc.usu.edu