The ruddy-cheeked extrovert is Elder Mills, age 20. He raps on doors – hundreds every day – with an eager knock, na-knock, na-knock-knock-knock.
The tall, quiet one is Elder Keach, also 20. He goes for a more restrained knock na-knock-knock-knock, but moves just as swiftly as his partner.
They are young men on a mission in Philadelphia….
While I do not share their belief, I do admire their commitment.
Amen, Nikolaus. Mormon missionaries find only a very tiny percentage of converts to their religion. But the purpose of the mission requirement is to shape the young men as Mormons.
We have something to learn there about creating challenging, transformative experiences for young Christians. To often, we sit them in yet another classroom for yet another lecture. We need to provide challenging experiences and good guides to help them reflect on these with Biblical wisdom.
Sociologist Rodney Stark of Baylor University has studied the Mormons (and the Moonies) pretty extensively. He points out that their conversions very often occur because of personal attachments that develop between evangelists and converts: eventually, the converts seek to conform their religious beliefs and practices to those of their new friends. Stark says the same likely happened in early Christianity as well.
Yes, D.C. – and most of the evangelists are Mormon neighbors. The missionaries aren’t usually around long enough to establish the friendship connections. But after their mission years, they are more likely to be serious Mormons and effective evangelists among their neighbors and coworkers.
For anyone who wants to quickly know where Mormons stand on Christianity, just ask a missionary whether Christ’s Atonement was sufficient for all sin for all time, and if not, why not?
AnglicanHopeful [#5] writes: “… just ask a missionary whether Christ’s Atonement was sufficient for all sin for all time, ….”
That seems like a straightforward question to which there’s a simple, “it is what it is” answer. It’s hard to see, however, that anyone actually knows the answer; all we seem to hear is unsupported opinions.
If anyone claims to know the answer, the immediate question to ask is: How exactly do you you know that — and please explain why your claim is anything more than wishful thinking, either on your part or by some authority on whom you purport to rely.
I became Episcopalian in 1972 through a friend who invited me to the Canterbury Society Communion and “meeting” (it was conversation over tea and fresh bread). Friendships are the best – I think the main – form of evangelism in any case.
The ones in our town tend to be rather dishonest in their approach. Our apartment complex does not allow them on the property. When I inform them of this, they say they have permission. I then check with the office that confirms that they are NOT allowed on the property. To me, if you have to lie to get in the door, then your message isn’t worth listening to.
“The thing I learned most is that when we live according to higher morals and higher standards, we become happier people.”
—————-
Oh. Really. Just like all the martyrs for the faith.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
A few months ago, I encountered two Mormon missionaries about a block from my own Episcopal church. They could not have been more polite. I did take the time to talk to them, not really about religion but just life in general. One of the missionaries had been at it for about five months, the other had started only a week before. I could not get over how very young both of these guys were. They were so far from home, out of contact with everyone they had grown up knowing and loving. My heart really felt for them. I don’t care for Mormonism, but I felt like these two young, VERY young boys were doing what they had been taught was the right thing to do. I don’t think treating them with disrespect is going to accomplish anything. It’s been several months, and I still can feel the loneliness that was in the one guy’s expression – the one who had only started a week before. I can’t imagine how homesick, frightened he must have been about the whole thing. I also got the impression they were equally as shocked to find someone who was nice to them as opposed to slamming the door in their faces and telling them to bug off. I’m sure I’d feel the same way they did if my parents were Mormon and I was expected to ship off and be a missionary for two years. I can’t imagine the difficulty. They’re nice people – we are welcome (and right) to disagree theologically with them, but I think they need our prayers and compassion more than they need our high-handedness about their “strange” religion. I actually am one who would LOVE for a visit from these Mormon guys – happy to disagree and argue with them politely. I won’t give an inch, and I doubt they will either. But maybe their eyes might be opened just the slightest bit.
#10
Indeed. They also have to deal with the Mormon community shame if they decide the mission isn’t for them. Some of the people who are nicest to missionaries are ex-Mormons. They suggest the same kinds of things you do – simply being nice to the kids shows that there are great non-Mormons too, something they may not understand.
A few years ago, while working in the human services, our department had a clothing closet for those in need. Two female missionaries from the Mormon Church came in once a week to help. They went by the same rules as the male missionaries. They told us that an additional requirement was that they be helpful in the community in outreach, without preaching. We really enjoyed these two fine young women and not once did they mention the Mormon religion to the staff or the clothing closet and food pantry clients….Like most, I do not look on LDS with favor as regards my beliefs, but they do have some very good rules, habits, and requirements…..
Mark Johnson [#10], maybe there’s some subtle cultic conditioning going on with these young guys. Think about it: For months on end —
• they experience an infinitesimal success rate;
• they have doors slammed in their faces;
• they sometimes get physically attacked;
• they’re deliberately kept isolated from their families and friends;
• they live 24×7 in a subculture consisting almost exclusively of their supervisors and fellow missionaries;
• they face pressure from home to soldier on;
• like soldiers everywhere, no matter how much they might hate where they are and what they’re doing, they don’t want to let down their “squadmates.”
It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if these young guys started rationalizing, “gee, our faith must truly be superior to other faiths” (the unstated subtext being, “if not, then why in God’s name are we spending two years of our lives enduring this?”).
So when Timothy Fountain [#4] writes, “But the purpose of the mission requirement is to shape the young men as Mormons,” maybe that’s happening in a way he wasn’t contemplating.
I’m well aware of the dangers of armchair psychology, for which I’m unburdened by any training or experience (other than raising two teen-agers). But this theory seems to fit the observations ….
I will NEVER call a 20 year old ‘Elder’!
I have, on occasion, asked them in with the proviso that I am not a particualrly good candidate for conversion to their faith. In no instance, have I had any one of them attempt to argue or to convince me of the ultimate truth of Mormonism, particularly when you enable their presence with a piece of cake or sandwich.
For guerilla training in how to turn the tables and convert Mormon missionaries into actual Christians, go to the original Bible Answer Man, the late Walter Martin. At http://www.waltermartin.org there are some marvelous recordings of talks he gave on the essentials of Mormon doctrine and how it departs from Christianity and how to use the KJV, the only version they accept, to win them to Jesus. Great stuff!
Sadly, I think most religious groups have missionary endeavors the surpass anything most Western Christian denominations practice (if they practice it at all).
For many years I’ve had printed copies of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds in a place near the front door. When Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses knock, I politely give them a copy, and explain that these creeds summarize the meaning of the Scriptures. I tell them that if they don’t believe what the Creeds say they have misunderstood the Scriptures. I have no idea if this has ever been effective, but it seems more constructive than just slamming the door on them.
I have some very good friends who are Mormons. I have attempted to read the Book of Mormon and the background behind it. In the final analysis I couldn’t accept the additional material that it represented. They do believe in Jesus and have very well defined moral/family/community values that most “Christians” would do well to emulate. I have always treated their missionaries with dignity and sympathy. I think Mark Johnson and Katherine make some quite valid points.
#18…I think yours is a good idea, except I would probably have a longer list including my source presuppositions. It’s a starting point for dialogue. Since the Mormons (or Jehovah’s Witnesses) are at your door to convert you, they have the burden of proof. They would need to critique your position without begging the question. If they succeed in their critique, then to avoid the argumentum ad ignorantium, they need to clearly explain their beliefs (The Articles of Faith, etc.) and sufficiently argue for them. If they can do that, they have a convert.
I think I’m going to make up my list today, Thanks, Katherine.
You’re welcome, Virgil. Post the list, if you come up with it in the next day or two.
With Mormons, and indeed with Muslims, they would need to be able to explain why God’s latest revelations (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, or Koran/hadiths) lead to such dramatically different teachings from the earlier revelations they claim to accept.
#10, I too would love to have a visit from the two Mormon missionaries I know are in our neighborhood. I get the feeling though that they have been “warned” about us, because roughly three years ago we actually did have the two female missionaries join us for a few meals and we only talked about the Mormon beliefs for the first meeting when it became clear that none of us were going to budge about our beliefs. The remaining meetings were spent just discussing our lives and the possibility of playing some board games together, which one of the missionaries seemed very excited about, but was transferred out of the neighborhood the very next day. I got the distinct feeling that it was discovered they were violating some sort of boundaries with us and the subsequent missionaries who replaced them were warned not to engage us in conversation, since I have even tried approaching some of the newer missionaries since then only to have them politely avoid me or give me a brief response without stopping to talk.
Avin,
I was ‘blacklisted’ by the JW’s for similar reasons. It was just too easy to tie their arguments up in knots and get them frustrated. I guess too many reported back that someone knew how to use their arguments against them, and after about the third set of missionaries, I’d see them walking through the neighborhood, and carefully, quickly skirting my house. Of course, in their case, they are not allowed to take literature not published by the Watchtower publishing house, so they would never take any literature I had for them.