DISCLAIMER IF YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO READ THIS AND ANSWER ME WITHOUT KNOCKING EACH OTHER’S PERSONAL BELIEFS THEN PLEASE STOP READING NOW! I DO NOT WANT TO START A RELIGIOUS DEBATE!!!
That being said…
I have found that I can not mention my religion to other people, even when they ask. For the record, I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
People of other religions, Athesists (SP?) Wiccans, Buddists, and other Non christian, sometimes non God religions, never EVER tell me how stupid/wrong/horrible I am. They accept me for who I am. I accept them. We are all good with each other.
However, when I tell Good Sweet Loving Christians, they rip me a new one. I walk away feeling sorry for myself and for them. They say genuinely hurtful things that are personal barbs and personal attacks. All because I believe something different about Christ then they do. And this is not an isolated incident. It happens ALL OF THE TIME.
So my question is… How can people who preach the love of God and Christ be so hurtful towards people who disagree with them. I’m confident that God loves me whether I’m a Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddist, Wiccan, or Mormon. If you are truly a believer in Christ shouldn’t you follow his example of loving everybody? Doing unto others has you would have done unto you?
Again, I don’t want a discussion on the right and wrong points of each religion. I just want an answer.
“Everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey”-The Beatles
Let me see if I can explain it. To a Christian who’s well-informed about his faith, a Mormon (or a Christian Scientist or a Jehovah’s Witness or a Unitarian) is not just a member of another denomination (those people are wrong about some rituals or they follow some unnecessary authority, but they are still orthodox Christians), nor are they Jews or Moslems (who are members of some other faith and are not claiming to be Christians), nor are they atheists or agnostics (who are sort of opting out of religious arguments entirely). Rather, they are heretics. Please understand, the term “heretic” is NOT intended as an insult, but as a technical term. It is someone who calls themself a Christian but who believes things that violate basic Christian doctrine.
This is why the Christians who object most to your Mormonism are often the ones most knowledgeable about their faith. A person who calls themself a Christian while actually knowing little about his faith is less likely to want to argue with you. To them, you’re just a member of some other denomination with oddball beliefs that they know as little about as they do the beliefs of their own denomination.
NONE OF THIS EXCUSES THE RUDENESS OF CHRISTIANS WHO INSULT YOU OR WHO INSIST ON GETTING INTO ARGUMENTS WITH YOU. Why they think that you would be converted by an insult or even a five-minute lecture is hard to see. The fact that they have a neatly arranged little talk about all the doctrines that Mormons get wrong doesn’t mean that they have any right to argue with someone who doesn’t want to listen to their arguments. It certainly doesn’t mean that they have any right to insult you.
But more people are interested in feeling & acting self-righteous and belittling the viewpoints of others than in respecting the idea that you believe differently than they do. I have rarely discussed religion with Mormon friends and family, even though I don’t agree with their beliefs. Once some Mormon missionaries tried to convert me, and I discussed it with them, but I see no point in discussing religion unless the person you’re discussing it with wants to.
“…Dark Matter, every pound of which weighs ten thousand pounds” -Futurama
I’d agree with Wendell 100%. His use of the word “heretic,” is correct, and hope you can see it as a theological term, not an insult. I forget what the LDS term for christians is, but it carries much the same meaning.
As far as getting along, I for one had two Mormon roommates and it was never a problem as far as any of us being rude to one another.
I’d have to ask what constitutes “hurtful things.” Are they saying “you’re a jerk and you smell bad,” or are they just saying your beliefs are wrong? Not that I disbelieve you; just asking.
Gotta echo the above sentiments… there is a huge divide in terms of actual beliefs among little-o orthodox Christians and LDS and JW. Many of the beliefs of the LDS are considered heretical.
That said, unless you’ve told someone that, as a professing Christian, they have shit for brains (like someone told me last week), what you do and do not believe really shouldn’t get their knickers in such a twist. But common sense doesn’t always prevail, does it?
Cruise over to the Left-Behind Message Board and you will quickly see that Mormon’s do NOT worship Jesus Christ, they put forth false doctrine (such as saying Jesus and Satan are brothers), and in general need to be converted from the false teachings of Mormonism.
But don’t feel bad. The die-hards also feel that Catholics are damned because they worship statues and put Mary on equal footing as Jesus, and pray to saints. :rolleyes:
Read a Chick Tract sometime for further… um… edification…
TIME ELAPSED SINCE I QUIT SMOKING:
One week, 18 hours, 19 minutes and 15 seconds.
310 cigarettes not smoked, saving $38.82.
Life saved: 1 day, 1 hour, 50 minutes.
No people didn’t tell me I’m a jerk and I smell bad. It’s things like “How could you be so utterly stupid? I’m going to pray for you becaues you are obviously a horrible person and REAL Christians would never believe the crap you do.” That is a direct quote.
Another issue I have…REAL Christians? I always thought that REAL Christians are people who believe in and recgonize Christ. Silly me. ha ha.
I don’t mind people with differing views then mine. It’s not up to me to figure out who is right and wrong. That’s up to God or whoever. I just want to live in a world where people tolerate each other. And so far, especially in California and Utah (believe it or not it’s REALLY REALLY hard to be a Mormon in Utah) nobody is tolerant of other religions. Not even other Mormons, who have a tendency to get self-righteous sometimes too.
But it’s very heartening to see that there are people in the world who are not so small minded, as I can see from people who have posted an answer to my question. Thank you =)
“Everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey”-The Beatles
Actually, WW, my experience is the opposite. I’ve found that the Christians who are more educated about their own denomination are more tolerant of those in other denominations, including being more tolerant of us “cultists.”
Please note that I said “more educated about” and not “more indoctrinated in.”
I think Monty has it absolutely right: most of the flak comes from Christians who are more indoctrinated than knowledgeable. (Some of them are knowledgeable too, but the indoctrination is generally more important in those cases.)
One thing I am aware of is that the doctrinal differences between, say, Episcopalians and Southern Baptists are much smaller than the differences between either one and the LDS beliefs.
But I really have no interest in judging whether Mormons are Christians. At work, I know maybe eight or nine Mormons, all of whom I like and respect, and some of whom I consider friends. I’d rather just accept them for what they are than to set myself up as judge over what they are or aren’t.
“Living in this complex world of the future is not unlike having bees live inside your head.” - F. Scott Firesign
Of course, Jews consider both Mormons and other Christians to be heretics. But you don’t see many Jews telling Christians that they’re evil people that have strayed from God, now do you? I think mostly it’s a power thing. Many Christians think that their political and cultural power gives them the right to decide what’s right and what’s wrong, First Amendment be damned.
Tell me about it. To some, “non-Christian” simply means “someone who doesn’t believe EXACTLY as I do.” If they don’t teach my church’s EXACT teachings in EXACTLY the same way, they MUST be a cult!
[quote]
Originally posted by Monty: ONce again, Ryan shows he’s unaware of what he speaks. Sad, very sad.
Groundless personal attacks are hardly a pursuasive rhetorical strategy.
Yes, and many Christians consider Mormons to be a separate religion. That doesn’t change the fact that Mormons consider themselves to be Christians, and are therefore considered heretics. Similarly, Christians claim to be following the Old Testament, and are therefore heretics.
