Originally Posted By RoadTrip OMG. Missionaries just at my door in Nixa, MO. Either they're very determined or just plain nuts. If there were ever rocky soil for them to try and grow a crop, SW Missouri is it! Muslims would stand a better chance of attracting a convert.
Originally Posted By utahjosh We're everywhere, man. Well, everywhere that will let us in. I'm looking at YOU, China.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Josh... you know I've defended you in the past and feel LDS tends to get dumped on unnecessarily around here. But SW Missouri? Even Catholics knocking on doors could be looking down the barrel of a shotgun! Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration for Nixa. But stay the heck out of them hills! People who post no trespassing signs back there are real serious about it. Can't have just anyone stumbling upon a Meth Lab you know...
Originally Posted By tiggertoo RoadTrip: Well, I served a mission in South Carolina, and I survived...barely. j/k I did have dogs sicked on me a few times, and a lot of threats. But I was a big guy then, so nothing too bad. Most people would fight with me on theological grounds, which is fine. I memorized over 500 Biblical verses, so I usually held me own. But I was always careful not to tell anyone they were wrong, only that there were potentially other ways to view biblical verse. If I gave people something to ponder over, I felt I did well that day. But yes, there are a lot of nutty missionaries out there who think they can argue there way into people's minds. Which is absolutely wrong. I mean, just look at political arguments. How effective has arguing about global warming been with conservatives despite overwhelming evidence to its existence? ***Hey, I thought you were living in Wisc working for the great university system there?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip No, I worked for the Univ of Minn for 30 years but retired to Missouri 2-1/2 years ago.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>We're everywhere, man.<< Per the LDS website there are 14 million "Mormons" in the whole world. There are more Catholics in Mexico City alone. 15 million people are baptized as Catholics every year. I'll give you guys credit, in spite of your miniscule numbers you make a lot of noise.
Originally Posted By fkurucz "Most people would fight with me on theological grounds" I wouldn't even bother with that. I find the claims of New World Hebrews to be uncompelling, especially since there is no trace of them. Without their existance LDS claim of being the true form of Christianity completely falls apart.
Originally Posted By wa6oqc Since the 1830’s Missouri has had a particular place for the Mormon people. Here is an article from the Missouri Secretary of State about one such time period: <a href="http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/mormon.asp" target="_blank">http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives...rmon.asp</a>
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf <<Per the LDS website there are 14 million "Mormons" in the whole world.>> I wouldn't put much weight on that number. The LDS Church is one where if you aren't an active participating member, you shouldn't be counted. But they count you anyway so that the members in good-standing get the warm-and-fuzzies for the increasing size of their church. I was an LDS missionary and I saw the caliber of folks getting baptized where I served in Europe. They were mostly Africans who had no interest in the church and were simply trying to find a way to get to the US. Similar things go on in South America as well according to some people I know who served as missionaries down there. And when I left the church 17 years ago, I asked repeatedly that my name be removed through their rolls. It still hasn't. So I am being counted in that number, which is absurd. I am the last person they want to show-up at their "Testimony Meeting." Active members worldwide are more like 5 million I think.
Originally Posted By fkurucz ^^I quoted the official LDS number so that I would not be accused of downplaying the size of the LDS church. If your 5 million number is correct, here is something to put it into perspective: The Coptic Church has up to 20 million members. Of course most Americans have never heard of the Coptic Church. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has about 4.6 million members. Add in the neighboring Dioceses (Orange, San Diego, etc.) and it approaches 10 million.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Am just loving the onslaught of "I'm a Mormon" ads everywhere lately. Damage control from Prop 8, cult recruitment and, above all, LAME. Money that could be spent to help people, spent for this instead. They never seem to get tired of wasting money.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "The Coptic Church has up to 20 million members. Of course most Americans have never heard of the Coptic Church." I've always thought it sounded like a street gang. The Bloods are feuding with the Crips and the Crips are feuding with the Coptics and the Coptics are out for the Bloods.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 "Am just loving the onslaught of "I'm a Mormon" ads everywhere lately. Damage control from Prop 8, cult recruitment and, above all, LAME. Money that could be spent to help people, spent for this instead. They never seem to get tired of wasting money." Yeah, I've always though it odd that a church has to take out ads. I remember the TV ads from years ago too. It definitely made it seem like a product for sale...
Originally Posted By utahjosh When you believe a God has given you a mandate to spread the Gospel as we understand it, you do it. And you do it the best you can. That's why we use missionaries, ad campaigns, and each and every member to help us spread the Gospel. Hardly a waste of money from our point of view, but if you believe it's pointless than of course you'd see it as a waste of money.
Originally Posted By fkurucz ^^^FWIW, you guys don't get a lot of bang for your buck if an obscure Christian denomination (the Copts) in a Muslim country (Egypt) have 4 times as many members as you do. Or if you really want obscure, there are almost 5 million "St. Thomas" or "Malabar Church" Christians in Kerala, India alone. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malabar_Church" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...r_Church</a>
Originally Posted By utahjosh Yeah, we've got our work cut out for us in China, India, and the muslim countries.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox Teaching is vastly different from recruitment. Or at least it should be. But the Mormon missionaries I've spoken to over the years blurred that line of distinction beyond recognition. This has never been about education, Josh. It's always been about growing the membership. And for that very reason, it remains a cult.
Originally Posted By utahjosh Speaking as someone who was a missionary and currently is active in the church, I can only agree partly with what you are saying. Sure, growing the membership is one goal. And it's been over emphasized within the church and missionary program, too - not by the church itself, but more by the culture that grew from the missionary program. Teaching and sharing our message is what we're trying to do. Baptizing someone into the church who doesn't really desire to know the doctrine is pretty pointless. Bringing people to know Christ as we know him - that is the number one goal. And that's why we're not a cult.
