So I clicked on the Mormon come-on advertisement to "Come chat about Jesus Christ"

by oppostate 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • oppostate
    oppostate

    So I clicked on the Mormon come-on advertisement on the top, the right side and the bottom of the JWD page that invited me to "Come chat about Jesus Christ".

    I started a chat with Brook and Taiza and asked them why the subtitle of the book of Mormon changed from "Another Gospel of Jesus Christ" to "Another Testament of Jesus Christ".

    Brooke told me it hadn't so I googled it and told them there's plenty of websites that refer to it that way and I had a very old copy with that subtitle on it.

    So Taiza says it's probably a copy by some break off group and not from them.

    I told her the inside said from the "LDS"

    So they left the chat.

    So I figured maybe there's a technical glitch and I shouldn't assume they just dropped me.

    So I log on again and give my last name instead of my first name this time.

    And Hellen and Catherine log into the channel.

    I ask them again about the title change and they drop off the chat.

    So I figured twice is very unlikely that they had a glitch, and I'm pretty sure they dropped me because they didn't like my question.

    One more time, I'll give them one more try.

    So I log on again, with my middle name this time.

    Brooke and Jayne log on.

    I type that I'd been chatting previously with Brooke.

    She types back that she's a different Brooke.

    So Jayne starts asking if I read the Book of Mormon.

    I say yes and I have a question about it.

    So I ask my question about the "another gospel" to 'another testament" change.

    She says that she does not recall ever hearing about that and what do I like about the Book of Mormon.

    I then ask her about the "gospel" Paul wrote about in Corinthians.

    She says it's the same as in the Book of Mormon.

    I ask back that if the gospel is the "same" why call it another??? And I quote her Galatians 1:8.

    She says that it does not apply to the book of Mormon since it is not different from the Bible so therefore, it is not another good news.

    But that is the subtitle of the book isn't it.

    So she sends me a link to a two minute video by the LDS telling of the finding of the tablets and the transcription from reformed Egyptian to English by Joseph Smith.

    I started questioning whether reformed Egyptian was a real language. So she sent me a link to an article the LDS has published on this, very shady reasonings there.

    So we had a nice chat about there being hardly any evidence about this except Mark Hoffman's forgeries which the LDS Church was very convinced were original ancient documents.

    She sent me another link to an article about what the LDS has to say about the forgeries.

    It seemed whatever I asked they already did have some canned response, and if I objected to anything too strongly they'd cut the chat. So it was slow treading and gentle, but I think I brought up some questions that would put anyone who looks into the historical facts with a reasoning mind into high alert that there's something wrong there.

    I sooooooo, wish that the WT would put something like a chat on their website, I'd be there in a second, bringing up questions that made me wake up. I guess that's why they don't have one yet, until that is, they continue copying the Mormons and assemble a host of canned responses to the hard questions. And if all else fails they'll just dump you like an "apostate" from the chat.

    One thing good that came out of this. I know that everytime I click on one of those annoying Mormon ads in this web site Simon gets some money from them (and it helps keep JWD going :-)

    How about you, would you jump on a chat with JW's or Mormons to try awakening some of them?

  • millie210
    millie210

    I dont think I would try a chat because Im not quick enough on my feet cerebrally speaking

    Sounds like you did a great job though. I guess one way you can tell is when they drop the chat. That reminds me of the brothers at Bethel that hang up the phone when they feel uncomfortable enough.

  • FayeDunaway
    FayeDunaway

    Millie we are often so alike! I am the same exact way.

    Mormons like to ask that 'what do you like about us?' question. Some came to my door when I was still a witness. (Disclosure: talking to Mormons isn't easy for me. if I have been prejudiced against anyone, it is Mormons. I think this is based partially on subconscious dislike of my own past religion and sort of wanting to deflect my frustration at something.)

    They asked what I like about them and I managed to say I appreciated that they are very family centered. They asked if I had read the Book of Mormon, and I had read some of it. They were all gushing and said 'what did you think???' I said I didn't want to discuss it. I wanted to keep their visit brief and didn't want to get negative on them. I guess as much as I disliked Mormons, I knew what knocking on doors was like so felt sympathetic.

    A witness chat line would be funny. I'm pretty sure they would hang up the second someone said something negative.

  • joe134cd
    joe134cd
    To be fair to the Mormons (and they are a pet subject of mine) in some ways I have a lot of admiration for them. In comparing the 2 religions I believe the LDS church has got a harder sell with their ideas than witnesses will ever have. If there are holes in the witnesses beliefs then the Mormon church has got a gaping holes. That been said despite this the mormon church has out performed the witnesses in everything e.g membership, wealth etc. As far as openness and transparency goes on joseph smith,the history of the church, and the current problems they are facing they would be decades ahead of the jws, and i can show you some external news articles that testify to this. I say good on you mormon church. I have questioned Mormon missionaries face to face about this. I explain nicely that I left the jw religion and give them my perspective on it. Most of the ugly stuff they know about e.g gold plates weighing nearly 200 pounds/ Book of Abraham/Joseph smith convicted of fraud. Well put it this way how many JW know Rutherford was an alcoholic, who was sued for slander.
  • Fisherman
    Fisherman
    Mormons want to chat about Jesus and use the Bible as bait to lure you into the Book of Mormon. That is what they are about--Not the Bible, only what Joseph Smith quoted from the Bible (KJV at that). KJV is the only Bible Mormons like.
  • LeeT
    LeeT

    What a novel service that chat line is. I just went over there to send brownie points for Elder Bexler with whom I had a pleasant chat today. Elder B and I just spoke about family and religious backgrounds, how he was finding our territory, his work schedule, and future plans etc. We didn't stray onto a discussion of ids beliefs at all. I know they're cranks but I wouldn't have offered him any argument he hadn't heard before so I didn't see any point in spoiling his day.

  • joe134cd
    joe134cd
    Just going back to my comment above. "Although the Mormons are more fanciful with their belief the JWS ate more dangerous with theirs. "
  • Lieu
    Lieu
    What's Maroni doing writing in Egyptian cuneiform anyway? Was he illiterate in English?
  • Qcmbr
    Qcmbr
    Ask them to describe why they believe. If they mention anything spiritual (e.g. God bore witness to me) just keep asking about that experience. The more you probe the weaker it will reveal itself to be. There is almost no point in debating theology but every point in asking sincere questions about their reason for belief. My greatest pauses for thought have always been when people asked me searching questions rather than told me things. As you flesh out the backstory of the missionary you can ask questions like , 'So you have given up 2 years of your life for this based upon x. What would you do if you knew it was wrong...? Can you go home? Would you go home? etc..

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