So last Friday at 9:00am before I had shaved or showered or anything 2 Mormon missionaries rang my door bell. I spoke with them for just a second and tried to get rid of them, and they really wanted to talk, so i asked them back for next Friday (so I'd get a chance to look at their theology and what all they believe). This is how our conversation went...
(I'll set the stage first) They were making chit chat and I just said we both know why you are here so let's get to it. This gave them an uneasy look in their eye's. Last week when I told them I was a Southern Baptist Minister they seemed not so happy (I'm guessing that they have met some of us before :) So this week they showed up with a third guy. He did no talking and generally looked uneasy but was huge so I'm guessing that made them feel better...you see last week they took me by surprise, let's face it most people don't usually have their doorbell rung unless they are expecting it...so I grabbed my pistol and stuck it in my pocket just in case. Maybe they saw that and thought "gun toting redneck". The second guy who was definitely the learner was eager to participate but was not very knowledgeable. Anytime I had a question that stumped them he was the one who said "wow, that's a good question". And then there was the leader who was the one who most of my conversation was directed to.
(some dialogue) I go straight to the problem. "The restoration". (Mormons believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet who restored the church after a magical meeting in the forest with God where he was given these golden tablet's that had the book of Mormon on them and the way to restore the church from the great apostasy...and then they eh...were taken away lightening or fire or something from Heaven) I said "the only restoration is when Jesus comes for his church and ever knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. Joseph Smith has nothing to do with any of that." As you would guess they disagreed. Then I went to the Great Apostasy. I asked them to explain on what basis could they even say that there was a great apostasy. I challenged them to reread Jude, and acts. They Tried hard to glaze of chronological order to make their case. The said all had turned away from the gospel which is why Christ was crucified. Well I can end that debate right now Christ wasn't killed by Jews or Romans, the Bible said that he laid down his own life for us. They insisted this was the reason. So I asked them about the day of Pentecost "was the gospel of Jesus null and void on that day?" I don't remember how but they changed the subject, and we got on the the subject of priesthood.
Priesthood deals with lots history, I don't have much more than an elementary understanding, but even that was enough to shut them down on this point... I went to the fact the Jesus didn't have priesthood while he was on earth and here's why: uh the Bible says so! Hebrew's 8:4 "now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law." Why is this important! because they claim that in Matthew 16:18 when Jesus hands the keys of the church to Peter, that this was when Jesus was giving priesthood authority to the disciples...well that's problematic because Jesus was not acting as high priest at the time, Caiaphas was! We see in numbers (3:10) and in Exodus (29:28-29) that the priesthood was in the line of Aaron and his sons. Jesus was descendant from the tribe of Judah! He was not acting as the high priest, I returned to Heb. 8:4 again. He disagreed and quoted his version (kjv) and it took out the word "not". So his argument was that Jesus was acting as high priest. He didn't let me see his Bible, but as soon as they left I looked it up and the KJV definitely has the word "not" in Heb 8:4...he was lying so that his 2 learners would think he got owned. So I return to my argument" Jesus was high priest after he atoned for our sins, so he could have never given priesthood to the apostles, furthermore apostles and prophets are not the same thing (which they use interchangeably). They kept using the fact the the apostles could baptize and that was a sign of their priesthood. I again returned to Hebrews chapter 7 where it clearly explains that the high priest was responsible for the sacrifice of the atoning of sins, never baptism. I told him to reread Matthew 29:19 "go ye therefore and mike disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the father, son, and holy spirit". I told him Christ after the Resurrection commanded the apostles to make disciples and baptise...it had nothing to do with with priesthood. After having really nothing to respond with he mentions that he has to go soon, and he pulls out the book of Mormon...and so begins the ownage.
(((((((Here is the part where ownage happens, if that's all you really wanted to read)))))))))
Mormon: "well you have some great questions and I think that you'll find the answers in here. This book is a perfect testament to Jesus Christ. It will help you understand the Bible and how it pertains to the teachings of the LDS church"
Me: " I can't take that book, in 2 John I am bonded by the word of God that says if anyone comes to your house with some other teaching, that I am not to receive it, and I cannot welcome him into my house"
Mormon: "but this book will help you understand the Bible and the truth that was given to Joseph Smith, and sir you would be a fool not to read something that talks about Jesus Christ!"
This is where the intensity of my voice heightens
Me: "that is the most warped logic I have ever heard! basically I shut you down on the very basis of Mormonism, and you tell me that I need some other book that will basically agree with your warped theology, and then I'm suppose to take it read it and see that your heresy is true?" Then I asked "suppose I had a book that will explain protestant theology, even if you didn't agree with how I interpreted the Bible it's ok because once you read my book and it agrees with everything I just said you'll then know that I am right, do you see the logic in that. That's the dumbest thing I have every heard!"
Mormon: So your basically rejecting a book that speaks about the Lord Jesus?
Me" In the very end of the gospel of John it says that there will be so many book written about Jesus that the world probably couldn't contain them. So could I call you a fool since you don't take the gospel of Thomas? it speaks about Jesus why won't you take that?
Mormons: well we have another appoint, we've got to go "have a great day"
Me: it was nice to meet you but I can't bid you Godspeed, the word of God prohibits me of that.
This was my Mormon experience.
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