Update #3 on Mormon DVD

John Morehead stopped by and made a comment on the first of the three posts here. He corrected me on the term "relationalist". Going forward I will make note of this that the term they would like to be called is "cross-culture mission minded" I completely understand that we must be culturally sensitive to some degree. We should understand basic cultural things especially if we are going on a mission to that area. I live in Utah so I understand the basics and the advanced Mormonism doctrine, theology, culture etc. I am just not sure how telling them the Truth of the Great Gospel is anything but relational. I would be amiss to not tell them the truth, to build some false sense of relationship with them only to spring on them at a later time with the truth. I find that regardless of how mission minded you are we need to speak the truth in gentleness and respect to Mormons. Frankly they appreciate it! Some don't but those are the same people who are going to be hateful regardless of what you do. In addition it corresponds culturally, religiously and theologically with how they do mission work. I have never been a proponent of letting the culture dictate how we Evangelize, yet if I had to justify it that way it could be easily done. Here are some quotes that are notable from MORMONS! I would say that they WANT us to tell them the truth or they are just saying this to have an alibi?

Here is a quote
Orson Pratt: (on the Book of Mormon) this book must be either true or false, if
false it is one of the most cunning wicked bold deep-laied impositions ever pawned
upon the world. Calculated to deceive and ruin millions who will really receive it
as the word of God... If after a rigid examination it be found an imposition it should
be extensively published to the world as such the evidences and arguments upon
which the impostor was detected should be clearly and logically stated. ..
(the Divine authority of the book of Mormon)”

Here are two more

Joseph Fielding Smith: Mormonism, as it is called, must stand
or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of
God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he
was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no
middle ground. “If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who willfully
attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed; his
claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false,...”
(Doctrines of Salvation, vol.1, pp. 188-189)

Gordon B Hinkley: (on Joseph Smith’s 1st vision) Our whole
strength rests on the validity of that vision. It either occurred or
it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud. (President
Gordon B. Hinkley, “The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith,”
Ensign, Nov. 2002, 80.)

I will stick with using the Bible as a guide for Evangelism and my only guide.

I also want to add a quote from a discussion on another blog at STR. I do not know him but in his conversation with a Mormon he articulated a quote that I have heard before, and used variations of yet his was far more concise. Here is the quote

"Further, if Christianity is potentially true, then it is potentially false. Christianity is potentially false as it rides on a historical event - the resurrection. I don't think we can draw the same parrallel to Mormonism. What sets Mormonism apart, the missionaries tell me, is that I can pray and ask God for wisdom and "I will know the BOM is true" in my heart....by the "burning of my bosom". There is no objective, external, falsifiable test for a religion that claims such a thing..... "Our religious text is true, because I prayed and God revealed to me that it was true." Now how did god reveal such a thing?.....did he literally transplant the thought into your head, such that his thoughts are now your thoughts? It's kind of hard for me to argue with God isn't it?!

What if I prayed about the BOM and God told me it's the work of the devil? Who's right Kevin? Are we forever lost on this sea of relativity, or do you think there is some objective test that could settle the issue?"by John Willis.