DiscussMormonism.com

...and why?

From what I have seen in terms of Missionaries 'teaching' people who may be investigating the Church, they do not teach them everything that they are going to need to know.
As an example, the Missionaries do not teach that the converts will be required to adopt uniform underwear. Callings and what time commitment will be required. Etc.

Is this acceptable?


The same point can be made about new Temple initiates. People are not told in advance of the commitments they will be signing up to and the requirement to allow strangers to touch you. Etc.

Is this also acceptable?

They should teach them EVERYTHING. There should be a minimum 1 year waiting period for baptism.

You can't ask people to make eternal commitments without giving them enough information to make a truly informed decision. Not if you don't want to be a dirty scam artist, that is.

When I was a missionary, we were very careful not to tell people anything about the possibility of progressing to godhood. We knew that when people heard this doctrine, they reacted unfavorably and often would not get baptized thereafter.

Strange, though, that we did teach them about tithing and it being 10%.

Missionaries should not teach anything but spiritual truth. And since the truth is an ambiguous concept and subject to both human whim and chance, missionaries should give service and not worry about teaching anything.

Cardinal Biggles wrote:When I was a missionary, we were very careful not to tell people anything about the possibility of progressing to godhood. We knew that when people heard this doctrine, they reacted unfavorably and often would not get baptized thereafter.

Strange, though, that we did teach them about tithing and it being 10%.

This is most interesting,

I have been investigating LDS for quite some time. I remain fascinated with LDS theology.

These last three years I have been visited by three distinct groupings of missionaries. The turnover rate seems quickly paced. None the less I greatly enjoyed the discussions, some of which lasted above two hours.

The presented material was simple enough with one Elder reading selected verses while the other occasionally held up pictures. One of the books that was presented to me was Gospel Doctrine. I found this book to be vague on many points over against such publications as Talmage's 'Articles of Faith' and McConkie's 'New Witness to the Articles of Faith'. Consequently, none of them were familiar with B.H. Roberts or Leonard Arrington. I am not suggesting this is a problem, but such readings do well at representing sound theological arguments and historical surveys. Being a Gentile, I would have preferred a copy of one of these as opposed to the Standard Works. In my experience, hitting someone cold with a Bible runs counter-productive to the long range plan of proseltyzing.

I found it quite unusual that they were so young and socially inexperienced. Again, not problematic, but being able to relate to the human experience/predicament can be most helpful when appealing to wayward and indecisive spirits.

I have been to Sunday services twice. Being thoroughly uneducated on Church etiquette, I arrived wearing blue jeans. Big mistake on my part and I learned the lesson well having a few surreptitious glances thrown my way. Regarding the total experience I have thus far collected, nothing has been addressed concerning ritual and dogma. Perhaps it is thought that investigators need to spend more time in the community for this to happen? Given that LDS believers generally are met with hostility, it makes sense that some distance is created.

Neginoth wrote:

Cardinal Biggles wrote:When I was a missionary, we were very careful not to tell people anything about the possibility of progressing to godhood. We knew that when people heard this doctrine, they reacted unfavorably and often would not get baptized thereafter.

Strange, though, that we did teach them about tithing and it being 10%.

This is most interesting,

I have been investigating LDS for quite some time. I remain fascinated with LDS theology.

These last three years I have been visited by three distinct groupings of missionaries. The turnover rate seems quickly paced. None the less I greatly enjoyed the discussions, some of which lasted above two hours.

The presented material was simple enough with one Elder reading selected verses while the other occasionally held up pictures. One of the books that was presented to me was Gospel Doctrine. I found this book to be vague on many points over against such publications as Talmage's 'Articles of Faith' and McConkie's 'New Witness to the Articles of Faith'. Consequently, none of them were familiar with B.H. Roberts or Leonard Arrington. I am not suggesting this is a problem, but such readings do well at representing sound theological arguments and historical surveys. Being a Gentile, I would have preferred a copy of one of these as opposed to the Standard Works. In my experience, hitting someone cold with a Bible runs counter-productive to the long range plan of proseltyzing.

I found it quite unusual that they were so young and socially inexperienced. Again, not problematic, but being able to relate to the human experience/predicament can be most helpful when appealing to wayward and indecisive spirits.

I have been to Sunday services twice. Being thoroughly uneducated on Church etiquette, I arrived wearing blue jeans. Big mistake on my part and I learned the lesson well having a few surreptitious glances thrown my way. Regarding the total experience I have thus far collected, nothing has been addressed concerning ritual and dogma. Perhaps it is thought that investigators need to spend more time in the community for this to happen? Given that LDS believers generally are met with hostility, it makes sense that some distance is created.

over three years of investigating and you have only been to 2 meetings?
what is the cause for your apprehension? (analysis paralysis?), are you actually investigating or spectating?

Indeed,

An amalgamation of all contained in your reply, subgenius.

The psychology of the whole exercise of faith gives me pause.

Faith frightens me. I cannot maintain my grip upon it.

Neginoth wrote:Indeed,

An amalgamation of all contained in your reply, subgenius.

The psychology of the whole exercise of faith gives me pause.

Faith frightens me. I cannot maintain my grip upon it.

Faith is asking you to distrust your own mind and logical thinking.

Neginoth wrote:Perhaps it is thought that investigators need to spend more time in the community for this to happen? Given that LDS believers generally are met with hostility, it makes sense that some distance is created.

Not all LDS are comfortable with speculation being advanced as immutable doctrine. As President Hinckley said about this issue, "We don't know much about it".

moksha wrote:

Neginoth wrote:Perhaps it is thought that investigators need to spend more time in the community for this to happen? Given that LDS believers generally are met with hostility, it makes sense that some distance is created.

Not all LDS are comfortable with speculation being advanced as immutable doctrine. As President Hinckley said about this issue, "We don't know much about it".

Is there any LDS teaching that Mormons know much about?