Mormons came a-knockin' at my door

[p-hawk]

I'm so excited! A couple of Mormon missionaries came to my door yesterday. I told them that I didn't have time to meet with them (I was watching World Youth Day coverage on EWTN, what do you expect?) and set up a time to meet with them. I can't wait to sit down and hash out some theology with them!

The Catholic Defense Directory has been EXTREMELY helpful! I feel like a Catholic with those resources and scriptures to back me up.

[peach_cube]

Ask them to pray a Rosary.

[zwergel88]

That sounds like a great opportunity for some awesome apologetics!

[Birgitta Noel]

Good luck! I had a JW climb up the side railing of my deck last weekend as I was standing out in my bathrobe pruning my plants. It was the strangest group of folks, a middle aged white man, a bit older black man and woman, and then a much older (and tiny) white woman.

The black man was the one who climbed the deck. He asked if I knew that Christ promised eternal life after death and I assured him that I did. He asked if I had a bible and I told him I did, that we were Catholic. To his credit he said something like, "oh, then you definitely have (or was it read) a bible!" I was surprised, expecting him to say something about Catholics not reading the bible. He must have run into some well Catechized Catholics along the way!

I did politely accept his Watchtower on Death and eternal life out of curiosity, but I haven't read it yet. He assured me that it was all supported by scripture. I am in no position to take them on, but I think if my Mom hadn't been visiting I might have invited them to come over sometime just to have a friendly chat about a few things

Let us know how your encounter goes!

[Thy Geekdom Come]

One of my friends did this a few months ago.

We cleared up some Mormon misconceptions about Catholicism.

The scariest part wasn't that they thought we worshipped Mary...it was that they thought that...and were okay with it.

[Fides_et_Ratio]

lol, do you ever think Mormans think almost the same thing... they have their own little phorum that they probably went running to as soon as they got home and were like, 'Yea! We're so excited... we went to this dude's house and he invited us back cuz he was busy! Clean the baptismal fonts!"

Did you tell them why they could come back?

[thessalonian]

What I do with them is I don't even give them a chance to start with what they have to say. I go primarily in to the authority of Peter in Matt 16:18 and hit them with the Is 22 parrallel to that verse. They are not preprared for this it seems. Then I bring up the other various facts about Peter, i.e. he is mentioned most in scripture, called first, even though he is not first, mentioned first in all lists of the apostles, etc. etc.. Then focus on the enduring nature of the papacy and how the scripture says "the gates of hell shall not prevail" and how Mormonism claims the Church had to be restored (i.e. the gates of hell contrary to Jesus words did prevail").

I also try to get in a little discussion about the Eucharist and John 6. These young guys are not ready for a debate with someone who has more than a minimal knowledge of scripture. Focus on Catholicism. Do not get too much in to their religion.

However if you have the chance ask them how it can be that the book of Mormon was supposedly about people 600 years before Christ. Yet in 2 Nephi it says "Bible, Bible, we've got Bibles". Now there was nothing called a Bible until roughly 400 bc., 1000 years later. This simply does not make any sense. I would like to know how they resolve this.

The JW's had a both at the fair the other day. I had a good 20 minutes with them. They tried to bring up Church fathers. Big mistake.

Blessings

[thessalonian]

One more thing. In the coming days pray for them. This is very important beforehand if you can. I call on all phatmassers who read this thread to pray for these two souls as well.

Edited August 21, 2005 by thessalonian

[p-hawk]

[quote name='thessalonian' date='Aug 21 2005, 10:36 AM']One more thing.  In the coming days pray for them.  This is very important beforehand if you can.   I call on all phatmassers who read this thread to pray for these two souls as well.
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Already hitting the perpetual adoration chapel tomorrow beforehand. :

[thessalonian]

This is the kind of stuff I tend to focus on with mormons because they understand authority and hierarchy. The problem for them is "the gates of hell shall not prevail". There is no real evidence that they ever did.


[url="http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ112.HTM"]http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ112.HTM[/url]

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

we do worship mary

we actually do "worship Mary" -- but not with the sort of worship that is due to God alone (latria) which has become the modern Protestant sense of the word (this is why many Catholics, using this modern definition, insist we don't "worship Mary"; we most definitely don't believe she is God! We do not "worship Mary" in any sense that Protestants accuse us of, i.e., we don't "worship Mary" in the modern, Protestant sense of the word!). "To worship" does not necessarily mean treating someone or something as God. The British call their magistrates and mayors "Your Worship," and I don't think any of them mistakenly consider Mayor So-and-So to be the Father Almighty. The point for Protestants reading this is this: if you come across a traditional Catholic text referring to "Mary worship" in a good light, don't freak out.

Edited August 22, 2005 by Extra ecclesiam nulla salus

[thessalonian]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Aug 22 2005, 09:56 AM']we do worship mary

we actually do "worship Mary" -- but not with the sort of worship that is due to God alone (latria) which has become the modern Protestant sense of the word (this is why many Catholics, using this modern definition, insist we don't "worship Mary"; we most definitely don't believe she is God! We do not "worship Mary" in any sense that Protestants accuse us of, i.e., we don't "worship Mary" in the modern, Protestant sense of the word!). "To worship" does not necessarily mean treating someone or something as God. The British call their magistrates and mayors "Your Worship," and I don't think any of them mistakenly consider Mayor So-and-So to be the Father Almighty. The point for Protestants reading this is this: if you come across a traditional Catholic text referring to "Mary worship" in a good light, don't freak out.
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Not in the modern English usage of the word worship. We do not. Languages change and in modern English it is not proper to say we worship her, though in older Catholic texts you will find it.

Edited August 22, 2005 by thessalonian

[p-hawk]

I was very disappointed when they didn't show up at the appointed time.

But hey, now I just might develop the habit of screaming "MATTHEW 16:18!" at every Mormon I run into.

[phatcatholic]

[quote name='p-hawk' date='Aug 23 2005, 08:46 AM']I was very disappointed when they didn't show up at the appointed time.

But hey, now I just might develop the habit of screaming "MATTHEW 16:18!" at every Mormon I run into.
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sounds like a plan :

[thessalonian]

[quote name='p-hawk' date='Aug 23 2005, 08:46 AM']I was very disappointed when they didn't show up at the appointed time.

But hey, now I just might develop the habit of screaming "MATTHEW 16:18!" at every Mormon I run into.
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[/quote]

If I was a bettin man I would say they will be back. They do get hung up talking to people but they noted your interest (however insincere it may have been in their actual theology). Mormons don't miss an opportunity for a noch on their belt.

Edited August 23, 2005 by thessalonian

[p-hawk]

[quote name='thessalonian' date='Aug 23 2005, 07:15 PM']If I was a bettin man I would say they will be back. They do get hung up talking to people but they noted your interest (however insincere it may have been in their actual theology).  Mormons don't miss an opportunity for a noch on their belt.
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Oh I'm sincere in my interest in their theology. I'm just not interested in subscribing to it.

[RC_]

I saw a group of three Missionaries in Wal-Mart today. (This Wal-Mart trip was an adventure in and of itself, but I digress.....). I started wondering, "What should one call a group of Mormans?"

Gaggle of geese
Murder of crows
Herd of cows
Swarm of bees
School of fish
Band of nomads
....of Mormans?

[phatcatholic]

[quote name='RC_' date='Aug 30 2005, 02:46 AM']I saw a group of three Missionaries in Wal-Mart today.  (This Wal-Mart trip was an adventure in and of itself, but I digress.....).  I started wondering, "What should one call a group of Mormans?"

Gaggle of geese
Murder of crows
Herd of cows
Swarm of bees
School of fish
Band of nomads
....of Mormans?
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hehe, i would go w/ one that uses some alliteration : (always more amusing that way )

magnitude of mormons
mass of mormons
mess of mormons (i think i like that one the best )
miscellany of mormons
mob of mormons
multitude of mormons
murder of mormons
muster of mormons

haha!!

pax christi,
phatcatholic

[Maccabeus]

what I don't get is how Mormons beleive their are other gods, But than again in the Bible it says there is only one God. They are falling into the same trap that Israel fell into many times in the past by honoring other gods, which was the beginning of their demise.

[thessalonian]

They would use a verse like

1John.3
[2] Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears [b]we shall be like [/b]him, for we shall see him as he is.

It is quite refutable of course but that is how they will justify it.