Funnily enough the last time I met up with some missionaries they said they would not talk Mormon Doctrine with me at all until I had a testimony of the truthfulness of the church, not just that I pray about it, but that I pray about it and get an affirmative answer.

While the process of communicating the biblical gospel to Mormons may not be an exact science with black and white right and wrong methods, I think that sticking with the guidelines on this video is definitely a good way of starting the discussions off as you mean to go on, and going with Moroni’s promise would only lead to the problem of the missionaries telling you, you need to keep praying with more sincerity and so on.

I think your perspective that only those who know Mormonism like you and your friends do can truly get through to Mormons does have some merit but even that only goes so far, if God is real and does draw people to Himself as Jesus said in John 6:44 that He does, and if Gods word really is living and active as Hebrews 4:12 says it is, then going with the methodology set out by the bible is surely the safest bet as God has even more power to save than any full perspective on Mormonism ever can.

Here is what we see in the bible people did when approached with new teaching.

Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

They didnt pray about it but they searched the scriptures, and so should we.

Please understand, lest I be yet again misunderstood, I am not sharing these responses in order to challenge in any way the idea that Christians should not pray about the BoM.

Although titled “The Book of Mormon: Should Christians Pray About It?” that doesn’t accurately describe what the video addresses. Its central theme, having pre-supposed that the answer to this question is “no”, (which I don’t disagree with in essence by the way), is, as Shazaloo clearly explains at round about 1 minute and 10 seconds onwards, some ways in which to counter the LDS missionaries’ attempts to invite investigators to pray about the BoM. Perhaps the video might more properly be titled “The Book of Mormon: How to Challenge a Mormon Missionary’s Sales Pitch”

Presumably however, in line with the purposes of this blog, the Christian’s aim will be to go beyond justification of a choice not to pray about the BoM, to reaching out to the young men or women standing before you as LDS representatives, to assist them in seeing a larger and fuller picture of their own culture. If the aim is to enlighten, rather than merely to counter or justify, it is crucial that the worldview of those before you, (and the likely impact of what you say upon that worldview), is properly understood. If it is not understood, then lasting damage rather than positive assistance may be the result. You may wonder if that really matters. If so, then ponder for a moment an image of little ones, and millstones.

Surely no-one is in a better position to assess the usefulness of the ideas presented, you would think, than those who have already made, or are in the process of making the long and difficult journey out of Mormonism. I asked the following question of some who are in that position:

“What would your honest response have been as a True Believing Mormon to the material presented in the video?”

Here are some representative comments received:

Comment 1:
As a TBM, I would have thought that he was pretty arrogant and using the books he showed would have made me want to leave his home asap! Also the example of whether you would pray about going into a park with a gun to shoot children is not going to help his argument one little bit. Anyone, Christian or Atheist, would know that’s a complete no, no!! I probably would not be open to anything else he said after that.

Comment 2:
As well meaning as he is, I believe a better approach would be to ask about the contradictions within Mormon doctrine (and there are plenty) and/or discuss Biblical passages.

Comment 3:
Just seeming to be critical of the missionaries’ methods will not help either party.

Comment 4:
This approach can be counter-productive. You may think it is all nonsense, you may be able to prove a percentage of it is rot but telling people so in many cases will just have the other person think you are calling them stupid, even if you mitigate it by saying, “Hey I’ve been there too, and I know I was being an idiot until I realised the truth”

Comment 5:
I think I would have found it rather puerile, and the effect on me would have been if anything to confirm me in my Mormon views, rather than help me to start questioning anything.

Comment 6:
Rather offensive. I think I would have turned away, said each to his own, and left him to preach to himself.

Comment 7:
I’d like to think it would have piqued my curiosity, but in all honesty, I was so involved in the church at the time, I would probably have laughed it off and dismissed it as typical anti-Mormon ranting.

For what it is worth Shazaloo, I think your efforts are commendable insofar as they may be used to explain to converted Christians why they might not take seriously an invitation to investigate the spiritual content of the BoM. However, as a method for dealing with LDS missionaries, or other LDS members who are the product of long-term indoctrination, there is cause to rethink your strategy. If you value Mormons, (and I believe you do), then the verdict appears to be that in the long term you may do actual harm using this approach. Because your methods appeal to your own worldview, does not guarantee its usefulness in unravelling another very different one. Please accept this criticism in the positive spirit it is offered.

If you did wish to know, would you be prepared to weigh all the evidence fairly, both for and against? That is the question which determines how committed to truth we are.

If the evidence led you away from what you presently say you will never renounce, would you still follow? That is the question which determines whether we really do trust in Jesus fully.

Some of us here have answered these questions affirmatively, and it takes courage and strength to do so. I wish everything we were taught in Sunday School, and YW lessons was true, but real history sadly tells another story. I wish it were not so, but it is.

In the end it doesn’t matter at all what Joseph did. It only matters what God did.

Good luck on your continuing journey Kristie.

What is your testimony? Have you personally witnessed the “First Vision?” Have you examined the history of Joseph Smith and the entire LDS faith? Your “testimony” is likely to be only agreeing with what you have been told. How do you KNOW that the LDS is the true church? What investigation have you done to verify?

Since the Bible says that there will be no marriages in heaven, you contradict Scripture by claiming eternal marriage.

You say that you have extra Scriptures which support the Bible: have you really compared them with the Bible? They contradict the Bible in many, many, many areas of doctrine and history, let alone the identities of God and Jesus. Take a look at my blog and I list many of them.

I bear you my testimony that I know that the LDS is a fraudulent faith, that Joseph Smith was a false prophet, and that the BOM, POGP, D&C are all works of Smith and not of God.

One of our testimonies has to be wrong. If I’m right, you will spend eternity in hell. I pray you investigate these things for yourself.

I am guessing so, and thats ok if I was in your position I would do the same, however the fact that you have even clicked on a site like this says that all those things that Mormons so often put on the shelf are catching up on you, although you would never admit it and maybe I am wrong however think about it. Right through Mormonism from the beginning to, today we have masses of problems, multiple first vision accounts, the cannonisation of a document that says something about God (that He is Spirit) contrary to something that was supposedly revealed to Smith years ago (the lectures on faith). Joseph Smith marrying other mens wives sometimes in secret, he translated a book of scripture from egyptian papyrus when later these papyrus are shown to say something entirely different, (the book of Abraham) and the list goes on right through to a church today (which has the name of Jesus Christ in it, but so could the church of Jesus Christ of bananas) that constantly backs off from its founding beliefs saying those Antis are giving half truths, where does it end?

You can bear your testimony again, and again, and again but the only person you are convincing is you, this site is always here for you and there are loads of articles here for you to spend time looking at and comment on however you wish.

You said living to true standards makes you a Christian and thats what its all about, that very statement proves to me fully the unChristian teachings of Mormonism, Isaiah 64:6 will show you what your good works will do and Romans 4:5 will show you what your good works could never do, I do what I do because I am in stinkin love with Mormons and I pray that I get as many of you guys as possible to stop trusting in your standards and works and totally 100% unreservedly trust in Jesus. I have no hate towards Mormonism and I certainly dont hate Mormons, if thats what you are picking up here you should read or watch any posts again.