amusing missionary encounter

[tsukikage]

I know I shouldn't be so amused, but some Mormon missionaries stopped me to talk to them today. Of course, I wanted to talk to them in person (a "home visit", but in the church, I think), but as for what they could tell me in the small amount of time I was standing there - I already know all of that. I wonder how often they end up talking to people who are already actively learning about the LDS faith. In any case, the missionary has my number, so I'm kind of looking forward to his call. I really need to start getting up on sabbath days and visit the local churches - I've been so lazy...

"Tuna cans Check!"

Comments

[stiffie.livejournal.com]

Too bad I'm not flying out on a Sunday...I could go with you!!!!!! :):):)
I should give the headquarters your address as a referal, so they DEFINITELY get on it. :D

It's not often they run across already investigating people. They're few and far between...because usually people love us, or hate us, but never inbetween. :)

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Never, eh? *points to self*
Now, what is a referral to headquarters? 'Cuz I think I already had that done. I dunno. I called the 800 number and the sent me the BoM, and asked if I wanted to have a home visit...

[stiffie.livejournal.com]

Ahhh it's just on the website you can send in someone's address and phone number. :)

Not, not NEVER, but it happens not as often. You're a lucky case. :)

And as for the below commnet...dude, we're NOT A CULT!
And you can be a member of one religion and still have major interest in others. I'm LDS, and I absolutely ADORE learning and experiencing other religions! It opens your eyes, help you understand others. And church is more than which is prettiest on the inside ;)

be carefull

[m-geshmak.livejournal.com]

dont talk to any missionaries! dont listen to a thing they say! i dont want to find you ten years down the line living on some cult farm! as for your quest for spirituality why not expand beyond christianity? you are half jewish(hint hint) and many people find buddhism to be amazing! if you must stick with jesus why not investigate an eastern orthodox church? their gorgeous on the inside!

Re: be carefull

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

LOL! Where've you been, Mordie? I've missed ya! (Yeah, I know, you can say the same for me... ^_^;)
BWAH HAH HAH! I WILL JOIN A MASS SUICIDE CULT!!!
No, really. I'm actually investigating "all" Judeo-Christian religions (including Islam). I figure if three major religions share the same God, then perhaps that God is most likely to be true. And don't worry, I'll find a synagogue to visit sometime too.

Re: be carefull

[m-geshmak.livejournal.com]

I do miss you and i always read your lj because you post so fricking much! any who...i woudnt recomend islam but thats just me!

Re: be carefull

[m-geshmak.livejournal.com]

and in reply to the above above comment.....obviously you can be intrested in whatever religion you want however, there is a difference in following a faith/creed and being intrested in one! If your an absolute truth type of person (I know I am) then faith shopping and endless exploring will reek endless havoc on your brain! I can't speak for people who dont need that kind of absolut truth. Maybe they can spend their whole lives exploring and feel spiritualy fufilled. if they can then all the power to them!

[belindabird.livejournal.com]

I figure if three major religions share the same God, then perhaps that God is most likely to be true.

There's also the idea that all versions of Deity lead to the same truth rather than one version being more "true" than another :) Whatever rings truest for you in your own heart will be most fulfilling in the long run, whether you decide to follow the Judeo-Christian path or any other. Just something to be aware of.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Man, you must be getting sick of my "searching for religion" posts...
I dunno. I guess I'm inclined to believe that there is a true religion, and that if there is a true religion that one of these ones floating around down here must be it.

[belindabird.livejournal.com]

Well, to each his/her own I suppose. And I'm not tired of these posts. One thing I do want to say, though, is that I know from personal experience (I think I wrote a big long post about this at some point or another), that trying to believe that there's only one religious truth and then suddenly finding out that you can't force yourself to believe the popular version of that truth can make one feel really inadequate. I went through a few years where I couldn't remove this knot in my stomach because I was spending too much time worrying about whether or not I would still go to hell if I went to church but didn't actually believe in the Judeo-Christian concept of God.

I wouldn't say that coming to my current beliefs has made life any easier, but I would say that they're a good fit and I don't feel ashamed asking questions and coming to my own conclusions now because I believe in something that encourages me to question in order to strengthen my beliefs. I guess what I'm saying is that I never try to feel complacent where I am, because I feel that too many people just believe what their parents/family/ancestors believed because it's easy for them and they don't have to work at it. I fully believe that religious communities would be a heck of a lot more diverse if people were actually motivated/required to do some studying of various belief systems before they were allowed to join one.

I don't mean this to be insulting, but my advice is still to not cling to the idea that one religious group's idea of God is truer than another's, because if you find yourself in the unfortunate situtation of trying to believe in something because it seems the most likely, rather than because you're drawn to it, I guarantee you you're not going to like yourself very much until such a time as you come to your own conclusions.

And one other thing to think about; if there were one true religion, it would be something that would have lasted throughout all ages of humanity. And yet people (as in, Homo Sapiens in their current form) have been around for 100,000 years (that is, if you believe in evolutionary science, another argument that I am not going to touch right now), and the only common thread is that people have worshipped something, but not in the same way the entire time. Religions have come and gone, some are being revived in the current era, and new systems are being invented all the time. People are much too diverse to all share the same religious views, and I don't think that people who don't fit into the "big three" are somehow worshipping false truths, or things that are "less-than-truths". And I fully believe that in 2,000 years, the religions that are popular today may not even exist anymore, because that's just the way of things.

In any case, don't let me keep you from choosing one thing or another. I just get a bit peevy when someone's comment suddenly places me in a bad (less-truthful?) light when it took me years of soul-searching and questioning to finally end up where I am :) I like these kind of discussions, though. They always cause me to think about and consider my belief system, reaffirming that they're right for me.

[jupistrahan.livejournal.com]

Aren't they silly? And they were guy missionaries, weren't they? The girl ones, though much rarer, are much more fun to talk to... usually. Anyway. Try to dig up some real tough questions for them. I like to study them, to see if all the Mormon missionaries give the same answer about them.

Maybe question the whole "changing of doctrine" thing, how in the earlier years (like in the pre-40's I think, black men weren't allowed to hold the "preisthood"). Stuff like that.

Always interesting. =D

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Heh heh - quite tempting, actually. But I'm not really the type of person to make people's lives difficult.
Actually, I think I'll just ask them about that seriously, and see what they seriously have to say.

[jadeejf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm with you on that one. The only Mormons I ever bump into (which isn't many here in the Midwest) don't ever tell me anything I don't already know. Of course, I've already come to my conclusions, but it is always interesting to hear other points of view and see what led people to their conclusions. Of course, I also get really frustrated when they all wind up at "I just felt it was true." Feelings are so... not logical ;)

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Well said, Ms. Spock. :-P

That last response was me...

[jadeejf.livejournal.com]

But like I was saying-

I, of course, am entirely logical :P Clearly.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Note to self:
jadeejf wrote " Of course, I'm of the most illogical sort myself, which is why that last line was funny ;) But then again, I go to my church almost entirely because it feeds my brain. I can't stand churches where you can sleep through the sermon and stil get the point. "Murder is bad, okay, got it, wake me up in an hour." But I never said I made sense. Oh wait. I'm not logical either. *brain explodes*"

[zuisa.livejournal.com]

I had no idea you were searching for a religion! I am too!

Have you seen the <"lj user="convert_me"> community? There are a lot of very knowledgable people on a very large spectrum of religions.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

I actually have, though I haven't had an opportunity to post there yet. I'll have to write a longer reply when I get off of work.

[darkjing.livejournal.com]

It's things like this that make me kinda glad I'm 95% atheist...