I can only suggest that the best way to evangelize is to know, love, and live your own faith. Be open to opportunities to discuss and share both similarities and differences in your respective theologies. A non-judgemental sharing of information and understanding should be the primary goal; if a change of heart, conversion, is to occur, it will be effected by the love and power of the Holy Spirit, not accusations or remonstrances from a friend.
An interesting similarity between Mormonism and Catholicism is that neither depend on the Bible alone for their teaching and practice. Mormons also have the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the words of modern prophets and apostles. Catholics recognize that sacred scripture is just the written portion, not the totality, of sacred tradition, and that it is scripture, tradition, and the teaching authority of the church that ensures the faithful handing on of the Word of God to each succeeding generation. Converting from one religion to another likely depends to a large extent on which set of authorities a person sees as the more credible and trustworthy.
When a person smokes for 30 years, and then develops lung cancer, goes through surgery and chemo, and comes out alive at the end, it’s hard for that person to be non-judgemental and accepting of one who is smoking around them. They know the pleasures, but they also know the dangers, and would feel amiss to simply “live and let live” with this carcinogen that a person is knowingly ingesting.
It’s the same way when I hear people talk about Mormonism. To me, the lies of Joseph Smith are as toxic to someone’s spiritual life as smoking is to someone’s physical life. I can smell the stench of lies below the smoke blowing out of the mouths of those who preach the “live and let live” philosophy. Being raised Mormon, I can remember being taught numerous times that there is no Truth outside the church, and I know the ways of the missionaries, to find common ground before polluting the truth with the lies of the Church. The bottom line is that Mormons on this board are not here to protect their religion, they are here to sow seeds in the mission field. Mormons from the cradle are taught to evangelize - they teach their children to sing “I hope they call me on a mission”, and are taught the threefold mission of the Mormon church: Proclaim the gospel, perfect the saints, and redeem the dead. Notice which one of these facets is listed first.
To treat cancer, you cannot simply eat more broccoli and cut down to only one cigarette a day. You have to face the truth of the danger, and act aggressively to rid the body of the mortal danger. And to stop the cancer of Mormonism, you cannot simply agree to disagree. The God of Mormonism is not the god of Christianity, no matter what the Mormons have on their website. The god of Mormonism is a false god that leads people away from Christ as He truly is. The god of Mormonism is a god who preaches to do things for the progression and glory of Man. The God of Catholicism wishes only that we conform to His holy will, and become as little children, humble and small before Him, all for His glory.
While I can share, I simply cannot be “non-judgemental”. What you call “similiarity” I call a distortion of the truth. Yes, we both claim to have authority, but your authority is based on falsehoods who claim that Christ is not who he claimed to be. You are correct that converting to another religion depends greatly on who a person sees as trustworthy. But no one can love God except by grace given to him to see Him as he truly is. I have found that with most Mormons who have converted, it’s different than converts from other religions. Mormons have a two-step process: first they must be given the grace to see Joseph Smith as the false prophet that he is, and secondly, they must be given the unique grace to be drawn to the true Christ. With most Protestants, it’s more of a “studying your way into the church” type of movement towards Catholicism, whereas with Mormons it tends to be a 2x4 whack over the head type of moment.
I love God with all of my heart, and mind and soul. I accept all that I receive because all comes from Him. I desire nothing more than unity with Him, and pray constantly for the grace to do His holy will. Because of this love for Him, I desire to do everything that I can, suffer anything that I can, to draw more souls to Him. To say that I do not love because I refuse to let Mormons “agree to disagree” is as far from the truth as it can get. Because I love God, I pray constantly for the conversion of souls, and part of the fruits of that prayer is the desire to protect Catholics from those twists on familiar themes that can appear delicious to the taste and very desirable. I remember how amazingly blind I was when I was Mormon and know that those scales can only fall off of eyes by the grace of God. Instead, I focus on those who already have the blessing of santctifying grace, helping to uncloak the wolf in sheep’s clothing. You will be in my prayers.
Our Lady of Divine Providence, St. Teresa Benedicta, Fr. Augustine of the Blessed Sacrament, ora pro nobis.
