Need help getting rid of Mormon Missionaries

[Eliza10]

This reminds me of the time, several years ago, that my husband and I took a tour of Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Towards the end of the tour they passed out some information cards for us to fill out so that we could receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon. Since I enjoy reading about different religions I thought that I’d like to receive a copy. My husband looked at me in disbelief and said, “What the hell are you doing? If you hand in that card we’ll have an army of white-shirt-wearing, bicycle-riding college-aged kids beating a path to our door. If you really want a copy of that book I’ll buy you one in the gift shop.”

After a minute or so of silence he said, “You still have that card? I bet your mother would LOVE to receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon.”

 

[jediliz]

My advice is don’t answer the door if you don’t recognize the person or people at the door. Whenever there are missionaries from the Mormons or JWs around, I NEVER answer the door…and even have taken to locking my screen door so they can’t leave their anti Catholic watchtower stuff or whatever.

I would also get a copy of the book “Strangers at my Door” to read up and prepare yourself. Study pamphlets like Pillar of Truth, Pillar of Fire. DO NOT go to their “service”.

 

[LivingWaters7]

True but as an aside, perhaps you will agree since you were Mormon and are now Catholic, I don’t see much worship in the Mormon worship services. I see a lot of very very nice and friendly and likable people, but I feel spiritually depleted for lack of worship after a service there. Its pleasant, but boring. To me.

But that isn’t relevant to the actual point people are making (also, Twopekingguys has never been Mormon, though he has family connections). Whether or not you find Mormon worship to be fulfilling or “worship”, the fact of the matter is that one is a guest in someone else’s house of worship. I’m sure people wouldn’t like it if they went to the chapel with the Eucharist reserved in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, ignored the sign that says No Photography, and started taking tourist pics in front of the altar, started horsing around, laughing loudly, throwing around anti-Catholic pamphlets, etc, all while people were trying to worship there. I’m sure the excuse “well, I don’t believe in any of that stuff, it’s not real” wouldn’t fly, since that is a sacred space for those people, whether or not the non-believer shares that belief. It’s just a simple matter of respect

Yes this is true but it seems he felt not only invited but perhaps persuaded or at least socially obligated.

I read his OP as stating that he was approached by Mormon missionaries, they “talked for a little”, they invited him to go to church, and he wasn’t sure how to no longer have to interact with them. as Twopekingguys said, he was invited, not forced or commanded. He then decided to go anyway. I’ve gone to lessons with the missionaries with people that seemed vaguely interested, they said they’d come to church on the following Sunday, they didn’t show up, and I never saw or heard from them ever again. I mean, I’m just speculating, but I don’t see how he’d feel “socially obligated” after talking “for a little” with the Mormon missionaries.

I know I have accepted Books of Mormon and propaganda pamphlets from Mormons not because I wanted them, at all, but because I felt obligated. And I didn’t like having them or that I accepted them; it caused me much discomfort. I had to work hard to make myself have that unpleasant “No thank you” moment when they were so nicely and cheerfully handed to me as if a great and special gift. Likewise the OP went, but uncomfortably. He asked our help saying no. I really get that.

He went to “clear things up”, as he said. I and others have recommended that the best way to get rid of the missionaries if they are still bothering him after his clear requests was to simply call the local congregation/bishop (I gave instructions on how to find that info), ask for the contact info for the ward mission leader, and tell him the situation/ask to speak to the mission president. As much as I have problems with the LDS Church and its beliefs and history, I can still say that Mormons are people, and I’m 99% sure that the WML or the mission president would take care of this for him. They are used to the fact that some people simply aren’t interested in “the restored Gospel”, and don’t want to interact with the missionaries that they’ve been meeting with anymore.

 

[LivingWaters7]

Yes, I saw that and didn’t respond because I didn’t see a connection. So I just avoided that mention. I mean, that’s Jesus in the Eucharist and if someone interrupted I would assume they did not know what we believe and I would kindly take them outside to talk about what is on their mind. And as to Mass, anyone who would interrupt* any* public ceremony has other problems than religious ones.

So we are back to my point that, to me, the different scenarios (Sunday School vs. Service) really matter as to when the OP spoke.

I completely and totally respect that you think that the different scenarios don’t matter. Am I correct that you think that in that entire church property he should not share his opposing opinion, or do you just mean, not even in an informal Sunday School discussion??

But you’re missing the entire point. Mormon Sunday School isn’t some informal book club meeting or something. It’s a time for Mormons to study their scriptures and learn various principles and life applications, is taught by people “called” to be Sunday School teachers/instructors, and begins and ends with prayer. Yes, discussion is certainly part of it, but it isn’t some random meeting.

And again, no one is saying that you shouldn’t share an opposing opinion. This happens all the time, many times by actual LDS members (at least in the congregations I’ve been to). There is nothing wrong with sharing an opposing opinion or expressing difficulty with a concept. Here is what he said he actually did-

---

"I stood up and said “So wait you mean to tell me that after we die, we go to Heaven and work? That sounds a lot like hell to me. And why is it that there are 3 kingdoms? Once we get saved by Christ we are all equal.” I went on to go about joseph smith and all that, how he pretty much made the whole thing up. I then told them to just not buy into that garbage, I mean really it’s garbage made up by a con artist and to go the real path of Christ. I spoke my mind and left, I also let them know that the missionaries should not be coming my way anymore. "***

Now, if he literally said that it was all garbage, Smith made the whole thing up, don’t buy into the garbage made up by a con man, etc, then that was uncalled for. If an atheist went to an RCIA meeting and said it was all made up garbage, Catholicism is just paganism repackaged, talked about the Eucharist as a “cracker”, there was no Christ, there is no God, etc etc, that would be equally reprehensible. The point is that when one goes to another’s house of worship, regardless of whether it is the worship service or the religious education (which is what Mormon Sunday School is), such behavior is not warranted and is disrespectful, no matter how “informal” you, as a non-member, view it. It’s merely common human courtesy and decency, and that’s what everyone has been trying to say repeatedly. So no, the “different scenarios” don’t matter, you’re still a visitor/guest in someone else’s house of worship.

Again, I may have major issues with Mormonism, but that doesn’t mean I view such things as okay, no matter what religion you substitute “Mormon” for.

 

[zaffiroborant]

I went to public school; we had teachers who didn’t believe in any kind of religion brandishing every kind of stick, to smack us if we got out of line. It was the times; the common wisdom (known humorously as the “ketchup bottle theory”) was that if you smack a child’s bottom often enough and hard enough, sweet goodness would come out the top.

It had nothing to do with being a nun; it was just how children were raised in those days.

OT but just last week we had hot dogs for dinner and as I was passing the ketchup to my daughter I remembered trying to get the ketchup out of the glass bottle and thinking my kids have never had this problem.

 

[partypilot1]

“Need help getting rid of Mormon Missionaries” -I think they make a spray for that

 

[partypilot1]

“Need help getting rid of Mormon Missionaries” -I think they make a spray for that

 

[JamesCaruso]

I went to public school; we had teachers who didn’t believe in any kind of religion brandishing every kind of stick, to smack us if we got out of line. It was the times; the common wisdom (known humorously as the “ketchup bottle theory”) was that if you smack a child’s bottom often enough and hard enough, sweet goodness would come out the top.

It had nothing to do with being a nun; it was just how children were raised in those days.

Before my time or not near where I lived. But then I am not yet 100.

 

[RebeccaJ]

All I can say, if someone had expressed an opinion not contained in the standard lesson manual, which offended some, and had others thinking “what the hell?”, we would have called that person the “Gospel Doctrine Sunday school teacher”.

No one ever disagrees with anyone in a Mormon Sunday school class, no matter how far fetched or ridiculous the subject or teaching. I’d wager there was at least one person in that class giving silent applause.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Im dressing up like a missionary and knocking on your door with the b.o.m, the watchtower & koran in my hand and ask if you would like to convert for only $19.95.

Funny thing, one Halloween that fell on a Sunday, about half the kids came around the Saturday before. So the doorbell rings, I’m thinking it is going to be kids in costume, open the door, and tada! It was two missionaries. It was too much,having the costume association in my mind and two people in “costume”, I just bust out laughing. That ONE time, they didn’t try to stick around, but left fairily quickly.

 

[xixxvmcm85]

So, any word from the OP?

Have you employed any of the advice we’ve given yet? Have you politely asked the missionaries, in no uncertain terms, to not contact you again? Have you called their mission president? Have you done anything besides throw a fit in a church? Has anything yet worked for you?

 

[Becca3]

This reminds me of the time, several years ago, that my husband and I took a tour of Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Towards the end of the tour they passed out some information cards for us to fill out so that we could receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon. Since I enjoy reading about different religions I thought that I’d like to receive a copy. My husband looked at me in disbelief and said, “What the hell are you doing? If you hand in that card we’ll have an army of white-shirt-wearing, bicycle-riding college-aged kids beating a path to our door. If you really want a copy of that book I’ll buy you one in the gift shop.”

After a minute or so of silence he said, “You still have that card? I bet your mother would LOVE to receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon.”

Oh I had to laugh at that one!! Maybe your husband doesn’t like your mother!

 

[Becca3]

Funny thing, one Halloween that fell on a Sunday, about half the kids came around the Saturday before. So the doorbell rings, I’m thinking it is going to be kids in costume, open the door, and tada! It was two missionaries. It was too much,having the costume association in my mind and two people in “costume”, I just bust out laughing. That ONE time, they didn’t try to stick around, but left fairily quickly.

If they were real missionaries, they should have known better than to come around on Halloween!!

 

[KnightofSilence]

I am a Catholic, I have spoken to the Mormon missionaries recently, they approached me and we talked for a little. They talked me going to one of their church services and I agreed to it just out of curiosity. I am young and I admit I got brainwashed and dumbed into their nonsense. But I want them to just leave me alone now I want nothing to do with them. What would be a good way of letting them know I do not want anything to do with them?

Simply say this to them,
“In order for your religion to be right, Jesus must have had to been wrong” and you could then add - “which is utter blasphemy.”

Perhaps then they will think on this.

 

[ffg]

Nowhere did you say there was a ‘wrong?’ To quote you: “I’m sure the OP felt ‘insulted’ that this group didn’t listen to him, the first, the second, the third, the fourth, etc. time.”
Sorry, that really sounds like you think they were wrong not to listen to him.

There’s really no point in continuing this. Some of us prefer the golden rule, others prefer “an eye for an eye.” If you think insulting people’s faith is a good thing to do, there’s nothing I can do to stop you. Enjoy!

Agnes, I’ve enjoyed the conversation.

You just wrote my quote, which we should take into context with what it was a response to, which was your line of…

" Insulting their religion isn’t the best way to do that."

I agreed with this statement in my last “I agree there can be favorable ways to communicate”

As I wrote in the last, you missed my point. The quote: “Being offended does not necessarily equate to a wrong from the other side.”

The point is again - ‘insulting’ or ‘offending’ is in the eye of the observor. Many things that seem insulting may not be ‘wrong’.

There is not a wrong necessarily in this life experience. If you read all my posts in this thread, it would not make sense to conclude I meant anything was done ‘wrong’.

You flipped to this ‘wrong’ when you tried to hit the double negative. Thus the reason I had you point them out, I wanted no confusion as to the source of the ‘wrong’ thought.

It’s not necessarily wrong to ask someone a million times for the same thing. Maybe annoying to the person being asked, but not necessarily ‘wrong’. If you have kids, or a family member with Alzheimer’s, you would know what this is like.

It’s also not wrong to accept an invite to a discussion and share an opinion about the subject matter. Just because there was a little emotion thrown in, doesn’t make it necessarily wrong.

Ironically, after pointing your finger at this fellow human and chastising him, you pull out the golden rule.

Reading ‘eye for an eye’ into any of this - taking an interesting life experience from someone and classifying it here is a bit extreme. He was invited and eventually accepted, not exactly an incident that seems to show a combative nature.

I don’t disagree with your last that this is pointless, but it was a fun conversation.

Thanks.

 

[twopekinguys]

I am honestly not being condescending to you. I do hold a different opinion of this situation than you. It is okay with me that you have a different opinion from me. I hope its okay with you that I have a different one from you.

Believe me, I am not condescending to people or to you. Believe me I am known IRL to be quite the opposite. Please don’t take my passionate feelings about religious coercion and about how false teachings that enslave innocent who are people trying to please God to be a personal insult to you when I disagree. I think much on what is right and wrong, particularly in areas of faith, because faith beliefs and practices of myself and of others have impacted so much of my life, and I like to put my thoughts into words. If putting my sincere thought into words comes off like coercion, I would very much like to understand.

As Catholics, we believe in free exchange of ideas. I am trying to pad my ideas as much as possible with “in my opinion” and “I think”.

I would like to express my ideas here, and to you its coming out like condescension, when I don’t mean to be condescending at all. So if you have any specific ideas how I can express an idea that is opposes your strong thoughts without coming across as condescending, please, please, do let me know.

Perhaps you could give an example of a nicer way to say my thoughts than the way I said them. That would help.

And, I only want to say what I think - I do not what to say anyone’s ideas are no good.

For me, respecting free exchange of ideas takes a top priority.

True but as an aside, perhaps you will agree since you were Mormon and are now Catholic, I don’t see much worship in the Mormon worship services. I see a lot of very very nice and friendly and likable people, but I feel spiritually depleted for lack of worship after a service there. Its pleasant, but boring. To me.

Yes this is true but it seems he felt not only invited but perhaps persuaded or at least socially obligated.

I know I have accepted Books of Mormon and propaganda pamphlets from Mormons not because I wanted them, at all, but because I felt obligated. And I didn’t like having them or that I accepted them; it caused me much discomfort. I had to work hard to make myself have that unpleasant “No thank you” moment when they were so nicely and cheerfully handed to me as if a great and special gift. Likewise the OP went, but uncomfortably. He asked our help saying no. I really get that.

I hope you don’t mind saying, but I wouldn’t mind. I have a lot of tolerance, I guess. I like to let people have differing opinions, especially if they are passionate about them. I would let the person have their say. I would say where I stood if they cared. If this was all they wanted to talk about when they came to my house despite being asked to drop the subject after it was exhausted and after we were clear where we disagreed, then I could choose to just not invite them again. But I really don’t mind opposing opinions in my own house.

Yes, I saw that and didn’t respond because I didn’t see a connection. So I just avoided that mention. I mean, that’s Jesus in the Eucharist and if someone interrupted I would assume they did not know what we believe and I would kindly take them outside to talk about what is on their mind. And as to Mass, anyone who would interrupt* any* public ceremony has other problems than religious ones.

So we are back to my point that, to me, the different scenarios (Sunday School vs. Service) really matter as to when the OP spoke.

I completely and totally respect that you think that the different scenarios don’t matter. Am I correct that you think that in that entire church property he should not share his opposing opinion, or do you just mean, not even in an informal Sunday School discussion??

Oh well, I feel I am walking on eggshells here, because I am so surprised at your accusation and not sure why you accused me. Please do tell me if you think I am even more condescending when I am trying hard to be not condescending. If you would prefer, I just wont respond to your posts if that’s what you want. Just let me know and I will submit to your wish.

We will have to agree to disagree on several of your points.

First, please reread what I have posted. I have not said I was mormon at any point. I did however say I have family that is mormon. Misunderstanding something can and does effect our answers sometimes.

As a little background, my Grandfather was a Presbyterian minister for many years, and always demonstrated complete respect for others when in their house of worship. Weddings, funerals, inter-faith events. I guess that is where I learned respect.

Also, I have been the RCIA director for our Parish for about 15 years, and in that position, I have taken it upon myself to visit other churches, and ministers, etc. in order to obtain a working/basic knowledge of their beliefs. At no time have I ever stood up and had a hissie fit like the OP described. I may not believe what they do/did, but that is their business, and that is their form of worship. As I said in a previous post, if it got weird, I excuse myself and leave. I’m too old to act like a 2 yr old.

Personally, I find it hard to believe that if you invited someone into your home, and they acted in a similar manner you would be OK with it. Most people have more respect for their homes than to let someone come in and act like that. But then again, that is just my opinion.

The bottom line on this is Respect, and the lack of it. If you read around at some of the threads on the Liturgy section, you will see that many Catholic parishes have a “Sunday School” system in place. Start a thread over there, and see if any of the Catholics would be OK with this behavior, and I think you’ll find yourself standing alone.

Just my :twocents:

 

[ffg]

We will have to agree to disagree on several of your points.

Personally, I find it hard to believe that if you invited someone into your home, and they acted in a similar manner you would be OK with it. Most people have more respect for their homes than to let someone come in and act like that. But then again, that is just my opinion.

The bottom line on this is Respect, and the lack of it. If you read around at some of the threads on the Liturgy section, you will see that many Catholic parishes have a “Sunday School” system in place. Start a thread over there, and see if any of the Catholics would be OK with this behavior, and I think you’ll find yourself standing alone.

Just my :twocents:

Interesting angle, I like seeing the different ways assumptions come together.

Where do you get the idea that someone said the mormon’s should be OK with the actions of the OP at their ‘house’?

Did someone write “The mormon’s should be OK with this action”?

Obviously, we don’t have first hand experience of the situation, or it’s full context.

I see a great miss-read on many folks who think it is necessary to state what we can only hope to assume is obvious to this audiance, considering our location on the web.

That respect is a healthy and good thing.

Obviously, respect should be taught, learned and practiced, but nobody is arguing the guy was respectful in the rant.

That doesn’t make his point less valid, just turns people off from listening. Which I’m sure the fellowship did at that point. (I know, an assumption)

I guess someone could stretch that accepting the invite after many pesterings could be respectful.

The argument is his lack of respect does not necessarily equate to a ‘wrong’ to be pointed out by the peanut gallery. This falls directly under the ‘cast the first stone’ teaching.

The guy is young, and now who knows, maybe feels like he can’t share his life’s events because if he does, he’ll be attacked.

 

[twopekinguys]

Interesting angle, I like seeing the different ways assumptions come together.

Where do you get the idea that someone said the mormon’s should be OK with the actions of the OP at their ‘house’?

Did someone write “The mormon’s should be OK with this action”?

Obviously, we don’t have first hand experience of the situation, or it’s full context.

I see a great miss-read on many folks who think it is necessary to state what we can only hope to assume is obvious to this audiance, considering our location on the web.

That respect is a healthy and good thing.

Obviously, respect should be taught, learned and practiced, but nobody is arguing the guy was respectful in the rant.

That doesn’t make his point less valid, just turns people off from listening. Which I’m sure the fellowship did at that point. (I know, an assumption)

I guess someone could stretch that accepting the invite after many pesterings could be respectful.

The argument is his lack of respect does not necessarily equate to a ‘wrong’ to be pointed out by the peanut gallery. This falls directly under the ‘cast the first stone’ teaching.

The guy is young, and now who knows, maybe feels like he can’t share his life’s events because if he does, he’ll be attacked.

If you look at my posts, I said nothing about the mormon’s should be OK with what happened.

While nobody is arguing the OP was respectful in his rant, he is getting some “atta boys” so to speak, and that is something I have a problem with. To me, that is condoning inappropriate behavior.

I have never said his point was not valid. In fact, quite the contrary. I have stated that I disagree with everything the mormon espouses theologically. That being said, he could have politely left, and if anyone followed or questioned, let them have it outside. After all, he accepted the invitation, and was not being held hostage.

He could have also waited until they knocked on his door again, and he could have let them have it. It didn’t need to be done inside one of their “church” buildings.

With all that being said, the whole tone of this thread, including the OP was obvious he was looking to stir something up. (Not a very Christian thing to do) He very simply could have refused the invitation. Accepted, then called to decline later, or even just not shown up. The tantrum was not necessary.

 

[twopekinguys]

Now, if he literally said that it was all garbage, Smith made the whole thing up, don’t buy into the garbage made up by a con man, etc, then that was uncalled for. If an atheist went to an RCIA meeting and said it was all made up garbage, Catholicism is just paganism repackaged, talked about the Eucharist as a “cracker”, there was no Christ, there is no God, etc etc, that would be equally reprehensible. The point is that when one goes to another’s house of worship, regardless of whether it is the worship service or the religious education (which is what Mormon Sunday School is), such behavior is not warranted and is disrespectful, no matter how “informal” you, as a non-member, view it. It’s merely common human courtesy and decency, and that’s what everyone has been trying to say repeatedly. So no, the “different scenarios” don’t matter, you’re still a visitor/guest in someone else’s house of worship.

Again, I may have major issues with Mormonism, but that doesn’t mean I view such things as okay, no matter what religion you substitute “Mormon” for.

Agreed.

Kind of funny how we are on the same side of the fence considering how we started out

 

[human_genome]

You must also read what their doctrine says. Its hard to refute something when you are given proof that your prophets taught it.

kimg901,
I said to know your enemy; that should be enough for anyone with a brain to figure out what you are so concerned about.
Becca is not a believer of the Old Covenant, she is a believer of the New Covenant and that is based on Jesus who fulfilled the Law, every bit of it(!). He is the One she believes in, not the Law. She does not have to argue or agree with them on old Testament prophets, even on church doctrine, but rather on who Jesus is! And that is a critical question for ANY mormon or Jehovah’s witness etc. For the deity of Christ will call out ANYONE who say they are Christian believers and are not. Jesus is not just the Son of God - He IS God, part of the Godhead that we call the Trinity.

Instead of being critical and negative coming out with arguments that might discourage her , why don’t you encourage her!? And in your wisdom add something positive, perhaps you can find some scripture that will do just that and give that to her instead! Perhaps you can even do some research on the Mormon faith to help her out? Hey, you can become a team, you feed her the reasearched info and she applies it in the attempts to save some of them. Yes?