Startling new concerning apostles and prophets

[Twinky]

Some startling news:

I was informed at lunchtime today that there are still apostles, prophets, etc, walking this earth today. This I agreed with. I was astonished to learn that there are in fact 12 apostles, only 12. As for prophets…

Yes, I was accosted by two young men of about mid 20s bearing neatly engraved name badges announcing themselves as Elders of the Church of JC of Latter Day Saints. One did most of the speaking and the other nodded in assent.

Me: “Only 12 apostles? That’s not many for the whole world.”

Them: “Yes, that’s how many apostles Jesus had when he was on Earth, and not much has changed since then.”

Me: “Only that JC was murdered, and now does not live on earth as he did then but is alive in the heavenlies. He wants everyone to know all over the world, not just a select few in the middle east."

Them: “It’s his church and that’s the way he wants it.”

Me: “So where are these apostles?”

Them: “In our church.”

Me: “What about other churches – Methodist, Baptists, Catholics, Anglicans, to name but a few?”

Them: “This is the only true church. All those are just started by men, of their own authority, not with the authority of Jesus Christ. That’s why there are no apostles in those groups.”

Me: “Don’t you believe God works in other churches? Don’t you think he wants them to know too? Why would there not be apostles to those churches too?”

Them: “This is the true church. This is what JC set up. This is what he wants.”

Me: “And what’s this about prophets?”

Them: “There is only one prophet alive today. His name is xxx. He is in our church. But the head of our church is JC.”

Me: “Do you not think that JC cares about other people, in other churches?”

Them: “This is the true church. This is what JC set up. This is what he wants.”

Me: “If you cut yourself off from other Christians, you are simply a cult and putting God in a box and putting JC in a box. Do you think JC wants that?”

Them: “We are not a cult, we are a church.”

Me: “If you cut yourself off from the rest of the Body of Christ, you are making yourselves a cult.”

Them: “We are not a cult, we are a church.”

I asked them about speaking in tongues. Did they believe this existed? If so, what was it for?

Them: “So that if you can’t speak another language very well, the Holy Ghost can give you better ability to speak to people in another country. Also, if you only know a few words in another language, it can make you fluent in that other language if you need to speak to somebody.”

Me: “What about prayer and praise to God?”

Them: (nervous smile) “Yes, so that you can speak to other people.”

And this: Them: “Do you think the church is built on the Bible?”

Me: “What sort of answer do you expect me to give?”

Them: “We don’t just read the Bible. We have other books too that we study. Our church is built according to those.”

This only lasted for five minutes or so. I left feeling sad and deeply sorry for these young men. They do not understand the wedge they are building in their own lives; have no idea of the hurt that lies in wait. I thought of all the WoWs over the years, all the WC, the Lightbearers, and their cult-head attitudes. Is this what we sounded like? We couldn’t see it then; these young men cannot see it now. They are into a MOGdom of their own and holding fast not to the Head of the Church but to their prophet as his spokesman and the 12 apostles in whatever their role is. No doubt the young men have a desire for God and the lord Jesus Christ; I pray that they will sort out the truth from the error before they are themselves sorted out and hurt.

(For the avoidance of doubt: I comment not on the beliefs or doctrine of this organization; just on the blinkers on these young men’s hearts.)

Edited September 20, 2007 by Twinky

[WordWolf]

It's a shame that they had God confined in this little box and they consider Him

only accessible to THEIR church.

Please note that those young people are young (duh), and remember how wise you

were at that age-you might have been in twi at the time, and convinced

God was confined in a different little box and considered Him only accessible

to YOUR church.

Please also note that they were on their equivalent to the wow field, and so they

were singleminded and persistent- which shows in how they answered your

questions.

[GarthP2000]

'Accosted'. ..... A-yup, apt term.

<_<

[George Aar]

"When a young guy

Drives by

On a bike with a tie

That's a Mormon" (sung to the tune of "That's Amore'")

I don't see a heckofalot of difference between their attitude and that of most religious folk I know, regardless their faith.

The exclusivity, the arrogance, the condescencion, and the dogged determination to stay that way, all seem de riguer for those with a strong belief based solely on mythology.

I wouldn't feel anymore sorry for them than any other devoted church member. I am becoming increasingly wary of all of them, though...

[excathedra]

i love that little cute twinky font

[Belle]

"When a young guy

Drives by

On a bike with a tie

That's a Mormon" (sung to the tune of "That's Amore'")

:jump:

Laughing my arse off over here!!!

[Goey]

Exclusivity and biblically insupportable doctrines are not unique to the Mormon Church. While I find many of the core doctrines biblically insupportable, they have come a long way in modern years in regards to race and gender discrimination. They have maintained family values better than some.

Recently they have even opened up a bit about the darker sides of their history with honest dialog about such things as the Mountain Meadows Massacre .

Let's see how they handle the fairly recent sex abuse cover up charges.

[Twinky]

" a bike with a tie "

Interesting... Would that be with a bow tie on the handlebars, or a conventionally tied tie lying across the fuel tank?

Never let yourself get amputated from the Body of Christ, folks. (Even you, George.)

WW: When I was these young people's ages, I was getting sucked into TWI by an impressively open young man who seemed to have a lot of answers and always seemed to get his prayers answered.

He was a good guy - M&A'd now, of course, long since. They dropped him as soon as he confronted some leadership who weren't doing what was right.