Chat live with a missionary is very FUN!

Post by **_Blixa** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:30 pm

Its clear they've been told to work from a script: the whole encounter is as controlled and pre-formatted as a missionary discussion. They've been told to avoid certain topics, cut n' paste certain links, probably bear testimony a pre-established number of times.

So after you've seen it once, where's the fun?

The only point I can see worth making is that it is fauxchat: not a real conversation or discussion, but every bit as much a sales pitch as any other missionary effort. More so, probably, than talking with mishies on the street or in your house, because the chat can be much more effectively monitored.

Post by **_Some Schmo** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:38 pm

Well, that was pretty fun. I went on as an atheist whose wife is considering membership with the church. I wanted to know what was involved with membership. Here are some highlights from the conversation:

Mish: ...Tithing is a very important law of the gospel. It brings many blessings.

Me: When you say blessings, you mean the church rewards people for doing things?

Mish: We receive blessings from God.

Me: Oh, so there's nothing actually tangible, rewards-wise...

Later:

Mish: I know that God exists and that he loves you very much. He loves your wife very much. He wants you both to be happy. I know that tithing sounds like a very hard and difficult commandment, and it is. The blessings are wonderful...

Me: How do you know god exists? You've met him?

Mish: I know through prayer. I was wondering and sincerely prayed and felt the influence of the holy spirit telling me there is a god.

Me: So you don't really know it, you just really believe it... is that what you're saying?

Mish: Prayer is a real power... I know through prayer. Prayer can bring knowledge.

Me: I think prayer's power is in its ability to make you relax and articulate questions, but beyond that, you're just talking to the ceiling.

Mish: Have you ever prayed to know if there's a god?

Me: No, why would I ask a nonexistent thing if it existed or not? That doesn't make any sense.

Later, he talked to me about blessings, and I told him that I feel "blessed" and given that those "blessings" have come while I was believing what I do, I should continue to believe since I want to keep on being blessed.

Overall it really was a lot of fun. He seemed like a nice guy (although extremely delusional - par for the course). I thanked him for his time, told him I appreciated him answering my questions but I had to go (which was true... I'd have loved to keep talking to him).

Post by **_Who Knows** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:51 pm

I wonder what % of the people that use the chat are just pranksters. 50/50 you think?

Seems like a big waste of maria in equador's tithing money. but that's just me.

Post by **_Some Schmo** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:59 pm

Who Knows wrote:I wonder what % of the people that use the chat are just pranksters. 50/50 you think?

Yeah, at least. But hey, if it results in even one convert, ooohhh, their rewards in heaven...

...

Excuse me... I'm suddenly feeling like I'm gonna be sick... *runs to the nearest bucket*

Post by **_Bond...James Bond** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:38 pm

I'll doing it right now....but I can't copy and paste it over here.

Well the irresistable force wore down the immovable object....that missionary couldn't wait to get away from me.

Post by **_Some Schmo** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:14 pm

Bond...James Bond wrote: Well the irresistable force wore down the immovable object....that missionary couldn't wait to get away from me.

Ohhh... I thought it was just me. I just went through two of them. The first one told me he really had to go and asked if he could transfer me to someone else, then the second one said maybe two things to me before the conversation got all one sided. He just stopped typing. "Maybe if I pretend to be AFK, he'll get bored and go away..." Yep, it worked.

Man, they have to be working from a script. They all said the same canned BS about tithing being a commandment from god and how we're promised all kinds of blessings for paying it. I don't think they liked me referring to it as a "membership fee."

Post by **_Bond...James Bond** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:22 pm

Some Schmo wrote:Man, they have to be working from a script. They all said the same canned BS about tithing being a commandment from god and how we're promised all kinds of blessings for paying it. I don't think they liked me referring to it as a "membership fee."

I think they're working from a script....the have so many canned answers. I kept saying "you didn't answer my question" and would repeat it, and they'd sidestep it again! Not a very good performance.

Post by **_silentkid** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:45 pm

Bond...James Bond wrote:I think they're working from a script....the have so many canned answers. I kept saying "you didn't answer my question" and would repeat it, and they'd sidestep it again! Not a very good performance.

Remember...they're just following the advice of the brethren and answering the question you should have asked.

Post by **_Bond...James Bond** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:14 pm

Can I go on record and thank PP for this gift....my birthday isn't for another month and yet Christmas has come early. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better.....I just had one of the chatting missionaries tell me "Take my godless questions and go away cause the Book of Mormon is true". Yes I'm laughing as I write this.

What questions do you supposed I asked....well I started with my old standby "Where is Zarahelma"......he of course didn't know, but the Book of Mormon is true.

I then asked for a generalized area.....he said Brazil or somewhere near Brazil......I then asked him how this meshed with LDS apologetic arguments that its probably in MesoAmerica somewhere.....he didn't know but he knew the Book of Mormon was true.

I then asked about the Hill Cumorah......he didn't know where it was (but the Book of Mormon was true).....I asked if the NY Hill Cumorah was correct considering Joseph Smith supposedly found the Gold Plates there......he didn't know (but the Book of Mormon was true).

He then proceeded to bear his testimony.....I told him that didn't help me much in locationg Zarahelma. He bore his testimony again.....I bore my testimony that the Book of Mormon was false......at which point he told me to take my questions and go away (cause the Book of Mormon is true).

Thank you PP. This chat thing made my day.

Post by **_Mercury** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:19 pm

This is funny as s*** guys, keep em coming.

I predict that this will not be available for much longer, as this is exactly what we were told NOT to do. IE discussing Mormonism on the internet.