malkie wrote:MsJack, since you are on the receiving end of this doctrinal statement, can you say if other Christian denominations accept that "Mormons simply have the misfortune of having canonized the harsh things that their leaders said", and are willing to soften their hurt/dismay at the unavoidable continuation of the belief?
I think that what causes the most animosity between Mormonism and traditional Christian denominations is that Mormon theology is so vastly different from traditional Christian theology and that Mormons (who claim to be Christians themselves) actively engage in proselyting members of traditional Christian denominations. Nothing creates bad blood between churches quite like "landmarkist" tendencies and sheep-stealing, and in this case, the sheep-stealers are perceived as non-Christians masquerading as Christians.
I don't think educating traditional Christian denominations on the 19th century background of the First Vision would do much to curb the hurt feelings.
"It seems to me that these women were the head (κεφάλαιον) of the church which was at Philippi." ~ John Chrysostom, Homilies on Philippians 13
MsJack wrote:I don't think educating traditional Christian denominations on the 19th century background of the First Vision would do much to curb the hurt feelings.
And we know the church isn't ever going to view the FV as a 19th century phenomena. And we know for a fact that the church doesn't care diddly about hurt feelings of nonmembers.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
MsJack wrote:I don't think educating traditional Christian denominations on the 19th century background of the First Vision would do much to curb the hurt feelings.
And we know the church isn't ever going to view the FV as a 19th century phenomena. And we know for a fact that the church doesn't care diddly about hurt feelings of nonmembers.
Mormon missionaries, simply by virtue of 'sheep stealing' flock members from other denominations, are indirectly perpetuating the abomination theme from the FV, even if they do not actually use the terminology when teaching investigators. Certainly way back in the 1970's, my late my wife and I were taught that all other creeds/faiths were considered an abomination by God. Now of course using "Preach My Gospel", A Guide to Missionary Service, missionaries can use their own words, but I have heard that they tend to use similar phrasing when trying to poach or 'sheep steal' from members of another denomination. Where the investigator has no previous faith, then there is little or no need to refer to it.
We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. T.S.Eliot