Taking Religious Advice from children

[_Bond...James Bond]

After looking at the recent pictures provided by Gaz/Seth/gramps of them as missionaries I was struck with the question of "Who is going to seriously take religious advice from kids?" Do baby faced youngsters make the best religious pitch men? Religion....which focuses so much on tradition and authority, do young men with little life experience make convencing salespeople?

Think of it this way. The leaders of faiths are usually more "seasoned" people. The Pope, EV Ministers (Falwell, Robertson etc etc), Hinckley....what do they have in common? They're old. Even Jesus didn't start his ministry in earnest till he was 30 or so right (bare with me atheist folks...trying to make a point.) The question still stands "who will seriously take religious advice from kids?" Leave aside the question of the material itself.....are most middle aged people (or anyone older than the missionaries) going to take the idealistic sales pitch of a 19 year old seriously?

I would bet that the majority of people are going to be skeptical of kids selling a religious message.

Just a thought...

[_Maxrep]

At the ripe age of 19, we thought as missionaries that our pitch was convincing. Now that we have some life experience under our belt, it becomes painfully obvious that missions serve the purpose of more fully binding the Elder to the church, and baptizing folks in foreign countries who are enamored with our American brand of friendship.

Really, who takes these young men seriously?

[_Ray A]

I would bet that the majority of people are going to be skeptical of kids selling a religious message.

Just a thought...

The basic idea behind this is that having the Spirit is more important than having thorough knowledge. Whatever they lack in real life practical knowledge, Mormon missionaries are usually very well versed in the scriptures. I can say what attracted me to the Church, intially, and it wasn't what the missionaries knew, but the lives they lived. The missionary primarily responsible for turning me to LDS baptism was a simpleton, a greenie out only three months, so naïve that he once came out to talk to us with his upper garment exposed, for which he was later chided by his senior. Even then he didn't know much about doctrines at a deep level, but his spirituality was magnetic. Of course Mormon doctrines also had a great appeal to me.

Reflecting many years later, I think I should have known more, but I don't for one moment regret my Mormon experience. That missionary is still active, and occasionally emails me, and I'm sure now with a much better knowledge himself.

The Mormon experience is far more than just "facts", or even historical controversies. This is why I say that critics have a very poor understanding of what really motivates most Mormons. 95% of the active members in my area would not give a jackboot about what is discussed on forums, nor would anything here shake their faith. Look at Gaz. Is he ignorant? Not at all, but it's his testimony which keeps him believing, his spiritual witness. It may seem "naïve" to many, but the heart has reasons the mind cannot comprehend. It may seem like rubbish to many, and even puzzling, but as many learned Mormon commentators have said, they see more reasons to keep believing, than reasons to disbelieve, even if, in some cases, the balance is 55-45 in favour of belief. One book which outlines this, explaining why even "Liahonas" continue to believe, is Richard Poll's History and Faith: Reflections of a Mormon Historian.

Mocking this is very shortsighted. They are not idiots, and they are not "deluded", even if you think they are. They choose Mormonism because it makes sense to them, on both spiritual and intellectual levels. In spite of Roberts' "devil's advocate" writings, I think he continued to believe, and I'm quite certain he weighed all options. Ironically, others who have read his writings have occasionally lost faith.

I think personal choices should be respected, even if we disagree. If we're going to argue with and criticise Mormonism, then every religion is also fair game. If you're an atheist, I have no problem with that, but if you continually attack religion as some kind of "virus of the mind", then you border on bigotry, because you misunderstand the fundamental reasons why people believe. Fundamentalism is not good, and as agnostic writer Robert Anton Wilson often pointed out, unbelievers can also be fundamentalists in a sense. They can become as closed-minded as religious fundamentalists.

[_krose]

I believe the lack of experience and knowledge is a big advantage. The biggest selling point the church has is not doctrine, but the dedication of the members, and the positive influence (at least attributed) that it has on their lives. What's more, the most effective way to sell it is by the passionate testimonials of its adherents. Seeing kids who look so dedicated to their faith that they would give up other, personal activities to go spread it, is very impressive, especially when people remember what they were doing at that age.

My own experience with missionaries on the "other side of the door," so to speak, is that the few who are arrogant in their intellectual position, who think they know so much more -- about religion, philosophy, their own doctrine, history, scriptures, etc. -- than people who are twice their age, have been where they are, and have studied both sides for decades, are not likely to be very effective. (One of the last pair I talked to actually told me, "I guarantee you I know a lot more about the Book of Mormon than you do.") On the other hand, those who obviously don't know that much about the controversies, but simply offer their humble, earnest testimony, are more likely to win hearts. I can't see anyone, no matter how old, arguing someone into (or out of) the fold.

[_Dr. Shades]

After looking at the recent pictures provided by Gaz/Seth/gramps of them as missionaries I was struck with the question of "Who is going to seriously take religious advice from kids?" Do baby faced youngsters make the best religious pitch men?

Interesting point, Bond. I was acutely aware of precisely that very thing when I was a missionary. So much so that I went out and bought a pair of fake glasses and wore them daily to make myself look older.

[_MishMagnet]

I would personally be less skeptical about a 19 year old than I would about an adult missionary. Why? You'd expect a 19 year old guy to be out there drinking, having sex, playing football, whatever (not that there's anything wrong with that.) When 19 year old's show up in suits activing very humble you are more likely to take notice. It's also more difficult to be rude because they are so much younger than you are. If an adult my age tries to prostelyte me it just pisses me off to no end. I want to say - you should know better than that! Zip it. Keep it to yourself. Everyone thinks they are right.

[_Abinadi's Fire]

It's a "good boy" image. This clean-cut Boy Scout would never lead you wrong. Never mind he has no idea about what life is like outside his protective bubble.

The sincere innocence of youth sells.

[_Bond...James Bond]

I would personally be less skeptical about a 19 year old than I would about an adult missionary. Why? You'd expect a 19 year old guy to be out there drinking, having sex, playing football, whatever (not that there's anything wrong with that.) When 19 year old's show up in suits activing very humble you are more likely to take notice. It's also more difficult to be rude because they are so much younger than you are. If an adult my age tries to prostelyte me it just pisses me off to no end. I want to say - you should know better than that! Zip it. Keep it to yourself. Everyone thinks they are right.

Think about how I feel (a 22 year old) having had Mormon missionaries (and other Christians, and JWs) preach at me. Same thing I'm betting...(well except that between the convertor and the attempted convertee there is very little life experience).

[_Jason Bourne]

After looking at the recent pictures provided by Gaz/Seth/gramps of them as missionaries I was struck with the question of "Who is going to seriously take religious advice from kids?" Do baby faced youngsters make the best religious pitch men? Religion....which focuses so much on tradition and authority, do young men with little life experience make convencing salespeople?

Think of it this way. The leaders of faiths are usually more "seasoned" people. The Pope, EV Ministers (Falwell, Robertson etc etc), Hinckley....what do they have in common? They're old. Even Jesus didn't start his ministry in earnest till he was 30 or so right (bare with me atheist folks...trying to make a point.) The question still stands "who will seriously take religious advice from kids?" Leave aside the question of the material itself.....are most middle aged people (or anyone older than the missionaries) going to take the idealistic sales pitch of a 19 year old seriously?

I would bet that the majority of people are going to be skeptical of kids selling a religious message.

Just a thought...

Perhaps but it has worked pretty well. Here is an interesting tid bit. About 10 years or so ago all the tours at historical sites were given by older senior couple missionaries. Then the Church tried having 21-23 year old sister missionaries do the tours on a selected basis. The number of requests for further visits after someone ha been on a tour more then doubled. So the Church changed all the site tours to be given be 21-23 year old sisters. The older couples still supervise and so some tours but mostly young females are giving them now. I found that intriguing.

[_BishopRic]

After looking at the recent pictures provided by Gaz/Seth/gramps of them as missionaries I was struck with the question of "Who is going to seriously take religious advice from kids?" Do baby faced youngsters make the best religious pitch men? Religion....which focuses so much on tradition and authority, do young men with little life experience make convencing salespeople?

Think of it this way. The leaders of faiths are usually more "seasoned" people. The Pope, EV Ministers (Falwell, Robertson etc etc), Hinckley....what do they have in common? They're old. Even Jesus didn't start his ministry in earnest till he was 30 or so right (bare with me atheist folks...trying to make a point.) The question still stands "who will seriously take religious advice from kids?" Leave aside the question of the material itself.....are most middle aged people (or anyone older than the missionaries) going to take the idealistic sales pitch of a 19 year old seriously?

I would bet that the majority of people are going to be skeptical of kids selling a religious message.

Just a thought...

Perhaps but it has worked pretty well. Here is an interesting tid bit. About 10 years or so ago all the tours at historical sites were given by older senior couple missionaries. Then the Church tried having 21-23 year old sister missionaries do the tours on a selected basis. The number of requests for further visits after someone ha been on a tour more then doubled. So the Church changed all the site tours to be given be 21-23 year old sisters. The older couples still supervise and so some tours but mostly young females are giving them now. I found that intriguing.

What?! You're saying the church is succumbing to the worldly approach that a pretty woman presenting a sales pitch is okay as long as the results are positive? Hmmm....