As I was
finishing up college, I had some free time on my hands before starting my new
job. I would sit up late each night reading. I read mostly the various
photography and astronomy magazines I subscribed to and science fiction novels.
However, I would occasionally grow tired of these, so began reading the Old
Testament in the Bible. I made it through about 2 Kings before it was time to
head to Alabama to start my career.
I soon got
busy with other things and quit reading the Bible. However, I would
occasionally discuss religion with friends and coworkers. One person suggested
I get a copy of the New American Standard version of the Bible as he thought it
was one of the better translations. I did. Over time I came to realize that several
people I knew at work were Mormon. I was familiar with the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints, knowing about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Joseph
Smith and the golden plates, and the church’s family orientation. But I had
never actually studied with a Mormon. That changed when a university cooperative
student named Sam came to work for me. I found out Sam was also Mormon and
began asking some questions about his faith. He soon set up a meeting between
me and a couple of missionaries.
I guess I
was sort of searching at that point in my life. Even though I had for many
years felt like there was a God, but did not believe in any particular God, I
felt like there had to be more to religion. After all, there were many people
who did believe in a particular God and had a particular faith. Could they all
be wrong? I didn’t know for sure. But I was willing to discuss it to find out.
I met once a
week with the Mormon missionaries at Sam’s apartment. I found the studies
somewhat interesting, but I was a bit dismayed by their approach. Rather than
pointing out the evidence for believing the Bible and the Book of Mormon, they
rather asked that I pray during the week for God to reveal to me the
truthfulness of the these books. I did that, but got no response. I also
attended the local Mormon Church a time or two. Then one week the missionaries
told me that they thought I needed to set a date to join the church. They
believed that if I showed God I was serious, he would honor that date and bring
me to belief before it arrived. That did not set well with me. I told them that
I didn’t think it was a good idea to basically push God into revealing himself
to me on my schedule rather than his. So, I broke off my studies with them.
Fortunately, Sam understood and we remained friends. Interestingly, a few years
later Sam left the Mormon Church.
As I
mentioned in an earlier post, I ultimately ended up joining the Church of
Christ, only to become an agnostic about seven years later. While I was a
member of the church, a couple of Mormon missionaries came to my apartment
while door knocking. I let them in. After some introductions, we began discussing
the Bible in earnest. It was at that point that I realized how inexperienced
some of these missionaries are. I began questioning some of their beliefs in
light of what the Bible said. Often they were unaware of the Biblical
statements or lacked an understanding of what the verses were saying. Again, it
seemed that they believed that our faith should come directly from God via
prayer rather than by study and understanding.
After my
deconversion, I recall sitting in a booth at our company’s snack bar with a
fellow employee that I didn’t know very well. I did, however, know he was Mormon.
Our conversation turned to religion and I told him of my current beliefs. At
this point in my agnosticism I liked asking religious people whether or not
they believed I was going to hell. I let them know that I would not be offended
by any answer they might give. After all, I would tell them, they were not going
to be my judge, God was. This particular fellow found himself unable to give me
an answer no matter how much I urged him to answer and no matter how much
assurance I gave him that I would not be upset by any answer he gave. I assumed
that if he believed I was alright in God’s eyes, he would tell me so. Thus, his
reluctance to answer told me that he did indeed believe I was lost, but just
couldn't bring himself to tell me.
The one
thing that I find very interesting about people who are confident about their
salvation and other people’s lack of it, is that they typically believe that
many of those lost people truly believe they are saved when in fact they are
not. If that is possible, then is it not possible for those people themselves
to be wrong about their own salvation. Think about it. If you are confident you
are right with God, you don’t even know to seek something different so that you
will truly be right with God.
Several
years ago my work took me to the Salt Lake City region of Utah where I was able
to visit the Salt Lake Temple. It is something to see. While walking around the
courtyard during one visit, a couple of missionaries started a discussion with
me. I explained my religious background and told them why I was now agnostic.
We had a nice conversation. They even told me about the some of the people memorialized
there with statues. That is the last time I remember talking to Mormons about
religious matters.
Like so many
other religious people, I always found the Mormons to be courteous and nice
people. They are strong on family values, which I like. But I personally cannot
subscribe to their faith.
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