I went out to eat this weekend at a restaurant in Worthington, MN with some family. As we were awaiting a table, two young men in white button-down shirts and ties and black name tags stepped in the door. I learned something right then and there – no matter if you are Christian, Mormon, or whatever religion you are, everyone has to take a leak.
Rare is the time that Mormons visit our door. So, I took the opportunity to have a chat. I asked a few questions, and let them know some of the funny rumors about the LDS that I’ve heard over the years. It was a good dialog. I would definitely like to talk with them more – to understand the draw towards the Mormon religion.
I am certainly not armed and ready to have a good conversation to try and disarm their beliefs in the Mormon faith, but I still had the opportunity to pray for them right there on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. I prayed that God would work in power to eliminate deception in our faith and our understanding of the Bible. Even I need that prayer – but they do all the more.
I can’t speak for all Mormons but we do indeed appreciate your prayers.
I should say that there are many Mormons willing to engage in dialogue. In fact, over the past few years many notable evangelical scholars have reached out to hold a dialogue with Mormons.
Some years ago, I wrote a series of articles about these encounters:
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/voices/020723winning5.html
I should also point to a group of us Mormons who defend the Mormon faith in a rather rigorous way: http://www.fairlds.org/
Funny thing to start our initial conversation: if you mentioned your last name to any Mormon they’d probably assume you WERE Mormon too. Pratt is a very famous name in Mormon history.
Anyway, love to converse: justinhart@mac.com
By: Justin Hart on July 6, 2008
at 8:46 pm