Battle of The Mormons, Round 1

There's nothing quite like preaching on the streets when you can tell someone wants to hurt you. When someone is standing just a few feet away from you and you can almost tangibly feel their anger rippling through the air. It's been a long while since I've had an encounter like that, but that is exactly what happened on Monday at the skate park.

There were a surprising number of parents watching their kids that afternoon. I made the rounds giving out water and talking to them here and there when I came across a mother sitting on one of the stone planters, reading a book. As I struck up a conversation with the intent of sharing the Gospel, she said that she was a Mormon.

Because Mormons tend to believe that they worship the same deity that Christians do, I had to change the conversation. I started off by focusing on how they believe that they will try their hardest and Jesus will make up the difference. Then, I swung to how we have two different Jesuses. And, as I started wrapping up, I pointed out what the Bible said about the afterlife. That was when her husband walked up.

He was a big dude, about 6'5" and full of muscles, with a shaved head. He reminded me of a movie tough guy, with a subtle accent and the mannerisms of someone who lived on the east coast. Obviously, he wasn't happy that I had been speaking to his wife, and particularly when I warned her about how believing in a false Christ would lead her to Hell. Although he kept his volume down pretty well, and didn't threaten me directly, it was clear that he was mad and I wasn't sure if things would get physical or not.

I kept my cool, too. I agreed with him that if I saw a man talking to my wife about matters of faith, I would introduce myself to the fellow as well. But I wouldn't back down at all on the truth of the Gospel and kept pressing the point to them.

While our conversation got circular pretty quick, there were some good exchanges worth noting:

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Him: "You know, we Mormons will never come to your house and tell you that you're going to Hell."

Me: "I know. That's because you have an incorrect view of the afterlife."

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Me: "You and I worship two different Jesuses."

Him: "No, we don't."

Me: "Do you believe that Jesus is a created being?"

Him: "Yes."

Me: "Do you believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?"

Him: "Yes."

Me: "Okay, we have two different Jesuses."

--

Me: "If I die and what you believe is true, I will go to the lowest level of Heaven and have a chance to hear the Mormon gospel again (and I would be pretty dumb to not pick it at that point)."

Him: "Yes."

Me: "And if what I believe is true, you will face an angry God who will judge you and send you to Hell."

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Him: "You have to admit, there's a big difference between lying and stealing, adultery, and murder."

Me: "James 2:10 says that if you break the Law in one point, but keep all the rest, you're a law breaker and will be judged by that. Do you disagree with the Bible here?"

Him: "Yes."

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Me: "1 Corinthians 6:9 says that no idolater can make it to Heaven."

Him: "Are you saying that I'm an idolater because I worship differently than you?"

Me: "Yes, I am."

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Him: "Do you realize how rude it is to talk to some guy's wife and tell her she's going to Hell?"

Me: "But is it true, or not?"

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Him: "What about all the people in Bora Bora who never hear the Gospel, but live otherwise good lives?"

Me: "Have they committed sins?"

Him: "Well, yes."

Me: "Then they're not good."

Him: "But they've never heard about Jesus!"

Me: "People go to Hell because they sin against God, not because they've never heard of Jesus. They have Creation and a conscience to tell them that there's a God, and they choose to do evil anyway."

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His Wife (wrapping things up): "I know you believe something different than us, and I'm okay with that."

Me: "I'm not! Because what I believe will have horrible consequences for you."