Why so many LDS threads?

I am posting this on behalf of many LDS freepers. They will post their own 'signature' to this in the comments below. --- Some of you have noticed lately a lot of LDS (ie: Mormon) threads here on FR. I'm going to tell you why.

For many years there have been several active LDS freepers here. We post to all the forums on relevant issues, and were happy to have a site where conservative values were so openly welcomed.

Those conservative values include faith in God, and freedom of religion. We fully respect the rights of all posters to express their opinions and views on religious matters, even when people choose to use those rights to express criticism of our own faith. We also support the ideas embodied in FR rules against religion bashing. There is no need for hostility and there should be no room for bigotry on FR. Every religion has it's miracles and mysteries. Every faith has things in it that are not or can not be proven, and things that run contrary to what secular science would have us believe. Someone mature and confident in their own faith generally doesn't feel the need to belittle the faith of others.

We have, to the best of our ability, conducted ourselves with civility and dignity. We do not feel that that respect has been returned by some posters (putting it mildly).

When Mormon missionaries were murdered, the moderators were kept busy pulling jubilant posts off the thread. When Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her home, we contended for months with posters who appeared to be motivated by religious bigotry doing all they could to smear the family and accuse the father. Several posters openly admitted their religious motivation in opposing Mitt Romney and confessed that no matter how conservative any Mormon was, they would never vote for one for President of the USA. When the Pope died, I don't think any Mormon poster posted anything unkind, yet the thread about the passing of our President recently needed many comments removed.

Nearly every thread having any connection with Mormons, or Utah winds up being hijacked by anti-Mormon activists who copy and paste the same false accusations over and over even when it has been clearly and factually pointed out to them on multiple occasions that they are bearing false witness against our faith. Everything possible is done by these activists to make FR a hostile place for Mormons, and for at least some of them, bashing Mormonism is all they do here. Their most recent project is trying to blur the fact that the polygamous FLDS is a separate and distinct religion from ours, just as Lutherans are a separate and distinct religion from Catholicism.

In our opinion, such poster do a great disservice to FR and to their fellow freepers by spreading disinformation and promoting hostility towards a people known for walking the walk of conservative values.

Why the moderators here don't see the behavior of these anti-Mormon activists as religion bashing is a mystery to us, but it is the moderators call to make and we respect their right to do so. That doesn't mean we have to be passive however. We have all spent many hours refuting the accusations leveled at our faith, but these wind up buried deep in a flood of comments, effectively shouting us down.

Recently some of us have decided to take a more proactive approach. Rather than try to wrestle the pig into taking a bath, we are just going to hose it down. We will actively define our faith here rather than just respond to accusations.

So expect to see lots of Mormon threads, now and for as long as we see fit to keep posting them (although probably not as many as there are Catholic threads). They will be about our basic doctrines and responses to common accusations. If you want to know what our faith is about, read the articles we post. We will post them as open threads and I encourage you to compare the difference in tone and spirit between what we post and what our critics say.

The appeal here lacks substance. I do not run to the moderators every time my belief in Christ is slandered by mormons. I do not run to the moderators when a mormon calls me a b*tthead, for lack of a better presentation of mormonism. I do not run to the moderators every time a mormon tells me or others that theirs is the only true church and mine is of the devil. Though those of us here have been accused by Greg of willfully lying about mormonism, I have yet to be shown that any of my citations from mormon leadership, standard works or historical documents have been deliberately fabricated.

BTW, many of these 'anti's' are former mormons, many multigenerational, the materials regarding mormonism I've seen them post has yet to be refuted or shown to be a deliberate misrepresentation - but accurate in citation and context.

Mormons want to be known as Christians on their own terms, not that of historical, orthodox Christian theology. The exoticness of mormon theology is unbelievable. I believe the following article best explains their reactions to our opposition.

http://www.afcministry.com/FAIR_says_anti_Mormons_are_not_Christians.htm

Anti Mormons are not Christians is what a Mormon Apologetics website called FAIR has stated at their website concerning those who oppose the Mormon Church doctrines. FAIR stands for "Foundation for Apologetic Information Research", which is a Mormon Apologetics website which means they provide information to defend their beliefs and respond to those who oppose.

What FAIR has said concerning anti-Mormons
"The term anti-Mormon is herein used to describeany person or organization that is directly and actively opposed to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its doctrines, policies and programs. It is not, as critics sometimes mischievously try to claim, a catchall term for anyone who does not accept or believe in the Church, but is applied only to those who actively campaign against it. As an adjective, it applies to those specific activities that may with reasonable accuracy be described as attacks upon the Church."

http://www.fairlds.org/apol/antis/200201.html
The above quote from FAIR has some very interesting points to examine.
- The term anti-Mormon means any person or organization that is opposed to the LDS Church.
- The term anti-Mormon means any person or organization that is opposed to LDS doctrines.
- The term anti-Mormon only applies to those who actively campaign against the LDS Church.
- The term anti-Mormon applies to those who are against the Church. These are attackers of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints.

Mormons are taught repeatedly by their leaders that those who oppose the Mormon Church are inaccurate and are teaching false things. The following quote is from FAIR concerning anti-Mormons who oppose the Mormon Church and if they are Christians. "So we return to the question with which we began this survey: are anti-Mormons Christian? The answer: of course not. They were never even in the hunt." http://www.fairlds.org/apol/antis/200201.html

Purpose of this information

Mormons get upset at Christians who say, "Mormons are not Christians", yet what do Mormon defenders say? They say those protest, voice their beliefs, expose Mormons doctrines, and preach what the Bible says, are anti-Mormons and are not true Christians. The reason this information has been shared is to show that all Mormons are not alike, and that there are Mormons who attack people's love for the truth of the Word of God. Many Mormons would not say what FAIR has said, but there are those who do would agree.

The Bible warns about False Teachers

"13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:13-15 King James Bible)

"4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him]." (2 Corinthians 11:4 King James Bible)

"13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 King James Bible)

"6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:6-9 King James Bible)

These warnings were not only for then but also for today! Joseph Smith was not a true prophet of God and many wonderful people have been deceived with his false teachings. Joseph Smith taught another gospel, another Jesus, and claimed that an angel from heaven named Moroni was sent to him to give him the gospel truth. Moroni was not a true angel of God and Joseph Smith was deceived, and since then many people have come to believe in Joseph Smith, but he was a false prophet.

Defend the Faith and have Answers for what you Believe "10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:10-11 King James Bible)

"15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15 King James Bible)

"15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" (1 Peter 3:15 King James Bible)

"3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1:3 King James Bible)

We are to examine all things, no matter who is teaching us. The example of the Bereans is something people today need to practice daily. Paul writes for us to study the Word of God and to share it in truth, because it is a serious issue sharing the Word of God! Many people today have been deceived concerning the Mormon Church and the truth of the Scriptures. Christians are to share the truth in love and with great confidence, so that those who are seeking may come to know Jesus Christ personally. There are those such as FAIR, who call those who oppose the Mormon Church anti-Mormon, but the truth is Christians who oppose the Mormon Church are doing what Jude instructed them to do. Christians are to earnestly contend for the faith, and if that means to oppose the doctrines of the Mormon Church, than so be it. **end of citation**

Perhaps some should look into the reasons why so many have left mormonism – many of their stories can be read here: http://www.exmormon.org/

As long as mormons here try to force acceptance of their beliefs, they will be challenged to defend those beliefs - just as I have been challenged on occasion by mormon and non-mormon to defend mine. This is the public square, and if their ideas are superior, they will prevail. But they will not prevail with this kind of victimization play.

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