Comments about ‘LDS general conference: Stand fast, love others’

Could there be better advice than this? The world would be a much better place if this advice were heeded by those who claim to believe in Christ and his teachings. What could be more important than love, compassion, and charity? :)

I appreciate the opportunity to read this, as I cannot listen or watch conference this weekend. Thanks, DesNews, for the life line!

Sounds like the Words of the Lord don't mean anything anymore.
D&C 71: 7-10
7 Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful their shame shall be made manifest.
8 Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord.
9 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto youthere is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper;
10 And if any man lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in mine own due time.


Instead of challenging enemies, the Mormons are just supposed to "bear their testimony" sweetly, instead of facing and considering TRUTH

What could possibly confound an enemy more than "sweetly" testifying of TRUTH? Isn't it the soft answer that turns away wrath? Seems to me like the Words of the Lord are the same yesterday, today, and forever. The interpretations of men apparently are not so consistent.

I don't remember in any circunstance the Lord answering to pharisees and scribes in other way than sweetly. For LDS, their testimonies are about the truth of the gospel, so in other words, it is sweetly testifying about the truth.

So now anyone with a small opposing view is an enemy? Knocking on other folks doors to tell them that their religion is not true is not provoking a religious discussion? Please help me understand.

I believe the more serious challenge for memebers than oppositional ideological critics and media contenderrs against the Church, is the uninspired, apathetical, prideful manner in which many life-time members inadvertantly and deliberately disregard other fellow members, new ward move-ins, new members and investigators, as unimportant and not mattering. Rote membership and attendance at meetings and functions, tithing and proping up the statistical activity "numbers" alone are
not capable of having the desired result or effect
to remove the more serious challenge. People need to matter here on earth and not have to wait until they go to heaven before they matter. The absence of stable, valued, recuring, sincere meaningful associations together at the ward levels will defeat any gains achieved repudiating ideologicaly oppositional critics. Perhaps this dysfunction would help explain the inactivity and progress of existing members and the 75% attrition rate of new members. Christ certainly taught that assicating together is the mother of all progress.

Do critics ever tell the truth or is everything they say just lies?

Wow after reading these comments (and the story) why would anyone investigate. Certainly, we have a pretty screwd up culture and I could go on and on. This just makes me a little sad but I through the comments I can see why some of my family members have left the Church.

We are so thrilled to hear the announcement of a Temple in Kansas City! It's about time! We waited 150plus years to get one here in Omaha! We are happy our family and friends in KC won't have to travel so far to attend. Thanks!

Yes, critics do tell the truth. I hope we as members of the church can be open to those who have differing view and learn from them. I hope we can truly look upon difference as an opportunity to learn and grow.

The messages summarized in this article are about as positive, uplifting and non-confrontational as anyone can imagine. The fact that some of you have found a way to content with that shows that nothing we do as LDS would ever persuade you; hence the counsel to not contend with you. It wastes our time and yours. There are thousands who are searching for the Truth who would accept the message if we took the time to share it with them. We should spend our time and effort sharing the message with them rather than contending with people like those posting negative comments above. Such will find fault no matter what we do or say. Let's spend our time searching out those who are themselves searching for the Truth!

I think the point is nothing good ever comes from contention. I remember a few years ago, a good friend decided to use what he'd learned at one of these "retreats" having something to do with "how to convert a Mormon." He went on the attack. It got very heated and, needless to say, we are no longer friends.

In hindsight, I should have just told him he was welcome to his beliefs and I had mine and I'd like to leave it at that. I'm not sure he would have left it alone, but I do know that once it got contentious, there was nothing to be gained for either side.

Debating merely entrenches both sides more deeply into their positions. My discussions with friends who were genuinely interested in what I believe have been very positive.

An earlier post asked what we expect when we knock on doors to tell people their religion is wrong. That is not why I knocked on doors. We were able to find many who were sincerely looking.

Positive,

You are not positive. You are insular and thus you probably won't understand. Keep being "positive".

Positive @ 9:07, that is just WOW! Let us pick up the easy pickins (?) but let those whom deny and argue just lye in the wind. Not very Christ-like and pretty weak by standards. Pick, it up Mr. Positive and become a better reflection on the Church and Jesus Christ. PS you and most whom argue in the name of the Church are hurting us more than you are helping. The Deseret News blogs make a mockery of the LDS people!

Important to point out that SOME critics tell the truth sometimes. There may be those whose feelings we've hurt and that's something we can work on.

But many other critics are simply unhappy people, not content to live their lives the way they have chosen, but out to drag others down with them. They linger on insignificant bits of obscure information, certain that if a member of the Church will just "listen with an open mind," they will see "the truth."

I guess I have never understood the positive goals of the anti-LDS (what they are). If they do not like the church, why not leave it behind and start a new life, rather than spend so much time and effort trying to sway others and disprove what can not be disproved? Wouldn't it be a better life to embrace and live what one believes than spend so much time on what one doesn't believe?

I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I found this conference to be one of the most inspiring that I've viewed. The power of the Holy Spirit reached into my heart as I listened to the inspired messages to follow the Savior, to be better members, more loving families, kinder and more caring neighbors and more involved citizens. I have come away with a desire to do more in my life to follow Jesus Christ.

The music and talks were very inspiring! I wish I could have been there in person.

As a parent of a child who turned away from something that I treasure most dearly, it saddens me to hear mean comments. It isn't just that my child left the church, my child has turned away from Christianity, that really tears at my heart. When I read some of the comments of those who have negative feelings towards the church, I wonder, do they have parents or siblings or cousins or grand parents that hurt, because they left something that their family members feel so strongly about? Thank heavens my child doesn't want to be reading a conservative paper, and reads the Tribune and makes comments there. If my child ever came here and ripped on the church, it would open up the sadness I felt when it all began. So please, you that have left the church, realize that your words are being said in a way to your family members that are in the church. You have your agency, that is respected, but we have ours and desire to express ourselves without getting into fights here. Maybe you need to do like my child does and read a paper that is more fitting to your ideas.

No. And yes, that could provoke a religious discusion. At any rate, "Knocking on other folks doors to tell them that their religion is not true" would never be a good idea or in the spirit of the LDS faith. Knocking on other folks doors to share a spirtual message should be what LDS missionaries/members are doing. Someone may later decide their current religion isn't true as a logical byproduct of their choice to believe in the LDS faith due to that initial discussion. This is an important freedom that each party has the right to exercise.