Or that is what they perceive. Not all of us jump around telling others their faith is "wrong." Some of us tell them that we have wonderful things to share with them, if they want to listen. I read D&C 1 very differently than others do. The Lord does not state that this is the only true church, but that it is the "only true church with whom, I the Lord, am well pleased."
To me this suggests there are other "true churches" around, but God is pleased with some, less pleased with a few and perhaps disgusted with many others.
What God does contend against are the false or wrong creeds that lead people away from him. What Mormons do not realize is we also have some false creeds embraced by many LDS that lead us away from God. For decades, we were taught so much about salvation through obedience, that we forgot to mention "grace." When I joined 35 years ago, for someone to ask me if I were saved, I would have been uncertain. Now that I've gotten beyond Elder McConkie's extreme focus on commandments, and to the heart and soul of grace found in the scriptures for myself, I can now say that I am saved and hopefully will be exalted.
People fear the LDS Church because of what has been drummed into their heads by radicals who teach a radical form of Mormonism. We tend to believe what we hear from those we trust. So, when people hear of the FLDS in Texas, a large group of people still think those are Salt Lake Mormons that are molesting little children.
Ask those who vehemently oppose the Church just what we believe, and they'll talk about polygamy, Adam-God theory, and many other strange things that have nothing to do with 21st century Mormonism. Yet, if you try to clarify and straighten things out, they still will believe their pastor, who heard it from someone else....
Only when the truth comes out to all ears, will people be able to make intelligent and informed decisions about Mormonism. But not until then.
|