You know, I've never quite understood where people get the balls to tell you that. I mean, you choose for you what your religion is, but you can't choose for your family anyway. So it's ridiculous. Anyway, anyone who told me that, I'd tell them to get away from my house, they try to get near again and I'll obtain a restraining order.

It's an unfortunate fact, but many people of many differing religions, go out into the world before they are ready. One terrible off-shoot of this is when any person of any religion, comes into your house and tells you where all your family is spending eternity. Number 1 - these people have absolutely NO idea how or what your family members believed. Number 2 - the minute any person of any religion tells any other person that someone they dearly loved is writhing in eternal flame right now, they have lost ANY chance to win that person over, or at least have them consider what you are telling them. In fact, for the most part, you have ruined it for any other person that tries to talk to them later. Anyone who wishes to go out into the world and spread their message, should do it with love and understanding. And, perhaps most important, should have a pretty good understanding of the message they are trying to spread.

I hardly think so. Though, I'm not surprised. I recently had a couple of Mormon missionaries parked down the road from my house, and when they spotted my car, followed me into my driveway without their headlights on (it was near 10:00 at night), get out of the car and say "Mrs. Mitchell?" I was like, "Who's asking?" "We're just visiting from the church" I've never been to a Mormon church in my life. Turns out, my husband's MOTHER visited a mormon church 30 years ago, and SOMEHOW they found OUR house (they lived in Illinois, we're in Florida now) and were on a conversion course. My husband nearly beat the hell out of those guys. They wouldn't LEAVE!

MORMONS DON'T BELIEVE IN HELL. Why would you be shocked because I snapped at you? Is this really the best way to mis characterize a faith?

I just wanted to correct the point on what Mormon's believe happens to non-Mormons when they die. (We don't have a lot of knowledge on the spirit world, but this is what I know). After a person dies, if they had received the gospel and have since fallen into sin and failed to repent, they will have to suffer for them. They are those who we believe to be in hell. The second group are those who accept the gospel, repent and forsake their sins, and are faithful to the end. These are in a state of joy and happiness. The third group are those who haven't received the gospel. They are not suffering like those who fit into the first group, since they can't be held accountable for sinning in ignorance, but they're really in the joyful state like those in the second group. These are brought the gospel by those in the second group, those who have been called to be missionaries to those in the spirit world. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." (1 Peter 3: 18-19). Also, "“For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” So once the spirits in prison have been given the gospel, they are given the chance to accept or reject it. If they reject it, then they are in the same position as those in the first group, since they had the opportunity for redemption and did not accept it. If they accept it, they will receive remission for their sins, and fit in with those in the second group. We also have a practice known as "Baptism for the Dead" (see 1 Cor 15: 29), in which members of our church are baptized in proxy for their deceased friends and family, and thereby give them the same change to partake fully of the atonement just like those on earth.

ha, i dont mean to laugh. some people... religious and non religious too, have no social skills and no tact. im religious and i would have thrown them out too... even if i had been mormon myself. my apologies for all the thoughtless folks out there. im sure ive been in that category many times myself, on some subject

I find this hard to believe considering mormons don't believe in hell..

Do I understand you correctly? You say a mormon missionary, and not missionaries? They always travel in pairs, and yet you speak as though he was alone. Makes me think someone was trying to turn you off of the Mormon Church by posing as a mormon missionary. And another thing I question, we LDS do not believe anyone will burn in Hell. There is no actual fire in Hell, or the Spirit World. There is only a burning of the conscience. There is nothing physical in any way. How can you physically burn a spirit? I truly doubt this was an actual Mormon Missionary. whew6

I'm really shocked as this was the exact same answer I got from a baptist minister when I asked "What of all the GOOD people who lived (indian, aborigines) that never heard of Christ what will happen to them?" The Baptist ministers answer; that they all burn in hell is what led me to the Mormon church because their beliefs of salvation for the dead was so compassionate. Maybe the missionary was a recently converted baptist and he brought some of those previous religious proclivities with him. Inadvertantly we all do. Most Mormons know that the word "hell" is a modern term. The actual word translated from earlier greek texts of the Bible was "sheol" meaning the "spirit world or sprit prison". All spirits after this life depart to sheol. Thats where we hang. :) Because of the nature of the individual at the time of death that person is made either eternally happy or eternally miserable. This is further proved by the two theives that hung on each side of the cross with the Saviour. One was repentive the other not. Since both were going to "sheol" yet because of their differing points of view of the Messiah; one claiming His divinity he would be in paradise or the spirit world and the other who cursed his fate would reside in spirit prison (refered to in modern times as "hell"). Think of it this way... Have you ever been to a small town and loved how quaint it was while another in your company thought it was boring. The town was the same but it was the differing viewpoints that mattered whether you were happy there or miserable there. Limited Christian orthodoxy states that a man dies without a knowledge of Christ he must be eternally damned; however this is in contradiction to the scriptures for the Saviour himself says that all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven, (even the "sin" of not knowing who he is) but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven, neither in this world or the world to come. In 1 Peter 3; 19,20 Peter states concerning where was Christ's spirit while he laid in the tomb lifeless for three days.. "He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, to the (wicked) spirits that had been imprisoned from the day of Noah". Then as said in 1 Cor 15;29 there is a continuing way for all even those who didn't know of Christ to receive salvation in sheol. Pro-active Catholics believe you can pray a person out of sheol (pergatory for them). Pro-active Mormons believe you can baptise them by proxy in sacred temples. This is all Religion 101 for the vast majority of Mormons. I'm sorry the particular missionary who visited you wasn't up to speed. As happens with me alot maybe it was according to your personal understanding.

Your reaction was entirely understandable. So was his. This HAS to have been a brand new missionary, 19 years old full of himself more than full of the gospel, confident he personally can convert the world, and tactless as teenagers so often are. I'll bet he was shocked! Put his foot so far down his own throat he was chewing on the belt buckle before he knew what hit him! - What he said was false, and his Senior companion should have been right there with him to correct him and apologize. I can't imagine why he wasn't. They are supposed to be together for virtually everything. - Its not the best way to convert others. But that's beside the point. Its not the way to treat anybody for any reason.

I was under the impression that Mormons don't really teach the same concept of "Hell" that some other churches do ..but I could be wrong. The way I understood it, Hell to them is the fact that you do not achieve full happiness and it is like a lower heaven. Baptists, Catholics, Pentecost, Lutherans, and Methodist believe that hell is a literal place of fiery torment. Jehovah's Witness's believe that hell is your grave/death. HOWEVER, No one should ever tell someone else that they are going to hell, even if they believe in hell...it certainly would not be the best way to promote your religion.

no , and we aren't to..i am Christain though..we are to bring others gently,truthfully, as Christ did with the Samartian woman...God doesn't want us scaring people to hell or taking upon ourselves to condemn/judge anyones Salvation, its HIS job alone ..and when we tell anyone they are going to hell,we will get there faster, condemn them and we condemn ourselves. i wouldn't let even a Christain that said this in my house..i'd kindly ask him to leave..God tells of those who will go to everlasting death and everlasting life will come from HIM onjudgement and HE will judge by 2 books, book of Life and the Holy Bible..i repeat , NO ONE sinner can condemn another sinner and that sinner is all ,even the Pope and any teacher of the Word...no Authority to do so..:)justme

I love the suggestion made by the comedian Billy Connolly regarding how to get rid of religious door-knockers and can't wait to try it: Stand by the door but do not open it. Then shout, "I am NAKED! I'll give you ten seconds to leave, or I'm coming out!!"

because such as these do not REALIZE...they'll get there before those they condemn and this IS NOT how God wants us to bring others to HIM.....gently and softly , as Christ did....God does not want us out of FEAR , but LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING...they have no 'authority ' to cast a stone...and none to condemn another either...

It sounds like this particular Missionary drank a bit too much Kool-Aid at the Missionary Training Center! The current Missionary Curriculum is called, "Preach My Gospel" and if you review the "Lessons" section it's clear that this young man deviated BADLY from it. Here's the link to the online edition: http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,8057-1-4424-1,00.html And, of course, we're only getting one side of the story. As the proverb says so well: "The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." -- Proverbs 18:17