Why Catholics are easy targets for Mormon evangelists

JWorld SG

        The Mormon church has been in the news a lot recently. The head of the church, styled its “prophet,” recently died. Many dignitaries attended his funeral, including a major political candidate whose Mormonism has been discussed a lot these last few months.

        Mormon evangelists have been taking advantage of their church being in the headlines. They have been doing their best to invite Americans to take a closer look at their religion.

        Many people have been doing just that—especially Catholics. In fact, in recent years the majority of converts to Mormonism have been Catholics.

        It makes sense, when you think about it.

        Catholics are targeted by Mormons because many Catholics can be swayed easily by Mormon arguments. That’s because many Catholics don’t know their own faith.

        In a way, you can’t blame the Mormons. Targeting Catholics has worked for them, so why shouldn’t they keep their evangelizing focus on Catholics?

        Think the Mormons are just a group of nice folks who uphold family values, clean living, and American patriotism? Think again.

        Think the Mormons are just a slightly eccentric offshoot of traditional Protestant Christianity? Think again.

        Think Mormons are actually Christian, accepting the core doctrines of Christianity? Think again!

        The truth is that Mormonism is far different from what most people think it is.

        If asked, most Catholics would not be able to explain what Mormons believe. Nor do they have a clue what is wrong with Mormonism.

        Therein lies the danger—especially today, as Mormonism is enjoying a resurgence in popularity and interest, largely because of recent news coverage.

        But the news media aren’t providing useful information about Mormonism.

        This worries me—because, as I said, the majority of converts to Mormonism are ill-informed Catholics who are highly vulnerable to Mormon proselytizing.

JWorld SG

What Mormons Really Believe


        •    Do Mormons really believe they can become the “god” of their own planet?

        •    Why Mormons claim the Catholic Church is a “church of Satan”—teaching a false gospel.

        •    Why Mormons believe God the Father was once a human—and became the “god” of planet Earth.

        •    Do Mormons believe there is more than one “God”?

        •    How the Book of Mormon itself contradicts core Mormon beliefs and practices.

        •    What Mormons believe about the Eucharist—it’s not what Catholics believe.

        •    What goes on inside their mysterious, no-visitors-allowed temples.

        •    Does the Mormon church approve of divorce and abortion? (The answer will disappoint pro-lifers!)

        •    Who are the leaders of the Mormon church?

        •    Do Mormons believe black people are “cursed”?

        •    Is Mormon baptism valid? What Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, said.

        •    How Mormons try to convert Catholics to Mormonism—successfully.

        •    How did Joseph Smith translate the “golden plates”—and why did no one else ever get to see them?

        •    Mormon doctrines have changed—often.

        •    Did Joseph Smith develop his teaching on polygamy only after betraying his wife?

        •    Joseph Smith: the “martyr” who died in a gunfight, shooting at people.

        •    Mormons dropped some of their unpopular teachings in order to clean up their public image and appeal to more Americans.

        •    Joseph Smith’s background before he started the Mormon church—and how this affect his credibility

        •    The psychological and emotional elements that attract people to Mormonism.

JWorld SG

In fact, Mormons count Catholics as their main target.

Over half of the current converts to Mormonism are Catholics.

Mormons target Catholics who don’t know their faith.

JWorld SG

Facts about the Mormon Threat

        FACT: In 1984, sociologist Rodney Stark predicted that the Mormon church would grow at a rate of 30%–50% per decade for the next several decades, reaching from 70 million to possibly as high as 280 million members by the year 2080. He said it would be “the first new major world religion since Islam.”

        Indeed, from 1984 to 2000, the church actually grew at an average rate of 52% per decade, outpacing the upper bound on Stark’s prediction.

        FACT: When Mormon missionaries make their first contact with a person in the home of a Mormon friend or relative, a conversion will result 50% of the time.

        FACT: Each year, the Mormon church baptizes 300,000 converts. (That’s 800 a day—or another million every three years.) Half are former Catholics.

        The time to act is now— to stop losing our fellow Catholics to the Mormon faith in the decade ahead.

malcom SG

Catholics not only convert to Mormon, but to other Protestants as well.

I would say partly is because of the modernization in Catholic Church. The modernization makes people confuse, for example "Can a person be saved without believing in Jesus?" My answer as a post modernization that attended RCIA catechism class will be "Yes, because Heavenly Father love all humanity, and if He want to save anyone, he can do it with His power."

Then how about John 14:1-6:

"'Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.' Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

The modernization creates doubts, and it in turn into unbelieving all together. I believe without the modernization, there will be no such doubts, if we seek, we can find consistent message throughout history of the Catholic Church.

Saint Padre Pio, a stigmatist, modern day Saint:

In 1966, the Father General [of the Franciscans] came to Rome prior to the special Chapter on the Constitutions in order to ask Padre Pio for his prayers and benedictions. He met Padre Pio in the cloister. "Padre, I came to recommend to your prayers the special chapter for the new Constitutions..." He had scarcely gotten the words "special Chapter"..."new Constitutions" out of his mouth when Padre Pio made a violent gesture and cried out: "That is all nothing but destructive nonsense." "But Padre, after all, there is the younger generation to take into account...the youth evolve after their own fashion... there are new demands..." "The only thing missing is mind and heart, that's all, understanding and love." Then he proceeded to his cell, did a half-turn, and pointed his finger, saying: "We must not denature ourselves, we must not denature ourselves! At the Lord's judgment, Saint Francis will not recognize us as his sons!"

I would say we don't need Church modernization because as Jesus say:

Mat 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."

I suggest for the Catholics, before we think of converting to other faith, seek the truth first, may not be easy because we are living in post modernization, but as Jesus say:

Matt 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

And pray that may the Holy Spirit give us enlightenment.

dumbdumb! SG

shrugs. in my opinion, i think catholics need to be grounded more in the word.

that's the only sure way of protecting yourself against cults.

Miracles&Prophecies SG

Let them convert let them be.

The world doesn't need fake Catholics. There are already more than enough.

Err I think these people would become fake Mormons aswell LOL.....kiddin.

True Christians are always on high demand. Too few are available at any time. Like an elitist group of people. Bring on the persecution. Then I show you the difference between you and me.

1 vision, 1 apparition, 4 prophecies, 1 earthquake on demand, 3 feel somebody's heart.........and counting(there are many more but these would suffice). Ooooh yea. Sinner who is showing promise.....May God be with you.

Cheers,

ObiterDicta SG

It's not the reforms that are to blame. The people implementing the reform are.

caleb_chiang SG

Wah... so long... eyes dying...

malcom SG

It's not the reforms that are to blame. The people implementing the reform are.

It is true that the reform does not leave the original faith, however it produces documents that can cause wrong interpretation.

Below is one example I can find.

Lumen Gentium #16
"...Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life..."
(http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html)

I found the good explanation on this one at that I would like to share:

http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/liberalcatholics/lumengentium.htm