May 5, 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

HERE is a web site that you can instant message an LDS missionary! Hit “Ask a Question,” and then hit “Chat Live 7:00am - 10:30pm MST.”
Joseph Smith's First Vision--LDS Church Museum of History and Art


In an effort of encouraging others to follow my example, I am posting the following conversation with one of them:

Scott:
Hi, thanks for visiting the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, how may I help you?

Rob:
I was noticing the comments on Jesus Christ on this site that it says that under the direction of the Father, Jesus created this earth. Is that all He created? What sort of creating role did Christ play in your church?

Scott:
There is a page on this site that explains the creation, may I push that URL to you?

Rob:
Sure

Scott:
HERE

Rob:
So Jesus is God for LDS? It says Jesus created the earth, and then it says “Not only did God create the earth, He created man physically in His image.”

Scott:
Yes, just as it says on the site, we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and is a God himself. We believe that He did create man in His image under the direction of the Father.

Rob:
So you believe in more than one God?

Scott:
I have a page on this site that talks about the role Jesus Christ played in the re-establishment of His Church on the earth today. May I push that URL to you?

Rob:
No, I’d like for you to answer my question I just asked.

Scott:
We believe in the Godhead, we believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

Rob:
That doesn’t answer my question. You just said Jesus is “a God.” So doesn’t that mean that you think there is more than 1 God?

Scott:
If you would like to debate then I cannot help you. That is beyond my purpose.

Rob:
I’m just trying to get a straight answer. How do you expect investigators to join if they can’t get straight answers?

Scott:
Rob, I would like you to do something. Will you read the pages that I sent you and continue to search on Mormon.org to find your answers! The best answer you can get is if you were to pray to God and ask Him about whether or not the things that are on this site are true. Our purpose is not to answer every question that an investigator might have. It is to help them come unto Christ and find the answers to their sincere questions by asking Him. He is the source of all truth. I am sorry that I cannot more fully answer your specific questions. Will you continue to find your answers on this site and then ask God if they are true?

Rob:
I’ve already read and asked God, and He wants to use you to tell me the answers. Do you believe in more than 1 God? Does the Heavenly Father have a God for Him?

Scott:
I’m sorry Rob, if you were to find all the answers through me you would be believing in me and not in God. Please read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true. When you learn that it is true, then you will know these teachings are true. The questions you are asking are beyond the scope of our purpose. May I help you with something else?

Rob:
I’m not wanting “all the answers.” Why can’t God use others to teach what He wants? So did Jesus create you? Did He create your spirit? Doesn’t God create everything?

Scott:
Please feel free to continue looking on this site for the teachings of Christ and His restored gospel. The questions you are asking are beyond the scope of this site. I hope you have a good day.


As for other news, my MySpace blog this past month has had quite a bit dialogue on it. Click HERE, HERE, and HERE. Notice that the last blog has three pages to it.

Good things are happening as a result of the PBS special on The Mormons. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch the whole film online. Please see the links and discussion I’ve posted HERE.

This time next month I’ll be married, so please pray for us as we start this new phase of life. Pray that God will be glorified in our marriage, and that He’ll use us to bring many to Himself. Also pray for our wedding. My dad will be performing the ceremony, and there will be many people there who need Christ.

After the honeymoon I would like to go to the Manti, UT pageant and be used to share the real Christ to thousands of LDS people. To watch a promotional film for this outreach, please click HERE. I still am in need of financial contributions to make this happen.

Your financial contributions and prayers make this ministry possible. We need your continued support. Please see our "Invest" page on either MormonInfo.org or here at CourageousChristiansUnited.org for how you can get involved. Thank you so much for your concern and prayers for this ministry, and for those trapped by false religions and philosophies.

Rob Sivulka
President, Courageous Christians United
[email protected]

****MORE PRAYER REQUESTS****

1. For Tara's LDS family, and Jehovah's Witness friends Michelle and Jolee
2. For guidance in developing JWinfo.org
3. For Rob's continued doctoral studies at the University of Utah
4. For more salvations through this ministry
5. For our monthly ex-Mormon meetup group

****MAILBAG****

You remind me of Wally Tope who followed the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Europe. You find out where the battle is raging and you're part of the action. What they loved about Teddy Roosevelt's campaign in Cuba in taking a couple of hills, he did not yell "Charge!" He called, "Follow me!"

Good web site!

[I responded:] Thanks much... for your kind words. They are very encouraging to me. Others have told me how I remind them of Wally. I miss him. He was a friend, and an early inspiration. He actually stayed at my home once when I was in high school in AZ. It was amazing to see him take on the crowds. Unfortunately, he was more of a go-getter than I suspect I'll ever be. Let's keep each other in prayer!
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I was a convert to the mormon church and a member for 23 years. I was married in the SLC temple then later divorced. I cannot say my experience with most mormons was one that I learned any respect for them or the religion. Although I will say there were some I do respect and care for as people dearly. Most of my experience with mormons has made me feel extremely bitter towards them and their religion. I never really felt quite right in most of their ceremonies and finally had the courage to leave the mormon church. I’ve lived or traveled to many parts of the world and have had the opportunity to meet many different people but none as hypocritical or self-righteous as mormons in general. If there is ever anything I can do to help your cause please let me know.
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Good news. When I was at the LDS chapel this past Sunday, my Mormon friend spoke during the sacrament meeting because he's their branch missionary. One thing he spoke about was the new Jesus Christ / Joseph Smith DVD that's being distributed but he did not address it by name. He went to Fort Leavenworth to see his brother become an Army officer. He found out about the DVD from his family. He said, "There's a pamphlet being distributed that looks official. It's being distributed to church members with a DVD telling us what we believe. It looks official but we don't do that." I thought of you & your ministry as soon as he said that. That fact that he addressed it in sacrament meeting demonstrates that the DVD's & booklet are having an impact in the Mormon community.

Don't keep the faith. Spread it.
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Hey you are like way popular around this part of town you know that..... LOL seriously man I hear your name alot so when I saw you posted on cassidys myspace I had to add you. So who the heck are you, I heard your a vicious Mormon Slayer.
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Great newsletter, Rob! I watched the Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith video, and I thought it was very good--except the part where they said God would never reward lying to save a life when he clearly did in Exodus 2. (I think they should have expanded on that specific issue a little more since I think there are better ways to explain why God would never tell Abraham to lie about Sarah.) I thought that argument was weak, but everything else was excellent--succinct, good production quality, hit all the major points. I've been directing Mormon friends to its You Tube location.

Anyway, keep it up! I hope the wedding preparations are going well!
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I was, however in the blog comment, very confused with your statement that God would show Himself to me...since that is what Joseph Smith also claimed which is what got him into so much trouble then and today for its implausibility to traditional Christians. Could you explain or elaborate what you meant by your statement? (An email would be nice).

[I responded:] I leave that to God for how He'll choose to reveal Himself to you (if He chooses to any further). I think on one level He already has, but you're willfully denying it. I really don't have a problem with God showing up as a bunny rabbit if He wanted to. Since He's all powerful on my view, that's His prerogative. But of course the implausibility that Christians have with Smith's vision is that he treated his experience as what God *is* in His nature. [For Christians,] God can appear as a man and still not be a man. And if you *see* what I mean by this, then I've "shown" up to some extent in your life.

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