Truth and Error

I had a unique experience last week. There's a small group on campus outside the student center that are preaching Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, their method of delivery seems to be "Mormonism is wrong, and we're going to tell you about why we think that."

Now, I have nothing against someone trying to share something that brings them joy, but... I think I'm a little bit biased in this regard. While I was a missionary in South Africa, there were so many times that I ran into people who belonged to a church that taught them 'from the Bible' and yet taught things that were totally in disharmony with what's in the Bible. I should probably consider that some of these teachers are just not aware of it, but sometimes I wonder (particularly when you see the leader of a congregation living among his 'flock' with the only satellite dish in town).

Anyway, when I stopped to speak with one of these guys on campus (which is a bad idea in the full sun when you're wearing all black, by the way), he raised some questions about the doctrine of my faith that I didn't have immediate answers for. Still, I know where the truth lies, and God has promised answers to those who diligently seek them, so I withheld agreement until I could do some studying of my own.

It took me about five minutes to find scripture in the Bible that was in complete disharmony with what he was preaching. Five minutes! Once again, you have to wonder. At best, it makes him appear to be teaching when he doesn't really know...

Which brings me to the real key of teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. None of us understand it in its fullness, and so we're going to inevitably run into a topic which we know little about. The only way to insure we're always teaching truth is to do what's necessary to be aware of and bring the presence of the Holy Ghost into our life. He can 'teach...all things and bring all things to [our] remembrance.'

I hope to speak to this man again, but I'm kind of worried about it too. I have a (maybe unfounded) suspicion that he's so focused on his corner stone that he's not really going to consider looking at the rest of the house.

"When you stumble a lot, you start looking at your feet." - John Sheridan