True Doctrine Converts, While False Offends
Reading: “Our Father’s Plan-Big Enough for All His Children,” Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2009 General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session
As I spend time on the internet I see a lot of people who really hate religion. They associate organized religion of all types with certain practices and teachings. The problem is that as you dig in deeper to find out why these people hate religion so much it usually stems from things that our church, the Mormons, do not believe or practice. Part of the reason I post in this blog is that I hope that I am able to provide a source that dispels the myths these people believe that just plain isn’t true, or that may be true about other religions but isn’t a part of the Mormon church.
In this talk Elder Cook explains this idea, and then explains one concept that is a major cause of this misplaced dislike and distrust of religion. Many people have been taught that only a very few will be saved by Christ, and that most people are not just going to hell, but going to a hell of extreme torture.
The common precept was that a few would be saved and the overwhelming majority would be doomed to endless tortures of the most awful and unspeakable intensity. The marvelous doctrine revealed to the Prophet Joseph unveiled to us a plan of salvation that is applicable to all mankind, including those who do not hear of Christ in this life, children who die before the age of accountability, and those who have no understanding.
We believe that there are different levels of heaven, and that most people are going to be pretty happy with their life after this. Only a very few who directly rebel against God will be sent to what is conventionally thought of as hell, and even then the deplorable state stems from total separation from God, not because God is actively causing them pain. We strive for the highest level of heaven, the Celestial Kingdom, where we will gain all that God has to offer to those who are able to handle it.
Today I am going to write in my journal about false ideas that people have about our beliefs, and then write about ways I can help dispel those myths.
Have you ever known someone who disliked our church or religion in general because they had an incorrect idea about our beliefs? What can you do to help those around us see what we really believe?
Searching the Scriptures 
I’ve run across a number of people that are disenchanted with organized religion because they think religious people are fake. They hear people making great professions of godliness and then see that their actions are not necessarily godly. It’s hard to get through to these people because they lose faith in religion in general and won’t even give ours a hearing, supposing ours to be as hypocritical as the others.
I definitely run into that all the time. I think all you can do for those people is to be their friend and hope over time they see you that are genuine.
I think too that we have to give them as much as they will take and at least try so that we will have done our duty to share.