Michael Otterson, Managing Director of the Public Affairs Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently gave an interview on how to accurately and sensitively react to inquires about the Church. One of the most important segments, uploaded to YouTube, addresses reacting and responding to erroneous information about the Church. Otterson is actually a convert to the Church, having grown up in Liverpool (and retains a healthy trace of the BBC-standard accent):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSUvFTQu5nY
One correction needs to be noted. The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) website referenced in the video is actually available at FAIRLDS.org.
Three points brought out by Michael Otterson:
(1). Be properly anchored in the Gospel; seek for that spiritual conversion that will assure the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
(2). Be well-grounded in the resources the Church has already made available, particularly on Mormon.org, where FAQs to various subjects can be found.
(3). Read the New Testament for parallels. Many of the accusations levied today are no different than those levied against Peter, James, Paul, etc. when the first church was founded. The history of the LDS Church shows that Joseph Smith and the early LDS leadership encountered the same accusations.
The entire interview is divided into 12 segments, and the remaining segments can be found in audio format at the Mormon Channel Conversations page (episode 42).
And finally, don't assume the person presenting you with anti-Mormon material is the enemy. That person could well have been misled. Presume ignorance first BEFORE malevolence.
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