Had a run-in with missionaries. We sat and chatted for a few minutes, but I recognized easily all the sales tactics and fakery they were using on me. It makes me mad that they do that to other (unsuspecting) people all day long. I can't believe how ignorant they are and how much they DON'T know about the world they live in. It's like arguing with a rock.

Anyway, I realize that I still tend to come across very cynical to them, even if I'm smiling. Does anyone know of any books to help me with this?

I feel sorry for missionaries like that. They are handed a script and if the conversation moves away from it they are trained to steer it back. They are totally enmeshed and told not to question, not to think, not to grow as people. They are young and their naivety is taken advantage of. Maybe what you're saying to them doesn't seem to registeR on ANY leveL, BUT THAT doesn't mean AT SOME POINT in the future they WON'T think aBOUT whaT WAS said to THEM.

(sorry for the caps, my daugHTER IS helping me ty4pe.6666688

vhainya Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I feel sorry for missionaries like that. They are
> handed a script and if the conversation moves away
> from it they are trained to steer it back. They
> are totally enmeshed and told not to question, not
> to think, not to grow as people. They are young
> and their naivety is taken advantage of. Maybe
> what you're saying to them doesn't seem to
> registeR on ANY leveL, BUT THAT doesn't mean AT
> SOME POINT in the future they WON'T think aBOUT
> whaT WAS said to THEM.
>
> (sorry for the caps, my daugHTER IS helping me
> ty4pe.6666688

He he! Sometimes, my parrot helps me to type! Well, no, she gets her beak under the keys and, with a happy gurgle, throws them across the room or tries to chew them! ;oD

It just makes me sad.
In fact, if I see two of them walking down the street, I sometimes tear up.

They are just little kids, for the most part. I know...some of them can be very arrogant and annoying, but I don't blame them. And most of them are just trying to get through the two years as best they can.

I think if I keep typing, I just might start to cry.

I had some knock on my door a few weeks ago. It was pleasant until they said, "well, we'd like to come back to help invite the spirit back into your home."

Arrogant thing to say. And stupid too. I let it slide though because I didn't want to get into it with them.

I told them that I've had a more spiritual experience at a Mudvayne concert than I ever had at church. They just looked at me blankly. Spirituality has nothing to do with gawd or religion.

The most "spiritual" experiences ive had in a long time was seeing Lamb of God and Tool.

We get it they don't.

Yes!

I also feel sorry for them and often wave at them and think "Oh God, please get them out of that mess" I read some missionary stories in the archives here where they recall a kind soul from their past and now they are ex, so there is always hope. But I get it, once 2 of them came to my house, (not knowing I was an exmo) and one of them was so arrogant, I wasn't that friendly anymore. As the saying goes "Any action begats a reaction".
There is a book on mormonmaze.net on the subject, I think. It's written by a former mormon.

If you want to shut down the aggressiveness of the mishis do this:
Look then straight in the eye and say
"I bear solemn witness and testify to you that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that
1. The Book of Mormon is a fraud
2. That Joseph Smith was a confidence man, a liar, a fornicator, an adulterer, a pedophile, a plagerer, and a user of whores.
This I testify to you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

All you will see are assholes and elboes

If they can testify, so can we.

I remember how clueless I used to be on my mission, except that I was embarrassed by the doctrine . . . but totally clueless. I think I found out that the church wasn't true when out there while reading book to help me become a better basher. I was like, "hey, they have all the better arguments".
Still it took me another 16 years to get completely out.