Ministering in the (other) heart of Mormonism
I came across the webpage for the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center. The folks out there, Rocky and Helen Hulse, are doing an important but difficult work in one of the most sacred places of mormonism outside of Utah, Nauvoo. Much like Palmyra and Kirtland, Nauvoo holds a special place in mormon history and has seen a recent surge in mormons moving to the area. Rocky is, like me, a former mormon saved by God with a burden to witness to mormons and educate fellow Christians.
Their work was featured in a story in the Chicago Tribune, picked up by the mormon church owned Deseret News. Right off the bat the article shows where it is going, with the headline: "Anti-LDS evangelists rile Nauvoo faithful". So clearly the implication right from the title in the Deseret News is that the poor mormons are faithful and the Christians are mean anti-LDSers. It goes downhill from there.
"NAUVOO, Ill. — Nauvoo is a hallowed place for Mormons, who settled the town in 1839. And the arrival of two Christian evangelists from the Chicago area, proclaiming an anti-Mormonism message to the world, recalls the troubled history of those early Mormons with neighbors of other faiths."
Geez, what next? Rocky and Helen tar and feathering the local mormon "bishop", David Wright? I guess since Nauvoo is special for mormons, they ought to be given free rein over the town, perhaps even raising their own army and printing their own money, just to add some flavor to the area? The local "bishop" reacts in a predictable fashion (remember that these are the same people who freak out whenever anyone else suggest that they aren't Christians):
"It ought to be called a non-Christian center or anti-Mormon center," said Bishop David Wright, a top LDS Church leader in Nauvoo. "I don't see anything Christian about it."
Two points here that I made on the blog for the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center...
A. As a non-Christian himself, Wright seems unqualified to determine what being Christian looks like. Isn't that what Christians talking about mormon beliefs hear all the time, don't tell us what we believe?
B. The depth of the hypocrisy is incredible, that witnessing to mormons is hateful and mean, but mormon missionaries spreading a false gospel to Christians is merely "sharing".
The Hulses have received death threats emanating from Utah.
It's no wonder, locals say, the Hulses are facing blowback.
The couple reported they had received two veiled written threats late last year. Then, two days before Christmas, the couple received an e-mail that was traced to an address in Utah. "id love to watch you all die," it read, "then witness the looks on your faces when you realize how stupid and counterproductive your fight really was."
Shaken, the Hulses installed deadbolts on their doors and floodlights around their storefront. They began checking their car's gas cap for any sign of tampering. And they called police, triggering an investigation from Nauvoo to Utah.
I love the comment "no wonder" they are receiving death threats, almost like they had it coming! Looking at the picture of Rocky and Helen, they sure look nefarious and dangerous! Mormons are conditioned to react strongly against anyone questioning their faith, but confronting the lies of mormonism in the heart of Nauvoo really gets their dander up! Pray for Rocky and Helen Hulse, that God will protect and provide for their ministry, sharing the truth of the Gospel in Nauvoo, Illinois.
I came across the webpage for the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center. The folks out there, Rocky and Helen Hulse, are doing an important but difficult work in one of the most sacred places of mormonism outside of Utah, Nauvoo. Much like Palmyra and Kirtland, Nauvoo holds a special place in mormon history and has seen a recent surge in mormons moving to the area. Rocky is, like me, a former mormon saved by God with a burden to witness to mormons and educate fellow Christians.
Their work was featured in a story in the Chicago Tribune, picked up by the mormon church owned Deseret News. Right off the bat the article shows where it is going, with the headline: "Anti-LDS evangelists rile Nauvoo faithful". So clearly the implication right from the title in the Deseret News is that the poor mormons are faithful and the Christians are mean anti-LDSers. It goes downhill from there.
"NAUVOO, Ill. — Nauvoo is a hallowed place for Mormons, who settled the town in 1839. And the arrival of two Christian evangelists from the Chicago area, proclaiming an anti-Mormonism message to the world, recalls the troubled history of those early Mormons with neighbors of other faiths."
Geez, what next? Rocky and Helen tar and feathering the local mormon "bishop", David Wright? I guess since Nauvoo is special for mormons, they ought to be given free rein over the town, perhaps even raising their own army and printing their own money, just to add some flavor to the area? The local "bishop" reacts in a predictable fashion (remember that these are the same people who freak out whenever anyone else suggest that they aren't Christians):
"It ought to be called a non-Christian center or anti-Mormon center," said Bishop David Wright, a top LDS Church leader in Nauvoo. "I don't see anything Christian about it."
Two points here that I made on the blog for the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center...
A. As a non-Christian himself, Wright seems unqualified to determine what being Christian looks like. Isn't that what Christians talking about mormon beliefs hear all the time, don't tell us what we believe?
B. The depth of the hypocrisy is incredible, that witnessing to mormons is hateful and mean, but mormon missionaries spreading a false gospel to Christians is merely "sharing".
The Hulses have received death threats emanating from Utah.
It's no wonder, locals say, the Hulses are facing blowback.
The couple reported they had received two veiled written threats late last year. Then, two days before Christmas, the couple received an e-mail that was traced to an address in Utah. "id love to watch you all die," it read, "then witness the looks on your faces when you realize how stupid and counterproductive your fight really was."
Shaken, the Hulses installed deadbolts on their doors and floodlights around their storefront. They began checking their car's gas cap for any sign of tampering. And they called police, triggering an investigation from Nauvoo to Utah.
I love the comment "no wonder" they are receiving death threats, almost like they had it coming! Looking at the picture of Rocky and Helen, they sure look nefarious and dangerous! Mormons are conditioned to react strongly against anyone questioning their faith, but confronting the lies of mormonism in the heart of Nauvoo really gets their dander up! Pray for Rocky and Helen Hulse, that God will protect and provide for their ministry, sharing the truth of the Gospel in Nauvoo, Illinois.
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