Mormon Missionary Speechless (Walks Away)

Jeff Durbin confronted a Mormon missionary outside of the Mormon temple in Mesa, Arizona, during the most recent 'Christmas Lights Celebration'. Pastor Jeff asks the missionary if he believes that he will become a god one day. The missionary said, "Yes". What follows is important for everyone to see.

[ApologiaStudios]

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[vernoncarpenterjr]

Satans oldest lie: "you can become gods"

[oddipyloris]

It’s not actually that hard to leave a missionary speechless, they are 18 years old

[jacobw]

I love how he’s not afraid to tell people to repent

[hsmith]

Keep in mind guys, this is an 18 yr old. He doesn't know everything, and they aren't really prepared for people specifically looking to degrade them

[savedbygrace]

God saved me from 35 yrs of Mormonism and brought me into the most incredible relationship with Him. I was lost but now am found. I was blind but now I see. Praise God.

[Equalshares]

You planted the seed. He will be in deep thoughts about this

[jessgustafson]

He didn’t walk away speechless at all, he literally had to go he was ready to talk

[amybryant]

Guy pulling him away..."He's making too much sense, we have to go". 😂

[jesusisking]

Jesus saved me from Mormonism. Now I walk in freedom, and rejoice in the Lord!

[Puyita]

Funny how he pulled the “the Bible has been translated many times” card lol

[dawsonzobell]

He's an 18 year old kid. He's not gonna know everything.

[grayman]

he walks away because he has no time to waste with clowns.

[romainbowen]

Noticed how he was confronted by a man with knowledge he froze knowing no scripture

[GoodCitizen-lfdb]

the idea that a person can become a god, is an idea that comes *directly* from the devil.

[kyven]

Eh, missionaries are easy prey. As a seminary teacher I spend four years trying to get these young men to pay attention and get off their phones, and the truth is 95% couldn't care less about learning the gospel until about a month before their missions. That gives them about a month of seminary and three weeks of the MTC - where they only learn the most basic doctrines of the gospel- before they're sent out to be lambasted on youtube. I'd be a lot less fun for Jeff, but I'm also a lot more up for the challenge, so I'll take a swing at it.

First, this is a super deep dive topic. Meaning the only place you can find it is not from the pulpit numerous times but from a funeral more than 150 years ago. We define our official doctrine as anything that is taught collectively and continually by the twelve apostles and first presidency. So our views on theosis wouldn't even be considered official doctrine. Having said that, just because something isn't official church doctrine doesn't make it false. I'm someone who wholeheartedly believes that we can becomes gods and my belief doesn't even come from Joseph Smith. It comes from the New Testament.

Before you say that's impossible then explain C.S. Lewis. Was he not a Christian? He didn't need to read the Book of Mormon or study teachings of Joseph Smith to form his beliefs. What about the entire Eastern Orthodox church? They believe in theosis. Is that because of Joseph Smith? Do they need to repent? Are they not Christians? You see, this isn't a "Mormon" thing. Jeff asked the missionaries something like "do you not believe Jesus when he says Well, I can throw the same question back at Jeff... in Matthew 5:48 when Jesus commands His followers to be perfect even as their Father which is in heaven, the Greek for perfect does not mean "without sin" (thank goodness or we'd all be in big trouble) It means "complete/fully developed." Does Jeff not believe Christ? Does he not believe that God is all powerful? Or is it that God is all powerful just not all powerful enough to help His children become like Him? Why don't you believe Jesus, Jeff?

How about John 10:34-36 which echoes of Psalm 82:6...Ye are gods...does Jeff not believe Christ there. Christ doesn't correct that statement by the way. He uses it to say listen, if you're gods for receiving his word than why do you call me blasphemous for saying I'm the Son of God?

How about the voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism? How about Jesus talking to the Father on the cross? How about Jesus talking to the Father in Gethsemane? Isn't Jesus a god? isn't God the Father a god? Isn't that two beings? This is where Jeff has to do all sorts of mental gymnastics to make the scriptures work. "Jesus was there but not there...Jesus' will was to not suffer but Jesus' other will was that he does suffer....Jesus forsook Jesus on the cross..." hurts your head just to defend the concept of Jeff's version of monotheism. In other words, Jeff's view of what Christianity should be makes it so Jeff is left defending monotheism rather than the word of God. He has to ignore certain scriptures to make it all make sense. I don't. Here's my response to the scripture Jeff used: Christ is clearly alluding to the Ten Commandments which say that we are to have no other gods BEFORE Him. He could have just said there are no other gods so stop worshipping them. This scripture doesn't say there are no other gods, it's saying they're worshipping other gods before God and are breaking the commandment.

I appreciate Jeff's heart, but if you want to have an actual discussion to see if there is any merit to another faith's beliefs, how about arranging an actual conversation with someone who has actually studied the topic at least as much as you rather than catching some 18 year old kid off guard at night with a question you know he hasn't prepared for? Is it really about helping Latter-day Saints or is it about getting the most likes and subscribes? If it's the latter, good on you. But if you sat down with me, I'd have three times as many scriptures from the Bible that'd make you feel this uncomfortable as you tried to explain them.

[ladyphoenixgrey]

“And the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

Satan still usin his oldest trick in the book.

[Ragdollz]

“Why can he (God) be something that we can’t become” - that’s exactly what got Lucifer condemned.

[maverickhunterx]

God saved me from Mormonism after I prayed to Him. I asked for "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" to hear me. I called upon "The God of the Bible" in a sincere prayer. A few days later I came across Jeff Durbin on YouTube, and that started a quest within me to search the scriptures as the Bereans did.

I learned that my heart is "deceitful above all things", and God's true word began to debunk all the falseness of Mormonism. Thank God, and thank you Jeff! I no longer fear the false prophet Joseph Smith's erroneous teachings.

[dhruvsaini]

That poor boy is probably 18 or 19 years old and trying to spread the gospel, taking years out of his life (unpaid) to do so. It’s people like you who really de motivate people. God bless the missionary. Regardless of what denomination anyone is, the common feature is that you are all followers of Jesus. That’s all that matters.

So instead of confronting and starting war amongst Christians, try to stay connected