When you have the opportunity to mention something about the Church, make your friend an observer, not a defendant.
Examples of third parties to bounce contrast against:
Some people say …
A recent poll found …
I read somewhere that xx% believe that …
I know someone who claims …
And then …
But I’ve heard others say …
My take on that issue is …
We on the other hand …
The way I see it is …
Here’s an example of using third parties regarding our name:
One could also use comparisons as a third-party approach when discussing doctrines.
If speaking to a Catholic, compare our teachings to Protestants:
Protestants believe that if you feel yourself called to preach Christ’s gospel, you automatically have authority to act in God’s name.
We on the other hand believe a man must be called of God through a traceable line of authority to preach the gospel and administer ordinances such as baptism.
If speaking to a Protestant, compare our teachings to Catholics:
Catholics believe a person should be baptized as soon after birth as possible.
We on the other hand believe a person should not be baptized until he or she has reached the age of accountability and understands the commitment being made.
Statistics are also a comfortable third party. Many polls, such as Pew Research and others, provide religious findings that are easy to bring up in a conversation.
And in the process always look for an opportunity to casually state our claim to be the reestablished original Christian church.
On one occasion, I used a parenthetical mention to signal my religious affiliation to a medical technician and she replied, “Oh, I used to date a Mormon in high school.”
We talked about her experience, which was positive, and then I asked, “Did he ever tell you our main claim? She said she had heard something about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, but asked what I meant. I said we make a simple 12-word claim:
Christ organized a church.
Men changed it.
It has been brought back.
She’s now part of those who know our claim and that’s where I left it.
In short, using a third person, or party, or concept, or statistics … makes the conversation more comfortable. No debates, no me-versus-you.
Persuasive contrast without tension.
Gary Lawrence is a public opinion researcher and author, most recently, of Millions Believe As We Do But Haven’t Yet Found the Church.
Robert StarlingJanuary 31, 2024
Very well said Gary. You've given us some very good tips on how to share the most important thiings in our lives.