Latter-Day Saints

Was that insensitive of me?

Do you really want our opinions, or are you asking rhetorically?

Was that insensitive of me?

Maybe not insensitive, but IMO you were rude to him unnecessarily.

I would have thought that he would have realized you weren't an LDS after your first or second reply.

And I personally have nothing against being rude to people who attempt to "witness" to you as this guy was apparently angling for at the end.

They're everywhere!  Theye're no longer satisifred with knocking on your door and calling you on the phone, they're ambushing you on the internet!

It's an infiltration, I tell ya!  A master plan to take over the world!!!

No, I don't think you were insensitive.  I'd have been ruder.  Much blunter.

I just tell them I'm Jewish (which is true) and they run away screaming!

Maybe not insensitive, but IMO you were rude to him unnecessarily.

Maybe. but there is a time and place for certain things. If this person had come to me as a missionary to my home, I would not have reacted the same way. Trying to recruit me in the middle of a video game was assinine. He didn't know who I was, or how old I was. The idea of cultists possibly recruiting children online is repugnant to me.

Maybe. but there is a time and place for certain things. If this person had come to me as a missionary to my home, I would not have reacted the same way. Trying to recruit me in the middle of a video game was assinine. He didn't know who I was, or how old I was. The idea of cultists possibly recruiting children online is repugnant to me.

You actually, IMO, set yourself up for him to respond the way he did. When he first asked if you were LDS, you could have simply said "No, I'm not, and I don't wish to discuss religion here." More than likely, that would have been the end of the conversation...instead, you acted as though you had no clue what LDS was, and he felt led to explain it to you.....that doesn't mean he was trying to recruit you, just to clear up your misconceptions.

You actually, IMO, set yourself up for him to respond the way he did.

I didn't ask him to initiate the conversation asking me if I was LDS. What the hell kind of question out of the blue is that for an online military game?

I don't think it was insensitive or rude, frankly. I used to have a much nicer take on the LDS church (my mother is LDS) until recently. I would explain further, but I'd be hijacking your thread

I used to have a much nicer take on the LDS church

So did I until I started to learn about their inner policies.

Hmm, well as an active member of the LDS Church I think that fellow was out of line trying to initiate religious discussion in a game. I don't think his initial question was out of line though. It can be fun to find other members of the Church in that sort of arena and I think it probably started out as a simple "Hey, we might have something in common" question.

"Hey, we might have something in common"

So out of the couple thousand people playing, he had some credible reason for thinking I was LDS?

Absolutely. "Gideon" is the name of a figure in The Book of Mormon, and we "Mormons" have a really weird habit of naming our children with those types of names. I know lots of folks with names like Nephi, Moroni, Helaman, etc. Heck, I have even heard of someone named Mahonri.

Is the name Gideon exclusive to The Book of Mormon? Of course not. But someone raised around that kind of atmosphere (as I was) sees a name familiar from The Book of Mormon and instantly thinks "Oh, maybe they are Mormon too?". Silly, but it happens.

I don't think his initial question was out of line though. It can be fun to find other members of the Church in that sort of arena and I think it probably started out as a simple "Hey, we might have something in common" question.

That's sort of what I was thinking....you just expressed it better than I did.

Hah, Poetmom99, thanks. I think I "get it" because I have done similar things in the past. I hear or read something someone says that triggers a switch in my mind along the lines of "Hmm, that was a sort of 'Mormon' thing to say/do. I wonder. . ." and then you ask. Afterall, the worst they are going to do is get pissed off at you for asking, and I am fine with that.

Absolutely. "Gideon" is the name of a figure in The Book of Mormon

Well, that is a reasonable explaination for that. But if he were just looking for another LDS then my first response should have indicated to him that he had failed.

But if he were just looking for another LDS then my first response should have indicated to him that he had failed.

At that point (as I tried to mention earlier, just not sure if it was clear or not) I agree with you. That would have been where I replied with a "lol" and left it at that.

At that point (as I tried to mention earlier, just not sure if it was clear or not) I agree with you. That would have been where I replied with a "lol" and left it at that.

Thanks for the input. And for the record, the vast majority of Mormons that I have known have steered away from pushing their religion on me. I may have strong disagreements with the church and it's dogma, but the people are generally top notch.

as a member of the jehovahs agnostics (we saw something but arent sure what it is), i'm not personally offended.  nor should you be when i mark your door with the secret sign that lets our missionaries know you enjoy being awakened at 5:30am on weekdays to purchase the current edition of our flagship publication, 'the knockoff designer watch tower'.  

nor should you be when i mark your door with the secret sign that lets our missionaries know you enjoy being awakened at 5:30am on weekdays to purchase the current edition of our flagship publication, 'the knockoff designer watch tower'.

I won't be offended by that if you are not offended by several 9mm slugs fired at you.

if you are not offended by several 9mm slugs fired at you.

naawwww  take your best shot bro.  literally i mean.  some of these door-to-door guys backslide when it comes to that turnin the other cheek thing

naawwww take your best shot bro. literally i mean. some of these door-to-door guys backslide when it comes to that turnin the other cheek thing

Sweet! Just don't come around while I'm at Red Lobster having my Jehovah fun.

Red Lobster

beware lest thou goest there and returneth with the crabs

, they never come back,

no need to waste good bourbon. 

answering the door naked was all it took here.