Originally Posted by VAX77
I was cleaning up my place last night before I picked up my wife and daughter from the airport last night. I got a knock on my door and when I answered it, a guy walking his dog was standing out there. He said he noticed my last name(it is Greek) on our window,(we had a sign with our name and address for deliveries-we live in a town home in Chicago). We start talking and he asks me if I am Greek-Orthodox. I respond that although my dad was born in Greece and my mom was Italian from Brazil (she and her parents were born there, from Italian heritage), both converted and I was born into the Mormon faith. At that point he tells me he is a priest and we talk a little more and he tells me that mormons are a cult. I asked why he felt that way, and he explains his point of view, how the Orthodox church can show direct, uniterrupted lines of authority from Jesus, etc. All the while, you can tell the guy knows his stuff. He says he had read the PofGP, D&C, BofM, etc. I believe he did. The funny thing was I was not offended by his approach. He was blunt, but very nice and friendly(sounds weird, I know).
I stopped him there and the first thing that came to my mind was, "Listen, if you really believe what you say you do and you did not tell me, I would be offended. So, I appreciate it, I really do." I went on to say, that I believed in what I believe in not just because it makes sense after a lot of personal study, etc, but because of a confirmation from God through prayer. I invited him in and we spoke for about 45 minutes. He said he wanted me to read some things about the Greek Orthodox Church and I told him I enjoy reading and studying other religions, which I do. I went to catholic school and I love studying philosophy, religion, etc. Not because I am searching for something, but because I really do enjoy it. I told him I had some things for him to read, starting with Joseph Smith, Rough Stone Rolling. (he had some issues with Joseph Smith and I really like that book and think it is an excellent reference to his character and nature, regardless of what one thinks about the vaildity of his visions.
Basically, we agreed to meet up and talk about politics, life, religion, etc. on a regular basis. I am really looking forward to it. Kind of cool.
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