In preparation for Turkey Day 2006, I’ve been thinking about what I’m thankful for. It’s a shame I choose to do this once a year, but there’s always 2007.

The top three things I’m thankful for:

1. My Savior and my Wife - without these folks in my life, I would be nothing going nowhere.

2. My Kids - such a source of joy and dirty diapers in my life

3. My Testicles- yes, I do enjoy being a man created in God’s image and it’s the only thing keeping me from joing the AoUtLJ [Association of Unics that Love Jesus - better known as the sleepy, sweater wearing, boring Church Guy cult).

So what are your top three things you’re thankful for this Thanksgiving?

I sat in church on Sunday morning utterly dismayed at what I was hearing. We had a guest speaker, a man raised in Mormonism who later converted to Christianity. I entered this morning with eager anticipation because we had with us a Mormon girl who has been involved in our ministry. I expected this to be a time where here eyes were opened to see the truth. What I got was a bitter man, hell bent on bashing a cult.  

As a church did we need a message that Mormons were bad and not Christians? I’d hope as a church that we’d have a firm grasp on that (if not, we’re in trouble). All I saw a man who built walls of bitterness and pompous religiosity.

I started praying for this girl, especially as she left about 20 minutes in to his talk - though I can’t say that I blame her for leaving. While praying the Lord reminded me that to reach Mormons (or any lost person) we must reach their hearts and not attack their religion or beliefs.

In this search for being right or righteous, have we lost our love and compassion? Christ was both truth and love. If we only take one of those we are in danger of making our own false beliefs. And if we do that, are we that much worse than any cult we so easily bash?