This is great! I love how Ruslan was so caught off guard when Alex O’Connor named “Mormonism” as the Christian denomination he liked the most. Some of the reasons he gave included:
- Joseph Smith was the first presidential candidate to be assassinated
- Doctrine
- Persecution
- The Extermination Order
- Extraordinary history
- More eyewitnesses than to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Honestly, I watched the original interaction a dozen times, along with commentary from many LDS commentators. It was fun to see Pastor Jeff’s perspective. To be honest, I expected Pastor Jeff to be dismissive of it—but he wasn’t.
Pastor Jeff explained how interesting it is that an outsider—who is not Christian and has no personal stake in the matter—applied his reasoning and concluded that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the most logical Christian denomination. Alex seems to have built a lot of credibility through his intellect and debating skills. It’s no wonder so many people take him seriously… but will they now that he caught them off guard with this “Mormonism” soundbite?
Pastor Jeff acknowledges that Alex O’Connor’s rationale is significant and admits that some Evangelicals may feel a bit threatened by the idea that someone like Alex would choose Mormonism over Evangelicalism. There is likely a competitive element at play as well.
A few takeaways by Pastor Jeff:
- Most Latter-day Saints are willing to have difficult conversations.
- They are eager to talk about Jesus—hence why so many of them watch The Chosen.
- Latter-day Saints want to discuss grace.
- Contrary to what some Protestants or Evangelicals may think, Latter Day Saints actively read scripture.
I think Pastor Jeff provided a great summary and personal insights.