As a missionary in Canada Toronto Mission under M. Russell Ballard I inevitably encountered many investigators that had strong religious opinions. Many expressed that they were satisfied with their current churches or with the religion that they were raised in as children. We tried to overcome their objections by asking if a prophet of God were on the earth today would it be important to them to know about it. We discovered as missionaries that it is hard to change the mind of someone unless they are touched by the Spirit and came to their own conclusion on the subject of religion. We learned that only the Comforter could bring back to them a knowledge of the truth. President Ballard warned us to be careful not to contend with ministers and investigators but rather to show them the positive of our own religion with modern revelation and the restoration of the Church.
I have compiled a few statements by the general authorities to help missionaries better understand why contending is not useful.
Joseph Smith, Jr. explained that missionaries need to be careful: "Let the elders be exceedingly careful about unnecessarily disturbing and harrowing up the feelings of the people. Remember that your business is to preach the Gospel in all humility and meekness, and warn sinners to repent and come to Christ. Avoid contentions and vain disputes with men of corrupt minds who do not desire to know the truth. Remember that 'it is a day of warning, and not a day of many words.' If they receive not your testimony in one place, flee to another, remembering to cast no reflections, nor throw out any bitter sayings. If you do your duty, it will be just as well with you, as though all men embraced the Gospel" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976, p. 176).
Anthon H. Lund said: "Some there are who think we are afraid to meet anyone in debate. Not so. It is harder for our young brethren to keep from debating than it is to engage in it; for they feel that they have the truth, and they are not afraid to meet anyone in defense of principles in which they believe. But we have to meet anyone in defense of principles in which they believe. But we have only one object in view in going out amongst the nations, and that is to follow the Master’s instructions—to go out and teach men. That is our work. We do not go out to win battles as debaters; but we go out to teach men that which we have received, and which we know to be true. If men are not willing to receive it, that is their own concern, not ours. [D&C 43:15-16.] When our Elders show the world the beauty of the principles of the Gospel as revealed to us, it is for men to say whether they will receive them or not. The Elders do their duty, and leave the result to the Lord. Those who seek to debate with our Elders, and thirst for the honor of beating them in argument, do no want to be taught; they simply want contention. Paul tells us to avoid contention. He said: “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” [1 Corinthians 11:16.] So we say, contention is not our custom, and we advise our missionaries not to contend, but simply go out and teach the principles of the Gospel" (Conference Report, October 1902, pp. 80-81).
George Q. Cannon concurred: "Controversy is a thing which, in a general way, had better be refrained from by the Elders. Their special duty is to preach the Gospel and administer its ordinances; and although they may at times have to face unsought opposition in various forms, it is not for them to stoop from their high and holy calling as ministers of the Gospel of peace to . . . take the challenge of any petty antagonist who may audaciously confront them to dispute their testimony and teachings. They have something better to do—a higher and holier work to perform—than engaging in. . . encounters with those who seek, by polemic warfare, to waste the time of the Elders and gain at their expense the inglorious fame of “Anti-Mormon” champions" (Millennial Star, 24 [19 April 1862]: 249).
Marvin J. Ashton tells missionaries how to avoid contention with investigators: "A few months ago word reached some of our missionaries in a remote South Pacific island that I would soon be visiting there for two or three days. When I arrived, the missionaries were waiting anxiously to share with me some anti-Mormon literature that was being circulated in their area. They were disturbed by the accusations and were eager to plan retaliation.
The elders sat on the edge of their chairs as I read the slander and false declarations issued by a minister who apparently felt threatened by their presence and successes. As I read the pamphlet containing the malicious and ridiculous statements, I actually smiled, much to the surprise of my young associates. When I finished, they asked, “What do we do now? How can we best counteract such lies?”
I answered, “To the author of these words, we do nothing. We have no time for contention. We only have time to be about our Father’s business. Contend with no man. Conduct yourselves as gentlemen with calmness and conviction and I promise you success.”
Perhaps a formula for these missionaries and all of us to follow can be found in Helaman, chapter five, verse thirty, of the Book of Mormon. “And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul.” [Hel. 5:30]
Anthon H. Lund said: "We do not go out to win battles as debaters; but we go out to teach men that which we have received, and which we know to be true. If men are not willing to receive it, that is their own concern, not ours. [D&C 43:15-16.] When our Elders show the world the beauty of the principles of the Gospel as revealed to us, it is for men to say whether they will receive them or not. The Elders do their duty, and leave the result to the Lord. Those who seek to debate with our Elders, and thirst for the honor of beating them in argument, do no want to be taught; they simply want contention. Paul tells us to avoid contention."
Joseph F. Smith said on the subject of contending with investigators: "Your description of the discussion with the minister was particularly impressive to the folks. But, my son, do not waste breath nor time in discussions, arguments, or contentions with any such characters. If anybody asks a question, whether he asks it civilly or not, answer it civilly, but decline to contend. There is a great difference between reasoning, and contention. Discussion nearly always runs into contention, and that is not of the Lord, nor at all wise. I can understand you well, and I know how hard it is to decline to banter to discuss questions. I have been in it myself, and your disposition is much like my own. Experience has taught me that where calm statements of fact and mild reasoning will not prevail or succeed, there is no use to enter into discussions and arguments. Say to people: “We have not come to contend with you. All men are free to choose their own course and believe what they please, but, that we have that we believe to be truth, eternal truth, and we simply want to tell the people of it.” And then leave them to receive or reject it as they choose. You must take care that your earnestness be not carried to the extent, as mine has often been, to be mistaken for anger. Of course, you will have to learn by experience all these things. But put your trust in the Lord. Be calm, truthful, and moderate, and fear not the face of man! Nor shrink from any" (From Prophet to Son: Advice of Joseph F. Smith to His Missionary Sons, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981, p. 44).
He also said to be careful who you contend with: "I do not wish to chide you for having allowed yourself to contend . . . on a public rostrum, but I could not help feeling it was a little undignified on your part. While I approve of your efforts to defend the truth, and commend you in the exercise of vigor and holy zeal in the defense of truth, allow me to suggest that when you are compelled by a sense of duty to meet the enemy, try and make sure your “foe is worthy of your steel.” The truth is always dignified and her advocates and defenders should carefully maintain a corresponding dignity in the choice of their associates and in yielding to come in contact with those who oppose, but I do not blame you. On the contrary, I know your heart and intentions are good and, therefore, it will be overruled eventually for good. But as far as you can, consistently, avoid street rabbles and noisy contentions, which can never be mistaken by candid people for argument or reason. It is calm reason and cold truth that will weigh in the balance. Seek to convey the truths you utter with moderate voice, without excitement, deliberately, and as well chosen words as you can possibly command. You will the, as Disraeli did, command the attention of our auditors, and not only that, but their respect" (From Prophet to Son: Advice of Joseph F. Smith to His Missionary Sons, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981, p. 55).
Joseph F. Smith further said on the subject: "Of one thing be sure. There is no use to argue or contend with a truly wicked, corrupt person. It would be time lost. Never contend anyway. Try to set forth reasons and good thoughts and gospel truths, but don’t contend. Be careful not to provoke argument or contention either with “saint or sinner.” Avoid it. Remember the admonition of the Savior to his disciples, “Let your communications be yea, yea or nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." (From Prophet to Son: Advice of Joseph F. Smith to His Missionary Sons, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981, p. 108).
George Q. Cannon talks about how missionaries should overcome contention through kindness: "Assailing a man’s belief or exposing the weakness of his religion is not the best plan to adopt to convince him of his error or to convert him to the truth. Arouse a man combativeness and make him angry, and he will fight; he will regard neither reason nor argument under such circumstances but will cling to and defend his opinions, right or wrong, to the extent of his ability and power against every assailant.
If men are to be convinced, it must be done by showing them the truth and setting before them its beauties in a simple mild, kind manner. . . . As a people, we should be most kind in all our intercourse with those who do not believe as we do. The knowledge which we now possess of the truth, contrasted with our former ignorance of its saving principles, should fill us with charity for those who are in the position we were in when the Gospel found us" (Millennial Star, 27 [1 February 1862]: 74).
The reason for preaching is explained by Joseph F. Smith: "Our elders are instructed here, and they are taught from their childhood up, that they are not to go out and make war upon the religious organizations of the world when they are called to go out to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but to go and bear with them the message which has been given to us through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph, in this latter dispensation, whereby men may learn the truth, if they will. They are sent out to offer the olive branch of peace to the world, to offer the knowledge that God has spoken from the heavens once more in his mercy restored again to the world the fullness of the Gospel of His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, that God has revealed and restored to mankind the divine power and authority from Himself, whereby they are enabled and authorized to perform the ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ necessary for the salvation, and their performance of these ordinances must of necessity be acceptable unto God who has given to them the authority to perform them in His name.
Our elders are sent out to preach repentance of sin, to preach righteousness, to preach to the world the gospel of love, of fellowship and of friendship among mankind, to teach men and women to do that which is right in the sight of God and in the presence of all men, to teach them the fact that God has organized His Church, a Church which He, Himself, is the author and the founder—not Joseph Smith, not President Brigham Young, not the Twelve Apostles, that have been chosen in this dispensation—to them does not belong the honor of establishing the Church, God is author, God is its founder and we are sent out and we send out our elders to make this proclamation to the world, and leave it to their own judgment and discretion as to whether they will investigate it, learn the truth for themselves, and accept it, or whether they will reject it. We do not make war upon them; if they do not receive it, we do not contend with them if they fail to benefit themselves by receiving the message that we give to them for their own good, we only pity. Our sympathy goes out to those who will not receive the truth and who will not walk in the light when the light shines before them; not hatred, not enmity, not the spirit of condemnation; it is our duty to leave condemnation in the hands of the Almighty God. He is the only real true, righteous, impartial judge, and we leave judgment in his hands"(Conference Report, 4 April 1915).
Joseph Fielding Smith said that we have a responsibility to not only teach them but to warn them: "The Lord has placed upon us the responsibility to preach the gospel, but there is another great responsibility. I think some of our missionaries have had an idea that all we had to do was to make friends, and if they wanted to come in the Church, well and good, and the missionaries have not realized that they were under the obligation to leave a warning, and it is just as necessary that we warn the world as it is to declare the way of eternal life. The Lord said to the missionaries who went out in the early days:
“That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
“Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.
“Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.
“He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.
Every missionary who goes out should see to it that he leaves his testimony, so that he will be free as the Lord has declared he should be in section four of the Doctrine and Covenants; and so that every man with whom he comes in contact should be warned and left without excuse, and thus the blood of every man be upon his own head.(April 1946, p. 158).
Whenever we logically showed someone a fallacy in their belief system they usually discarded our information no matter how intelligent or biblically correct. I have always remembered that "a man convinced against his own will remains of the same opinion still." Our mission president told us to not waste our time contending with others on religion but to find the honest in heart who would be more receptive. Missionaries need to learn to plant seeds with those whose minds are made up and leave it in to the hands of the Lord. Missionaries can lose a lot of time arguing religion when their time could be more productively be spent in finding and teaching and teaching to find those who more readily accept the gospel.
I know that every one that has ever been involved in missionary work will encounter a contentious situation at one time or another. I hope that others who read this blog can share with us some techniques they might have used or statement or philosophy that helped them get through such encounters.
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