Dr Paul Allen

Bill Mounce In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matt 7:12, NIV). In other words, the underlying social ethic that runs throughout the Hebrew Scriptures with all its statutes and laws is this: when you think about what to say or do to another person, ask yourself what you would like that person to say or do to you. When you are talking about significant issues — theology, ethics, politics — how do you want the other person to behave? Do you want them to listen to you politely, with engagement, not necessarily agreeing but treating your ideas with respect? Or do you want them to shut you down, ignore what you are saying, and treat you with contempt and scorn? The answer to that question should determine how we treat the other person. Ten years ago, I was speaking with a younger person who didn’t agree with something I said. Her response was, “That offends me.” I wish I had

You might think it’s an intrusion when strangers knock on the door. But when three Mormon missionaries showed up at my friend’s apartment, I excitedly ran down the stairs to talk to them. It’s not every day that people ride bikes to your house to discuss truth, and evangelism doesn’t get much easier than that. The elders asked us if we had read the Book of Mormon, and I mentioned that I own a copy. This raised their curiosity and excitement as they began to tell us about how Mormonism had changed their lives. One of the elders had just left Salt Lake City the previous week to start his mission. He stated that before arriving in Salt Lake City he had not been happy, but the training deepened his faith and made him happy again. This was a timely discussion since I just wrote about whether or not our happiness is God ’s priority. When I talk with Mormons , I want to understand their worldview rather than immediately refuting it. I do this and deepen the conversation with questions l