By Matthew Allen
He was stumped.
Charles Lambert, a bright-eyed, out-going BYU freshman from Redlands, Calif., had been going strong for 20 minutes, debating and sharing his testimony with born-again Christian Reuben Israel, when Israel offered him a challenge.
“Young man, can you give me the 10 commandments in order?” Israel asked.
For the first time in the course of their conversation, Lambert was silent for a few seconds before finally conceding, “No, I cannot.”
“And that is why I”m not a Mormon,” Israel said triumphantly as he turned to face another white-shirt-and-tie-clad future missionary who wanted a crack at him.
As has been the case for more than a decade, street preachers and anti-Mormon protestors lined up around Temple Square and the Conference Center last weekend.
Although the church recommends that members simply ignore street preachers, some Latter-day Saints chose to speak with them concerning their beliefs and motives.
The generalization that members of the LDS church do not place enough emphasis on or know enough about the Bible seemed to be battle cry of the street preachers.
“The problem that I have with Mormons is that they seem to have outgrown the Bible,” Israel said. “This is the word of God that we”re talking about.”
Israel, a 43-year-old businessman who belongs to a network of Bible believers, travels all over the world in an attempt to open people”s eyes to the true Jesus of the Bible.
“We are an equal opportunity rebuker,” Israel said. “But the Mormon church is definitely a source of major concern for us.”
Many conference-goers were not rattled by the protestors, however, and some, such as Lambert, were even willing to listen and try to understand the protestors” perspective.
“I want to understand why they think the way that they do,” Lambert said. “I hope that by talking with them I can better prepare myself when I serve the Lord full-time.”
Lambert, who plans on serving a mission within the year, said he is not fazed by the protester”s comments.
“I”ve learned today that I need to study the Bible more,” Lambert said. “If these people see that we are not close-minded, hopefully they will recognize that we are trying to be Christ-like.”
Just a few feet away from where Lambert and Israel were having their discussion, another debate was taking place.
A man sporting red shades, red horns, a red tail and a red University of Utah polo shirt proudly displayed a sign with the introduction, “Hello, my name is Satan, and these street preachers are my disciples.”
The Satan-impersonator, who would only say that his name was Jason, has been coming out for three years to challenge the street preachers.
“I”m here to support my street preachers,” he said. “Every year I bring them out of the depths of Hell to yell at Mormons at conference time.”
Jason said he personally knew and had previously dealt with the man he was debating, a Baptist preacher from Duchesne named Loni Pursifull.
Purcifull said his purpose in coming was not to argue, but to convert Mormons to the true Jesus.
“The Bible tells me to earnestly contend for the faith,” Purcifull said. “Mormons call themselves Christians and I know they”re not, so I am here to do something about it.”
Jason, like many Latter-day Saints, questions the street preachers motives.
“They say that there here to persuade people, but if you look at their actions, it”s obvious that they are here to offend,” Jason said.
