Mormons

I had some Mormon missionaries come and visit me just recently. They like to call themselves "Elders", but they are only 19 or 20 years old. My wife is Mormon and I have gone to their Church. But I don't buy the story. I had an interesting conversation with them. They are not allowed to fly in airplanes, unless getting to a missionary site, or read books other than about their faith. I told them to me that seems like mind control. They told me that is was a way to keep their focus on the faith. Then we talked about the Indians and the way they say that they are the lost tribe of Israel. I told them that doesn't fit with archelological and genetics. I told them that there was speculation prior to Lewis and Clarks expidention as to what would be found in the American west and that included the lost tribes of Israel. So that was thought before Smith and he undoubtedly knew about that. I told them about the genographic project and the gene typing has shown that the native americans (are they really native americans?) are more closely related to siberians and mongols than to middle eastern people. I showed them my copy of my book by Spencer Wells "The Journey of Man", one of them copied it down. Then they started talking about the pyramids of Mexico being like the ones of Egypt. I told them that one culture they were temples and the other they were tombs, as judged by experts. They also told me about a picture one of them saw in Mexico showing the "White God" in the indians stories and they take it to be Jesus. "I didn't know Jesus was white?" I said, "I thought he was middle eastern and a semite that would make him brown." Then they told me that it is written in the book of Mormon about Jesus visiting the Indians. I told them that other sources gave Joseph Smith a predecesor, another preacher named Joseph Smith who wrote a very similiar story. I was referenceing a book called "Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon" by David Persuitte. They said it was another anti-Mormon propaganda publication. I told them that most of the men who wrote afterdavids testifying to the Book of Mormon recanted it later, they said they didn't. I said Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon based on the previous acount. They were incredulous and wonder how a 20 something boy who was not very literate could have written such a thing. I asked them where the golden tablets are. They said they were taken up into heaven. I said "Thats conveinent." I had a meeting to go to and excused myself. I told them that they need to question everything and that includes religion and what authorities say. We parted on friendly note. They, however, gave me a copy of the Book of Mormon and told me to read it and it would change my life. I told them they need to read other books and expand their Knowledge. They also tried to say because of their age they didn't know as much. I think if they wish to go out prostelyzing, most common people will not be able to talk very knowledgable with them, but they need to be prepared to talk with someone who is. I think the plan to come back and try again. Do I need to slap them down again? Skeptical Dodo