Marshall Almarode exposes a troubling pattern he has observed in some Mormon evangelism tactics: a strategy that can be summarized as “Date them, dunk them, drop them.” The approach is deceptively simple: Mormons may seek to build relationships with Christians, encourage them to be baptized into the LDS Church, and then abandon them if the individuals begin to ask questions that challenge Mormon teachings or that cannot be answered with LDS doctrine.
This pattern is particularly harmful because it preys on trust and genuine faith, and it highlights the difference between human-invented religion and the living truth of Jesus Christ. The Bible warns believers about those who distort or exploit the truth: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
Christians are called to discernment, knowing that the gospel of Christ is not a game to be manipulated. Paul warns, “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:4). True conversion requires a solid foundation in Christ alone, not manipulation or emotional pressure.
Marshall’s stories also serve as a reminder that the Christian response should be both wise and loving. Christians are to be grounded in Scripture and aware of spiritual deception: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). At the same time, the goal is not simply to expose deception but to point people to the saving truth of Jesus Christ: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
By sharing these experiences, Marshall equips Christians to recognize patterns of false evangelism, to protect their own faith, and to gently guide seekers back to the true and unchanging Gospel. As Jesus promised, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). In Christ, there is no manipulation — only the firm, unchanging foundation of God’s Word.
