For those Mormons who lurk, and those who are officially assigned by LDS, Inc. to monitor this website.

I just thought you should know. You teach that bearing your testimony actually is a powerful convincing or converting tool, perhaps because you believe that the Holy Ghost will confirm the testimony. At least that was what I was taught when I was LDS.

Reality Check: It's a fruitless technique. It doesn't work. If it were, you would have far more convert baptisms than you do. Which we all know, you don't.

Haven't you figured that out yet?

When the Fox special about how we really didn't go to the moon
aired, I was a physics graduate student and was fascinated how
it was their ignorance of physics that was behind so much of
their "proofs." Things which would be EXPECTED on the moon were
shown as evidence that it was faked on earth. Some real
howlers. A good physics class would be to show the program and
then discuss the physics that is so misapplied by the conspiracy
nuts.

But one thing did strike me. At one point in the program the
conspiracy nuts bore their testimony. They spoke about how
totally they were convinced that the U.S. never went to the
moon--how completely they KNEW it, as if that was anything other
than a statement about THEM.

It's a good tactic to use if you like watching people roll their eyes and shut the door on you. ;)

Ha, yes, I can testify without a shadow of a doubt, as a convert, that testimony meeting is the worst meeting to take an investigator to. It's weird, creepy, and looks very cultish. Then when I went on my own mission I tried to convince myself that it would be a spiritual experience for investigators, never worked. People crying, holiday monologues, children parroting creepy parents, everyone saying I know, I know, I know.. Urrggh

Unchaste movies at Walmart in Layton, Hillary Clinton is a minion of Satan. Lol!

Lay'un

Robert Lund is great. "...united nations must be the beast from the book revelations."

Thanks for the much needed laugh.

I've had SDAs bear their testimony to me. Didn't convert me. Because that they believe something doesn't mean what they believe is true.

I've had JWs bear their testimony to me. Didn't convert me. Because that they believe something doesn't mean what they believe is true.

I've had Muslims bear their testimony to me. Didn't convert me. Because that they believe something doesn't mean what they believe is true.

Mormons -- notice a pattern yet?

Your "testimony" is worthless. That you believe something does not mean that what you believe is true. It only means you believe it. And since a great deal of evidence shows that many things you believe are FALSE, your testimony is worse than worthless -- it's uninformed ignorance.

My view on 'Testimony' is that it's a similar feeling to what one gets at a MLM meeting where a person gets convinced they are going to make great money and no amount of cautionary advice or warnings from friends will stop them. In fact it does the opposite and makes them more determined because they were told at the MLM meeting not to let the doubters stop them from making great money and success!

Of course the doubters are only trying to spare them wasting their time and money on a MLM Ponzi scam.

I never did understand LDS testimony during my two years attending. I just looked at the historical and geographical evidence of the book of mormon. As if that wasn't enough the BofA translation was just as stupid. Then the history of LDS Prophets talking authoritive garbage didn't help.

When I met with SP a couple nights ago, I kept stressing that I didn't have the "religion gene" and thus had a lot of difficulty with the BoM. I called it an adventure story.

SP ignored that and bore testimony of the BoM. If I were only to read it with pure intent I would discover the religion gene that was missing in my life.

I didn't roll my eyes, but he couldn't have missed the "are you serious?" look on my face.

My response: "Yeah well, I'll think about it."

CES-Letter:
http://cesletter.com/Letter-to-a-CES-Director.pdf

From Section 9 of Testimony/Spiritual Witness Concerns & Questions:

9. I felt the Spirit watching “Saving Private Ryan” and the “Schindler’s List.” Both R-rated and horribly violent movies. I also felt the Spirit watching “Forrest Gump” and the “Lion King.” After I lost my testimony, I attended a conference where former Mormons shared their stories. The same Spirit I felt telling me that Mormonism is true and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet is the same Spirit I felt in all of the above experiences.
Does this mean that Lion King is true? That Mufasa is real and true? Does this mean that Forrest Gump is real and the story happened in real life? Why did I feel the Spirit as I listened to the stories of apostates sharing how they discovered for themselves that Mormonism is not true? Why is this Spirit so unreliable and inconsistent? How can I trust such an inconsistent and contradictory Source for knowing that Mormonism is worth betting my life, time, money, heart, mind, and obedience to?

Epistemology based on Faith/Feelings is too variable. Even within the Mormon Church, there are many variations of belief. A woman in my ward had issues with her marriage and considered divorce. She lost her wedding ring and was frantic to find it. In her talk she said, "God found my Diamond Ring, therefore Marriage is Eternal and I should stay married." My thoughts were drawn to the Poor kids with Cancer at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Doesn't God want to help them? After all, he did save a marriage. I'm quite sure those Mothers are pleading to God for their children.

What ever!

Children get up on Fast and Testimony meeting to bear their testimony. They don't have the life experience to even begin to understand it. Yet, here they are repeating the words they hear so often, for the feedback and reward of saying it.

My TBM wife tells me to stay home on Fast and Testimony Meetings because I bring up the Hypocrisy of it all. Fine with me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2015 02:47PM by cognitivedissonance.

Ever had the 7/11 clerk hand you your lotto ticket, and as you turn and head out, you get this spiritual witness that THIS IS IT!...?

Yeah, me, too.

I have been "Witnessed to," the evangelical equivalent to testimony bearing here in Kentucky. I just tell them "OK, all you've done here is told me that YOU believe it. That does nothing to compel me to do so. I need evidence, not faith."