When I read only the church approved materials, I feel good.
When I listen only to people who tell me what a great job I'm doing at church, I feel my human needs for validation being met.
When I stand in front of my peers and they smile as I give my testimony, I feel accepted and thus I know it is really the Spirit confirming the truthfulness of the gospel.
Feelings are the only test of truth and only viewing/doing those things which make us feel good will allow the spirit of truth to work in our lives.
Claim: I just KNOW because the spirit has born witness to me and I know with all my being that it's true.
Answer: Yeah, but everyone very religious feels that way about their religion. What else have you got? (or) If the strength of your feelings is THE indicator of truth, then Islam is the answer because I don't see Mormons feeling so strongly about their religion that they blow themselves up for it.
Claim: It's the fastest growing church in the world.
Answer: No, it's not. Google it.
Claim: But look how much good it does for people.
Answer: Seriously? By the church's own statistics, they give less than $9.00 of your annual tithing each year to help the poor and suffering. Yes, there are programs in place to help people like the bishop's storehouse and employment services but you have to pay 10 percent of your money to the church to be able to use them. It isn't a gift given unconditionally to the poor. Welfare services runs on time and money donated by the members above and beyond their tithing for the most part. It isn't the church headquarters that is doing good. Utah, a predominantly Mormon state has the highest rate of anti-depressant usage in the US. The highest internet porn usage, one of the highest rates of bankruptcy, one of the lowest rankings for quality of life for children and ranks dead last in the number of women who graduate from college. That's not to mention the psychologically damaging aspects of Mormonism. I'm sure it does some good but probably ranks about the same as WalMart.
1. Its the only church that does baptisms for dead people, thus giving everyone a chance for salvation.
Answer:(For a theist)Didn't Christ already save everyone by virtue of his atonement.(For an atheist):Who says we need to be baptized?
2. The Book of mormon is true, therefore, the church is true. Answer:SHow me some evidence that came from the ground that backs up the historical claims of the BofM. Oh, there is none? Well, then, the book is false, therefore, the church is false.
3. The church has modern day revelation and prophets. Answer:Since when has any head of the church said anything new?
-He was a simple uneducated farm boy. He couldn't have written the book of mormon.
Response-He was 25 when the book was published. He knew how to read the Bible when he was 14. He knew how to write letters to his wife. And we all know he didn't write the BofM. He dictated it to Oliver Cowdery. For good measure-People write books all the time. People that don't write well dictate books all the time to ghost writers.(no pun intended).
1. The spirit told me it is true. Answer-I have a stupor of thought about the church. The "spirit" tells me the exact opposite.
2. Isn't it about time? (Those commercials make me feel good.) Answer-Anything put out by the church grosses me out. I feel icky when I watch LDS propaganda.
3. My mom and dad wouldn't lie to me. Those old men are so humble. It just has to be true. Answer-It is time to grow up and think for yourself.
There are approximately 10,000 true religions in the world.
All of the True Believers in each of the True Religions are convinced they are right and the rest are wrong and going to Hell. I feel like a mouse in a very big maze.
1. Because they have cool moving songs that were/are obviously sung in heaven by angels (e.g. Come, Come Ye Saints, I am a Child.., If I could Vie to Kolob). I feel good when the Mo-tab sings these songs. It must be true.
2. I saw the movie, the first vision, when I was a kid. That dude was knocked on his butt by Satan, and then God/JC appeared to him. The proof is in the movie.
3. Because YBU is the Lords school. Look at all the really intelligent people they graduate every year. The YBU girls are the hottest because they are so pure and undefiled.
I don't see Mormonism as providing any "proofs" that it is true at all. What they teach is that God will provide no proofs of the truthfullness of the "gospel" as taught by the LDS church as he wants and needs us to accept this by "faith" so it is up to each of us to discover that what is taught is true by prayer and a "spiritual witness" from God or the Holy Ghost that it is the truth and leads us back to God's presence.
The trouble with this concept is that all the other religions that teach the "truth", as they see it, will use this same way of having those seeking the tuth of what is taught to be confirmed to them.........therefore, how is one to really know a "true" spiritual confirmation from a "false" one? The LDS church would have us throw out the rational, logical, and common sense evidences in favor of a "feel good" spiritual touching of the "soul" in deciding what is real and true. Now, if a God does really exist, does that seem a logical way in which He would have his human creations determine truths?
1. Why would Joseph Smith make it all up, he couldn't have wrote the Book of Mormon because no good man would, and no bad man could.
2. Look at all the other churches, only one can be true, which one do you think it is? We have a prophet you see, apostles too, oh and the priesthood, anddddddd temples.
3. I know the church is true by my feelings. The holy spirit has made this known to me. Nothing and no one could change this FACT.
1. Because mormons know that the Garden of Eden was in Missouri, and that is where the New Jerusalem will be.(not)
2. Because mormons know that if you tell a secret (the temple ceremony) you should be killed, not one, but up to three different ways.
3. Because mormons know even though Noah drank wine, Jesus drank wine and made wine as a miracle and as His sacrament, that the whole bible discusses wine,......it is now a horrible sin and will stop you from seeing your child get married in the temple.
3. Lotz of intelijent peepel (moor sew than mee) beleeeve its twue, soo it must bee.
2. Nien generashunz of my inbred ancesterz hav ben Morons, and if it wernt true, they wood have left befoer me. Besiedez, itz a good plase two raize kids.
1. A took the Moron challenge and got a tingling in my breast when I prayed if it was true.
The Founders appeared in the St. George temple and asked to be baptized
Joseph Smith is predicted in the Bible
A 14 year old couldn't possibley have written a great book like the BofM. Okay, he wasn't 14, he may not have written it and it isn't that great but the church is still true