What's you favorite argument for the church from TBMS

[_The Dude]

1) How can this church not be true when there are so many smart people involved in it? Doctors, lawyers, scientists, businessmen... all these people would have to be fools if the Church wasn't what it claimed to be.

Um, so what about all the smart people who aren't Mormons? If you are going to assert that somebody must be a fool in regards to Mormonism, then who is it, the people who believe God is a homo sapien or the people who don't believe such things?

2) Even though Joseph Smith lied about polygamy and married other men's wives and underaged daughters, the fact that so many early Mormons believed him and were persecuted for following him makes a strong case that he was not a fallen prophet.

Huh? <blink>

[_Who Knows]

Here's a good one from Charity that I just read:

Since we have not been given a revealed answer from the Lord, there could be several possible options. Why worry about it? It doesn't matter. The Gospel truths are what are important.

Can't argue with that now can you!

[_Pokatator]

Bond previously wrote one my favorites too.

Mine is "the church is true because it still exists" .

Here's a recent classic of that same line from Why Me on the "Gazelam - Our Model TBM" thread

Actually smitty, I know that the countermo apologists have put together a pretty package but it is all very much debatable. And here is the problem. The critic analysis of the Book of Abraham does not provide the knockout punch. And the proof of this is found in the fact that the church still survives. I am not a trained scholar on the issue but when I said that nothing has proven the church false, my statement still holds up.

Now a manuscript of the Book of Mormon in Joseph Smith's handwriting with revisions or in Sidney's handwriting with revisions would help immensely. This would be a knockout punch. But the Book of Abraham is still open to interpretation and so it remains.

[_harmony]

My favorite is the classic "look at how the church is growing, just like the prophecy said it would! More temples, more stakes, more church buildings! You know it's true when we have so many church houses!"

I'm like... you realize that makes the Catholic church the true church? Because they have more churches than anyone else?

Silence... and a dirty look.

[_Gazelam]

Bond previously wrote one my favorites too.

Mine is "the church is true because it still exists" .

Here's a recent classic of that same line from Why Me on the "Gazelam - Our Model TBM" thread

Actually smitty, I know that the countermo apologists have put together a pretty package but it is all very much debatable. And here is the problem. The critic analysis of the Book of Abraham does not provide the knockout punch. And the proof of this is found in the fact that the church still survives. I am not a trained scholar on the issue but when I said that nothing has proven the church false, my statement still holds up.

Now a manuscript of the Book of Mormon in Joseph Smith's handwriting with revisions or in Sidney's handwriting with revisions would help immensely. This would be a knockout punch. But the Book of Abraham is still open to interpretation and so it remains.

Just to be clear, that's not me that said that.

[_Bond...James Bond]

My favorite is the classic "look at how the church is growing, just like the prophecy said it would! More temples, more stakes, more church buildings! You know it's true when we have so many church houses!"

I love this one!

[_Pokatator]

Bond previously wrote one my favorites too.

Mine is "the church is true because it still exists" .

Here's a recent classic of that same line from Why Me on the "Gazelam - Our Model TBM" thread

Actually smitty, I know that the countermo apologists have put together a pretty package but it is all very much debatable. And here is the problem. The critic analysis of the Book of Abraham does not provide the knockout punch. And the proof of this is found in the fact that the church still survives. I am not a trained scholar on the issue but when I said that nothing has proven the church false, my statement still holds up.

Now a manuscript of the Book of Mormon in Joseph Smith's handwriting with revisions or in Sidney's handwriting with revisions would help immensely. This would be a knockout punch. But the Book of Abraham is still open to interpretation and so it remains.

Just to be clear, that's not me that said that.

Oh it was written clear. But I can see how everyone could be confused "Did Why Me say that or Gazelam?" Say that line 3 times quickly and it starts to sound different.

Acutally Gaz, I am glad you disassociated yourself from such a stupid but commonly held argument.

[_Gazelam]

Well when you look at the arguement, the Catholic church is still around, and we all know its not Gods church.

Brigham Young has an excellent quote that I have posted before, but it bears repeating:

I had only traveled a short time to testify to the people, before I learned this one fact, that you might prove doctrine from the Bible till doomsday, and it would merely convince a people but would not convert them. You might read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and prove every iota that you advance, and that alone would have no converting influence upon the people. Nothing short of a testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost would bring light and knowledge to them - bring them in their hearts to repentence. Nothing short of that would ever do."

If someone reads something I say in regards to the gosple and it compels them to pray and receive an answer, that the best thing I could ever hope for.

But some things just can't be proven, they can be logically discussed, they can be shown from scripture, but a true testimony is only found by way of the Holy Ghost.

[_beastie]

My favorite is that it doesn't matter how poorly behaved past prophets were, because the prophets in the Bible were really nasty, too.