Aristotle Smith wrote:Agreed, this is a very Mormon way of framing the question and I don't think a helpful one.
I don't think Mormons realize what a can of worms they are opening up with that question. It's an epistemological rabbit hole. As far as I know there is no philosophical position which provides any ability to say, "I know X is true" with absolute certainty for any value of X. The sooner one stops playing that game, the sooner sanity returns.
I decided on Christianity pretty much the same way I decided on any major life decision (changing a career, the decision to have kids, who to marry, etc.). It was a combination of rational thought, feeling good about it, trying it out, overcoming fears, etc. I don't think Christianity requires absolute certainty, nor absence of doubt, after all the just live by faith, not by Cartesian certainty (which I don't think exists anyway).
I agree, it’s silly for Mormons to claim that they are the one “true religion”.
But how is this substantially different from…
…Pope Benedict’s claims that “Catholicism is the only true church”?
…CARM’s claims that “Christianity is the only true religion”?
…Christianity’s claims that “Christianity is the only true path to salvation”?
…the New Testament’s claims that Jesus is the only “true god”?
…and etc.
In other words, this isn't just a Mormon way of framing the question; it's basic human nature.
Drifting wrote:What if every single religion had overegged the pudding by mingling the philosophies of men with scripture? There certainly could be a situation where God exists without there being one true (the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth) religion on the earth.
God is only a liar if He has spoken to you directly face to face and what He said turned out to be false. Instead, you rely on second hand accounts from agenda driven authors of what God is supposed to have said. And what you should or should not ascribe to God is determined by what other men say you should be feeling and their explanations and interpretations of what it means if you are not having the 'correct' feelings.
If I want to speak to my son, I ring him up and speak to him even if he hasn't asked me to call. Or I will go and visit him and take him for lunch. I don't get a series of strangers to pass on to him what I want to tell him. I don't get him to listen to others interpretations of what they think it is I want to say to him. I just tell him directly.
If God exists and He is our Heavenly Father then I rather suspect He doesn't need intermediaries. He knows where I am, He's got my number, He can speak to me any time He wants. Sadly, He always expects me to make the effort to call Him...
+1
