Greg Prince is doing a study on why people leave the Church

[_Bazooka]

1. How does a Mormon differentiate between a communication from God and a communication that is self generated or generated by some being other than God?
2. How does a Mormon determine that what they are being told is actually the truth?

I may be wrong, but I read his question as not asking how a Mormon can prove to another they are communicating with God, but how a Mormon can know they are in communication with God. His question seems to be asking how one can know spiritual experiences or what people may believe are spiritual communications are from the LDS God or some other being, or are they self generated. I think it is a good question many people don't consider.

You are correct Themis.

[_Bazooka]

1. How does a Mormon differentiate between a communication from God and a communication that is self generated or generated by some being other than God?
2. How does a Mormon determine that what they are being told is actually the truth?

What kind of questions are those? They're called personal religious experiences for a reason. They can't be demonstrated empirically. The only thing you can demonstrate empirically is the superiority of the Mormon way of life.

Nelson, have you ever had a communication from God?
If yes 1. How do you know it was a communication from God (other than you chose to believe it was) and 2. How do you know you were being told the truth (other than you chose to believe you were)?

[_nc47]

What kind of questions are those? They're called personal religious experiences for a reason. They can't be demonstrated empirically. The only thing you can demonstrate empirically is the superiority of the Mormon way of life.

Nelson, have you ever had a communication from God?
If yes 1. How do you know it was a communication from God (other than you chose to believe it was) and 2. How do you know you were being told the truth (other than you chose to believe you were)?

Now that's a good question. I'm not very good with feeling the Spirit in specific instances, as in most cases when I try to induce the Spirit it doesn't happen. I've felt the Spirit spontaneously before. But the major witness, I feel, is seeing the hand of God in my life with concrete events, especially when having my prayer answered.

I can't know for sure it was from God. Then again, I can't know for sure my memory is real or that other people exist. I just believe these things because I have a biological impulse to do so. I'm confident enough in my conclusion that I can live my life forward.

[_Bazooka]

But the major witness, I feel, is seeing the hand of God in my life with concrete events, especially when having my prayer answered.

If it's not too personal (and I will be questioning it so I understand if you want to protect the experience from scrutiny) can you give an example of when you felt something concrete happened in response to your prayers?

[_subgenius]

will Greg Prince's study recognize that after 3rd hour more people leave the church than do at any other time and for any other reason?

[_subgenius]

But the major witness, I feel, is seeing the hand of God in my life with concrete events, especially when having my prayer answered.

If it's not too personal (and I will be questioning it so I understand if you want to protect the experience from scrutiny) can you give an example of when you felt something concrete happened in response to your prayers?

i'll give you one...and it is personal.
Recently a formerly estranged family member came under my care as they experienced a serious health condition. They are an adult and were without health insurance. The urgency of their condition required immediate and numerous cash payments; which are still occurring. This quickly caused an emotional and financial strain on our family. Several weeks have been spent studying this issue out, exploring several options, and eventually being able to find an insurance provider. However, the insurance also required a large up-front premium and was not in effect immediately....other unexpected, and unrelated events conspired to make our financial situation a great concern.....finally, after an inspiring lesson at church this past Sunday, i gave pause and went to my knees in prayer...and i prayed to Heavenly Father to know His will...to give me the strength to subject my will to His.
Immediately, and for the next 2 days, relief was experienced by me, emotionally i was relieved...spiritually a burden was lifted though my temporal concern was not yet resolved. Then inspiration came to me and i was unable to avoid its course of action...and as a result my financial concern became resolved...almost instantaneously.

[_Bazooka]

i'll give you one...and it is personal.
Recently a formerly estranged family member came under my care as they experienced a serious health condition. They are an adult and were without health insurance. The urgency of their condition required immediate and numerous cash payments; which are still occurring. This quickly caused an emotional and financial strain on our family. Several weeks have been spent studying this issue out, exploring several options, and eventually being able to find an insurance provider. However, the insurance also required a large up-front premium and was not in effect immediately....other unexpected, and unrelated events conspired to make our financial situation a great concern.....finally, after an inspiring lesson at church this past Sunday, i gave pause and went to my knees in prayer...and i prayed to Heavenly Father to know His will...to give me the strength to subject my will to His.
Immediately, and for the next 2 days, relief was experienced by me, emotionally i was relieved...spiritually a burden was lifted though my temporal concern was not yet resolved. Then inspiration came to me and i was unable to avoid its course of action...and as a result my financial concern became resolved...almost instantaneously.

You stopped paying tithing?

How did your financial concern become resolved?

[_subgenius]

i'll give you one...and it is personal.
Recently a formerly estranged family member came under my care as they experienced a serious health condition. They are an adult and were without health insurance. The urgency of their condition required immediate and numerous cash payments; which are still occurring. This quickly caused an emotional and financial strain on our family. Several weeks have been spent studying this issue out, exploring several options, and eventually being able to find an insurance provider. However, the insurance also required a large up-front premium and was not in effect immediately....other unexpected, and unrelated events conspired to make our financial situation a great concern.....finally, after an inspiring lesson at church this past Sunday, i gave pause and went to my knees in prayer...and i prayed to Heavenly Father to know His will...to give me the strength to subject my will to His.
Immediately, and for the next 2 days, relief was experienced by me, emotionally i was relieved...spiritually a burden was lifted though my temporal concern was not yet resolved. Then inspiration came to me and i was unable to avoid its course of action...and as a result my financial concern became resolved...almost instantaneously.

You stopped paying tithing?

How did your financial concern become resolved?

as a consequence of inspired action.

[_Bazooka]

How did your financial concern become resolved?

as a consequence of inspired action.

You were inspired to stop paying tithing?

[_subgenius]

You were inspired to stop paying tithing?

"Every person may receive personal revelation for his own benefit."

in your circumstance i would say that the key word is "may".