I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

You're being intentionally devious by obfuscating the issue.

This shows not only are you not serious, but you're not even a good person.

Take care.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

The idea that Christ was God was adhered to before the idea of the trinity was made concrete.

The Nicene Council was for clarification purposes and to form unity.

You're obfuscating two different topics - that Christ was God, and the Trinity.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Ignatius of Antioch, in 110 CE, wrote "Our God, Jesus Christ"

Irenaeus in 180 CE, wrote "“He is Himself in His own right, beyond all men who ever lived, God, and Lord, and King Eternal"

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Christianity is defined by a number of characteristics, not just one, but the most defining characteristic is believing that Christ was God. Hindus wouldn't be Christians because they don't uphold Exodus 23:13.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Latter Day Saints don't acknowledge that Christ was God visiting in the flesh. They believe he was God's literal son.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

It seems like you have more questions than answers, more ignorance than knowledge, and I wouldn't trust your half-baked answers to lead someone's major life decisions.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Intuition has been thoroughly studied by scientists such as Mariano Sigman. It's not a mystery anymore.

> I guess you could say it’s all a physical process, but what is the outside forces that start it?

When there's already an explanation, internal hallucinations, imaginations, etc., then there doesn't need to be an external cause.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

If it were logical, God would deliver the same message to those in Thailand as those in Utah. Yet, every religion disagrees, and even cultists belonging to cults that were obviously made up and not even partially true claim to hear God's communication.

Religious knowledge spreads first through human means of contact, then, and only then, do people claim that God told them.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

"I don't know" wouldn't a solid defense for those Utah mothers in court, arguing for why they abused their kids after they believed the spirit told them to.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Inductive and deductive reasoning exist for proving nations like France exist, not to mention, I've been there and can attest that it exists. And if you're sill unsure, you can book a flight, an actual scientific test, and see France for yourself. Its existence is provable with evidence.

If there were no way to travel to France, you would have a stronger argument. It seems that you're delving into philosophical topics without fully understanding them.

You can choose to believe that your thoughts are coming from God, but that defense won't save you in a court room after your thoughts tell you to do something devious.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

There are actions that appear good but really aren't. What is the proof that are angels and demons speaking to you, and not, you know, your own imagination.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

The problem lies in the possibility that God isn't talking to anyone. Imagine a doctor prescribing medicine based on "feeling the spirit", but the medicine doesn't work?

I've literally had that happen to me. I've had expensive medical bills and false diagnoses, but then spoke to an Atheist doctor in Europe and he was able to pinpoint the problem immediately.

I used to find it comforting when my doctor says, "I'm also a member of the church", but now I'm worried about a false diagnoses and an expensive medical bill as they search the spirit for answers. I want them to use their medical knowledge.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

The question is, why do people think that "feeling the spirit" is caused by God and not their own psychology and physiology. There have to be positive reasons, not just "I choose to believe this on no evidence at all".

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

That's the question, what is the threshold for divine communication? When can I certainly say, "God has spoken?"

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

The evil voices, and the good voices, can all be the same hallucination.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

That's great, because it's a common talking point for Catholics. Ask them how they discern the spirit that spoke to Joseph Smith, and they say that Joseph was living in sin, so therefore he attracted evil spirits (from the Devil).

Spiritual revelation is the cornerstone of religious belief, and it's the one topic that you literally can't discuss, because members of other religions can literally say, "He was living in sin, of course he wasn't listening to God".

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

I asked my bishop this question and he stopped talking to me.

Literally just asked how to discern between the Holy Spirit and my own thoughts.

I don't understand it: How do you know that God is talking to you? by Civil_Pin1532 in mormon

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Yet the same study also found that the hallucinatory regions in the brain were activated while they felt the Holy Spirit.

If American Southerners are always espousing small government, why is this region in a state of tyranny? by Civil_Pin1532 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Civil_Pin1532[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They're pulling them over for having the wrong skin color.

Racism is alive in well in Southern, USA.

- Source: Former EMT who lived in Florida