Laban's death defies logic and reality

[_Gordon]

The odds are actually pretty high that an overwhelming majority and or minority of people have had the same intense feelings about something. For example, an overwhelming majority of Germans felt instense feelings about Jews and what to do with them. An overwhelming minority of educated wealthy folks had intense feelings about investing their money with Madoff. An overwhelming minority of folks have gravitated to Scientology and have intense feelings about L. Ron Hubbard's writings and feel there are invisible spirits called Thetans that are invading our bodies. An overwhelming majority of children have very strong and intense feelings about Santa. None of this adds crediblity.

Irrelevant. I'm not talking about strong feelings for apple pie, here.

So to follow up, what makes one group's rare and intense feelings about a particular aspect of life more valid or truthful than another group's rare and intense feeling associated with one particular aspect of life?

The difference is in the claimed experience. I have lots of intense 'feelings', but they aren't witnesses of truth concerning the Gospel.

[_Drifting]

The difference is in the claimed experience. I have lots of intense 'feelings', but they aren't witnesses of truth concerning the Gospel.

How do you tell the difference?

[_Gordon]

LDS spiritual experience comes in many forms, as do those in other religions, and those who are not religious.

Yes, they do, and I already mentioned that. However, I'm being specific.

I always enjoyed going to those ones, but they really represent only a small minority of religions or religious people. Many Christian groups are actually similar to the LDS church in how they act, and the kind of spiritual experiences they have. They tend to talk about them differently for a number of reasons. Buddhists don't seem to the "overcome with emotion that their eyes roll back, they faint, or start shouting in jibberish" type.

In my experience, the majority of those claims are not similar to the one I'm speaking about.

[_Gordon]

They do not claim them as proof of truth claims like LDS have been taught to do.

While true, many still do not claim them at all.

[_Gordon]

Speaking in tongues and the other activities you mention were very common in early LDS gatherings.

Yes, but I would say in a different manner.

[_Chap]

I don't find these repeated claims by Gordon that he has special experiences and that he can be sure that no-one (or perhaps just hardly anyone) in other religions has anything of the same kind to be remotely convincing.

Gordon is not going to give up his claim, of course. The question is rather why he should expect anyone else to feel compelled to assent to it. Can anyone other than Gordon see any reason for according him the status he claims?

[_Drifting]

Speaking in tongues and the other activities you mention were very common in early LDS gatherings.

Yes, but I would say in a different manner.

Different how?

[_Gordon]

The problem being, no two experiences are the same.
What you describe as a witness (burning from within) is not something that Dallin H Oaks has stated he has experienced. In fact, the Apostle specifically stated that he has NOT experienced a strong burning sensation, more of a calm feeling that comes over him.

Which one of you (Gordon the poster or Dallin the Apostle) is describing accurately how the Holy Ghost works?

Teaching and Learning by the Spirit

Oaks statements seem to indicate that you've been tricked Gordon....

I already stated that there are multiple ways. I know people who have gained a witness without such an experience. Nobody has been tricked, and Elder Oaks isn't saying such experience don't happen.

[_PrickKicker]

Just because you have 'feelings' of love, admiration, devotion, ... for another human being.
It doesn't mean that GOD is telling you it is meant to be and the other person involved is wrong for not feeling the same.

Just because millions of Muslim people read the Quran and believe it does not make it true.

Just because you condition yourself through starvation and meditation on the 1st Sunday of the month doesn't mean what you are hearing is true, it just makes you highly emotional.

[_Drifting]

The problem being, no two experiences are the same.
What you describe as a witness (burning from within) is not something that Dallin H Oaks has stated he has experienced. In fact, the Apostle specifically stated that he has NOT experienced a strong burning sensation, more of a calm feeling that comes over him.

Which one of you (Gordon the poster or Dallin the Apostle) is describing accurately how the Holy Ghost works?

Teaching and Learning by the Spirit

Oaks statements seem to indicate that you've been tricked Gordon....

I already stated that there are multiple ways. I know people who have gained a witness without such an experience. Nobody has been tricked, and Elder Oaks isn't saying such experience don't happen.

What you seem to be saying is that the Holy Ghost can confirm things through a variety of differing feelings and sensations. How does that help us identify which feelings and sensations are from the Holy Ghost and which are either self generated or from the adversary?