F*** Religion.

[_JAK]

Paul stated here:
Yes, it is special. Mormonism is a religion founded upon principles of revelation and angelic visitation in latter-days.

You’re repeating a claim, a dogma made. It’s a distortion of the word “special.” The second sentence is subscribed to only by Mormons such as yourself. It’s a religious doctrine, and in that is like (similar to) other religious doctrines. It’s no more special than Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shinto, Judaism, and all the more than 1,000 groups since the Protestant Reformation beginning in 1517 with Luther’s protest against practices and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church.

It’s equivalent to arguing that all homo sapiens dating back some 200,000 years are “special.” It’s a fallacious use of the word “special.”

Paul stated here:
Joseph Smith said he saw the the Father and the Son. (It’s your quote with repeated word)

It’s a claim made, not a recognized historical fact by any but those committed to Mormon dogma. No other religious organization subscribes to Joseph Smith’s claim. “Special” is a faulty word.

Paul stated here:
These factors place Mormonism on another level than the Catholics and the rest of the religions that sprang out of the protestant rebellion.

“Level” is also a misnomer here and the rest of your statement is factually wrong. Roman Catholicism did not spring “out of the protestant rebellion.” The Protestant Reformation was a protest and ultimately a reformation movement against specific practices and dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church.

Paul’s statement:
These factors place Mormonism on another level than the Catholics and the rest of the religions that sprang out of the protestant rebellion. The error is that “and the rest of the religions that sprang out of…”

You have historical fact incorrect.

Paul stated:
Mormonism is special. It claims a lot more than the other religions.

Incorrect. Mormonism claims different things than other groups which followed the 1517 attempts by Martin Luther to reform certain practices and doctrines of The Roman Catholic Church. Mormon history is post 1517 C.E. and far into the plethora of reform movements that were ultimately part of the many divisions in Christianity which followed 1517 C.E.

Read about the many divisions which have taken place in Christianity at the web link provided.

Even if more claims were made by Mormonism, it gives no credibility to those claims. Absent genuine credibility through transparent, intellectual investigation and analysis, such claims are merely a part of one group which adhere to a particular dogma among the more than 1,000 groups each of which might apply the word “special” to their own unsupported, un-transparent claims which they take to be true.

JAK

[_Paul Osborne]

JAK,

I defend my special quotes!

Yes, it is special. Mormonism is a religion founded upon principles of revelation and angelic visitation in latter-days.

Special:

1. distinguished by some unusual quality
2. being in some way superior
3. held in particular esteem
4. readily distinguishable from others of the same category
5. being other than the usual
6. stresses having a quality, character, identity, or use of its own

Joseph Smith said he saw the Father and the Son.

Special:

1. distinguished by some unusual quality
2. being in some way superior
3. held in particular esteem
4. readily distinguishable from others of the same category
5. being other than the usual
6. stresses having a quality, character, identity, or use of its own

Mormonism is special. It claims a lot more than the other religions

Special:

1. distinguished by some unusual quality
2. being in some way superior
3. held in particular esteem
4. readily distinguishable from others of the same category
5. being other than the usual
6. stresses having a quality, character, identity, or use of its own

Paul O

[_Paul Osborne]

JAK,

You know full well what I meant when I wrote, "These factors place Mormonism on another level than the Catholics and the rest of the religions that sprang out of the protestant rebellion".

You must be a school teacher grading my paper. You know darn well what I meant. You ain't getting an apple from me.

Mormonism is on the level of seeing God face to face. Leaders of other religions aren’t on that level.

Paul O

[_JAK]

Paul,

There is no refutation here of my analysis. No religious dogma/doctrine is “special” in the context of your claims. Or, one could argue each is “special.” The spider in my basement is “special.” It is unique only in that it is my basement at this time (and no other) and that I found it (and no other found it) and that it was killed by me (and no other). Hence, I can argue I had a special spider. It would be an incorrect application of the word.

Your definitions can be applied with equality to all religious dogma. “Special” is an incorrect term as you attempt to apply it to Mormonism and as I illustrated with example previously.

JAK

[_Paul Osborne]

JAK,

Anyone and everyone can apply the word special to themselves if it meets the criteria shown in the dictionary definition. It's a matter of making a case. I’m just going by the dictionary. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.

Besides, Roger Morrison agrees with me!

Paul O

[_Paul Osborne]

Joseph Smith was special, he saw God the Father face to face.

Paul O

[_JAK]

JAK,

You know full well what I meant when I wrote, "These factors place Mormonism on another level than the Catholics and the rest of the religions that sprang out of the protestant rebellion".

You must be a school teacher grading my paper. You know darn well what I meant. You ain't getting an apple from me.

Mormonism is on the level of seeing God face to face. Leaders of other religions aren’t on that level.

Paul O

One can only read what’s on the screen. I read what you wrote and presented analysis with references to that analysis.

Paul state:
Mormonism is on the level of seeing God face to face. Leaders of other religions aren’t on that level.

That’s an assertion, a claim. It’s not a statement of fact. “God” is not established. No transparent, rational evidence has been presented for any God claims or previously for any claim for “the gods.” It’s superstition/mythology and the evolution of much can be documented. The farther back in time, the less reliable generally.

JAK

[_Paul Osborne]

JAK,

You bet it’s a claim and an assertion! That’s what religion is all about. I believe it's a fact that Joseph Smith saw the Father although I can't prove it. That makes him special to me. That makes him special to all the other religions too.

You see, other religions (and it’s a fact) don’t share those claims, so Mormonism is special.

Paul O

[_Calculus Crusader]

Also, the Mormon faith is a tough faith to disprove.

Only if your head is buried in a hat buried in a cement box buried in an Indian mound.

[_JohnStuartMill]

It's simultaneously hilarious and pathetic to see CC lambaste Mormons for believing in the wrong cosmic Jewish zombie.