- The LDS church should not endorse emotional experiences as valid evidence for its truthfulness."
- "Relying on 'good feelings' as proof of the LDS church's validity is problematic."
- Degree to which 'good feelings' can be reliably linked to the truth of a specific doctrine or belief
- Prevalence of similar 'good feelings' across different religious or non-religious experiences
- The extent to which 'good feelings' are influenced by external factors (e.g., group dynamics, suggestion, expectation)
God probably won't give you more spiritual guidance until you have exhausted the resources you already have access to.
- Score: 3 (Truth) * 0.7 (Relevance) * 1 (Uniqueness) = 2.1
God won't tell us what is true, until after we have used all our reason, ability to organize information, and logical skills.
- Score: 3 (Truth) * 0.75 (Relevance) * 0.9 (Uniqueness) = 2.025
Feelings cannot be trusted to verify if a historical fact is true or not.
- Score: 4 (Truth) * 0.85 (Relevance) * 1 (Uniqueness) = 3.4
It is bad to make important life (or eternal salvation) decisions based primarily on your feelings.
- Score: 2 (Truth) * 0.8 (Relevance) * 0.8 (Uniqueness) = 1.28
Reasons to disagree: -
Feelings can provide a profound, personal spiritual experience that goes beyond logical reasoning.
- Score: 3 (Truth) * 0.7 (Relevance) * 1 (Uniqueness) = 2.1
Feelings can serve as a form of personal revelation or spiritual guidance.
- Score: 2 (Truth) * 0.75 (Relevance) * 0.7 (Uniqueness) = 1.05
Human cognition is not purely rational; feelings and intuition play a crucial role in our decision-making processes.
- Score: 3 (Truth) * 0.8 (Relevance) * 1 (Uniqueness) = 2.4
Emotionally resonant experiences, such as feeling the Spirit, can be transformative and deeply meaningful, contributing to a sense of purpose, community, and identity.
- Score: 2 (Truth) * 0.85 (Relevance) * 0.9 (Uniqueness) = 1.53
- Cognitive biases such as confirmation bias can lead individuals to interpret feelings in a way that confirms pre-existing beliefs.
- Empirical studies have demonstrated that feelings and emotions can be influenced by a variety of external factors unrelated to the truth of a belief.
- There are many instances, both within religious contexts and in general life situations, where feelings can lead individuals to incorrect conclusions.
- Experiencing warm, fuzzy feelings, often cited as the foundation of testimonies in the LDS Church, isn't exclusive to religious contexts. You can get similar feelings when watching fictional movies, which doesn't necessarily indicate truth. This is an example of 'elevation', a well-documented psychological response to witnessing virtuous acts of remarkable moral goodness. It's important to remember that feelings, while meaningful, are not always reliable indicators of factual truth.
Weakening Evidence:
- Many religions and spiritual traditions affirm the value of personal spiritual experiences, including feelings, as a source of truth.
- Some argue that profound feelings of peace, love, or joy can indicate a connection to a higher truth or power.
- While the LDS Church advocates for personal feelings as one method of gaining a testimony, it also encourages other avenues for seeking truth, such as studying scriptures and teachings.
- Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."
Scriptures that disagree:
- Galatians 5 22
- Moroni 10:4-5 in the Book of Mormon encourages readers to pray to know the truth of the book.
- "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman discusses the fallibility of human judgment and decision-making, including the influence of emotion.
- "The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life" by Terryl and Fiona Givens discusses the role of personal feelings and experiences in the context of LDS faith.
A picture of a brain scan comparing the emotional reactions of someone hearing a fact and someone hearing something that confirms their belief. This could visually demonstrate the idea that feelings can be influenced by confirmation bias.
Political cartoons that satirize the idea of basing beliefs on feelings. For instance, a cartoon showing a character making a significant decision (like purchasing a house) based solely on "good feelings," with disastrous results.
Images That disagree: -
An image or diagram illustrating the process of spiritual revelation as understood by LDS Church doctrine. This could depict the steps of prayer, meditation, receiving a spiritual prompting, and taking action based on that prompting.
Photos of Mormon families or individuals looking happy and content, implying that their faith (based on spiritual feelings) has resulted in a fulfilling life.
Valid Interest of those who agree: +
Skeptics and rationalists - They value logical reasoning and evidence-based decision-making above subjective emotional experiences (Maslow's cognitive needs - Secondary - High validity).
Ex-Mormons or disaffected members - They might have felt misled by their past emotional experiences and value their new perspective (Maslow's esteem needs - Secondary - Moderate validity).
Mental health professionals - They might be interested in promoting emotional health and understand the complexity of human emotions and the dangers of basing decisions solely on feelings (Maslow's safety needs - Primary - High validity).
Non-Mormon religious adherents - They might believe their own religious experiences or doctrines to be more valid or true, and see the LDS focus on feelings as a flawed approach to faith (Maslow's esteem and belongingness needs - Secondary - Moderate validity).
Devout Mormons - They might have a strong emotional connection to their faith and see their feelings as an important part of their spiritual experiences (Maslow's spiritual and belongingness needs - Secondary - High validity).
People who value subjective experiences - They may believe that feelings and personal experiences are valid ways of knowing or perceiving the world (Maslow's cognitive and self-actualization needs - Secondary - High validity).
Certain spiritual leaders or theologians - They might see feelings as a crucial part of connecting with the divine and navigating faith (Maslow's spiritual needs - Secondary - High validity).
Those who had profound emotional experiences tied to their conversion or faith journey - They may see their feelings as a reliable source of truth and direction (Maslow's esteem and self-actualization needs - Secondary - Moderate validity).
Videos That agree: +
Videos That disagree: -
Website that agree: +
- Websites like Rational Faiths or MormonThink critically examine LDS teachings and practices.
Websites that disagree: -
- Websites like FairMormon or LDS.org affirm the role of personal feelings in gaining a testimony.
Podcast that agree: +
- "The Liturgists Podcast" often discusses the interplay of faith, feelings, and doubt.
Podcast that disagree: -
- "The LDS Perspectives Podcast" discusses various aspects of LDS doctrine, including personal testimony.
Unbiased Experts who agree: +
Neuroscientists or psychologists who specialize in emotion and cognition might agree with the idea that feelings are not a reliable guide to truth. They might argue that feelings can be easily manipulated and are often based on personal biases and experiences rather than objective facts.
Philosophers who focus on epistemology, the study of knowledge and belief, might also argue that feelings are not a reliable basis for beliefs about truth. They might point to the importance of empirical evidence and logical reasoning in forming reliable beliefs.
Unbiased Experts who disagree: -
Some religious scholars or theologians might argue that feelings can be a valid source of spiritual knowledge or truth. They might point to the long tradition of mysticism and personal revelation in many religions.
Some psychologists might argue that emotions and intuition can play an important role in decision-making and belief formation, even if they shouldn't be the sole basis for these processes.
Common Interest:
Both sides likely value truth and the pursuit of understanding. This shared interest could be a basis for dialogue, with each side recognizing that the other is also trying to understand the world and find truth, even if they have different methods or beliefs.
Both sides likely value community and belonging. They might find common ground in discussing the role that shared beliefs and feelings play in creating a sense of community and identity.
Opposing Interest:
One major obstacle might be different beliefs about the nature of truth and how it can be known. Those who believe that feelings are a valid basis for truth might find it difficult to accept arguments that prioritize empirical evidence and logical reasoning.
There may also be significant emotional obstacles to dialogue and understanding. For example, people who have had powerful emotional experiences that they interpret as spiritual truths may feel dismissed or invalidated by arguments that feelings are not a reliable basis for belief.
Related arguments:
- The LDS church is wrong to tell people that "bad feelings" are valid reasons to disbelieve those who criticize the church
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