From the The GLM Podcast, Aug 23, 2023:
Play from 27:10 to 35:00 to hear Corey Miller’s approach to dialoging with the LDS testimony.
BOA notes from this video’s content:
The Testimony is bedrock for their worldview.
The Testimony in Mormonism is often very wrote.
Example the glove illustration = 5 points of testimony.
1. Book of Mormon is the word of God
2. Joseph is a prophet
3. LDS church is the one true church
A testimony is often presented with great emotional tenacity.
A Testimony is used both offensively and defensively.
Those talking to LDS missionaries are often encouraged to pray to receive a testimony.
Although not essential doctrine, discussing Testimony is an essential dialog.
They have to see their over reliance on a subjective experience as a sole criterion of truth as problematic.
Corey’s plan to address this: at 30:22
Police lineup illustration:
Which person do you pick as the perpetrator?
LDS are familiar with the Grove experience, where Methodists and Presbyterians weren’t to be followed, Joseph Smith was told to join none of them.
Twist this to ask about:
1. Salt Lake LDS
2. Fundamentalist LDS
3. Community of Christ LDS church
4. All 400 splinter groups, since JS’s death
Primary Questions:
They all bear the same testimony, but how do I decide which of them is true?
Are they all correct?
So, it’s possible to be deceived by their personal testimony?
For a complete treatment of this subject please read the following article by Corey Miller (included with his permission):
Additional Info added from BOA:
Who is Corey Miller:
https://ratiochristi.org/people/corey-miller/
Corey Miller, PhD, is the President/CEO of Ratio Christi (2015-Present). While he grew up in Utah as a seventh generation Mormon, he came to Christ in 1988…
According to ChatGPT the 5 points of testimony are:
1. Faith in Jesus Christ
2. Repentance
3. Baptism by immersion
4. Receiving the Holy Ghost
5. Enduring to the End.
Moroni 10:4
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/moro/10?lang=eng
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
ChatGPT definitions:
1. Mormon Fundamentalist church:
The term “Mormon fundamentalist” refers to groups who separated from the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) when the LDS Church officially discontinued the practice of polygamy in 1890. These groups often emphasize doctrines and practices that the LDS Church has either abandoned, repudiated, or put in abeyance, particularly polygamy
2. Community of Christ Mormon church:
The Community of Christ is a religious organization with roots in the Latter Day Saint movement, emerging as a separate entity from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) following the death of Joseph Smith in 1844. They are also known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) and are distinct from the LDS Church in several key areas, including their views on the Book of Mormon, leadership, and social issues like gender and marriage.
3. How many splinter groups are there from the original LDS church:
There have been over 400 LDS splinter groups formed since the founding of Mormonism. One source estimates that there are over 170 organizations that trace their faith tradition to Joseph Smith Jr and the Book of Mormon. These groups have emerged from various factors, including disagreements over leadership, doctrine, and practice.
Here’s a more detailed look at the splinter groups:
Original Divisions: After Joseph Smith’s death, multiple groups emerged, each claiming to be the true heir to his vision. Brigham Young and the Twelve Apostles led the largest group, which is now known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
RLDS (now Community of Christ) Split: A significant division occurred after the Restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (RLDS) experienced a leadership transition crisis, leading to numerous other groups.
Fundamentalist Churches: Some groups, like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), maintain more traditional practices, including polygamy.
Other Groups: Numerous other splinter groups exist, often with differing theological interpretations and practices.
Ongoing Divisions: Divisions continue to occur as groups grapple with evolving social and political issues