For this to work out, feelings of this sort had to be between 20 and 200 times more likely if the church is true than if it isn’t. Given human psychology, I think this is implausibly high. Like I said, I do think what you experienced is evidence, but I wouldn’t put the odds much higher than 5:1.
I agree with this assessment on the basis of internal LDS Theology. That is the Spirit testifies of the truth to all men everywhere and testifies of whatever portion of the truth they have. Thus it can be assumed that some such Spiritual experiences should be had in pretty much any religion and among those that mingle scripture with philosophy to get gain.
This is why it is important to ask for oneself and receive a personal confirmation for specific questions. However, even this doesn’t give high levels of certainty, as Alma points out in Alma 32. It does give enough to act upon what has been given so far which can then be used to get much higher degrees of confidence. Furthermore, it shouldn’t be a one time thing but one should be continually receiving such experiences as we are given line upon line, precept on precept.
Assuming people are acting rationally after receiving such an experience, even praying specifically only appears to provide odds of something like 7:1. Of course, having occurred once they may have changed their assessment of its likelihood in other religions, especially since so many (theist and atheist alike) place such high probability on the LDS being wrong.
Other types of experiences are also possible and do happen (angels and so forth) but are rarer for reasons described in Alma 32 and elsewhere.
Adam/God
I know where this idea is coming from but it contradicts such scriptures as Christ saying He only did what He saw His Father do and the entire idea of resurrection and immortality as given in scripture. Even Christ had to grow in grace and truth and was not given the fullness at once, so human prophets when not speaking directly from prophecy are completely fallible. Adam is certainly a god but is not God the Father.
Book of Abraham papyri
Given that the Bible was similarly translated and the pattern of how that happened is given in the D&C it is very safe to assume that a literal translation of the text as it appears on the fragments of papyri used was not intended. Some of it does appear to match, but only slightly (the Popol Vuh has things closer to temple ceremony and knowledge from the book of Abraham then the literal translation of the papyri).
I agree with this assessment on the basis of internal LDS Theology. That is the Spirit testifies of the truth to all men everywhere and testifies of whatever portion of the truth they have. Thus it can be assumed that some such Spiritual experiences should be had in pretty much any religion and among those that mingle scripture with philosophy to get gain.
This is why it is important to ask for oneself and receive a personal confirmation for specific questions. However, even this doesn’t give high levels of certainty, as Alma points out in Alma 32. It does give enough to act upon what has been given so far which can then be used to get much higher degrees of confidence. Furthermore, it shouldn’t be a one time thing but one should be continually receiving such experiences as we are given line upon line, precept on precept.
Assuming people are acting rationally after receiving such an experience, even praying specifically only appears to provide odds of something like 7:1. Of course, having occurred once they may have changed their assessment of its likelihood in other religions, especially since so many (theist and atheist alike) place such high probability on the LDS being wrong.
Other types of experiences are also possible and do happen (angels and so forth) but are rarer for reasons described in Alma 32 and elsewhere.
I know where this idea is coming from but it contradicts such scriptures as Christ saying He only did what He saw His Father do and the entire idea of resurrection and immortality as given in scripture. Even Christ had to grow in grace and truth and was not given the fullness at once, so human prophets when not speaking directly from prophecy are completely fallible. Adam is certainly a god but is not God the Father.
Given that the Bible was similarly translated and the pattern of how that happened is given in the D&C it is very safe to assume that a literal translation of the text as it appears on the fragments of papyri used was not intended. Some of it does appear to match, but only slightly (the Popol Vuh has things closer to temple ceremony and knowledge from the book of Abraham then the literal translation of the papyri).