The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Plausible Religion

Good round CON! Mormonism is just as likely as any other religion. ---Points why LDS is a plausible religion--- 1. 1. LDS have a leader, just like any other religions. 2. 2.LDS have followers. 3. 3.LDS have cannon. 4. 4.LDS have doctrine they follow. ---Red herring--- We are not debating rather Mormonism is true, we are debating rather Mormonism is a plausible religion. To take the reader’s attention and mine away from the debate at hand is a red herring. You are taking attention away, because it doesn’t matter if Joseph Smith was insane. It matters that he was the leader of a group of people with a set of beliefs. ---Ad Populum--- I never said that Mormonism was true because it has 14 million people. My exact statement was “14 million people are LDS around the world. They all share the same beliefs thus The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a plausible religion.” That furthers my point that a group of people share a set of beliefs ---“ Every Religion is invalid therefore Mormonism is valid. Does not logically follow..“--- That is not what I intended, but since CON inferred wrong I will elaborate on my point. The point of listing that different religions have these “weird” things is to prove LDS isn’t the only religion with “weird” beliefs. When I say weird I mean weird as in weird to an atheist or a non-believer of said religion. --- Eyewitness Testimony--- I will elaborate on what you quoted. People much better acquainted- People who knew him. Less bias- People who did not want to kill him. If somebody writes a book about your character who wants to kill you; said book holds no water because said person has deeper motivations. Those books were written by people who knew Joseph Smith. They were not necessarily Mormons. ---Rebuttals--- ---3. --- The quote is saying that languages have been discovered similar to what Joseph Smith claimed he saw. The Book of Mormon reference is just to refute the claim that the Book of Mormon used a language used in different locations. Examples of reformation of Egyptian · Byblos Syllabic texts · Cretan hieroglyphics · Meroitic · Psalm 20 in demotic Egyptian · Proto-Sinaitic and the alphabet William J. Hamblin, "Reformed Egyptian," FARMS Review 19/1 (2007): 31–35. 7. Your right Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery did try to claim revelation from God to cover the whole church. That doesn’t negate the fact that JOSEPH SMITH and MEMBERS believed he was the sole prophet. That is like me coming into your house and saying I am the head of household two. Feb 1832 2For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a alaw unto my church, through him whom I have appointed unto you to receive commandments and brevelations from my hand. 3And this ye shall know assuredly—that there is anone other appointed unto you to receive bcommandments and revelations until he be taken, if he cabide in me. History of the Church, 1:154–56 D&C 43: 2-3 http://lds.org... ---9.--- The only “power” Oliver Cowdery was given is the Priesthood. If CON wants to say otherwise it his obligation to provide sources. ---12& 13. --- Headquarters of the Militia City of Jefferson, Oct. 27, 1838. Gen. John B. Clark. Sir:—Since the order of this morning to you, directing you to cause four hundred mounted men to be raised within your division, I have received by Amos Rees, Esq. of Ray county and Wiley C. Williams, Esq., one of my aids, information of the most appalling character, which entirely changes the face of things, and places the Mormons in the attitude of an open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of having made war upon the people of this State. Your orders are, therefore, to hasten your operations with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary, for the public peace-their outrages are beyond all description. If you can increase your force, you are authorized to do so, to any extent you may consider necessary. I have just issued orders to Maj. Gen. Willock of Marion county, to raise five hundred men, and to march them to the northern part of Daviess, and there unite with General Doniphan, of Clay, who has been ordered with five hundred men to proceed to the same point for the purpose of intercepting the retreat of the Mormons to the north. They have been directed to communicate with you by express, you can also communicate with them if you find it necessary. Instead, therefore, of proceeding as at first directed to reinstate the citizens in their homes, you will proceed immediately to Richmond and then operate against the Mormons. Brig. Gen. Parks of Ray, has been ordered to have four hundred of his Brigade in readiness to join you at Richmond. The whole force will be placed under your command. I am very respectfully, your ob't serv't, L. W. BOGGS, Commander-in-Chief. That is straight from the governor of Missouri at the time, the exact extermination order. ("From the bottom of his heart Joseph hated violence, but his people were demanding something more than meekness and compromise.) (Bushman 2005, p. 355) Joseph Smith was a pacifist at heart, but being tarred and feathered and watching his members killed many times he had to change. Any GOOD MAN who has his wife and kids being attacked will defend them. ---Danites and violence 12 & 13 Continued--- “This lecture of the doctor's revealed for the first time the true intent of his designs, and the brethren he had duped suddenly had their eyes opened, and they at once revolted and manfully rejected his teachings. Avard saw that he had played and lost, so he said they had better let the matter drop where it was. As soon as Avard's villainy was brought to the knowledge of the president of The Church he was promptly excommunicated, and was afterwards found making an effort to become friends with the mob, and conspiring against The Church. This is the history of the Danite band, "which", says the Prophet Joseph, "died almost before it had an existence." B.H. Roberts, The Missouri Persecutions, 1900, p. 220 ---Closing--- I have negated all CONS points as to why LDS is not a plausible religion. I have also laid out my points barney style in hopes CON will debate them and not skate around the debate at hand. I have clearly proved that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints http://www.lds.org... is a plausible religion.