One more thing

Just one more thing about Conference. Based on something said after I wrote my other entry.
I wasn't familiar with the speaker but he said something to this effect: 'the only way to happiness is through Jesus. Everything else leads to insanity.' !!

(I wish I knew who the guy was so I could make sure this is accurate, but I am assuming this man has been a life long member. When the talk is posted online I will double check this.)

It is odd to me that someone who has only known one way of living could feel justified in claiming that their exists one way of living, which just happens to be the way he has been brought up in, that is the only path to happiness.

Fortunately this is a very easy claim to test. Aside from personal experience and what I have observed of numerous others, this subject has been well examined by researchers.
As I have discussed before, it is well studied that while religion or spirituality in one's life does, in general, increase levels of happiness, no one religion stands out above the others. If the statement above was correct researchers would be able to see a distinct difference in the levels of happiness between Christians and non-Christians. (or Mormons and those of other religions) Especially if it were true that all non-Christians are insane. Yet this has not been observed.

Perhaps when the speaker said 'insane' he meant to suggest that the non-christians perception of reality becomes so unlike what he believes to be the correct world view that it has become insanity. However, that interpretation is of insanity is incorrect. Beliefs based on faulty premise does not, in and of itself equal what we mean when we use the word 'insane'. I doubt this man would consider ancient people who believed the sun revolved around the earth insane because of their mistaken belief.

Neuroscience, through brain scans can actually see a person's level of happiness. The happiest man ever recorded by this means has been a Buddhist monk, Matthieu Ricard.

If one considers the statements of Jesus saying 'By their fruit you will recognize them....A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.' One would think that by this standard Matthieu Ricard is good, bearing good fruit, and not insane.