Within LDS teaching lies a problematic premise: that subjective emotional experiences—often described in church language as “the Light of Christ,” “the Spirit of the Holy Ghost,” or “a burning in the bosom”—are not merely personal impressions but the ultimate arbiters of absolute truth. However, this standard is applied selectively: such feelings are deemed valid indicators of truth only when they affirm the church’s predetermined doctrines and narratives.

In practice, a baptismal candidate—or anyone seeking to “gain a testimony”—is taught to not only trust these internal impressions but to prioritize them over verifiable facts or rational analysis. They are urged to treat these fleeting, subjective sensations as divinely authoritative, and to act upon them with a weight and urgency that surpasses the consideration they might give to empirical evidence or reasoned argument.