Joseph Smith, Mormonism’s founder, taught the doctrine of a "plurality of gods"—polytheism—as the bedrock belief of his church. He developed this doctrine over a period of years to reflect his belief that not only are there many gods, but they once were mortal men who had developed in righteousness until they had learned enough and merited godhood.
The Mormon church uses the term "eternal progression" for this process, and it refers to godhood as "exaltation." Such euphemisms are used because the idea of men becoming gods is blasphemous to orthodox Christians. Needless to say, Smith encountered much hostility to these doctrines and so thought it wise to disguise them with unfamiliar terminology.
>According to Morman teaching, at one point in the eternities past, this man-become-God, or "Heavenly Father," begat the spirit body of his first son. Together with his heavenly wife, the Father raised his son in the council of the gods.
Before the creation of this world, Jesus Christ presented to his father a plan of salvation which would enable the billions of future human beings the opportunity of passing through mortality and returning to heaven, there to become gods of their own worlds. At the same time, another son of the Heavenly Father and brother of Christ offered a competing plan. When Christ’s was chosen, the rejected Lucifer led a rebellion of one-third of the population of the heavens and was cast out.
In time, Mormans believe, the Heavenly Father came to earth and had physical, sexual intercourse with the Virgin Mary. Rejecting both the testimony of Scripture (Luke 1:34-35) and the constant teaching of the Christian Church, Mormons believe Christ was conceived by the Father, and not by the Holy Spirit. (Journal of Discourses 2:268.)
Moreover, Mormans teach that Christ is a secondary, inferior god. He does not exist from all eternity. (Nor, for that matter, does his Father.) He was first made by a union of his heavenly parents. After having been reared and taught in the heavens, he achieved a certain divine stature. Through carnal relations with her Heavenly Father, the Virgin became pregnant with this lesser god.
And, NO, I am NOT a Mormon. I am a Catholic. These are their teachings. The fact is, they don’t hold to the essentials of Christianity. Gordon B. Hinckley, the current president and prophet of the Mormon church, says (in a booklet called What of the Mormons?) that he and his co-religionists "are no closer to Protestantism than they are to Catholicism."
I can't claim to be an authority on obscure books and all that.
Gordon B. Hinckley, the current president and prophet of the Mormon church, says (in a booklet called What of the Mormons?) that he and his co-religionists "are no closer to Protestantism than they are to Catholicism."
This is true. There are 3 divisions. Catholic, Protestant, and Mormon. There are a lot better quotes than that saying the exact same thing.
In the book "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder" it has an excellent passage on this very topic.
Protestantism or Catholicism is not the standard by which one should judge what is or isn't Christian.
When Christ was around there for one, wasn't a Protestant Revolution. Hence no Protestants. Some would even argue the same regarding Catholicism.
Catholics can easily say things about Protestants, because Protestants were once part of the Catholic church. Catholics can easily claim that Protestants are not Christian merely because they weren't following "historical precedence". Protestants on the other hand have no room to talk on this matter.
Historical records of other churches isn't the standard to determine who is Christian or not.
Just because one has existed longer doesn't make one righter.
The Jewish religion was around far longer than Christianity.
I am however not Jewish.