>>Can you state with certainty that the LDS Church teaches that God was once a man
>>and that you may someday become equal to Him?
I can categorically say that we do not teach this! We can be come gods, and goddesses, but we will never be equal to God. He will always be our God. We will always owe him more than we can imagine for creating us and treating us so fairly and well.
Have you ever been in an interview with a reporter? I have, they take classes on how to ask “When did you stop beating your wife” questions, if you ever have the opportunity to represent any kind of a National group and are being interviewed, I have one piece of advice, “stay away from the ropes”.
Besides President Hinckley is a little older than you (I think, 92?), keeping up with the barrage of questions, his best answer many be “I Don’t know”.
>>Can you state with certainty …
Yes, I can. (That was fun *Grin*).
Now I suppose you want to know where and why the prophet would dodge at all on this. It’s really very simple. It is talked about in the Temple ceremonies, which are sacred, and which we covenant with God not to reveal outside of the Temple. Do you think the Reporter would have continued asking questions about the temple if president Hinckley had brought the temple and sacredness of it in to the discussion?
>>and that you may someday become equal to Him?
Our scriptures testify that thoes try to say we believe we will be equal to God is erroneous gossip!
Abraham 3
15 And the Lord said unto me: Abraham, I show these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt, that ye may declare all these words.
16 If two things exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them; therefore Kolob is the greatest of all the Kokaubeam that thou hast seen, because it is nearest unto me.
17 Now, if there be two things, one above the other, and the moon be above the earth, then it may be that a planet or a star may exist above it; and there is nothing that the Lord thy God shall take in his heart to do but what he will do it.
18 Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.
19 And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all.
Who is the God of your god? Does your god worship a being higher than himself? Does your father in heaven have a Father in Heaven?
Just how far down the line will you be when you become a god?
Besides President Hinckley is a little older than you (I think, 92?)
Are you saying that Hinkley was mistaken in his response about LDS Doctrine? If we can't count on the sole Living Prophet of God and President of the LDS Church to give us the answer in regard to what is or is not official church doctrine, then who can we look to?