A Question about the doctrine [Mormon] of God once being a man.

Mormon Haven ^ | Joel Hardy

[delacoert]

MRMOVES - I was reading one of the questions in the faq where one person asks....

JOHN - "Asks whether President Hinckley contradicts Joseph Smith's concept about God once being a man"

At one point you answer... President Hinckley could not say that we believe God was once a man like us, because it has never been identified as official Church doctrine...

I was reading the book, " Preparing for a celestial marriage" where it bluntly talks about that God was once a man and that he was once like us, and I know that is a approved Church Manual. I know it is stated in the first few lessons in that book.

JOEL - I think you are right as far as members of the Church are concerned. The concept of God once being a man is accepted as doctrine. This concept does show up in the Church produced "Gospel Principles" manual:

"The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel — you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil [died] before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 348).

This is the way our Heavenly Father became God. Joseph Smith taught: "It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God. … He was once a man like us; … God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345–46).

Our Heavenly Father knows our trials, our weaknesses, and our sins. He has compassion and mercy on us. He wants us to succeed even as he did." (Chapter 47: Exaltation, Gospel Principles, 301)

We know that the concept is definitley not well describe in the four standard works. But does the fact that past prophets have believed it and we use their statements to describe it in a teaching manual, make it "official" Church doctrine as far as the world is concerned; or does it only make it a doctrine that we accept amongst fellow members within the Church as being true? Can we really call it an "official" core tenet of the Church to the entire world, when we have so little understanding of the concept ourselves?

The Church recently explained where official doctrines of the Church are found:

Not every statement made by a Church leader, past orpresent, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church. With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith." (See this link)

So according to the statement above, is this doctrine (God once being a man) "consistently proclaimed in official Church publications" and does it "reside in the four “standard works” of scripture, official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith" ?

The concept might be mentioned in one or two church manuals or other publications, but does that satisfy the criteria of "consistantly proclaimed"?

In my opinion it is not adequately explained in the scriptures or by past prophets to a degree that allows us to tell the world that it is one of our core tenets, even though it may be a true doctrine.

I have heard many varied opinions on this subject.

[delacoert]

So we can see that Mormons consider that "God was once a man and that he was once like us" is true doctrine.

It is true as far as the LDS church is concerned.

But it is not adequately explained in the scriptures or by past prophets to a degree that allows us to tell the world that it is one of our core tenets.

Seeing this double think, double bind nonsense openly discussed helps explain the problem of getting a straight answer from Mormons.

Essentially it is a pas to lie about Mormon doctrine to outsiders.

[vpintheak]

Again Christianity is the true and only religion that when other say, “Do! Do!, Do!” we can say “Done!” Christ has done it all, believe!

[Dutchboy88]

Excellent recap of most salient points of theology.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Seeing this double think, double bind nonsense openly discussed helps explain the problem of getting a straight answer from Mormons.”

Good luck with that!

They don’t WANT you to know this kind of heresy -
until after you’re sucked into their cult. Once you
are in for a penny, they have you for everything.

Except, of course, that the exit door is as busy
as the entry way. People don’t like to be duped.
Especially when eternity is at stake.

[zerosix]

That is exactly why Christians do NOT consider Mormons to be Christians, though they adamantly claim to be.

Anyone who believes that God was "once a man, just like us" and/or that "we may become gods......" simply do NOT believe in the same God that I do, nor do they believe in the same Jesus Christ as I do.

My other point is simply this -- if you are NOT a Mormon, ask one, especially one in a position of authority, if they believe that YOU are a Christian, just as they are.

They happily answer that no, you are NOT a Christian, that only Mormons are the TRUE faith.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

“Look here sir! There are hundreds of religions in this country, and the followers of some think theirs is the only right one. How can poor, plain men like us find out what really is the truth?”

We generally reply something like this. “Hundreds of religions you say? That is strange; I’ve heard of only two.”

“Oh, but surely you know there are more than that?”

“Not at all, sir, I find, I admit, many shades of differences in the opinions of those compromising the two great schools; but after all there are but two. The one covers all who expect salvation by DOING; the other, all who have been saved BY SOMETHING DONE. So you see the question is very simple. Can you save yourself, or must you be saved by another? If you can be your own saviour, you do not need to listen. If you cannot, you may well want to learn about Jesus Christ and the message of the cross.

-Modified from H.A. Ironside

[delacoert]

That is exactly why Christians do NOT consider Mormons to be Christians, though they adamantly claim to be.

Yes. You are right of course. Mormonism does not teach the same God that Chritian churches do, and Christians do not consider Mormons to be Christian. There are several other good reasons, like Mormon polytheism for example.

What I find very informative in this article is the open discussion about rationalizing lying about doctrine. Lying for the Lord is itself a Mormon doctrine.

[Sir_Ed]

The scriptures explain it perfectly:

“If you eat of this fruit you will become as God.”

Joseph Smith said the same thing to his followers, probably quoting some demon named Moroni.

In the case of the Garden of Eden, Adam believed the lie...in the case of the Mormon church, its adherents are also believing that lie.

Ed

[zerosix]

Yes, you are correct about the distortion of the true beliefs of Mormonism -- people who are seduced into becoming members, find out much later, very, very much later, that there's lots more to the "friendly, happy face" that missionaries and even other Mormons themselves, put on their strange beliefs.

They do definitely qualify for the cult status given them by many biblical scholars and cannot in any way be called Christians- at least in the Christian community.

[vpintheak]

My point exactly.

[greyfoxx39]

If you can be your own saviour, you do not need to listen. If you cannot, you may well want to learn about Jesus Christ and the message of the cross.

Excellent!