Posted on 07/13/2010 11:54:36 AM PDT by T Minus Four
Early Mormon theology about the divine origin and destiny of Adam may have been an affront to contemporary Protestants, who revered such ambiguities as hallowed mysteries, but such candid new doctrine — like Adam's spirit existing before coming to earth — eventually encouraged Latter-day Saints to view Adam's roll as both a literal and figurative one.
The story of Adam and his and Eve's famed transgression have long been an important narrative for most of the world's largest religions — Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
The account had influenced art, and therefore society, long before Michelangelo painted Adam and Eve on Sistine's ceiling. Eve's traditionally perceived role as a sinful temptress has been wielded by men to sustain anti-feminist traditions and ritually justify the creation of purely sociological male hierarchies throughout much of religious and political history.
Indeed, the story is an old one — the oldest, in fact. And, just like the fate of most ancient stories, it has gradually slipped further into a sort of legendary status with each new generation who hears it. The next generation is always more scientific and practical than the last.
Although Catholics have forever maintained a strong literal interpretation of Adam and Eve, many have doubted the couple's story as a literal one, and by the 19th century it had become a progressive and popular notion to reduce the two figures to a fable graded morality lesson.
In fact by 1909, a few decades after Darwinism had shaken hairline cracks into the faith of may Christian Old Testament literalists, the New York Times headlined news that "figurative belief in the story of the Garden of Eden now satisfies Presbytery." After shedding tears of concern, ministers of the large New York church gathered and eventually voted to accept a group of freshman clergy, whom, during an interview, said Adam and Eve's story is only figurative. One of the candidates, a recent seminary graduate, also reportedly admitted to the elder clergy that he had trouble believing the literal "flesh" resurrection of Christ, too.
While the Adam and Eve story had been crumbling from history to poetry status in the hearts of much of the world for centuries, Joseph Smith came along and shocked everyone. He didn't necessarily surprise anyone by declaring its literalism; many had stated the same before. But Joseph did more, much more. He verified the story's place in our timeline by essentially revealing Adam's back story — in great detail.
What Latter-day Saint could be confused that Adam was possibly written in the bible as a theatrical analogy, a composite person, made up to explain or represent an era of human evolution, if he is also Michael the archangel? Such specificity was unknown to contemporary Christianity.
But — enter paradox! — it's through this literal understanding of Adam and Eve that early Mormons were finally able to view our original parents as clearer figurative figures, too, according to Jacob Rennaker, a Hebrew Bible student at Claremont Graduate University.
Rennaker had fellow colleague Blair Hodges read his scholarly paper at the annual Mormon Scholars Foundation Summer Seminar, hosted by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute at BYU, last week while he attended an archeological dig in Israel.
Nine other Latter-day Saint collegians from all over the United States also presented subjects on early Mormon theology, primarily from the years between 1830 to 1850.
Adam was "viewed figuratively in very unique ways that ultimately served as a means for early Mormons to understand the nature of God and the human," Rennaker said.
Rennaker focused on several specific theological teachings that brought Mormons closer to not only understanding the epic events in the Garden, but understanding themselves and their destiny.
First, Joseph taught Adam's spirit existed long before he was given a body in the Garden of Eden.
"Joseph Smith's literal interpretation of Genesis 2:7 ('God made man & put into it Adam's spirit') required an antecedent for Adam's physical existence," Rennaker said.
Suddenly, mortality wasn't the beginning anymore. Latter-day Saints could start thinking in more eternal terms, knowing their spirits existed long before residing in their mortal "tabernacle of clay."
Second, Adam was identified with specificity, as Michael, a heroic Old Testament figure who was traditionally known to go before and command God's army. Besides his patriarchal role in presiding over mortal men, Revelations makes it clear in Chapter 12 that Michael (Adam), during the "war in heaven … fought against the dragon (Lucifer)."
"As such, Adam became a hero even before his earthly sojourn," Rennaker said.
Latter-day Saints learned of their valiant past, as they were told they fought alongside Adam while the devil "prevailed not."
Third, "Adam was seen as being so significant in that pre-mortal realm, in fact, that he was described by Joseph Smith as holding a position of priesthood authority prior to his mortal existence on earth," Rennaker said.
It was also taught Adam assisted in creating the world, and thus he used priesthood power.
This correlates with Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Mormon. It teaches premortal men were foreordained for priesthood powers/positions.
Fourth, "Adam was seen by early Mormons as having spoken a very particular language," Rennaker said, which "served to further legitimize Adam as a historical figure who was familiar with a particular theological outlook concerning the nature of God and humanity."
Fifth, the physical creation of Adam was interpreted in a hyper-literal sense.
"Genesis 1:26 records God as saying, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,'" Rennaker said. "A literal reading of this passage resulted in a radical anthropomorphism. Joseph Smith was reported as saying, 'God himself … is a man like unto one of yourselves … If you were to see him today you (would) see him a man for Adam was a man like in fashion & image like unto him.'"
Although Joseph's interpretation of the Godhead gave Latter-day Saints a clearer, more intimate view of God, it rocked both Catholic and Protestant contemporary Christians who were traditional Trinitarians.
It was all of these particular teachings, and a few more, that led Rennaker to suggest Mormons could better be figurists because they were taught to be such stalwart literalists.
"This trend of extreme scriptural literalism and historical expansion was paradoxically augmented in early Mormonism by figurative interpretations of Adam," Rennaker said. "… This extreme literalism allowed early Mormons (to experience) figurative views of Adam in a way that went beyond the figurative readings of Adam among other Christians."
e-mail: jhancock@desnews.com
You are for a Jesus Christ who is a figment of Joseph Smith's imagination, not the historical Jesus. By perverting the true personage and mission of the historical Jesus Christ, you are NOT for him, despite your protests.
You need to know the REAL Jesus Christ as He Himself told us of the consequences of not (Matthew 7:21-23):
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Please stop saying we Mormons are against Jesus Christ.
___________________________________________
Why ???
Mormons have always been “against Jesus Christ”
Mormonism was based on being “against Jesus Christ”
Joey Smith tossed out the real jesus and replaced Him with a watered down jesus-lite that he could control like a puppet master..
But the REAL Jesus is not that easily tossed...
The REAL Jesus stayed put and never moved from His place through the Joey Smith years...
Joey Smith was the one who had to move right out of the neighborhood...and right out of the Earth..
That is the Jesus that is God...
That is the Jesus I’m talking about...
That Jesus..
The One only to be found in the Christian Bible..
It is no wonder that you as a “mormon” as you have often boasted, would reject the only word of God, the Christian Bible...
If you were ever to read the Bible for yourself your house of cards called mormonism would fall as the scales fell off your eyes...
But that wouldnt do would it...
for you have too much of this world and your worldly goods invested in the mormon corporation business...
for then you would be responsible to say to the Living God of the Bible...Yes or No...
Until that happens you think you can just play silly games with the REAL God...
And so you hide behide the frilly skirts of the pagan false prophet, Juey Smuth and blame him for your sin of rejecting
Jesus, who is Eternal..
Jesus who is from everlasting to everlasting..
Jesus the Alpha and Omega..
Jesus, the Lamb of God..
Jesus who is God...
Jesus the Word of God...
Jesus who is the Second person of the Trinity..
Jesus who is the ONLY Begotten Son of the Father...
Jesus who was born of a virgin who never had sex with man or mormon god...
Jesus who shed His saving Blood UPON THE CROSS to save us...
Jesus who died UPON THE CROSS to save us...
Jesus who rose again the third day to save us...
Jesus who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings...
Jesus whom the false prophety, joey Smith lied about...
Jesus who never lost or moved HIS Church from the Earth (and why on Earth would He ???)
Jesus the Righteous who has never needed any foul evil Joey Smith to restore HIS Church..
(Anyone saying that Joey Smith so called “restored” the Church that Jesus built is being “insulting, degrading and blasphemous” to Jesus)
Jesus whom Joey Smith the liar never met...
Jesus who destroyed Joey Smith..
Jesus who judged Joey Smith as an unbeliever an an enemy of God and the Church.....
Jesus who condemned the disgraceful unrepentant sinner, Joey Smith to Hell ...
Jesus who is Savior of the Christians as Joey Smith is the false savior of the mormons...
Jesus who will judge who gets into the Christian Heaven while Joey Smith who claimed falsely it would be him is screaming for help in Hell that he earned...
That Jesus...
and no other...
There is not a “testimony of another jesus”...
There is only the One Jesus who loves me and died for me..
That Jesus..
Please stop saying we Mormons are against Jesus Christ.
___________________________________________
Why ???
Mormons have always been “against Jesus Christ”
Mormonism was based on being “against Jesus Christ”
Joey Smith tossed out the real Jesus and replaced Him with a watered down jesus-lite that he could control like a puppet master..
But the REAL Jesus is not that easily tossed...
The REAL Jesus stayed put and never moved from His place through the Joey Smith years...
Joey Smith was the one who had to move right out of the neighborhood...and right out of the Earth..
That is the Jesus that is God...
That is the Jesus I’m talking about...
That Jesus..
The One only to be found in the Christian Bible..
It is no wonder that you as a “mormon” as you have often boasted, would reject the only word of God, the Christian Bible...
If you were ever to read the Bible for yourself your house of cards called mormonism would fall as the scales fell off your eyes...
But that wouldnt do would it...
for you have too much of this world and your worldly goods invested in the mormon corporation business...
for then you would be responsible to say to the Living God of the Bible...Yes or No...
Until that happens you think you can just play silly games with the REAL God...
And so you hide behide the frilly skirts of the pagan false prophet, Juey Smuth and blame him for your sin of rejecting
Jesus, who is Eternal..
Jesus who is from everlasting to everlasting..
Jesus the Alpha and Omega..
Jesus, the Lamb of God..
Jesus who is God...
Jesus the Word of God...
Jesus who is the Second person of the Trinity..
Jesus who is the ONLY Begotten Son of the Father...
Jesus who was born of a virgin who never had sex with man or mormon god...
Jesus who shed His saving Blood UPON THE CROSS to save us...
Jesus who died UPON THE CROSS to save us...
Jesus who rose again the third day to save us...
Jesus who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings...
Jesus whom the false prophety, joey Smith lied about...
Jesus who never lost or moved HIS Church from the Earth (and why on Earth would He ???)
Jesus the Righteous who has never needed any foul evil Joey Smith to restore HIS Church..
(Anyone saying that Joey Smith so called “restored” the Church that Jesus built is being “insulting, degrading and blasphemous” to Jesus)
Jesus whom Joey Smith the liar never met...
Jesus who destroyed Joey Smith..
Jesus who judged Joey Smith as an unbeliever an an enemy of God and the Church.....
Jesus who condemned the disgraceful unrepentant sinner, Joey Smith to Hell ...
Jesus who is Savior of the Christians as Joey Smith is the false savior of the mormons...
Jesus who will judge who gets into the Christian Heaven while Joey Smith who claimed falsely it would be him is screaming for help in Hell that he earned...
That Jesus...
and no other...
There is not a “testimony of another jesus”...
There is only the One Jesus who loves me and died for me..
That Jesus..
Of course, you have to realize that just because you say you are "not a member of a cult" doesn't make it true.
Define the word "cult." I'd like to see you define that word in way that is meaningful (in other words, such that it will actually discriminate between groups without arbitrarily assigning the label) while still excluding Mormonism. I'm sure that someone at BYU or FARMS or some other Mormon site has already done this so you could just give me their definition if you agree with it.
I got this definition from the Let Us Reason Together website. I don't really know anything about this group but this definition is fine:
The Christian cult claims to have the truth of Christ and salvation but they deny one or more of the core doctrines of the Christian faith. To simplify an identification of a Christian cult it would be noticeable in several categories. Who is Jesus, the way of salvation, what is your final source of authority and how they relate to others. They want to call themselves Christian without adhering to the tenets of the historic "doctrinal " faith. They change the major core teachings to mean something other than they are defined in the Bible and by the history of the church. The cults do not agree with the historic (Biblical) Christian faith.
This might not be the best definition out there but it is workable one. It is specific enough to identify cults (without giving everyone a pass) but broad enough to not label groups who have slightly unusual beliefs as cults.
There is no way an objective person could conclude that Mormonism doesn't fit that definition of a cult. As Mormons love to point out, we Orthodox Christians don't agree on alot of things (although we agree on the essentials), but on one thing we are united: Mormonism is not Christian.
Hi, Nana! Long time no chat. Missed you.
Hi ya Sweetie !!!
:)
The ‘prseident’ of mormonism told reporters that he, like Jesus, was fooled by a scam artist (Salamander Letters anyone?). If that isn’t mormonism reducing the King of Kings to a feckless wonder then ... oh, never mind. Sandra is too far under the spell of mormonism to get it at this stage. May God have mercy upon us all.
Perhaps, but there were many (including MrReaganaut) who thought *I* was ‘too far under the spell of Mormonism’ to be reached. Yet I was.
Our God is a powerful God and sometimes He surprises us. Keep praying.
I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ is my personal Savior who suffered and died for me. This is Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation and the Holy Ghost is my Witness.
If that makes me a member of a cult, guilty as charged.
Glenn Beck is a member of a cult. I’m sure he will be pleased to hear about it.
You said: “Mormons have always been “against Jesus Christ””
Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus Christ is Everything to us. Without Him, we are all lost. I love Him with all my heart.
I can quote Scripture, too, but first I will say it again:
Jesus Christ is the Lord and I will shout it from the rooftops.
However, you are correct. Your Jesus is not my Jesus. Your Jesus is mean, stingy, small, and condemning.
My Jesus accepts me, loves me, suffered and died for me. He is loving, kind, all powerful, and is my Advocate with the Father. The Holy Ghost ever lives to help us love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ more.
Again, I say, “Jesus Christ is the Lord.”
“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost”
1 Corinthians 12:3
“Sandra (sic) is too far under the spell of mormonism to get it at this stage. “
I am in good company with Glenn Beck.
You said: “Mormons have always been “against Jesus Christ””
____________________________________________________
No you said something about
“Mormons have always been “against Jesus Christ””
You were whining..
I just said “Why ???” as in “Why not when that is correct ???”
I further said..
“Mormons have always been “against Jesus Christ”
Mormonism was based on being “against Jesus Christ”
Joey Smith tossed out the real Jesus and replaced Him with a watered down jesus-lite that he could control like a puppet master..”
#103
Yes, by believing in three gods saundra - its called polytheism and is repudiated by scripture - it makes you a member of a cult.
You said: “Mormons have always been “against Jesus Christ””
____________________________________________________
Well I was just agreeing with what you were whining about...
To say that the LORD Jesus Christ of the Christian Bible is “small, petty, nasty, mean” etc is not a mormon loving Jesus Christ but a mormon being againt Jesus Christ...
next complaint ???
I have the afternoon duty in the mormon complaining and whing deparftment for this thread.
You whine em, I resign em.
I am in good company with Glenn Beck.
__________________________________________
Youre an alcoholic ???
Jesus Christ is the Lord and I will shout it from the rooftops
______________________________________
No ya wont...
Youve been boasting that since February...
Its now July...
Youre in good company with Joey Smith...
He boasted what he could not deliver too...
I love Him with all my heart.
_______________________________________
Typical mormon...
shortchanging Jesus ...
The Bible scripture goes...
Jesus said to Sandy: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ Luke 10:27
(I guess I can count on you to copy this bit of the Bible from now on also, right ???)
Jesus is mean, stingy, small, and condemning.
_____________________________________________
Well Jesus knows where you and He stand then doesnt He ???
He knows just how you feel about Him..
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