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Locked on 02/20/2008 6:54:12 AM PST by Religion Moderator, reason:
Childish behavior |
Posted on 02/16/2008 3:13:15 PM PST by restornu
Amazing!
Is the Jesus you claim to worship the “spirit brother” of Lucifer or the “Creator” of Lucifer?
You’d be better off asking about the Morom “lifestyle” instead of their beliefs.
I have had Mormon neighbors in three different cities and have come to realize that they don’t really know exactly what they believe. Most of us non-mormons have a better grasp than they do. But ask them about their lifestlye, practices, etc... and they can talk your ear off!
Further, you might want to avail yourself of these other works, these by prominent early Christians on the subject.
Deification
If one accepts the idea of a pre-existent creation of humanity, that in some way we are the offspring of Deity (Acts 17:28), and if one adds to this Jesus' commandment that we be perfect as the Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48), then one might argue that we have the potential to become like our creator, at least in some ways and to some degree. In a revelation given to Joseph Smith, the promise is made that those who are faithful will be given all things which the Father has (D&C 84:38), including, one may presume, all his knowledge, power and glory. This then is basis for the radical but truly glorious Latter-day Saint belief that God's highest aspiration is for his creatures to become like Him, and that His greatest glory is in sharing His glory with us, His sons and daughters. This is what it means in Latter-day Saint doctrine to become gods. Joseph Smith taught that those who fully keep God's law will "be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them." (D&C 132:20) Perhaps nothing in Mormon doctrine has so shocked and dismayed the Christian world, even though the Latter-day Saints believe that we will always be the sons and daughters of God, subordinate and dependent upon Him.269
Deification in the Bible
Latter-day Saints find a great deal of support for their belief about exaltation to godhood within the pages of the Bible itself. While not explicitly stating the doctrine, many scriptures point toward it. For example, John wrote, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2.) And Jesus Christ told John that, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Revelation 3:21) Also, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." (Revelation 21:7) Paul wrote to the Romans, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ . . ." (Romans 8:16-17) 270
Deification in Early Christianity
Can these verses be interpreted to mean that men can become beings like God Himself? A host of early Christian writers testify that this is exactly what the early Christian Church believed. Indeed, Kelly explains that the doctrine that the final Christian hope was deification and "participation in the divine nature" permeated the early theology of Christianity.271
Perhaps this important belief is best summed up by Irenaeus, who wrote in the latter half of the second century that "we have not been made gods from the beginning, but at first merely men, then at length gods . . . ."272 He also wrote, "our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself."273 Justin Martyr, in the middle of the second century, said that "all men are deemed worthy of becoming 'gods,' and of having power to become sons of the Highest . . . ."274 Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin, wrote that God, "made man for that purpose, that from men they may become gods."275 Clement of Alexandria explained that true knowledge of the divine leads to godhood:
Whence at last . . . it is that knowledge is committed to those fit and selected for it. It leads us to the endless and perfect end, teaching us beforehand the future life that we shall lead, according to God, and with gods; after we are freed from all punishment and penalty which we undergo, in consequence of our sins, for salutary discipline. After which redemption the reward and the honours are assigned to those who have become perfect; when they have got done with purification, and ceased from all service, though it be holy service, and among saints. Then become pure in heart, and near to the Lord, there awaits them restoration to everlasting contemplation; and they are called by the appellation of gods, being destined to sit on thrones with the other gods that have been first put in their places by the Saviour.276
Although mainline Christians often scoff at the Latter-day Saints for interpreting 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 to mean that there are actually beings "in heaven" who "are called gods" other than the One God we worship, Origen agreed that the passage does not have reference only to false gods:
Now it is possible that some may dislike what we have said representing the Father as the one true God, but admitting other beings besides the true God, who have become gods by having a share of God. They may fear that the glory of Him who surpasses all creation may be lowered to the level of those other beings called gods. We drew this distinction between Him and them that we showed God the Word to be to all the other gods the minister of their divinity . . . . As, then, there are many gods, but to us there is but one God the Father, and many Lords, but to us there is one Lord, Jesus Christ . . . .277
Statements such as these led Christian scholar G.L. Prestige to conclude that the ancient Christians "taught that the destiny of man was to become like God, and even to become deified."278
I will pray for your mind to have the darkness lifted, seven. What you are calling 'my interpretation' is what the Bible says about the 82 Psalm, as taught by Paul. Read Hebrews to get the full weight of why I say I will pray for the darkness to be lifted which pricks you to misuse what Jesus stated to those who were moving to stone Him for saying He was God's Son. We've been over this Psalm before. Apparently you chose to ignore suggestions given then. God help you ...
“Fluffy sweet icing on the poisoned cake.”
You’ll know them by their fruit. Mormons have plenty of good fruit. In fact, our Ward takes care of two rows at a real vineyard and my husband was out there last weekend, working, enjoying every minute of it. This is literal fruit.
Meanwhile, the LDS Missionaries are doing their part, loving and serving people for no pay, being persecuted on a daily basis, and rejoicing in it.
LOL! All surface. Just know - you will never get it - as long as you are contaminated by ‘toxic tag along Joe Smith’.
Was God the Father a part of this eternal process? Did he "become deified" by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel, just like you hope to be? Did someone lay hands on Him and ordain him to the Godhead?
Thank you one of my favorit Hymns such joy and happiness the Lord has in store!:)
Duh! The world is full of people doing good. And most like to talk about like you. Please - your desperation is showing.
Here it is again... Why did he uses and quote from Psalms if he didn’t mean it?
John 10:
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
“Most of us non-mormons have a better grasp than they do.”
So . . . you know what Mormons believe better than Mormons know what they believe. Very interesting . . . and downright presumptuous. Whatever.
So we’re all good, get it? Good luck to you.
Those who have resurrected bodies are eternal and those who eternal are gods, but NOT thee God!
Abraham 3
14 And it was in the night time when the Lord spake these words unto me: I will multiply thee, and thy seed after thee, like unto these; and if thou canst count the number of sands, so shall be the number of thy seeds.
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
Tell us about Kolob.
Saundra, you might want to read the three verses which precede the one you tried to misuse regarding ‘known by their fruits’ ... the context was knowing the servants of Satan by their fruits. What you apparently have not yet understood is that Jesus suffered the cross and rose from the grave to make dead girls alive, not to make girls good. If you continue to place your trust in ‘after all that you can do’, your lot will be to stand before the Great White Throne where Jesus in His righteousness will judge your works and not to impart salvation, Saundra. That is not what His Bride is scheduled for, being judged at the Great White Throne though we will be there as witnesses, because He imparts His righteousness to His Bride when ‘she’ faiths in Him as Deliverer, and He offers to you to be His bride in the absolute now, not some where/when later.
Now now, you know that tainted ‘Mormon meat’ will not be acknowledged openly by these apologists.
Joseph Smith had a lot to say on that particular subject.
Wasn't he a prophet of God?
When he spoke about the Father having a father, and that God was not always God, but became God in the same way that good Mormons like you will someday becomes Gods, was he telling the truth?
Or was he a false prophet?
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