Quote:
Originally Posted by prisonchaplain
Your church counts the Bible as canon--the Word of God. God does still speak today. There is prophecy. What you have that I don't is a testimony that what Joseph Smith said he saw was from God.
Since Jesus is God the Son, co-eternal with the Father, I agree that Jesus made everything. The Bible says this is so (Colossians 1). I'm not sure the signficance, but I've always considered Adam & Eve to be human parents, not brothers/sisters.
By saying Jesus is essentially distinct from the Father the pathway is opened to multiple Gods, and yes, to human deification. At the same time, the teaching, imho, drives your church outside the monotheistic theological camp.
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And with that testimony of Joseph Smith being God's chosen Prophet of this dispensation of the Fulness of times, I accept that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored to this earth in these last days, as prophesied. And with that Church came the Melchizedek Priesthood, the apostolic sealing power, keys, additional scriptures and a living Prophet and Apostles to help us better understand the Bible, etc. etc. With respect, you may be missing a bit of what the Saints have... But you're always invited to join with us.
To LDS, Adam and Eve are the first parents of the physical bodies of God's children on this earth. They are also spirit children of Heavenly Father, as we are, which makes us also brothers and sisters. But my guess is that you are well aware of that as part of our beliefs.
Yes, we have a difference in belief about the nature of God, where we came from before we arrived in mortality, why we are here, and where we are going after the death of our physical bodies. That information is available to all who care to anonymously browse at
Mormon.org
But I still can't wrap my mind around the trinity work around to somehow magically or mystically turn three distinct persons into one. If Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit is God and God the Father is God, then there are multiple Gods right there.
Multiple gods is mentioned many times in the scriptures, it's not just something Restoration Christians came up with. But, if you can grasp an understanding that everything is just a family affair, then it's ok for there to be multiple fathers in the order of heaven as there are multiple fathers on this earth. Only
one being the natural father of each human that dwells or dwelt on this planet, and only
one being the natural Father of the spirit bodies that inhabit each of those mortal tabernacles.
Seems simple enough to me, but I can understand how unfamiliar such a concept would be to those who buy into the unbiblical trinity doctrine.
You write:
"It is my understanding that pre-existence, in LDS theology, is eternal--that we are an eternal intelligent essence that has been granted bodies. Have I understood wrong?"
What Latter-day Saints refer to as "pre-existence" is the period of premortal time when we lived with God after being organized by Him with a spirit body, but prior to our spirit body occupying an earthly tabernacle. So pre-existence is not "eternal" as we understand time.
There is a 'missing link' though that is seldom if ever discussed among most Latter-day Saints, called "intelligence". Intelligence has never been created, it has always existed, and always will. In my understanding, a portion of that intelligence is poured into or whatever our spirit bodies when they are created/organized by our Heavenly Parent/s. Perhaps that is what is causing the confusion.
Thank-you for interacting with me, I know you don't have to, and I know that I come on strong sometimes. Enjoy the evening or whatever it is when you read this.