Becoming gods

[Interested]

I am curious about this teaching of LDS....
I have heard of it being possible in Mormon theology to become a deity through following Mormon doctrine.

Does the Book of Mormon necessarily say this...? Or does it just mention being the monarchs/etcetera of our own worlds? I have heard that we would own our personal planets, but I have not yet read inthe Book of Mormon tht we would become gods.

[Hemidakota]

Been answered for more than 100-times. Joined the league of asking the same questions.

[tomk]

Originally Posted by Interested

I am curious about this teaching of LDS....
I have heard of it being possible in Mormon theology to become a deity through following Mormon doctrine.

Does the Book of Mormon necessarily say this...? Or does it just mention being the monarchs/etcetera of our own worlds? I have heard that we would own our personal planets, but I have not yet read inthe Book of Mormon tht we would become gods.

It is possible to become a Deity. That is what this is all about down here. To live by Christ's example, have Him power us in our weakness, and eventually receive our exaltation.

I don't know about "OWNING" our own "PERSONAL PLANETS" -- we will be far beyond such petty concepts such as ownership. We don't "OWN" anything. We won't care about "OWNING" anything. It won't be about that. All of our focus and concern will be on helping our children obtain the same blessings we have (exaltation). Everything we create will be towards that end; to bless our children. Just as Heavenly Father does with us now.


Moro. 7: 41
41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.


Any time you see Atonement you can think "Exalation" - living with God and living the KIND of life God lives. For that is the reason for the Atonement...to bring us back into God's presence ... made spotless through the merits of Christ ... to dwell with God.

[Interested]

I don't buy it.
I can buy becoming supernatural beings greater than angels.... But I cannot ever even think about being a god. The Bible describes the Angels as being a little higher than than Mankind. If that is true, then I would suggest that according to Christian theology, as obscure a knowledge we have on a similar premise, that at the Ressurection we are given bodies and the power to be higher than we were once before. I find no Biblical evidence that we would ever become divinities.

[a-train]

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. (Rev. 3:21)

-a-train

[KristofferUmfrey]

Originally Posted by Interested

I am curious about this teaching of LDS....
I have heard of it being possible in Mormon theology to become a deity through following Mormon doctrine.

Does the Book of Mormon necessarily say this...? Or does it just mention being the monarchs/etcetera of our own worlds? I have heard that we would own our personal planets, but I have not yet read inthe Book of Mormon tht we would become gods.

It is aboslutely not found in the Book of Mormon. Not one word, no mention, no hint.

[AnthonyB]

Interested,

I'm not LDS but I think the following might help you understand LDS better.

Firstly, LDS have an expanded set of scripture one of which includes an ever expanding book called Doctrines and Covenants. It is expanded by officially approved saying from the current prophet. (Bit like Catholic canon law) Since LDS believe in prophets that have an ongoing access to revelation from God, LDS don't feel as tied to have to prove every last belief from the scriptures as other Christians do. Prophets can announce new doctrines or reinterpret old ones in the light of new revelation from God. Traditional Christians (TC's) will think that if someone is saying something that doesn't match already received revelations that they are false prophet. LDS will point out that is what Jesus and the apostles did. TC's will respond but that is our Lord and his chosen apostles. LDS will say Jesus has appointed new apostles of equal authority to the old ones. (Etc......) There are scriptures that can be used to hint at LDS beliefs but the fullness of their beliefs simply isn't contained within the Bible (OT and NT). TC's are bound to base beliefs on the Bible, LDS expand/supplant doctrines with new revelations from their prophets.

If your hoping to refute LDS doctrine using biblical sources, your probably in for a very frustating and utlimately immensely un-rewarding time for all involved.

Secondly LDS don't believe that their exaltation will put them above God, just as your father remains your father as you grow to adulthood and it is you that grows up to hopefully (if you Father has set a good example) take on the best qualities of your father. So LDS believe God will always be their God but that people can grow into becoming like God and take on His best qualities, one of which is the loving creation of children with the ability if they choose wisely to grow into maturity to become like Him.

I hope you enoy your time on this forum. I have found it really interesting to try and understand a biblical belief scheme that is quite divergent from the majority opinion.

(Maybe the mods can create a list of premade links to the best responses about common questions and when people join the forum they can browse that list.)

[japacific]

That's the thing. The LDS believe that the Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel, but it doesn't mention a single thing about it. I assume that means that that principle was not taught to any of the Nephites in the book.

I'm sure you have been asked this before at some stage, but how do Mormons justify what Gordon Hinckley said when asked about the topic.

Q. Don't Mormons believe that God was once a man?

Hinckley:

I wouldn't say that. There was a little couplet coined, "As man is, God once was. As God is, man may become." Now that's more of a couplet than anything else. That gets into some pretty deep theology that we don't know very much about.

And again on whether his church still holds that God the Father was once a man,

"I don't know that we teach it. I don't know that we emphasize it... I understand the philosophical background behind it, but I don't know a lot about it, and I don't think others know a lot about it.'

[AnthonyB]

japacific,

My guess as a non-LDS, is that the fullness of the gospel includes the belief that God has ordained prophets/apostles to have a role of continually revealing His truth. So the questions is does the BoM reveal the need for continued revelation? (Although it could be argued the NT does. The apostles only outreached to Jews, Samartians and Jewish proselytes until Peter received the vision to accept gentiles into the church. It was this vision and the receiving of the Holy Spirit that led to a change in church behaviour in Acts not the OT or the sayings of Jesus.)

As for the God was a man thing. I think the idea of our exaltation is more clearly defined in LDS thinking. The ideas about God having undergone exaltation as well is more of a backward inference (from the process LDS hope to acheive exaltation through) and not as well supported/defined.

Although since from what I understand it is only God the Father who may have undergone the entire exaltation steps that LDS believe we should be following since neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit were exalted beings (ie having followed the LDS path to exaltation) when they as part of the Godhead created our world etc. If both the Son and Spirit were eternal God without following the exaltation process LDS believe in, I don't quite see the need to insist the Father must of as well.

Sometimes there appears quite a disconnect between the carefully nuanced statements of LDS leaders and the "folk" beliefs of many LDS.

[japacific]

Thanks Anthony. That was a big problem for me. I really enjoyed studying books like D&C and The Pearl of Great Price while referring to study guides for all the really far-out stuff I learned from reading them. The fringe doctrines. There's so much confusion about what is actually doctrine and what was just prophets and apostles 'speaking as men'.

I would just love it if President Monson, who is God's best friend here on the earth, cleared up what is true and what is false in Mormon doctrine, instead of sharing his stories of how he helps old widows. That would be something else.