LDS Questions about the Mormon faith

[mxmama]

With little research it appears that the Book of Morman sometimes contrasts with what Present-day Mormon doctrine is.

I may be misunderstanding, but is there any truth to that?


In 1827, Joseph retrieved this record, inscribed on thin golden plates.


Where are those "plates" now?

[mxmama]

One thing I want to say here, is I am the kind of person who works and thinks to understand things. Its not a matter trying to agree or disagree. I just like to understand. So please remember my questions are sincere and not intended to come across offensive or defensive in any way.

Just wanted to say that

[5ft Diva]

Good question, and I don't know the answer to that, I've never thought to ask. Maybe someone on here would know, but this is a very good question for the missionaries - the people in your area that can answer your questions.

[mxmama]

Originally Posted by 5ft Diva

this is a very good question for the missionaries - the people in your area that can answer your questions.

Na, I'm more comfortable this way. For now anyway


You mean you don't know either of those questions? Dang it!
I cant ask all the other questions I have with out knowing the answers to those.

[5ft Diva]

Originally Posted by mxmama

One thing I want to say here, is I am the kind of person who works and thinks to understand things. Its not a matter trying to agree or disagree. I just like to understand. So please remember my questions are sincere and not intended to come across offensive or defensive in any way.

Just wanted to say that

Totally understandable - I'm the same way. And if it makes you feel better, the feeling I'm getting is that you are very sincere in your questions, you are just curious.

[5ft Diva]

Originally Posted by mxmama

Na, I'm more comfortable this way. For now anyway


You mean you don't know either of those questions? Dang it!
I cant ask all the other questions I have with out knowing the answers to those.

Either of these questions? I only read one - where are the plates now? Help me figure out the other one, sorry I'm such a dunse.

[5ft Diva]

Oh, never mind. I get it. Okay, you're asking whether or not the BOM is contrasting modern day LDS doctrine, am I right? If you could give me an example of what you're talking about, I could better answer your question.

[mxmama]

The Book of Mormon teaches, for example, that there is

only one God who is a Spirit, and
is "unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity"

(Alma 11:26-31; II Nephi 31:21; Mormon 9:9-11, 19; Moroni 7:22; 8:18)

Present-day Mormon doctrine, by contrast, teaches that:

separate gods are in charge of our planet some who were once men and earned the right to become gods through faithful obedience to the Mormon gospel.

[bookworm]

Originally Posted by mxmama

With little research it appears that the Book of Morman sometimes contrasts with what Present-day Mormon doctrine is.

I may be misunderstanding, but is there any truth to that?

First off, where are you getting this research? There are many, many anti-mormon websites, books and pamphlets out there that try to discredit our church, so I'm glad you are here asking us, who are faithful members. I've never read anything in the Book of Mormon that disagreed with modern doctrine. I would need actual cited items to know what that means, but I'm guessing it's something that's been misconstrued or misunderstood or taken out of context for an argument. Does that make sense? The doctrine of the Book of Mormon is what we teach in our Sunday classes, so I don't see how we would have anything that would contrast it also being taught- that would be very confusing.

Also, I doubt any of us will be offended by your questions, ask away!

As far as the gold plates go, I believe that Joseph Smith was given them by an angel. If this is true (and I believe it is), then it stands to reason that the same angel could have taken them back when he was through with them. As far as I understand, that is what happened.

Let me say one other thing, here. Our doctrines are faith-based. In James it says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God", and we believe that God answers. So, if you were to read the Book of Mormon, and pray about it, you would get answers regarding the truth of it for yourself. Regardless of what other people say are discrepancies, etc. I believe in the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith because I have read and prayed about it. I hope that makes sense. There isn't going to be a lot of concrete physical evidence if God wants us to ask Him in faith and believe what He reveals to us through personal revelation. No one has possession of the plates currently.

[natickgirl]

Do you have specific examples of contradictions that you'd like to discuss?

I agree with 5ft. The missionaries would be a good source of accurate information. They know the scriptures better than I do, and would answer your questions respectfully.

By encouraging you to meet with the missionaries, I'm not trying to push religion on you, or to get you to join my church. It's just that there are many books, websites, etc. that exist for the SOLE purpose of confusing people who are trying to learn more about the "Mormons." They can be full of misinformation, subtle discrepancies, or outright lies. Even the recent PBS special that was supposedly "factual" was, in fact, full of subtle misrepresentations and was negatively skewed against the church.

If you have questions, you definitely want to go "to the source" so to speak, so you get the truth. Hope that helps.

[bookworm]

Originally Posted by mxmama

The Book of Mormon teaches, for example, that there is

only one God who is a Spirit, and
is "unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity"

(Alma 11:26-31; II Nephi 31:21; Mormon 9:9-11, 19; Moroni 7:22; 8:18)

Present-day Mormon doctrine, by contrast, teaches that:

separate gods are in charge of our planet some who were once men and earned the right to become gods through faithful obedience to the Mormon gospel.

Where did the second quote come from?

I think that unchangeable doesn't refer to God's physical being, but to His rule as God through the eternities. He isn't going to make something evil into something good just because man wants Him to, for example. That what is true to Him is always true.

Also, I think the second quote doesn't make sense... who is it referring to? We believe in God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ, who are "in charge of our planet". I've never seen it worded like that before... Christ didn't live in obedience to "the mormon gospel"- it is His gospel.

Tell me if I'm not getting at what you are asking... having grown up in the LDS church, and as an adult, becoming truly converted- I never had reason to really pick apart things and look at them from another angle, so I may misunderstand what you are asking, here and there.

[5ft Diva]

I'm a little nervous to be answering your questions because I'm in the "hot seat" and I don't want to answer them wrong or rather in a way that will confuse you - I can't wait til you get your hands on a Book of Mormon (BOM) so that we can reference together. BTW, you can read those verses on-line if you go to [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and click on 'Gosepel Library' and then click on 'Scriptures' and then you'll have your choice of books to choose from and you can click on BOM and open up to the chapters and verses that you've referenced to on here. Does that make sense?

Anyway, like I said, I'll do my best. The first thing that comes to mind is that this is a three part question.

Is there only one God?

Is He a Spirit?

And...

Is He unchangeable?

Did I get that right? I want to make sure before I go on so that I'm answering your questions.

[mxmama]

Joseph Smith, who originally dictated the words of the Book of Mormon, later rejected its teaching that God is "unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity" (Moroni 8:18).

Toward the close of his life, as recorded in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, he announced, "We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea . . . he was once a man like us" (p. 345)


The present Mormon gods, are plural, just different than the Book of Mormon teaches.


Maybe "unchangeable" doesn't refer to God's physical being like BW states.
I can understand that.


New questions
So if gods come from humans, where did the 1st God come from?

Does He have higher power than the new gods that join Him?

[bookworm]

again, I'm wondering where your quotes are coming from... have you read "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith"? I haven't ever read it, so I don't know of anything saying he refuted anything in the Book of Mormon... If he felt the need to clarify that God started out with an earthly experience, that doesn't necessarily disagree with the Book of Mormon- it may be the interpretation of that scripture that makes it look that way- I don't think that's the case.

Like I said in a previous thread about not wanting to speak for God, I don't think we have His history. There are many questions I have that only God Himself can answer, but as I have faith, I know that when I need to know, I will. I think knowing where God came from falls into this category- I don't need to know. My knowledge that He is watching over me, that He is my Father in Heaven, that He loves me, and that He will help me is all I need right now.

I don't know if other Gods are working with God right now. I know Jesus is, and that God the Father does have authority over Him, but as they are united in purpose, it is a mute point. We don't worship multiple gods.

Does that help? Boy you are asking some awesome questions, MX!

[mxmama]

Originally Posted by bookworm

again, I'm wondering where your quotes are coming from...

All over, maybe thats why they are so confusing.

Originally Posted by bookworm

Like I said in a previous thread about not wanting to speak for God, I don't think we have His history.

I don't know if other Gods are working with God right now. I know Jesus is, and that God the Father does have authority over Him, but as they are united in purpose, it is a mute point. We don't worship multiple gods.

OK that makes sense.
I gathered that at the highest level of heaven people become "gods"

From what your saying I understand,

They are not the same as God, the one we worship.

[mxmama]

Originally Posted by 5ft Diva

I'm a little nervous to be answering your questions because I'm in the "hot seat" and I don't want to answer them wrong or rather in a way that will confuse you -

LOL no worries!

Look how well BW is helping you through this

[mxmama]

Ok wait we got to back up!!

About Gods history
I got this off of a Mormon site, but I cant it. I had these saved these in a word document so that I could ask questions.


Would the LDS church consider this accurate?

We believe that God was once a mortal man on another planet who progressed by living in obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel he had on his world, then he died. He became a resurrected man and evolved to become a god. He is still married now and created this world.

I guess it all comes down to the "beginning" of everything we know and who and how it all came to be.

So deep

[natickgirl]

Good questions. From the wording of some of your quotes, though, it sounds like they are coming from less-than-reliable sources.

I believe that we can become god-like as we progress eternally and are exhalted, not that we can become God. There is only one God, who is our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ is his son, who atoned for our sins & through Him we can be saved & return to live with our Heavenly Father. The Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit bears witness of the Father & the Son. They are 3 separate beings who are united in purpose; sometimes this unity of purpose is referred to as "being one." (2 Ne. 31:21)

The Bible & Book of Mormon both mention how we can gain eternal life and become "heirs" to all that the Father hath. (Romans 8:16-17, Galatians 4:7, Titus 3:7, Mosiah 15:11, 3 Nephi 28:10-11, 2 Nephi 31:20, Moroni 10:32.)

[mxmama]

Originally Posted by natickgirl

If you have questions, you definitely want to go "to the source" so to speak, so you get the truth. Hope that helps.

I totally agree.

For some reason or another every religion I have taken time to learn about has always been an enlightening experiance for me. I usually seem to find bits and pieces of things that spiritually awaken me . Im able to grab hold of what coincides with the God I know and use it for my benifit. New ideas and possibilities are not scary, they are interesting.

I usually focus on what God is and does today and His plans for my future. I haven't been one to study much about the past much less the beginning. Just what the Bible has taught.

So how much of the bible do the Mormons use or believe if any?
Its very hard to find that info.

[natickgirl]

Oh, man. I am so many steps behind in this discussion. Sorry.

I don't know when God became God. That is too difficult for me to even try to understand. I do believe, though, that He is my Heavenly Father, that He knows me & loves me, and that He has a plan for my life. Like BW, I, too have a lot of questions to ask Him when I die. I take comfort in knowing that I don't have to have all the answers right now; I just have to have faith. =)