What do the LDS's mean when they say that the biblical God was once a man who was exhalted and given his own universe? According to them--who gave the biblical God that universe and who exhaltwed him. Another god?

Auttajasi

I haven't said anything about what YOU believe about the LDS faith. I have only been quoting my own faith.
Lacey's post pretty much summed it up.

Church members take seriously such passages as Psalm 82:6 [Ps. 82:6], John 10:33–36, and Philippians 2:5–6 [Philip. 2:5–6], in which a plurality of gods and the idea of becoming like God are mentioned.

If we take from these passages that there is a plurality of Gods and that we can become like our Father, then there has to be a way to get there. This process starts with being spiritually born, as stated in the Bible, and then receiving our bodies.
This example may help you understand what the LDS believe. Take a father here on earth. He wants to have kids. When he has kids, they are his kids born in his likeness. They obviously aren't just like him because they have much development to go through first. They obviously can't do what he can, but someday they will be able to. He too was once a child looking to become like HIS father.

This process has occurred for thousands of years and will continue for many more.

After years of development and experience, they mature into adulthood and now desire to have their own kids. Their father is now older and more wise and more mature. They have kids which are born in their own likeness who have the potential to become like their parents. I think you get my point.

Who knows how many times the word "Father" appears in the Bible when referencing God? The LDS take this literally. He is our father. If you are asking if the Bible specifically references the fact that God was once human, no, I don't think it 'specifically says it, nor do I think the Book of Mormon specifically says it, but just like in the Bible, the scriptures alludes to it. We have other scripture which we consider to be the word of God. We also believe that God has called a prophet and 12 apostles on the earth today, just like he has done before. All of this 'supplements' the truths that we read from the bible. I'm not trying to convince you that this stuff is try. I'm just trying to help you understand, in what context the LDS believe what we do. Hope this helps.

The controversy may be around the use of the word 'Father' in the Bible. I know of really only one definition of the word 'father,' but I could be wrong; there may be another one that is intended for the use of 'Father' in the Bible.

magprob

Our future God had his wives and children sealed to him in the temple. I see that Auttajasi has a degree in Theology and specializes in the LDS doctrine so could you tell us what happens in the temple sealing process and what is the out come?
As we all know, the leaders of the church are considered prophets , Gorden B. Hinkley as well as Brigham Young, so they are always changing old doctrine to fit with todays mindset. Also, as we know, or should know, GODs word never changes.

Auttajasi, admit it, you really havent studied the Mormon religion in depth. You are just a crusader.

Auttajasi

magprob,

The fact that you can't have a conversation without trying to insult someone is a reflection of your intelligence and your faith. To the lay person reading this post, they are probably thinking that I ran over your dog or something and you are retaliating. Not sure if I offended you in a former life or something.

You continue to attack the LDS religion and those that believe in it. I am in the same position you are in and I could easily attack you for NOT believing in LDS doctrine, but I have done no such thing, nor will I ever.

I do not claim a special degree in my faith, nor is it required to get into heaven, or try to answer someone's question about LDS doctrine for that matter.
If this is the way that a "Senior member" of this forum acts, I may have to reconsider my participation in this website. One sour apple ruins the bushel.

I love a good healthy argument, but when one party is spouting unsubstantiated rhetoric and resorting to false assumptions and name calling, it nullifies any conversation that we have had or could have had. Feel free to contact me if you want to have a real discussion about spirituality. I don't get offended nor do I hold grudges.
See ya,

magprob

Not at all. You think I am attacking the Mormons when I simply posted the sources of my post. You called me a liar but you will never read the sources from whence I got the correct information. You just started balbbering about some completely unrelated religions that have no bearing on this topic.
I was not a part of your past life and I will be sure to avoid you in the next.

Lacey5765

Ok, so do you believe that God would give any commandments that we can not achieve? WOuld a loving Father set us up to fail? Mathew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Sure we may not reach perfection in this life but why would we strive for perfection if it is not attainable? It sounds Magprob that you have studied some LDS doctrine and thus must know that we believe in continued revelation today. Not a change in GOd's word but additional "word". GOd's word was not changed by the New Testament, just further understanding. The Book of MOrmon doesn't change God's original word either. just further knowledge and additional understanding. We know that thru the many translations of the Bible some meanings have been changed and even all of us on this post can read the same scripture and have many different interpretations. We LDS just believe that God has revealed his true meaning of the scriptures through additional scriptures not taking anything away from the Old and New Testament.

magprob

Continued Revelation? Let me show you something real quick. REV. 18 "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, GOD will add to him the plagues described in this book. REV.19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, GOD will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. Holy Bible, New International Version.

Hey, if you want to belive Joseph Smith and Brigham Young and trust them with your eternal salvation, you just go right ahead. Personally, I do not feel Gordon B. Hinkley is a prophet of GOD. I'm sure he really wants the best for you but, if he spoke the truth from his heart of hearts, I'm afraid you would be disappointed. Untill GOD comes back and changes those words Himself, the prophecy business is dead, except for the Mormon church that is. But like I said, go ahead and may GOD really bless you.

Auttajasi

The word 'bible' comes from the greek word "biblios" which means books or scrolls. 'ta biblia' means 'the books' or 'library.'

There wasn't a Book or Bible when Revelations was written.
Rev 22: 18-19 refers specifically to The Book of Revelations, which was where the prophecy and plagues were described.
The Bible was compiled (about 150 AD) after all but one of the Apostles had been savagely murdered.
Additionally, the Old Testament was even compiled after the New Testament, but we don't consider this adding to the book. The Bible is a library of books, therefore adding to or taking away from the Book of Revelations would merit the plagues.

magprob

That is really weak considering the fact that the books compiled were in fact the inspired word of GOD. Gordon B. Hinkleys word is not the inspired word of GOD no more than the Pope can add to or take away from the one true Bible.

Auttajasi

No it's not weak. It's fact. I gathered the information from several different Catholic oriented sites. What I also found in my internet travels, is that there were several other Gospels like The Epistle of Clement and the Shepherd of Hermas, that were initially considered inspired works, but were rejected when the Bible was initially compiled. My point is that I fail to believe that every inspired word of God is in fact in the Bible. I can't believe that a loving God would speak to his children so little over the course of thousands of years. Can a person sit down, read 4 pages a day, and read the entire word of God in a year? I hope not.

Quote from catholic.com about inspiration:

"No internal evidence could prove inspiration, because inspiration is essentially a supernatural fact. It is objective, not subjective. It is simply that God said this thing in this way."
As hard as you try, you are not going to be able to disprove that the head of the LDS church is inspired. Just as no one is going to disprove that the Pope is inspired.

I also believe other people have been inspired over the years. I believe that Martin Luther was inspired, but I am not Lutheran. I also believe that Beethoven, Mozart, Liszt, and Chopin etc. were inspired. I also believe our founding fathers (USA) were inspired to do what they did. You may disagree.

We may have our opinions and convictions, but spirituality is not an exact science. It is one part objective and many parts subjective. Hence, why there are so many churches out there most of which believe the others are wrong, and all of which (Christian) hold the Bible to be the word of God.

NeedKarma

That why I believe that the Church of the Flying Spagetti Monster is right for me. The teachings are beautiful.