[dwashbur]

actually, the phrase used is, 'companion of the bible.'

I do know the difference between "companion" and "completion." I have had at least a dozen Mormons, including at least 4 missionaries, use that term. You may know some who say "companion"; I'm telling you what they told me. Period.

[hheath541]

I do know the difference between "companion" and "completion." I have had at least a dozen Mormons, including at least 4 missionaries, use that term. You may know some who say "companion"; I'm telling you what they told me. Period.

I've never heard it referred to as a completion of the bible. I don't doubt that you have. I just never have.

I have been around easily hundreds of mormons in my life, and am more than passingly familiar with their teachings. I can only recount things as I have learned and experienced them.

Is it possible that the mormons you're heard refer to it as a completion were part of the reformed church? I'm not very familiar with it, but I do know that the reformed church changed a lot of the terminology, among a vast number of other things, when it split off.

[dwashbur]

I've never heard it referred to as a completion of the bible. i don't doubt that you have. i just never have.

i have been around easily hundreds of mormons in my life, and am more than passingly familiar with their teachings. i can only recount things as i have learned and experienced them.

is it possible that the mormons you're heard refer to it as a completion were part of the reformed church? I'm not very familiar with it, but i do know that the reformed church changed a lot of the terminology, among a vast number of other things, when it split off.

No. The missionaries in particular were the usual ones. And it's "reorganized," not "reformed."

[hheath541]

No. The missionaries in particular were the usual ones. And it's "reorganized," not "reformed."

Oops. They mean essentially the same thing. Like I said, not very familiar with that branch of mormonism.

Now I'm wondering why I never heard the bom referred to as a completion of the bible. I doubt it's a regional thing. Oh well, no way to know and it's not worth dwelling on.

[Wondergirl]

I grew up near Palmyra, NY, the home of Joseph Smith, who wrote the Book of Mormon. I have walked through the Sacred Grove and climbed the Hill Cumorah where the Angel Moroni told Joseph to dig up the golden plates. I have, as a librarian, called their visitor center more than once to get information for a patron straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. My dad was a Lutheran minister who would welcome LDS and JW missionaries into our home. Those were educational discussions!

While doing the research for my Texas books, I spent some time researching American Indian creation stories and Indian beliefs about how God and Nature are important in their lives. (Go to 299.72 for books on this at your local public library.)

When a young (East) Indian woman became my library volunteer (I was the coordinator for all volunteers) some years ago, she introduced me to Hinduism and encouraged me to read up on it. Several more Indians became coworkers, and that gave me more opportunities to learn about Hinduism and ask questions. Various library volunteers have been Christians, Jews, Unity, agnostics, atheists, Muslims, Jains, Wiccans and members of other belief systems. Of course, we didn't spend lots of time discussing religion while we were supposed to be working, but they all were eager to answer any questions I had and suggest books and other materials I could read to find out more about their beliefs. And since I worked in a public library, putting my hands on resource material was a piece of cake!

One teenage page (book shelver) said he was an atheist and challenged me to prove to him that there is a God. I often drove him home after work, and I think I learned more from him as very scientific person with no beliefs in a god and from doing my own research on "is there a God?" than he learned from me. (Btw, David left the library when he graduated from h.s, eventually earned a Ph.D. in microbiology, and I lost track of him, but his mom later told me he had become a Christian when in his early 30s.)

My conclusion is, yes! Learn all you can about others' belief systems. You will be able to have amazing conversations with many interesting people, and the knowledge will broaden you and help you firm up your own beliefs.

[dwashbur]

oops. They mean essentially the same thing. Like I said, not very familiar with that branch of mormonism.

They might disagree with you! They consider themselves the true followers of Joseph Smith, and basically say the Salt Lake City branch is apostate. That's basically why they call themselves "reorganized" rather than "reformed," because the latter implies that they have something in common with the other group and, at least to some, them's fightin' words.

now I'm wondering why I never heard the bom referred to as a completion of the bible. I doubt it's a regional thing. Oh well, no way to know and it's not worth dwelling on.

Agreed.

[arcura]

fallen2grace,
You have gotten some good advice.
The best is and I fully agree that to read material from other denominations and religions does broaden your knowlegde, derepens your understanding of others and can very much help strengthen you Christian faith.
So have at it.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

[dwashbur]

fallen2grace,
You have gotten some good advice.
The best is and I fully agree that to read material from other denominations and religions does broaden your knowlegde, derepens your understanding of others and can very much help strengthen you Christian faith.
So have at it.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

Just be careful, because some of that stuff can seem pretty persuasive if you're not intimately familiar with, not just what you believe, but why you believe it.

[arcura]

dwashbur,
Yes, that is true.
Fred

[classyT]

No. The missionaries in particular were the usual ones. And it's "reorganized," not "reformed."

The "reorganized" are what many of my inlaws are involved in. SOME of them are good people too! When I read their misson statement (reorganized church of Latter day saints) they stated they believe Jesus to be divine. I wasn't sure what that even means. I believe Jesus is God. ANYway, I was married in that type of church because my husband's uncle was a minister there. I have no idea why I shared that info. BUT... If I could have a re-do, I wouldn't have been married there or by someone who didn't share my beliefs. Sorry off topic... again... as usual...

[hheath541]

The "reorganized" are what many of my inlaws are involved in. SOME of them are good people too! When i read their misson statement (reorganized church of Latter day saints) they stated they believe Jesus to be divine. I wasn't sure what that even means. I believe Jesus is God. ANYway, I was married in that type of church because my husband's uncle was a minister there. I have no idea why i shared that info. BUT... If I could have a re-do, I wouldn't have been married there or by someone who didn't share my beliefs. sorry off topic...again...as usual...

Basically, they believe that jesus is the son of god, and part of holy trinity. In the mormon church, reorganized or otherwise, the holy trinity are all seen as divine and equally important. They do not believe that jesus IS god, but a separate entity. The same with the holy spirit.

The father, the son, and the holy ghost. Heavenly father (god) is the one true god and creator of the universe. Jesus is his son who ascended to heaven to help his father rule. The holy ghost doesn't have a body and is everywhere at once; listening to prayers, instilling and affirming faith, and generally just giving the feeling of god's presence to people.

Hope that helped a bit. I'm trying to explain something I learned a long time ago, and never really thought too deeply about at the time, so I hope I didn't just confuse you more.

[JoeCanada76]

It is never wrong to read other religious books. I would ask why did your mother freak out so badly and what is she afraid of?

The only people who are insecure about reading other spiritual or religious books are people who do not have enough faith and spiritual strength in themselves to be strong enough in their faith to be excepting of other peoples beliefs and also be able to explore them without it effecting their walk.

I am in the belief it is actually beneficial to being open to exploring and seeing and reading other books.

People who do not, I think will be worse off.

Joe

[arcura]

classyT,
Some Mormons believe that Jesus is not God but some do.
Some believe that Jesus is Adam reborn.
So it goes.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

[hheath541]

Adam reborn? That's not a concept I'm familiar with. It does create an interesting amalgam of heaven and reincarnation.

[arcura]

hheath541, Try this one.
Brigam Young is quoted as saying, "Adam is our God and the only God we have to do with."
Fred

[hheath541]

I don't remember any real talk of adam at all, beyond the obvious mentions in the eden mythos.

Then again, leaders tend to have the oddest quotes isolated, sometimes. Maybe it's something he said that was taken out of context, or a personal belief of his, or a belief of the mormon church I'm simply not familiar with. I'm knowledgeable, but not an expert.

[fallen2grace]

It is never wrong to read other religious books. I would ask why did your mother freak out so badly and what is she afraid of?

The only people who are insecure about reading other spiritual or religious books are people who do not have enough faith and spiritual strength in themselves to be strong enough in their faith to be excepting of other peoples beliefs and also be able to explore them without it effecting their walk.

I am in the belief it is actually beneficial to being open to exploring and seeing and reading other books.

People who do not, I think will be worse off.

Joe

I have no clue why she freaked out. And I won't say what she actually said because it isn't appropriate and will offend others. But I think it might have to do with my dad. She's very angry and bitter towards him because he walked out. He thinks he's a Mormon, but I don't think he is. He doesn't know half of what they believed and was surprised when I told him that they use water instead of wine(or juice) in communion. He was raised Catholic.

[hheath541]

That's probably it, then.

How does he claim to be mormon and not know they use water for the sacrament? Anyone who's gone to a Sunday service at a mormon church would know that. It's kind of hard to miss when they're passing the tray right beneath your nose.

[dwashbur]

When most Mormons say they believe Jesus is divine, they mean it in the same sense that they - at least the men - expect to become gods someday themselves. "Divine" means different things to different people, and one of the big problems is that a group may take a word or phrase out of historic Christian teaching, like "divine" and redefine it to fit their own ideas. Then when we're talking with them it sounds like they're saying the same thing we are. But the reality is that they mean something quite different.

One of the many reasons language is my bag...

[Wondergirl]

When most Mormons say they believe Jesus is divine, they mean it in the same sense that they - at least the men - expect to become gods someday themselves. "Divine" means different things to different people, and one of the big problems is that a group may take a word or phrase out of historic Christian teaching, like "divine" and redefine it to fit their own ideas. Then when we're talking with them it sounds like they're saying the same thing we are. But the reality is that they mean something quite different.

One of the many reasons language is my bag...

We had a big discussion on theosis here on this board a year or so ago. That is the Mormons' belief, but maybe not in the same sense as the traditional idea of it?