Help needed: Mormonism

[sousley]

What do you think Jesus meant here?

" And a certain ruler asked him, saying: Good master, what shall I do to possess everlasting life?

And Jesus said to him: Why dost thou call me good? None is good but God alone."

In this story, the rich man asks what he must do to get to heaven. Jesus proceeds to give him a list from the law. This list contained those commandments that dealt with the way man is to treat fellow man (the 2nd tablet). He further tells the man that all that is left to do is give of himself entirely to his neighbor. The man leaves sad because of this requirement.

However, we know the law was not sufficient to save. We also know that just treating our neighbor right isn’t enough. So what happened to the 1st tablet, the ones dealing with how we worship God? Not having other Gods before me, not making graven images, keep the Sabbath, Love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, soul, strength? Did Jesus forget about following God.

No. The last thing He told the man to do was “follow me”. He is the first tablet. 1st century Jews would not have missed this.

 

[po18guy]

What do you think Jesus meant here?

" And a certain ruler asked him, saying: Good master, what shall I do to possess everlasting life?

And Jesus said to him: Why dost thou call me good? None is good but God alone."

Reverse this: God alone was good - so why would a ruler then call Jesus “good”? What was the ruler thinking when he addressed Jesus with a term reserved for God?

As important as what was said is that which was not said - in other words, that which was concealed in the statement. This was a technique of the Rabbi, intended to produce either a response or further investigation on the part of the hearer. This is a particularly Jewish manner of teaching. The same as when John Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the one, or if they should look for another. John’s Gospel clearly states that the baptist saw the Holy Spirit rest upon Jesus at His baptism, and that was the sign of the Messiah. If the baptist knew that Jesus was the Messiah, why then would he not tell his disciples plainly? Remember that Jesus could have taught plainly, but used parables. He taught plainly only to the inner circle.

 

[StranraerHibby]

I’ve been invited to a Christian Fellowship meeting on Tuesday and will be attending and therefore avoiding the Mormons.

Thanks again to everyone here on CAF who has helped me.

 

[Boatswain2PA]

Sorry about the popcorn (always wanted to use that avatar). The thing is I believe your question is too much to answer in a single post. It would take a book.

Not really. Mormonism can be summed up in one sentence.

About a hundred and fifty years ago a guy was trying to convince his wife to let him have a threesome, so he told her he found these magical golden tablets from god who told him some reallllllly strange stuff, including that she should let him hook up with young girls, and the wife fell for it.

Okay, its a long sentence, but that sums it up.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Not really. Mormonism can be summed up in one sentence.

About a hundred and fifty years ago a guy was trying to convince his wife to let him have a threesome, so he told her he found these magical golden tablets from god who told him some reallllllly strange stuff, including that she should let him hook up with young girls, and the wife fell for it.

Okay, its a long sentence, but that sums it up.

While I don’t support or adhere to Mormonism, I don’t think this is a fair summation of their faith.

 

[Boatswain2PA]

While I don’t support or adhere to Mormonism, I don’t think this is a fair summation of their faith.

I agree, it is not a fair summation of the faith of any individual Mormon, but it certainly is an accurate summation of the beginnings of the faith. Most individual Mormons are very good and upright people…but they unknowingly follow a foolish cult that has it’s beginnings with one guy trying to convince his wife…

 

[Janderich]

Not really. Mormonism can be summed up in one sentence.

About a hundred and fifty years ago a guy was trying to convince his wife to let him have a threesome, so he told her he found these magical golden tablets from god who told him some reallllllly strange stuff, including that she should let him hook up with young girls, and the wife fell for it.

Okay, its a long sentence, but that sums it up.

Wow. StranraerHibby, I feel sad for you and anyone who tries to glean truth from garbage like this.

 

[iepuras]

Wow. StranraerHibby, I feel sad for you and anyone who tries to glean truth from garbage like this.

Well, that isn’t how the LDS church started. It is more accurate to state that Joseph Smith was not permitted to join the Methodist church because of his treasure seeking and charges of fraud and eventually decided to start a church of his own. Whether he actually had any of the visions he claimed is open for debate. The adultery (aka, polygamy) came later after he had a decent following and some power.

 

[Servant19]

Messenger. Not the Son. That most clearly denies His divinity. Jesus is a prophet, and a very special one, but no more than a prophet.

I think calling Jesus THE “Word of God” is a pretty hefty station Muhammad placed upon Jesus. Some may say that Muhammad recognized Jesus’ station as higher than His own, such was His humility.

Context and a wholistic approach is critical.

In a similar vain, one could easily call Timothy “false” since He clearly labels Jesus just a “mediator”:

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus," - 1Tim 2:5

…there are several ,ore examples of things like this where Christians would advised me to approach the Bible “wholistically” and within context.

The Quran is no different dear friends

.

 

[po18guy]

I think calling Jesus THE “Word of God” is a pretty hefty station Muhammad placed upon Jesus. Some may say that Muhammad recognized Jesus’ station as higher than His own, such was His humility.

Context and a wholistic approach is critical.

In a similar vain, one could easily call Timothy “false” since He clearly labels Jesus just a “mediator”:

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus," - 1Tim 2:5

…there are several ,ore examples of things like this where Christians would advised me to approach the Bible “wholistically” and within context.

The Quran is no different dear friends

.

I think you are obscuring things. The Quran clearly states that it is not appropriate for God (Allah) to have a son. That denies the already revealed, and long-settled divine nature of Christ. To claim that “mediator” renders Paul’s letter to Timothy false strikes me as nonsensical. Are you claiming that “mediator” somehow explicitly or even implicitly excludes all other roles of Christ? Do tell…

 

[Servant19]

The Quran clearly states that it is not appropriate for God (Allah) to have a son.

Dear friend, clearly this passage of the Quran is reducing the emphasis on Christs human nature and trying to re-focus attention on Christs DIVINE nature, something that is done with aplomb in John’s Gospel.

In order for God to have sperm to produce a human Son would mean that God would have to become a Man first, then impregnate Mary in order for Jesus to be born. The term “Son” does not mean this does it? The Quran is emphasizing that this is not what happened.

Jesus is a DIVINE being first, who became human for our sins.

The Quran emphasizes this in no uncertain terms by also referring to Jesus as the “Word of God”

What more glorification can one ask for?

.

 

[Servant19]

To claim that “mediator” renders Paul’s letter to Timothy false strikes me as nonsensical. Are you claiming that “mediator” somehow explicitly or even implicitly excludes all other roles of Christ? Do tell…

Of course not dear friend

Jesus is called a lot of things in the Bible, sometimes mediator, sometimes a Prophet (as in Acts 3:22), sometimes the “Word of God”

Jesus is also called a lot of similar things in the Quran, sometimes a “Messenger”, sometimes a Prophet and sometimes the “Word of God”

To focus on one title over the other to dismiss the entirety of the Book would be non-sensical no?

Muhammad’s mission was not to entertain the Christians with a corollary of sublime “titles” for Jesus. His Mission was given to Him by God to unite the Arab nations and creation a Law by which savage peoples could be united, submissive under God. Jesus was not the focus. Howbeit, Jesus was still highly revered.

Name me one Quranic verse which encourages Muslims to not pray in Jesus’ name as reverentially as they pray in Muhammad’s name? Its against Islamic teaching to be irreverant to Lord Jesus

.

 

[Anziano]

If you are not interested in listening to the Missionaries, at least offer them a sandwich and maybe a glass of water (if it is hot), they’re young men and women, out of their element, and trying to do something they believe in, regardless of whether or not you believe in it as well. Be polite, tell them no thanks, but a smile is always welcomed. They are also out to do service all the time, so if you need help…don’t hesitate to ask.

If you do want to listen, why not listen? That’s how I learned about the religions I have studied, I asked people who practiced those faiths. Learned a lot more that way.