They prefer Heavenly Father since they find it more reverent than “God” which in modern times is used as often as an expletive as in worship. Also, Jesus taught us to pray beginning “Our father who art in heaven” and many Christians, including and not limited to Mormons, feel that “Heavenly Father” is the closest modern parlance to “our father who art in heaven.”
This!!
Agree with gazelam. This is what I first thought of when I saw the post. I don’t think there is much to it other than tradition. I don’t ever remember being taught that I should specifically use “Heavenly Father” when praying. I’ve seen LDS begin a prayer with something else, and I’ve seen Catholic priests use “Heavenly Father.” No big deal to me.
You know better…I could pull a list of verses from the Book of Mormon and quotes from Joseph Smith that contradict the current LDS view of God and ask the same question - “what other interpretation could there possibly be other than…?”
**5 You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; 6 for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.”
We are made spirit children of God, by adoption (in and through Jesus), not by divine copulation of a “Heavenly Father” and “Heavenly Mother”.
The central doctrine of Mormonism is exaltation, and the God they worship is an exalted male human who lives in a place called heaven. Literally, a place that exists somewhere in space and time, i.e., our universe. There, this “Father in Heaven” is married to a “Mother in Heaven”, and they have together “spirit children”. These spirit children took on physical bodies, metaphorically like a hand slipped into a glove, and now live among us, calling themselves “Mormons”. Prior to becoming a “Father in Heaven”, this God was a human who became a God (i.e., a created being). All that is incorporated into the Mormon phrase, “Father in Heaven”.
If you are responding to me, I did not use quotes to scare anyone.So in short Mormons use the term “heavenly father” for precisely the same reason that some Catholics and many Protestants use it, but it’s a nice point of departure for making snide remarks about LDS doctrine and using lots of “scare quotes.”
Gee, I didn’t get that at all from the question that started this thread. No need to play the persecution card so soon.So in short Mormons use the term “heavenly father” for precisely the same reason that some Catholics and many Protestants use it, but it’s a nice point of departure for making snide remarks about LDS doctrine and using lots of “scare quotes.”
This has actually been a big struggle for me since leaving the LDS church for Catholicism. I feel like I’m caught in between - like I’m trying too hard when praying differently than LDS but feel like I can’t let go when I trend towards the standard LDS prayer.
Do you fold your arms or your hands?
Same here. I fold them when praying publicly (amongst LDS) but can’t stand it. Privately I pray hands together pointing up.Do you fold your arms or your hands?
I will never, EVER fold my arms when I pray. It feels like sacrilege.
Folded arms just doesn’t say praying to me. I remember when PBS had the show about the Mormons, it was on but the TV was muted it had a scene with a family in the kitchen, the teens were standing with their arms folded and to me it looked like sullen teenagers being talked to by parent(s) who were sitting at the table. Most of the parents I’ve talked to see folded arms as showing attitude. It actually does come up in conversation this time of year because our jr. high spring pictures always have a full body picture and the kids have their arms folded, they look cocky and defiant
I agree. My wife is fascinated with Sister Wives and My Five Wives on TV, but I have a hard time watching when they pray. It’s the exact same form as a Mormon prayer, and it makes me uncomfortable. The folding arms and “Dear Heavenly Father…” feels very cultish to me now.Folded arms just doesn’t say praying to me. I remember when PBS had the show about the Mormons, it was on but the TV was muted it had a scene with a family in the kitchen, the teens were standing with their arms folded and to me it looked like sullen teenagers being talked to by parent(s) who were sitting at the table. Most of the parents I’ve talked to see folded arms as showing attitude. It actually does come up in conversation this time of year because our jr. high spring pictures always have a full body picture and the kids have their arms folded, they look cocky and defiant
I, too, have major problems with addressing God the Father as “Heavenly Father” due to the connotations in the LDS church. Maybe someday I will get over it. It is a shame.
Me too! I will never fold my arms again to pray. I will usually fold my hands to pray but I also keep them flat and pointed up at Mass or when I pray with my children. My mother was so good at teaching them to pray Mormon style, I had a hard time of breaking them of folding their arms at first, but now they don’t fold their arms.Do you fold your arms or your hands?
I will never, EVER fold my arms when I pray. It feels like sacrilege.
Same for me, until I prayed in our Blessed Sacrament chapel.
Thanks for this. I even started getting weepy, which I don’t like to do but cannot seem to stop since I had babies.
Hormones are fun!!Thanks for this. I even started getting weepy, which I don’t like to do but cannot seem to stop since I had babies.
Before I was baptized, I was getting really good with coming up with all kinds of adjectives to use instead of heavenly. Now I just call Him “My Father”.
he knows your heart and understands your trials. It is God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who heals us.