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LDS blogger interviews John G. Turner, author of "The Mormon Jesus"
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lax16
Guest
RNS: What surprised you the most in your research?
(Turner)
Two, I was surprised how widespread the LDS belief in a married savior has been. I thought that maybe only a few nineteenth-century leaders believed that, partly because evangelical countercult figures make such a big deal out of it. I figured they were exaggerating. But many, many high-ranking LDS church leaders taught that Jesus was married, and to multiple wives, and that he had fathered children on earth.
How can I “enjoy” such blasphemy???!!!
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Horton
Guest
Just when I thought nothing in Mormonism could surprise me.RNS: What surprised you the most in your research?
(Turner)
Two, I was surprised how widespread the LDS belief in a married savior has been. I thought that maybe only a few nineteenth-century leaders believed that, partly because evangelical countercult figures make such a big deal out of it. I figured they were exaggerating. But many, many high-ranking LDS church leaders taught that Jesus was married, and to multiple wives, and that he had fathered children on earth.
How can I “enjoy” such blasphemy???!!!
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Marie5890
Guest
It was a comment thought that yes, he was married.RNS: What surprised you the most in your research?
(Turner)
Two, I was surprised how widespread the LDS belief in a married savior has been. I thought that maybe only a few nineteenth-century leaders believed that, partly because evangelical countercult figures make such a big deal out of it. I figured they were exaggerating. But many, many high-ranking LDS church leaders taught that Jesus was married, and to multiple wives, and that he had fathered children on earth.
How can I “enjoy” such blasphemy???!!!
Yes about the polygamy, too.
Wasn’t talked about too much. Many didn’t talk abut polygamy in general, especially we females in light of DC 132
AFA the article/interview itself, it’s a very fair representation based on my experiences and knowledge of my years as LDS and post-LDS
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lax16
Guest
I had my family read the article. There can be no doubt that the Mormon Jesus is very different than the Jesus of mainstream Christianity.
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Autumn_Smoke
Guest
Isn’t it a Mormon belief that unless you obey the first commandment God gave to mankind to “be fruitful and multiply,” that you can’t get to heaven?
So how could The Author of our Faith have disobeyed this one? I guess that’s how they’d see it… ??
So how could The Author of our Faith have disobeyed this one? I guess that’s how they’d see it… ??
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Marie5890
Guest
No, that is not true. Yes, they take that commandment seriously, but the idea that it is tied into being exalted is not true. Some of the GA’s only have a couple of kids.
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Marie5890
Guest
Yes, the LDS understanding of the nature of Christ is very different from mainstream understanding in Christianity. Christ was and is very central to their faith, though, that can’t be denied. At least it was when I was LDS and I have seen no change in that. They do seem to have gotten away from so much focus on Smith, however.
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Autumn_Smoke
Guest
I was just wondering because I had a Mormon friend who, he and his wife could not have children. Adoption wasn’t looking well for them either. He was the one who told me about the Mormon belief. He was very, very frightened about his eternal salvation. But I can’t find anything about that on the internet, so like you said, it’s probably not true.
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jane_doe
Guest
It is not.
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lax16
Guest
Why then do Mormons teach/believe that Jesus was married to multiple wives if it’s not required?
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lax16
Guest
On page 18 of The Gospel Through the Ages it lists the “Gospel Ordinances” that must be practiced by “the sons and daughters of God” if they hope to get back into the presence of God. “Such ordinances as baptism, confirmation, temple ordinances, priesthood ordinations, marriage, and others, are all part of the Gospel plan of Salvation”. On the following page it states that “Jesus Christ, the only perfect man who has lived on this earth, was perfect because He obeyed all the principles and ordinances of the Gospel in order that He ‘might fulfill all righteousness’”
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Marie5890
Guest
He and his wife should talk with their bishop and get their false understanding corrected. Infertility is hard enough without thinking it’s can keep them from the LDS view of exaltation.
I am assuming your friend is part of the main LDS church, and not one of the more fundamental offshoots. I have no idea if any of those groups teach something different. But your friend’s understanding is wrong.
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lax16
Guest
Marriage is required but not children?
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Marie5890
Guest
Right, being sealed is required for exaultation, but having children is not.
(Now I have to laugh the kind of laugh I would do when I would hear the myths and misunderstandings that would pop up when I was LDS i.e. Mormons can’t wear make-up, Mormons can’t dance, etc etc. The idea of having children is a must for exaultation falls into that category.
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lax16
Guest
I have never met any Mormons without children- either biological or adopted. I have often heard them say, back when we were young and having children, “we got our two (three, four…) out of the way so now I can ______”.Right, being sealed is required for exaultation, but having children is not.
(Now I have to laugh the kind of laugh I would do when I would hear the myths and misunderstandings that would pop up when I was LDS i.e. Mormons can’t wear make-up, Mormons can’t dance, etc etc. The idea of having children is a must for exaultation falls into that category.
I always wondered what they meant by that. Our circle of friends definitely had a predetermined number of children they were going to have. Now I hear Mormon women in my peer group say they are encouraging their daughters to marry young but to delay having children.
Not that it mandatory, but it is apparently “strongly encouraged”.
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Marie5890
Guest
Oh yes, very strongly encouraged for sure. That is true. And yes there is emphasis on “multiply and replenish the earth” etc but that is because of their doctrine of the preexistence and the whole what is called the “Plan of Salvation”. Or that was what is used to be called. Now I think they call it the “Plan of Happiness”. Im sure that either Jane or Gazelam will correct that if it’s in error
With that doctrine it is held that there are spirit children who are awaiting to gain a body and come to earth. In order to be exaulted, one has to be born and gain a body. So by having children, parents are providing the bodies needed for these spirit children.
So yes, having children is very important and very much encouraged in light of that doctrine. But it’s not essential to exaultation. That said, there is a great deal of pressure to have children, either biologically or by adoption. So much so that a childless couple could very well feel left out or pressured or marginalized.
But no, not a doctrinal requirement.
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jane_doe
Guest
“Plan of Salvation” = “Plan of Happiness”
Same thing.
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