Question for the Mormons – Heavenly Mother(s)

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I’ve never been able to get a straight story on heavenly mother(s). I can’t find any concrete reference to the topic in any of the four standard works and, given Mormon doctrine on preexistence and spirit children, this would appear (at least to me) to be a glaring omission. I’ve found various quotes from Mormon prophets and apostles in the JoD and elsewhere that discuss her (or “them”), however nothing consistent or definitive.

Given that DOC 132 requires that a man be married in order to attain the fullness of celestial glory (i.e., become a god), there must be a heavenly mother; and the fact that we, as spirit children, were “born,” similarly requires a mother in the celestial kingdom. DOC 132 also gives the green light to polygamy, so one might logically assume that there are many heavenly mothers and that would tend to provide doctrinal support for some of the Mormon quotes I found that treat the subject in that manner. Similarly, the prophet Brigham Young stated that one must practice (celestial) polygamy in order to enter the fullness of celestial glory.

So, what is actually taught in the wards on the subject?
 
I remember a hymn referencing a heavenly mother:
O My Father (292) has this stanza:
I had learned to call thee Father,
Thru thy Spirit from on high,
But, until the key of knowledge
Was restored, I knew not why.
In the heav’ns are parents single?
No, the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason; truth eternal
Tells me I’ve a mother there.

After more research on LDS.org I found:​

Lesson 3: I Am a Child of God

Primary 2: Choose the Right A

We also lived with our heavenly mother and all the rest of Heavenly Father’s children. We Have a Heavenly Father Who Loves Us Discussion • How do you know that Heavenly Father loves you?​

  1. Lesson 9: Chastity and Modesty
The Latter-day Saint Woman: Basic Manual for Women, Part A

Well, then, pattern [your lives] after good and heavenly things, …” (in Deseret News [Weekly], 30 Apr. 1873, 196). You are made in the image of our heavenly mother.
If you search LDS.org for “heavenly mother” you will find the above references plus many Ensign articles dated before 1986. So no recent reference has been made to her.
 
God is not only our ruler and creator; he is also our Heavenly Father. “All men and women are . . . literally the sons and daughters of Deity. . . . Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body” (Joseph F. Smith, “The Origin of Man,” Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, pp. 78, 80).
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Every person who was ever born on earth was our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ (see D&C 93:21), so he is literally our elder brother (see Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 26). Because we are the spiritual children of our heavenly parents, we have inherited the potential to develop their divine qualities. If we choose to do so, we can become perfect, just as they are.
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“Heavenly parents” implies a male and at least one female deity. Since plural celestial marriage is a fundamental principle of Mormonism (at one time taught as necessary for exaltation), we can surmise that the Mormon god has many goddess wives. After all, early Mormon prophets and apostles taught that Jesus was plurally married in imitation of his Heavenly Father. I think most Mormons still believe that but very few will admit it to a gentile.
 
Tsuzuki said:
Okay.

If you have anything more concrete than what’s been posted already, and from an official source, I and a bunch of feminist Mormons would much appreciate it.
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wat.

all you have to do is look at how mormon women are treated in this life…extend that to eternity.
 
Tsuzuki said:
Okay.

If you have anything more concrete than what’s been posted already, and from an official source, I and a bunch of feminist Mormons would much appreciate it.
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I’m not trying to be smart-alecky here; it’s just that Mormon doctrine is so meticulous regarding the celestial kingdom, celestial marriage, the origin of spirit children, preexistence, heavenly father and his nature, etc., etc., that the apparent lack of any doctrine regarding heavenly mother(s) leaves me totally baffled. The quotes I’ve found from prophets, apostles and the like are not consistent and often contradictory. Heavenly mother would by definition have to be a major personage in the cosmology and there must be SOME, even quasi-doctrinal, standard teaching.
 
RebeccaJ said:
shhhhhhhh.
she’s a secret.
lol.
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She (or they) are supposedly not mentioned and not named because Heavenly Father is afraid that people may disrespect her/them.

Sort of like the way Mormons disrespect the Blessed Virgin.
 
The Proclamation on the Family from the First Presidency mentions that we have heavenly parents.
 
nebula said:
The Proclamation on the Family from the First Presidency mentions that we have heavenly parents.
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Just more evidence of mormon polytheism. except, the goddess(es) married to the mormon god cannot be worshiped, so henotheism.
 
RebeccaJ said:
Just more evidence of mormon polytheism. except, the goddess(es) married to the mormon god cannot be worshiped, so henotheism.
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Yeah, D&C 132 does state that both parties to a celestial marriage will be become gods. That’s all the more reason I would expect the issue to be doctrinally addressed.
 
PaulDupre said:
She (or they) are supposedly not mentioned and not named because Heavenly Father is afraid that people may disrespect her/them.

Sort of like the way Mormons disrespect the Blessed Virgin.
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Is this documented anywhere?
 
Tsuzuki said:
I am awake. If three persons can equal monotheism, then so can four or more. The number is arbitrary.
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Taken from the Book of Tsuzuki. There is nothing in scripture or sacred tradition that indicates such a blasphemy.
 
Tsuzuki said:
I never said it was Catholic doctrine, just that if three persons can fit the definition of monotheism, then so can any number, so you can’t claim that a belief in a Heavenly Mother is proof of polytheism.
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You have got your religions mixed up into something that is neither Catholic or Mormon.

Let’s unravel.

Mormons do not understand the nature of the Trinity. Their belief is polytheism, in the form of henotheism. The concept of “heavenly mother” exists only in mormonism, and as such, is only a continuance of mormon polytheism.

Which, has absolutely nothing to do with God.
 
Tsuzuki said:
Not so. What Mormons essentially worship as God is the Glory of God, which is the binding force behind the Trinity and is singular in nature, thus making Mormonism inherently monotheistic.
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I would like to see some documentation on that one tsuzuki.
 
Perhaps these concepts are soooooo secre…I mean, “sacred” that they can’t discuss them with non-LDS.

Good question, Matt.
 
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