The LDS (Mormon) magazine 'Ensign' for March is full of christian ideas and thoughts.

[PaulDupre]

That is a dodge. You are changing the subject to divert attention from the one that you can’t handle. And for your information, Mormonism does not teach that God was once a man. It has not been revealed how God came to be, or where He came from. We do not have the answer to that question.

The answer is given in your current Gospel Principles manual:

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel–you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil [died] before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 348).

**This is the way our Heavenly Father became God. Joseph Smith taught: “It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God. . . . He was once a man like us; . . . God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-46).
**
Our Heavenly Father knows our trials, our weaknesses, and our sins. He has compassion and mercy on us. He wants us to succeed even as he did.

• Gospel Principles, Chapter 47

Looks to me like the LDS church teaching that God was once a man like us.

 

[Benadam]

Mormonism does not teach that God was once a man. It has not been revealed how God came to be, or where He came from. We do not have the answer to that question.

 

[zerinus]

Zerinas, are you refering to the trinity of persons that your faith has not yet resolved but has theologically concluded to be? I mean the creator of all that is who isn’t the person you call our Father in heaven but persons who were worshipped by those who came before who your heavenly father worshipped who in turn worshipped who in turn worshipped etc to an undetermined ad infinitim?

I have no idea what you are talking about. We believe in a Trinity of three distinct and separate personages, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. And we don’t know of any other Gods before them.

This is true, the Trinity is not a biblical revelation. The Trinity was not even convincingly implied in the bible but taught explicitely in Sacred Tradition untill written documentation became a necessity in order to preserve it.

Trinitarianism is neither biblical nor descended as an oral tradition. It developed as a result of the theological controversies that dogged the Christians in the fourth and fifth centuries.

zerinus

 

[zaffiroborant]

The first article is from the leader of the lds church. He has a great article about praying to heavenly father in faith. Headings such as ‘Strength in Prayer’ Accepting his Invitation’ and ‘Faith in Action’ seem very christian to me.

The second article is about Walking by Faith and Not by Sight. It is an article about a blind woman and how she loves the gospel of Jesus Christ and the light that this gospel gives her. Seems very christian to me.

Then we have a poem, a nice poem called Hand in Hand. It is a lovely poem about marriage. Catholics can learn something about marriage from this poem. In fact, everyone can. It seems christian to me.

The next article is about young women entering Relief Society for the first time. It says that what is important is that we share the same heavenly father regardless of age difference or any other difference that we may have.

And then later we have an article about the plan of salvation. It seems christian to me. Now of course all faiths can have different plans of salvation. Heck, the protestants and catholics disagree on this too. But still, the article seems christian to me.

And then we have an article about the parable of the ten virgins and another article about becoming self-reliant, spiritually and physically by seeing ourselves as children of god regardless of circumstance, culture or location. It seems chrisian to me.

I think that you are just being negative Rebecca.

All of the articles you mention (except the parable of the ten virgins which was pretty light weight) are explicitly geared toward promoting the LDS faith. Now there is nothing wrong with the Church of Latter-day Saints publishing faith promoting material for the membership, you though should quit shilling for them here while misrepresenting yourself as a Catholic.

As to things that are “pretty Christian” the material given to my family by my “just shy of a fanatic” Evangelical BIL is far and away more general Christian in content than anything I’ve read in the Ensign, and I’ve read much more than you presented here.

I also just love the way you imply Catholics in particular could learn something from the poem, just can’t restrain yourself from saying yet again how deficient you believe Catholics to be.

By the way when I saw the quote from you in the reply mode it underlined every instance of your use of the word Christian, mine is not underlined by spell check why is that?

 

[Benadam]

I

have no idea what you are talking about. We believe in a Trinity of three distinct and separate personages, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. And we don’t know of any other Gods before them.

 

[rmcmullan]

This thread was about the Ensign and now it has descended into a free-for-all. There are innumerable threads already on the things that are currently being discussed. Not much on the role and value of church publications or of the Ensign in particular. Too bad, it might have made an interesting discussion.

 

[zerinus]

I don’t see that kind of developement in Mormon theology. In fact it isn’t very likely given the radically different mode by which Mormons believe divine revelation is recieved

Mormon theology is based on and derived from the standard works of the LDS Church, i.e. the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.

zerinus

 

[cthulhubryan]

You mean with apostate Christianity.

The very idea of Apostate Christianity is heretical. Jesus said that He would build his Church on Peter and the Gates of Hell would not prevail against it.

First of all, being created does not make anything non-existent. Secondly, our scriptures teach that Jesus is eternal and has always been God.

So close, but no cigar. The LDS church teaches that ALL souls have always been and are incorporeal until the mormon god (Who Brigham Young declared to have once been a man) has sex with his many wives on a planet near Kolob to create bodies for them.

We believe that the Father is eternal, and we don’t believe that He had sex with Mary.

Nobody believes God had sex with Mary. God is spirit. The LDS church does teach that God has sex with his many wives to create spiritual bodies.

You mean apostate Christianity. What we believe in is biblical Christianity, which I agree diverges considerably from apostate Christianity.

Biblical Christianity is the Catholic Church. There is no mention in the Bible or in history about the early church being some sort of proto-mormon church.

Trinitarianism is a byproduct of apostate Christianity, and does not remotely resemble what is taught in the Word of God.

The trinity and the concept of the Triune God is expressed in the bible, just not given that name.

The Trinitarianism that you believe in is “another gospel” as far as the teachings of Paul is concerned—and indeed the whole of the Bible.

You should read the Gospel of St. John. You will see that The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit are not three separate beings.

One other item, in your sig you list a FAQ. One of your answers is incorrect. The LDS Church does not, and cannot, use the Joseph Smith Translation. That translation is the intellectual property of the RLDS church (Now Community of Christ)

 

[sweetnay]

RebeccaJ and others are to be commended for their thorough and knowledgeable defense of the one TRUE Church, the Catholic Church against the heresy of mormonism. Call her any names you wish, it has nothing to do with feelings, and everything to do with Facts. Mormonism is guilty of the very first heresy offered by Satan in the Garden of Eden: that men can become gods. Mormonism has swallowed this lie hook, line and sinker. It is a religion based on lies, power and lust cloaked in traditional family values and being ‘nice’. The Truth hurts and is hard to take however not hard to find once you stop assuming you’ve found it.

 

[majick275]

This thread was about the Ensign and now it has descended into a free-for-all. There are innumerable threads already on the things that are currently being discussed. Not much on the role and value of church publications or of the Ensign in particular. Too bad, it might have made an interesting discussion.

don’t peddle mormon pubs here. seriously, how often do you read the watchtower? i am sure a lot of Jw’s would tell you all of the same things about it that you say about the ensign. no one here is going to mormon boards and telling them to read any catholic magazines. just stop with trying to convert people to your mormon/catholic you can be both at the same time, hedge your bet heresy.

 

[Jerusha]

I, for one, am grateful for LDS participation on this board. They have given me some excellent insights into LDS patterns of “logic” and “reasoning”. Thanks to their unwitting help, I am finishing up my writing project. Should be airtight-- so much better than Jaredite boats.

 

[Benadam]

Mormon theology is based on and derived from the standard works of the LDS Church, i.e. the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.

zerinus

Zerinas, The mentioning of documents that preserve mormon revelation in no way express the concepts that would educate a person about how Mormons believe it is recieved.

I really don’t find any use in dismanteling another’s faithanyway. I never feel good about it or think it did some good after a round of it.

Really when we look at the big picture, the real spiritual battle is cultural not religious at this point in time. In that struggle we are more friends than enemies. I think Mormons contribute to a culture of life in that they are preserving an image of the structures of the human family in a way I can’t think any other group in the US are. An image of wholesome life, also, if all the mainline protestant professions had continued to embrace their traditions as Mormons have the people of this nation would still be listening to their voice to guide them. I attribute the growth of Mormonism to that. It’s what people are attracted too who have reached a maturity that calls them to faith.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Until I see reports that they are going for the guts in examination of conscience, using Helaman 4, I refuse to even take a look.

See, Rebecca, I am making slow progress. It is like looking for diamonds in a pig-pen.

I saw part of a film this morning that brought you to mind.

Pathfinder

 

[rmcmullan]

don’t peddle mormon pubs here. seriously, how often do you read the watchtower? i am sure a lot of Jw’s would tell you all of the same things about it that you say about the ensign. no one here is going to mormon boards and telling them to read any catholic magazines. just stop with trying to convert people to your mormon/catholic you can be both at the same time, hedge your bet heresy.

Peddle Mormon pubs? I think you mean promote. When I lived in Toronto I used to really enjoy all the publications the street evangelists would hand out. There was this one group in particular I remember–I think it was Moses David or something like that–they handed out particularly colorful phamplets warning of Comet Kahoutek and the end of the world and all sorts of crazy stuff. That was just fun. Yeah, I kind of miss that. Frankly, most LDS and Papist publications are too mainstream to be that much fun any more.

I don’t really visit any LDS boards but you’re free to go there and promote all the Papist publications you want. Infact, you probably should–Christ’s original church was a missionary church.

Majick, you do seem to be one of those who are infuriated when the line between the Restored church (LDS) and the fallen church (Papists) is blurred. But there a lot of people, some who regularly post here, who can live with the differences very comfortably.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

most LDS and Papist publications are too mainstream to be that much fun any more.

Careful with this. You have been here since 2005, you should know better.

God bless

 

[Benadam]

Careful with this. You have been here since 2005, you should know better.

God bless

indeed, the bubble of sincerity popped. In fact I’m convinced mcmullin is a well…I won’t say something I know would make mcmullin feel disrespected as I believe those of us who have Faith in the Chair of Peter were meant to feel.

 

[Stephen168]

Peddle Mormon pubs? I think you mean promote. When I lived in Toronto I used to really enjoy all the publications the street evangelists would hand out. There was this one group in particular I remember–I think it was Moses David or something like that–they handed out particularly colorful phamplets warning of Comet Kahoutek and the end of the world and all sorts of crazy stuff. That was just fun. Yeah, I kind of miss that. Frankly, most LDS and Papist publications are too mainstream to be that much fun any more.

I don’t really visit any LDS boards but you’re free to go there and promote all the Papist publications you want. Infact, you probably should–Christ’s original church was a missionary church.

Majick, you do seem to be one of those who are infuriated when the line between the Restored church (LDS) and the fallen church (Papists) is blurred. But there a lot of people, some who regularly post here, who can live with the differences very comfortably.

Is the another example of Mormons being nice? Do you have a white robe and pointy hat, too

 

[Stephen168]

I, for one, am grateful for LDS participation on this board. They have given me some excellent insights into LDS patterns of “logic” and “reasoning”.

And they show us how ‘nice’ they are

 

[zerinus]

One other item, in your sig you list a FAQ. One of your answers is incorrect. The LDS Church does not, and cannot, use the Joseph Smith Translation. That translation is the intellectual property of the RLDS church (Now Community of Christ)

I don’t claim to be familiar with all the legal issues of the case; but I don’t believe that is not correct. The JST passages are extensively published as footnotes and an appendix in the LDS edition of the KJV Bible; but there are no copyright notices displayed, and no acknowledgements given to anyone; which suggests that no copyright ownership by another party is involved.

zerinus

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Think what you will. It is not a Christian publication. The gospel it is talking about is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a mormon facsimile.

Facsimile ??? ROFL - Mormon theology is “warmed-over” Mediterranean nature-worship, with​

• finite gods
• their active sex lives
• divine harems
• “Heavenly Mother” goddess
• gods who take part in a council
• an amoral “high god”
• • who engages in penetrative sex with a mortal woman
• gods in a hierarchy of heavens
• materialist presuppositions
• angel-revealer

• & so on.

All it needs now are a few deified attributes, objects & weapons, a bit more variety in sexual activity (cultic prostitutes of both sexes would do nicely), a bit more emphasis on other gods than those currently to the fore, & the like, & it will do very nicely as a pre-Classical nature cult.