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Simple. The mormon religion is full of contradictions. -M (non-LDS)
Christians need to come to grips with the reality that there the Father and the Son are distinct beings. Mormons are not the only ones who believe this. The New Testmant is replete with evidence to support this fact. Careful study of the references to "oneness" in the bible will reveal Jesus' intent when he referred himself and the Father as one. In John 17--you know where Jesus PRAYS to the Father says in 20 and 21 that he hopes those that follow him in the future become one. How? Do you think he meant physically connecting themselves to be one person? Of course not that would be impossible not to mention ridiculous. He clarifies the meaning when he stated "that they may be one, as thou father art in me and I in thee" Why is it so hard to see that the Father and the Son are one in purpose, doctrine and faith--and that Jesus prayed that his followers would also be one in purpose doctine and faith. Instead of wasting time and resources trying pointlessly to prove some ones faith wrong. So instead of unifying oursleves against the world and its relentless attacks on faith, family and unborn children we are squabbling over whether or not Mormons say or do anything wrong. -DB (non-LDS)
Unlike the previous opinion listed, this matter *IS* of importance
because God has warned us about those who would call us to go after other
gods -- therefore it is important to compare the beliefs of any religion
against what the Bible says; this includes the teachings about God. A
good place to start is whether or not there is One God or many true Gods.
God has declared there is only ONE God, period, and He alone deserves our
worship. We find this in the 10 Commandments and throughout Scripture.
Not only does Mormonism teach that many Gods exist and Mormons themselves can become Gods, but the LDS authorities have defined the Godhead as
THREE "separate" Gods (see the LDS Bible dictionary "God") and currently worship at least 2 of them (The Father and the Son). Because they worship more than one God, they can in no way be considered monotheistic (which is the belief in, and/or worship of, ONE GOD). Worshiping TWO Gods (or more) disqualifies LDS
from being monotheistic. However, it is my impression that they call
themselves such in order to appear acceptable to others (especially what
they call "mainstream" Christians) they wish to indoctrinate. -CJ (non-LDS)
One in purpose does not mean they share the same deity, as does the 3 in 1 of the Christian religions. I can have the same purpose as my neighbor, but that does not mean my neighbor and I are the same, and we can have the same purpose today and never agree on anything again. John 1 says it all. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Do you sing Christmas songs about the name Emanuel...God with us...talking about the birth of Christ...and His name shall be called Emanuel. This is the basis of Christian religion, this is what seperates all other religions from Christianity. All cults begin with changing the nature of God and having "another" God. The Bible is pretty explecit concerning the Mormon church...even if an angel shall appear unto you and present another gospel from what we have told you, it is no gospel, and they changed the image of an incorruptible God into a corruptible man. How much more can God show you in His word that He knew about the false prophet Joseph Smith long long ago? -BC (non-LDS)
Of course Mormons are polytheistic; each is working his/her way to godhood/goddesshood. Unless they want to change the definition of monotheism, Mormons cannot be monotheistic. If the LDS Church has changed the definition of monotheism they need to let the rest of us know, because most of the USA still goes to Webster's dictionary for correct word definitions, not to the LDS Church. -IM (non-LDS)
Simply put, Mormonism is full of problems and contradictions. They believe they will be gods someday therefore, they are polytheists. They also teach there are millions of gods. Journal Of Discourses and Joseph Smith taught this. Anyone who claims there is more than one God does not know their Bible. Read what God Himself said in Isaiah, ' "You are My witnesses, says the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me." Isaiah 43:10. This idea of more than One God also denies the Trinity, a main doctrinal tenant of the Christian faith.
Now, I see that people feel we waste our time sharing with people of other faiths. The reason we share these things is because if you don't know the one and only true Jesus (God), you will someday find yourself in hell. Jesus Himself spoke more of hell than heaven. Read throughout the New Testament all the many passages about false teachers and prophets and the doom that awaits them. In Galatians 1:8, it states that if you teach or follow another Gospel you will be cut off. Read the book of Jude, Romans, and the words in 2 Thessalonians 1:8, "in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."
So, we tell others about the true and only God, Jesus Christ, because we love them so much we don't want them to go to eternal damnation in the lake of fire. We are not all one real faith, and there are many false "faiths" and beliefs. Mormonism is one such false "faith". -SB (non-LDS)
It is simple, we, as Latter-Day Saints, believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are seperate beings. You yourselves believe that Christ is the "Only Begotten of the Father". How on earth could one man be a father and a son at the same time? Let's think of Christ's baptism, as found in the Bible. Matthew 3: 16-17 states, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." How could Christ be in the water with John the Baptist, on earth, while He is in the heavens speaking to those in attendance?? Who is Christ praying to in the Garden and while He was on the cross? Himself? I don't think so. John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." Again, how could a father and a son be the same person? Think about it.... -E (LDS)
Are you saying that it is impossible for God to do such a thing? If you think that anything is impossible for God, you surely are not Christian. Take verses John 1:1-14 and also Isaiah 9:6 which foretells of Christs birth and what he should be called, (i.e. Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace) Also read Matthew 1:23 where it tells Christ shall be called Emmanuel which means "God with us" Read Exodus 3:14, then read John 8:56-58, where Jesus refers to himself as "I AM" Even in the Book of Mormon, christ is referred to as the Eternal Father. (It's even on the title page "And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations." Also read Ether 3-14. "Behold, i am Jesus Crhist. I am the Father and the Son." If you read the chapter description of Mosiah 15 its very first words, "How Christ is both the Father and the Son." And those are only a few of the verses. There is only one God, and if mormons believe that Jesus and God are 2 seperate beings, then they are polytheistic. -KB (non-LDS)
In my encounters with missionaries I have heard differing answers on this topic. Some have told me that they do worship both while others have told me they only worship the Heavenly Father but not Jesus Christ. In that response they have informed me that they simply pray through Him. -L (non-LDS)
Ok, Simply put, mormons are Polythiests. And christians who believe the Bible alone are monothiests. I understand for some people this is hard to grasp because it appers there are 3 seperate people. It is known as the trinty which Mormons deny. One example would be an egg. It is shell, white and yolk, three in one, yet all still one egg. Over all God and his word do not *explain* the trinty or give a blueprint. But scripture is clear. Read the verses in Isaiah that say I am the only God, I know of no others. So if Jesus and the Father are 2 seperate Gods, then God the Father lied.
Also Moses and the burning bush, God says I AM, then Jesus says He is THAT I AM in John. They are one in the same. Then read in Acts chapter 5. In chapter 5, first Peter tells Ananis he lied to the Holy Spirt, then he tell Ananis he lied not to men but to God. Peter made the Holy spirit, and God out to be the same person. The trinity. Then read in [Book of Mormon] Alma chapter 30:43-46. It states clearly only ONE GOD. Plus many other verses in both the bible and the BoM. As A believer in the bible I worship 3 people in One God. LDS veiw them as three seperate Gods, which clearly the bible and even the BoM deny. for futher indepth talks reach me at [email protected]. -RB (non-LDS)
In (I beleive) 2 Nephi 21:31 as well as the tetimony of the three witnesses it says "...the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost one God without end.." however other theological teaching in the LDS church explains that Jesus Christ only became a God after His death burial and resurrection. Its often been explained to me that LDS doctrine is that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are three Gods but one Godhood with one purpose, therefore they can say they beleive in one God and still beleive in separate Gods. Someone please correct me if Im wrong ([email protected] subject:LDS ) Also most LDS do not worship Jesus as God, only the Father. However it is common practice to sing praises to Joseph Smith in a song called "Praise to the man" in LDS hymn books.
If it is BELIEF in more than one god that constitutes [polytheism], than there is no wriggling out of it mormonism (as in official church teachings/doctrine) is surely guilty of being polytheistic.
However if it is not beleif but WORSHIP in multiple gods, then certainly mormonism (offical teaching) is in the clear, but by the varied answers I read above the individual mormon, may be in judgment of at least bi-theism or worship of two gods. -JS (non-LDS)
There are two possibilities that I see. 1-They are lying about worshiping both Heavenly Father and Jexus Christ. 2-They are lying about not being polytheistic. A while back, I actually used to be a LDS, converted from a good christian church. When I went to the LDS church, little mention was made of Jesus. They focused more on Heavenly Father. I know that one church doesn't always represent the whole, but from my experiances at the LDS church I would say they don't really worship Christ. At least, not in the traditional sense. Maybe they think they worship Christ because he is mentioned briefly in Gospel Principles class, or something. -J (non-LDS)
we worship only one god our heavenly father -CA (LDS)
We do not worship Jesus as a God. He is the son of God, but not a God. -B (LDS)
come up with a quote that mormons 'worship' christ in the same sense that they 'worship' heavenly father. -N (LDS)
COMMENT: According to President Gordon B. Hinckley: "We honor Him, we worship Him, we love Him as our Redeemer, the great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New Testament." ("A Testimony of the Son of God," Ensign, 12/2002 p. 4)
President Gordon B. Hinckley: "He is the central focus of our worship. He is the Son of the living God, the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten in the flesh, who left the royal courts on high to be born as a mortal in the most humble of circumstances." ("We Look to Christ," Ensign, 5/2002 p. 90)
Yes, we believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are both Gods. We worship the Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. Is it polytheistic? Well let me put something to you.
In mainstream Christianity the concept of the Trinity is certainly polytheistic. I know that you believe that all members of the Trinity are "One God" of the "same substance" light of light, true God of true God etc. Trinitarians DO however accept that the three members of the Trinity are three manifestations of the same God. This theory, is emphatically the same as the Hindu theory on God. Although Hindu's believe solely in ONE God (much to the surprise of many), they believe that all the other pantheons are manifestations of the same god. This is the same as the Trinity.
It is very important to understand what Mormons believe about Jesus Christ as God. Jesus Christ was NOT a God until after He came to the Earth. Let me also draw attention to some technical grammatical reasons supporting LDS doctrine on this subject.
"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word *was God*." Any person who reads ancient Greek knows that this phrase can be translated in any two ways. The lack of the definite article on the part where I have asterixed, should more be interpreted as:
"and the word was A God."
In a similar way we read: "In the beginning Elohim created the Heavens and the Earth." Although "Elohim" is Heavenly Father's official name, Elohim also means "Gods" rather than "God." This is emphasised throughout the Pearl of Great Price where we read "The Gods..."
In the dictionary term of the word, I suppose LDS are polytheistic; but we would have to insist that mainstream Christians are also polytheistic if they assert belief in the Trinity. -Elder C (LDS)
I have no idea where this site has obtained half of it's information from, and I find it quite amusing that people have nothing better to do with their time than to think up ways to try and break down The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which by the the standards of it's members can never be done.
As an answer the above question,as a simple answer and reference you can turn to the articles of faith where it states 'WE BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER AND IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST AND IN THE HOLY GHOST'
SO where did you see that the belief is of 2 gods? -CM (LDS)
COMMENT: According to the Bible Dictionary in the LDS edition of the King James Version, under the heading "God" is the following: "When one speaks of God, it is generally the Father who is referred to; that is, Elohim....The personage known as Jehovah in Old Testament times, and who is usually identified as LORD (in capital letters), is the Son, known as Jesus Christ, and who is also a God....The Holy Ghost is also a God..."
Who is Jesus save without the Father not but a man. Does God have just one name. Is it possible God could pray to himself yes but why would he. If Jesus trully is God as you say we believe was earth without a God for 3 days. Just to set the record straight for all you who have been spoonfeed we are a cult your whole life. We worship Jesus Christ as the risen perfected Son of God whom paid the price for all mans sin not only mine but ALL mans. Thus being so should we not worship him? Do we believe he is God the Father no but a perfected being as God yes are you not like unto you earthly father as well. As far as the Holy Spirit how could we worship him as a God when clearly he is seperate from God. He dwells in all of us who call on the name of Christ. We believe simply God is God just as the bible clearly states; that Christ is the Son of God just as the bible clearly states; that all men where left with the promise that they could recieve the Holy Spirit as a comfortor. Thus one God in purpuse just as me and my wife are one in purpose but clearly we are not the same person. I'm not saying me or my with are like God. For those of you who think I'm just saying this because I'm Mormon I was a Baptist for 20 years and a Baptist youth pastor for 2 years and I have found more truth of the Gospel through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints than I ever did in seminary. Jesus is the reson let us never forget that. Love MB (LDS) [Text edited to conform to word count limit]
Please understand that I do not mean to defend Mormon theology here in any way, as I am a Christian, but my understanding is that Mormons don't worship both God the Father and Jesus Christ, but rather only God the Father. They simply pray in the name of Jesus Christ and believe that he has received exaltation as a god. Although, I don't know, I personally think the way they hold up their "prophet" could almost be worship, so that would make them polytheistic. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thank you.:) -DR (non-LDS)
COMMENT: Please see Gordon B. Hinckley's statements above regarding LDS worship of Jesus Christ.
I think that this explanation is pretty straighforward and lies in their definition of the Trinity. They believe in their own form of the Trinity, which is three gods as one to most Christians. To them, the Trinity is three gods with one purpose.
To most of us, three people with a single purpose are still, simply, three individual people. To a Mormon, it is a unifying purpose that leads them to act as one. But, outside of this unifying purpose, they are still three.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." John I:1-2 How they manage to reconcile this statement with their erroneous beliefs probably helps explain the need to manufacture their own scripture and to claim that the Bible is not the true word of God. -BM (non-LDS)
This is a very simple answer. Throughout the years, the LDS church has slowly been trying to inch its way into the Christian Church. The Christian Church is monotheistic; therefore the LDS church needs to be monotheistic to gain recognition of being as Christian church. The LDS church is CLEARLY polytheistic. They believe that there are three gods over this planet (God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the [Holy] Spirit) and then they also believe in MILLIONS of gods on other planets. Mormons even believe that they can become gods and gain control over their own planets if they enter into one of the Cellestial zones of THEIR Heaven. This idea of many gods is PREPOSTEROUS due to the fact that it clearly states in the Bible that there is ONE God. This is where the Trinity takes place. Mormons do not pay any attention to this statement, but still claim that they are Christians and believe in the Bible. -DP (non-LDS)
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