With the recent publicity of mitt romneys faith, how exactly does his mormon beliefs square up with traditional christianity. Some have pointed out that there was human sacrifice taking place in mesoamerica during the period during which christs visit resulted in great. Aug 30, 2017 kwaku and ian talk with special guest stephen smoot about polytheism. Mormons teach that gods son created the earth, under the direction of god the father. I had an occasion to read the typescript of a book ram swarup had finished writing in 1973. There are many gods polytheism how many gods there are, i do not know. All of the bible and book of mormon quotes i use to challenge the current mormon beliefs are quickly tossed aside by mormons, who justify their beliefs by revelations. God as flesh is subordinate to the spirit, called the father two titles, one god. The book of mormon the book of mormon claims to be a volume of holy scripture comparable to the bible.
For these reasons, among many others, christian teaching considers mormonism to be heresy. The mormon doctrine of god and polytheism kindle edition by. Revelation does not and cannot justify their beliefs. I was in a sunday school class a few months ago with. Mormonism holds to polytheism many gods rather than one. So we see mormonism is a polytheism from corruption, where not only is the mormon father a false god, but the mormon christ the son and holy spirit are false gods.
Romans did the rites proscribed by tradition and shared common concepts about what is the appropriate behavior towards humans and gods. Some nonlds christian claim that latterday saints are polytheists because we dont believe the nicene creed. Joseph smiths changing doctrine of deity mormons in transition. A biblical scholar looks at the book of mormon mormons in. Jan 03, 2012 you are correct about the polytheism, but ive never considered mormonism polytheistic because of the doctrine of becoming a god. As i understand it, polytheism is not in the book of mormon, probably because large portions of that book were plagiarized from the kjv. Why do so many haters especially exmormons bash mormonism. The polytheism of joseph smith is evident in his own writings. A polytheist is someone who worships multiple gods. Israelite monotheism, polytheism, and monolatry before looking at the divine council in the hebrew bible and the book of mormon, we must. The majority of exmormons dont care about monotheism or polytheism. Book of mormonhuman sacrifice during 4 nephi time period. The lords words will hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, 2 ne. The mormon doctrine of god and polytheism examines the latter day saints doctrine of god, and compares it to the bible and traditional christian doctrine.
The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200. Kwaku and ian talk with special guest stephen smoot about polytheism. Mormonism and the nature of godpolytheism fairmormon. The father and the son are physically distinct from one another, and yet they are also one. Polytheism means the worship of a plurality of gods. For example, critics of mormonism have shown convincing proof that the book of mormon is a synthesis of earlier works written by other men, of the. While this is our first dated event, the figures in the story are obviously alive at that time, and as the text opens, lehi has four sons and some daughters.
Some mormons, recognizing their theology is polytheistic, prefer to soften it by referring to their religion as henotheistic, which means the belief in many gods but the worship of one chief god. Genesis first rewritten to reinforce monotheism, then later to reinforce polytheism comparing the book of moses to the book of abraham. In other words, natural polytheism seeks to understand our relationship with the gods as an aspect of interrelated systems of being, consciousness and meaning. You are attempting to prove that mormon leaders tell us no mormon teachings in the book of mormon by telling us all the things you think are wrong with. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the mormon doctrine of god and polytheism. Polytheistic religion top 10 craziest mormon beliefs. Foundation for ancient research and mormon studies, 1991, 7791. My dear sir, you are going way off the reservation. Not sure where they get it from, but they favor the other books over the bible and what they dont believe from the bible they. Not sure where they get it from, but they favor the other books over the bible and what they dont believe from the bible they have changed in whats called the joseph smith translation so that it suits what they teach.
The 3 mormons talk about monolatry or the idea that though there are multiple gods, there is one supreme god. Sita ram goel, another 20thcentury hindu historian, wrote. Mormonism is a polytheistic, lying false religion duration. And i dont remember doama ever saying there were no mormon teachings in the book of mormon. The book of mormon does not teach the modern lds doctrine of three gods, but teaches that god came down and became a man. Is mormonism monotheistic or polytheistic religious forums. Mormonism also conflicts with the nicene and apostles creeds. Others say mormons are polytheists because they believe humans can become gods. Key passages on deity in the original 1830 text of the book of mormon were changed in the 1837 edition to reflect joseph smiths changing doctrine of. Skeptics claim that joseph smiths views evolved over time into polytheism. Two utah missionaries are sent to a remote village in northern uganda.
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come. With the recent publicity of mitt romneys faith, how exactly does his mormon beliefs. Both the bible and the book of mormon declare themselves to be ancient. The divine council in the hebrew bible and the book of mormon. Feb 18, 2012 book of mormon, doctorines and covenants, and pearl of great price. This doctrine is aligned closer with eastern religions than the abrahamic faiths judaism, christianity, islam which teach monotheism. We are all aware that you think that there are many things wrong with the book of mormon. This doctrine is taught in the book of mormon as well as in the bible. Book of mormon, doctorines and covenants, and pearl of great price. Mormon leaders tell us no mormon teachings in the book of. In other words, natural polytheism seeks to understand our relationship with the gods as an aspect of. I moved to utah and i am trying to understand the people who scowl at me for drinking coffee and put me down for watching rated r moviesi know they dont represent all mormons, just all mormons ive met. But there never was a time when there were not gods and worlds.
Other verses in the book of mormon kind of confuse trinitarian thinking but vastly depart from mormon thinking by referring to jesus as the everlasting father alma 11. Teachings of the prophet joseph smith was compiled by joseph fielding smith 10th president of the lds and joseph smith jr. These are the foundational belief statements of christianity. According to hugh nibley, the father of contemporary mormon scriptural and theological scholarship, the book of mormon can and should be tested. That we, through the grace of god the father, and our lord jesus christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of nephi, and also of the lamanites, their brethren, and also of. There are many gods polytheism how many gods there are, i do. The mormon doctrine of god and polytheism kindle edition by rob westbrook. Mormon leaders tell us no mormon teachings in the book of mormon. May 05, 2007 other verses in the book of mormon kind of confuse trinitarian thinking but vastly depart from mormon thinking by referring to jesus as the everlasting father alma 11.
Mar 26, 2008 so if mormons believe in other gods, is it a pantheon of ancestors who were rewarded alternate universes to rule. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The book of mormon was written for the intent that we may believe the bible, morm. Mar 24, 2011 the book of mormon is a classic oddcouplefishout of water story. Parker and stone were best known for creating the animated comedy south park. The only bible that joseph smith relied on was the king james version. The third comes from the writings of the founder of the. They claim that god has revealed to them the doctrines regarding the nature of god, polytheism, polygamy, blood atonement, etc. I was in a sunday school class a few months ago with this years new curriculum, and we were reading in the bible dictionary. The lord covenanted with enos to bring forth the book of mormon to the lamanites, enos 1. The third comes from the writings of the founder of the church joseph smith, and the fourth is the writings of church leaders, especially the church presidents who are considered to be inspired.
It seems that christians are polytheists, worshiping three gods. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. The book of mormon is a musical comedy with music, lyrics and book by trey parker, robert lopez, and matt stone first staged in 2011, the play is a satirical examination of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints beliefs and practices that ultimately endorses the positive power of love and service. You are correct about the polytheism, but ive never considered mormonism polytheistic because of the doctrine of becoming a god. Some have pointed out that there was human sacrifice taking place in mesoamerica during the period during which christs visit resulted in great peace and righteousness among book of mormon peoples. The mormon doctrine of god and polytheism rob westbrook on. The book of mormon is a classic oddcouplefishoutofwater story. Christians, mormons, and polytheism jason pitzlwaters. Some mormons, recognizing their theology is polytheistic, prefer to soften it by referring to their religion as henotheistic, which means the belief in. The book of mormon begins its history in the first year of the reign of zedekiah in jerusalem, or 597 b. Hebraisms in the book of mormon, in encyclopedia of hebrew languages and linguistics, ed. He is generally the one the christian bible refers to when it speaks of god, although in some cases, including in the book of genesis, jesus is referred to as god during the creation of the world. Tvedtnes, the hebrew background of the book of mormon, in rediscovering the book of mormon, ed.
Josephs earliest works and statements including the book of mormon and his translation of the bible reflect monotheism. The book of mormon and the bible will grow together, 2 ne. The mormon beliefs are clearly shown and easily contradicted by both the bible and the book of mormon. You are attempting to prove that mormon leaders tell us no mormon teachings in the book of mormon by telling us all the things you think are wrong with the book of mormon. Natural polytheism embraces the science of ecology as a basic metaphor for theological inquiry. Generally, polytheism refers to a group of gods of one another and often, in the case of hard polytheism, in conflict with one another. The book of mormon actually contradicts later mormon revelation, in that it affirmed in 1830 the biblical doctrine of the oneness of god in three persons, i. For example, critics of mormonism have shown convincing proof that the book of mormon is a synthesis of earlier works written by other men, of the vivid imaginings of joseph smith, and of plagiarisms from the king james bible.
The argument is that christ destroyed all the wicked cities 3 ne 89 and left the more righteous. Ram swarup, for example, points to the vedas as being specifically polytheistic, and states that, only some form of polytheism alone can do justice to this variety and richness. Three witnesses of the book of mormon department of. He originally taught that jesus and the father were the same person, but later developed the idea that they are separate gods, each with a tangible body. Key passages on deity in the original 1830 text of the book of mormon were changed in the 1837 edition to reflect joseph smiths changing doctrine of deity.
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