Saturday, December 29, 2007

Conversation with 4truth.net and BaptistPress


Dear Rob,
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful response to my email. Remember that our entire doctrine is founded on the interpretation that Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God the Father. We reject the Nicaean Creed and the non-biblical concept of the Trinity (non-biblical word) as a 4th-century fabrication. We do believe in the Bible's teaching of the God Head which is comprised of God the Father and The Son Jesus Christ; both with tangible, perfect, glorified, bodies of flesh and bone (no blood), parts, and righteous passions. The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit whose image is in the likeness of a man which is in the express image and likeness of God. These 3 beings are 1 in purpose, but we only pray to and worship God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. We do not pray to or worship Jesus and we do not pray to or worship the Holy Ghost. We interpret the "God is spirit" verse figuratively because the Bible speaks of God's corporeal nature in nearly every other instance.


I am happy to say that it is LDS doctrine that God is an infinite being, dynamic, omnipotent and omniscient (Mosiah 4:5-10). If fact, LDS doctrine teaches that God really is aware and concerned with the intimate and mundane details of our lives (Alma 24:17-28), We do not subscribe to the clockmaker, Deist, Rabbi Kushner theory that God wound up the universe like a clock and things happen randomly to people and its not God, its just random chance whatever bad or good happened to you. God does allow for the free expression of our agency and the resultant consequences but I agree with Einstein that "God does not play dice with the universe." The rain does fall on the righteous and the unrighteous alike, but it is God that causes the rain. Also, we believe that God is so powerful, he has the power to exalt his children. Can you think of a greater love than to share all you have with everyone? Not possible you say? Doesn't the Bible teach that all things are possible? Now who really believes the Bible?

On the subject of God and the Laws of the Universe; we do not place God in opposition with Laws. This is not an issue with X>Y or Y>X. We believe that X=Y. Since God has always existed and we also believe that Law has always existed. God is co-eternal with law and law is co-existent with God. It is the perfect understanding and obedience to Law that makes God omnipotent. Remember that laws do not limit us, they make us free. God created the laws of the universe in the sense that he organized and created the heavens and the Earth. But this obviously comes down to a misunderstanding on another doctrine about creation and the LDS doctrine of eternity and that laws and man were and are co-existent with God. Also, we feel "main-stream" christianity misinterprets 2 scriptures (Col. 1: 17, 2 Cor. 4: 18) to somehow mean that the opposite of created is eternal and visa versa. If this were true than man, a created being, could never become eternal and inherit eternal life. Please read the following post for more on this: http://ldsdoctrine.blogspot.com/2007/03/creation-from-nothing-or-organized.html. There is no scripture that I am aware of that says that God is uncreated despite what the creeds have added and subtracted.

"If I can "become" an adult, that means I was not "always" an adult." The Bible does not use the word "god" in the adult vs. child sense. The Bible refers to all mankind as gods and children of god. Ps. 82: 6 "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High." Gods and children of god is what we are. If God were synonomous with adult and man with child then it would be redundant for the Bible to continually refer to God as "God the Father" and to man as "children of God." To us, saying we are gods is like saying we are human. It defines what we are in relation to everything else in the universe. Man was co-existent with God yet also created in the express image and likeness of God when we were given bodies and the god-like ability to be fathers and mothers. Because it is parenthood that distinguishes us from God. He is our Spiritual Father and we are his spiritual offspring. The Bible distinguishes God the Father from mankind on the basis of his Fatherhood and not his Godhood (Gen. 3: 22). It could be said that parenthood must be part of the "good" that Adam and Eve learned after partaking of the fruit.

In review, LDS doctrine and the teachings of the Bible seamlessly mesh in my mind and heart. It makes both logical sense to my mind and feels right to my heart. The Bible talks about Christ being the Son of God and Stephen seeing the corporeal Christ standing at the right hand of the Father. The Bible talks about Christ doing nothing but what he has seen the Father do and doing nothing but the will of the Father in all things. The Bible accounts Christ praying for his Apostles that they be one in purpose as he is one in purpose with the Father. Its the Bible that tells us that we can become "join-heirs with Christ" and "heirs of God" (Rom. 8: 17). The Bible teaches us to be perfect as the Father is perfect, to be holy as the Father is holy, and promises us through the Atonement of Christ that mankind can gain Eternal Life which is to know God. We interpret "knowing God" to mean more than just being acquainted with him. We will only really know him when we are like him and do the things he does (1 Jn. 3: 2).

On several other common misunderstandings:
We do not believe that God the Father and Satan are brothers. We believe that Jehovah (Jesus Christ, the Son of God) and Lucifer were spirit brothers. Lucifer (son of the morning) is our spirit brother who fell from heaven for rebellion at the grand heavenly council, where we were present and "shouted for joy" and overcame Satan by our love, faith, and testimony for Christ. Rev. 12: 11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Those who overcame are those angels who kept their first estate. Jude 1: 6 "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."

Also, it is not LDS doctrine that we can somehow save ourselves by works. This faith vs. works debate is a false dichotomy. Both are necessary. We do baptize, and have temple ordinances like eternal marriage which are technically necessary for exaltation but there is nothing in our doctrine which says that you are automatically exalted by doing these things. After the baptism of water you must be baptized by fire and the reception of the Spirit. That's why when the Holy Ghost is confirmed upon a believer they are invited to "receive the Holy Ghost," which is dependent upon ones faith and continued belief. Unfortunately, there will be many LDS that will have fallen from God's grace. Also, marriages must be sealed by that same Spirit which we call the sealing by "the holy spirit of promise." There is nothing about a temple marriage that would force a woman who has been abused or neglected by her husband to continue that relationship in the next life. And all of these "works" would be dead and worthless if it wasn't for the Atonement of Christ. Consequently, all of these ordinances are performed in the name of Jesus Christ. Again, we perform ordinances because Christ taught that man must be born or water and of the spirit. And we do vicarious work, by proxy, for the dead to extend these necessary ordinances to the whole human family to be accepted by those who would have been faithful and believed if they had been given the chance during mortality. Baptism for the dead really is one of the most remarkable labors of love by man toward his fellow man. And it really is the perfect answer to the centuries old conflict between faith and works.

Sincerely,
David D. Brosnahan MD, MS
__________________________________________________________________________
David,

Thanks for your email.

Although you say that our web articles show that we "misunderstand many fundamental principles of [LDS] doctrine," the specific alleged misunderstandings you mention seem to be focused on whether the LDS conception of God is of an infinite being. Thus, you assert that LDS doctrine does affirm that God is omnipotent and omniscient. I agree that Mormonism affirms that God is omnipotent, though I'm not sure we agree on what this means. I'm also not sure if you affirm that God is omniscient in the same sense. For example, in your opinion, does God know in advance every choice that we will make in the future? I'm interested in your opinion on this question.

It is incoherent to say that X is subject to Y but that Y is not above X. Therefore, it does not make sense to say that God is subject to laws and principles and yet that those laws and principles are not above God.

You assert that "it is LDS doctrine that God has always been God." That wasn't Joseph Smith's doctrine, though, was it? He explicitly disagreed with that statement in his King Follett Discourse. I don't think you really mean that God has always been God, either, since you then add, "And if you become a god you will likewise rightly be considered to be eternally god." Again, it is incoherent to claim that you can "become" something you "always" were. If I can "become" an adult, that means I was not "always" an adult.

We do our best to understand and describe Mormon doctrines fairly. However, any religion that can claim that God is subject to laws but not under them, or that God became God but has always been God, is too incoherent to describe coherently. If the problem with our web articles on Mormonism is that we did not navigate these internal inconsistencies to your satisfaction, I'm not convinced that the blame rests with us.

In Christ's service,
Rob Bowman
Manager, Apologetics & Interfaith Evangelism
North American Mission Board

Visit us online at http://www.4truth.net/
__________________________________________________________________________

Rob Bowman (Manager of apologetics and interfaith evangelism department of the SBC NAMB),

Hello, I manage a personal blog on the subject of LDS doctrine at
http://ldsdoctrine.blogspot.com. It is clearly evident from reading many of your writings about the LDS church that you misunderstand many fundamental principles of our doctrine. In several of your articles on http://www.4truth.net you attempt to compare and contrast LDS doctrine on God vs. so-called historic christian doctrine.

First off, I would like to explain the fundamental and key pillar of all our understanding of diety. Everything the LDS believe about God rests on our knowledge and literal interpretation of the Bible that Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God the Father. Upon this key doctrine all our other doctrines rest and rely. We believe and testify that Yeshua of Nazareth, born of the virgin Mary at the Meridian of time was the awaited Jewish Messiah, the Anointed One, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of Mankind, the Only Begotten Son of God in the Flesh.

But, both the Bible and the Book of Mormon call Jesus Christ, the Father of Heaven and Earth or Emanuel (God With Us). This we interpret figuratively. Jesus Christ is figuratively called the Father for many important reasons. Each of these reasons are critical as they not only reveal to us the true nature of God the Father, they also reveal to us the true nature and eternal destiny of Man. Because isn't that Eternal Life to personally know and understand God the Father? If Christ (A member of the Godhead) came to Earth and recieved all from the Father then, through Christ's Atonement, man can become joint-heirs with him and do likewise.

Jesus Christ is the rightly called the Eternal Father of Heaven and Earth because:
1. Jesus Christ existed with God the Father in the beginning as the first spirit Son of God and became the only begotten Son of God (John 1: 1-10, John 3: 16).2. Jesus Christ volunteered to perform the Atoning sacrifice for the salvation of mankind in a grand heavenly counsel before creation (Rev. 13: 8, Isa. 6: 8, Abr. 3: 27).3. Jesus Christ, under directions of the Father, created both the heavens and the Earth. Therefore, just as the writers of the Constitution are considered the Fathers of the Constitution, Christ is considered the Eternal Father of the Heavens and the Earth (John 1: 1-10).4. Jesus Christ of the New Testament is Jehovah of the Old Testament (Ex. 3: 14, John 8: 58).5. Jesus Christ gave the Law of Moses and the Ten Commandments to Israel (3 Ne. 15: 5).6. Jesus Christ speaks on behalf of God the Father though divine investiture of power, which is akin to a divine “ durable power of attorney” (John 5: 19, 30).7. After accepting Christ as Savior, He becomes the granter of, or the father of our eternal life. The righteous are considered his sons and his daughters (Rom. 8: 16-17, Mosiah 5: 7).8. Jesus Christ received all that the Father hath (Rom. 8: 16-17).9. Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God the Father (John 14: 6-11).10. Jesus Christ is one in purpose with God the Father (John 17: 19-23).

On your website at 4truth.net you characterize our belief in God using the following table:

Personal and corporeal (embodied):
Yes, we do believe God is corporeal. The Bible speaks of Moses talking to God face to face and Stephen seeing the ressurected Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of the Father (even if you interpret this glory, the glory was not eminating from Christ but beside Christ and separate from Him). If we were not to think of God in terms of having parts, then why does the Bible clearly describe Him that way (Rev 1:13). We interpret these literally, while we interpret "God is spirit" figuratively.

The significance of this doctrine is our belief in our pre-mortal existence (
Jer. 1: 5). If we lived with God the Father in heaven and came to Earth than what is gained by going through mortality, risking hell, and returning to God is the same state we left (spirits). We would have gained nothing. On Earth we recieve imperfect bodies and like driving school, we must to get our bodies to do the will of the spirit and not alow the flesh to run out-of-control. In the resurrection, we will recieve perfect glorified bodies.

Organizer of the world but subject to the laws and principles of a beginningless universe:
Yes, we believe God is subject to laws and principles. This doesn't place laws above God. God is God because He has perfect obedience and power to utilize the laws of the Universe. But it is obedience to laws and principles of the Universe that makes God God. You know this. Don't we say that rules, laws, and commandments aren't limitations but are directions. The truth makes us free it doesnt bind us down or limit us. This doctrine helps me understand better the nature of commandments and the need for obedience.

Omnipotent vs. Limited in power:
Not true. God is increasing in glory but that does not mean he is not all powerful. God's glory is the exaltation and eternal life of his children. The more children he exalts, the greater is his glory. But this doesnt add to his abililty to exalt us. Other churches do not believe in true Eternal Life. Others do not believe as the Apostolic Fathers (
http://ldsdoctrine.blogspot.com/2006/12/early-christian-fathers-on-theosis.html) that true Eternal Life is possible. Others do not believe that God can exalt his children. Who believes in a limited God? The Bible describes God as "The Most High God" a "God of gods" and Christ who will come as "King of kings and Lord of lords." Does it add to God's glory to interpret "God of gods" as to mean a God of fables and idols or to mean that God is the God of children who He will exalt and glorify to be like himself and who will continue to reverence and worship Him as the only God. Our belief in Eternal Life does not diminish God, but it glorifies Him. God the Father will always be our Father and our God and be worshiped as such. Do not criticize us for being the only church that believes that Christ can make Eternal Life and the Perfection of man possible.

Omniscent vs. Increasing in knowledge:
Not true. God is increasing in glory, not knowledge (see above). The concept of eternal progression is an important one in my life and others. It was not surprising when my brother, who got a job right after college, went back to school for his MBA. There is a drive in all of us to grow and progress. Our God possesses all knowledge but continues to increase in glory as more of his spirit children become like him.

Omnipresent vs. being Localized in space:
This is a false dichotomy based on a limited understanding of classical physics. It is very possible through quantum mechanics and relativity for a localized object, expecially if it is made of light, to be everywhere at the same time. Time does not exist for God in the same sense as it does for us. So, although we believe God is localized in space, we do not believe that God's coporeal (pure light) nature limits him from dwelling in us or being Omnipresent. This is also another gross mischaracterization of our beliefs applying classical Newtonian Physics to God.

Unchanging and eternal vs. Changing and not eternal (as God)
False: It is LDS doctrine that God has always been God and has always been Eternal. And if you become a god you will likewise rightly be considered to be eternally god (
Ps. 82: 6). We are eternal children of the Eternal God. I don't consider my children sub-human while they are maturing just because they haven't reached adulthood yet. They are always rightly considered human and unchanging in their dynamic process of development. Likewise, the Bible rightly considers all men to be gods (in-embryo). If we continue on the path to exaltation and Eternal Life then we have never changed from our course. God is not a static being but is dynamic and eternally increasing in glory.

Necessary and the only God vs. Contingent and one of many gods
It is LDS Doctrine that God the Father is "The One and Only True God." If you become exalted and gain true eternal life as a god, you would never cease to worship The One and Only True God. We would always continue to worship The God as the Only God eternally. Look at your own family. Your children will cease to consider you their father when they have children and become mothers and fathers. It is LDS Doctrine that man can become like god, but The God, the author of our Eternal Life, will always remain The God and Our God.

Sincerely,
David D. Brosnahan MD, MS
http://ldsdoctrine.blogspot.com
dbrosnahan@gmail.com

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Glad Tidings: The Conditions of Repentance

One of the greatest themes in the Book of Mormon is that of rentance through the grace of Jesus Christ's atonement. The LDS church believes that God is a God of miracles and that his greatest miracle is the change of heart that a believer experiences as he goes through the process of repentance. There is no grander miracle that seeing someone escape from the bonds of sins to follow Christ and to begin keeping his commandments and enjoy the fruits of the reception of the Holy Spirit (Hel. 4: 24).

Hel. 5: 11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.

Hel. 5: 10, 41 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.

Alma 22: 18 O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day.

Mosiah 27: 25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

Mosiah 5: 2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

Alma 5: 25-29 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins? Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life. Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.

Steps of Repentance (Only possible through the sacrifice, merits, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ Alma 22: 14):
Acknowledgment of sin Alma 38: 14.
Desire Alma 41: 6.
Godly sorrow for sin Alma 42: 28-29.
Confession to God Ezra 10: 11, Mosiah 26: 29.
Restitution Ex. 22: 12.
Continued Obedience Isa. 1: 16, Ezek. 18: 30-31, 2 Ne. 31: 16, 20, Matt. 24: 13.
Forgive Others Matt. 6: 12, 14-15.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Clarification for Mike Gallagher

[The following is in response to some comments made today by Mike Gallagher; a nationally- syndicated, radio, talk-show host]


Dear Mike,

The content of your show today with regard to LDS doctrine being "heretical," inspired the following comments:

I do not think that your comments about LDS beliefs helped at all to increase religious tolerance, therefore I have to consider them rather un-American. I am surprised you didn't recognize that 4Mormon.org is clearly an anti-Mormon website. You don't go to a Methodist website to learn about Catholics or a Democrat website to learn about Republican candidates or issues. Similarly, I wouldn't recommend going to an anti-Mormon website to learn about the LDS church.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God: You were unfortunately confusing the Doctrine and Covenants with Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie. Despite its name, Mormon Doctrine has never been considered official LDS Doctrine. 4Mormon.org is citing Mormon Doctrine and not the Doctrine and Covenants to support its claim. And I know that the 1972 Family Home Evening manual didn't talk that explicitely. That is a manual for children; my parents taught us from that version of manual every week and it never came close to being so specific in such matters. There is no official Mormon Doctrine on this issue other than that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and not the Son of the Holy Ghost.
This doctrine of the Divine Sonship of Jesus Christ comes from Mormon scriptures, the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, and this doctrine is also the theme of an oft misunderstood teaching by Brigham Young. While the Journal of Discourses speaks on this doctrinal issue, the Journal of Discourses, by itself, doesn't necessarily constitute official LDS Doctrine:

"When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father?.... Jesus, our elder brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the Garden of Eden, and who is our Father in Heaven.... Now, remember from this time forth, and forever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost" (Journal of Discourses. vol. 1, pp. 50-51).

The "same character that was in the Garden of Eden" is not referring to Adam but God the Father. Yet anti-Mormon groups routinely use this quote from Brigham Young to errantly claim that it is somehow LDS Doctrine that either 1. Adam is the father of Jesus or 2. God had sex with Mary; neither of which are suggested or implied in this quote. The point is that it is LDS Doctrine that Jesus Christ was begotten of Heavenly Father and not the Holy Ghost making Jesus Christ the literal son of Heavenly Father. There is no talk of mechanism. We believe as did Peter that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I don't see why many Christians have such a problem with our more literal interpretation of the Bible on this doctrine.

About the Garden of Eden: It is LDS Doctrine that the garden of Eden was is Missouri. So what. How do you know it wasn't. We believe that Adam to Noah lived in North America before the flood and only after the flood were the continents divided and Noah settled in the Middle East because thats where the ark came to rest. Just because ancient Jews named rivers Euphrates and places Assyria and Ethiopia doesn't mean they represent the originals. Also, we believe the continents hadn't divided at that point. So, not knowing what the geography looked like before the flood I can't say if its right or wrong. This is not a huge important doctrine in the church other than to say that when several groups crossed the ocean from the Middle East to the America's, as recorded in the Book of Mormon, they commented that the Americas were a "Land Choice above all others" and that God had made special covenants and promises regarding those who would live here. Is it so bad to believe that America is special to God, and maybe as important as Jerusalem? This belief has always served to strengthen LDS patriotism.

Garments: Every religion has some type of clothing or accessory that they wear to remind them of their faith and values. So what if ours is our underwear. First, it represents the clothing made for Adam and Eve when they discovered their nakedness (fallen state) in the Garden of Eden. It represents the Sacrifice, Grace, and Mercy of Jesus Christ which covers our sins. Every day when I put on a fresh pair I am reminded of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior. Second, no one else can see them. Christ criticized those who expended the length of their phylacteries or the hem of their robes to appear pious. Last, they are modest and require modest clothing to cover them. I should tell you that I and all my friends successfully practiced abstinence before we were married, and the active LDS members have lower rates of teen pregnancy, illegitimacy, and divorce than any other church. How do the young men of your church treat women, family and their marriage commitments?

Degrees of Heaven: I have met many an evangelical that are sure I am going to Hell for being LDS. In contrast, members of the LDS church believe that even you, Mike Gallagher, are going to heaven and that you will dwell with Jesus Christ forever. It is LDS Doctrine that every Christian, thanks to Christ, is going to be rewarded exactly what they feel they are promised. But, don't criticize our hope and believe in a heaven with Christ and the continued association with our wife and children. We just call the state with our families the Celestial Kingdom. If you don't desire that, fine. No one is going to force you to be with your wife and kids if you don't want to. I am sorry, but heaven without my wife just doesn't sound like much of a heaven to me.

I don't know where you get that our belief in heaven consists of “dwelling on our own world.” What we do believe is that we will assist God in the work of creation. What do you expect to be doing for eternity. We believe that God is worshipped through the labors we perform and the work we do on behalf of others of his spirit children not just by circling his thrown endlessly in some endless spiritual procession or strumming a harp on some cloud.

I don't know what Bible version you were reading from but the KJV scripture that clearly refers to the 3 states of the resurrected in heaven is 1 Cor 15:39-42:

“All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.”