maiku

Yes, He alone was worthy to complete the mission He completed. Worship does not mean "emulate" Christ. We worship the Father in the name of Christ. This means that although we only worship (pray to, call our Father in Heaven) the Father, this is only possible through the atoning sacrifice of the Son. In this manner we pay reverence to the Son and worship the Father.

Another point to think about. God's ultimate gift to us is eternal life, I think we can both agree on that, even if the details might differ. We also agree (I think) that we will continue learning beyond this life. Now what would be the inevitable conclusion of putting the two together? If we continue learning forever, without limitation, we would reach a point of omniscience. Thanks to God's plan for our eternal salvation, we would be all knowing, immortal beings. Doesn't that sound like a god to you? All knowing, righteous, immortal. Are we not children of God? Is it not by definition a child's destiny to become like his/her parents? The logic concerning exaltation (as we call it) is resoundingly solid. These are my thoughts on this matter?

How does God being a separate being make Him worthy of worship? The fact that he's different makes Him worthy of worship? Just being "different" shouldn't qualify someone to be worshipped. We worship the Father because He loved us enough to create us, provide a plan for our eternal happiness, and even send His only begotten (not Himself in corporal form) as a sacrifice to save us from our sins. I don't worship any human on earth because no one has done any of that for me.

Thanks for your response. How is God made of some other substance than us if, according to traditional Christianity, He was born of a woman? Doesn't that also make Him a part of "our" substance? At least corporally, right?

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But here's the thing, I'm not trying to go round and round, or be confrontational. Maureen accused me of not making the effort to understand but that's what I've been trying to do the whole time. I respect all of your beliefs while at the same time trying to understand them. So after 30 something pages, this is my current understanding: Trinitarians (and others who share this belief) believe that God is somehow 3 persons and 1 being but it is a mystery, and we don't know how that works, correct? Are these 3 persons in one being comparable to 3 personalities in one human?

I was curious as to what others think about this. LDS believe that one of the principal reasons we are here on earth is to receive a body. This is mainly because we believe that God has a body and His plan of Happiness for us if for us to become more like Him, ever increasing in happiness and eternal joy as we do so. For others however that believe that God has no body, my question is, why then did He give us bodies?

RIGHT! That goes back to my original point, if the Father and Son are the same being, how can one have a body and the other not?

Not to jump in the middle here but I don't see that as a legitimate answer to Snow's question either. I want to first say that you are fully free to believe what you wish, and I respect that. The question that was asked was: Why do you believe in something that is considered "incomprehensible" and non-biblical?

Can you elaborate, I don't understand how this is a response to my question. Sorry, but the drawing doesn't help either.

I don't even need LDS scripture to understand that God has a body of flesh and bone Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. (Luke 24:39)

how can the Son have a body but not the Father if they are ONE being?

I can't believe it took me this long to get that!!

I agree, she should "spill it out" (no pun intended)

Allow me to ask this then, if the Son has a body (since He resurrected), and He is the same being as the Father, doesn't that mean that the Father has a body too?

Thanks for your response. How, then, did the prophets of the Old Testament learn about God to communicate and record His word? In other words, how did God communicate with His prophets, or with the rest of humanity for that matter?

That's what I forgot to ask earlier! Every time the Trinity is brought up, I see 3 persons, 1 being Can someone explain the difference? Last time I checked, I was one person and one being.

Have you thought about reading it in a British accent or something to add effect? British accents always sound so smart

Here's something I got a few times on my mission and was wondering about: I've been told by some evangelicals that the reason God stopped calling prophets was because the Holy Ghost replaced them after the resurrection of Christ. Is that a common belief? If so, does that mean that evangelicals (or any non-LDS to broaden the audience) believe that the Holy Ghost was not on earth BEFORE Christ was resurrected? Any input on this would be appreciated.

That's funny, we always used that scripture on my mission to show how The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost were three separate individuals. The Father, in heaven, speaks of His Son who is on Earth, and the Holy Ghost, also on Earth but separate from the Son, testifies of the event. If this passage doesn't show that the Godhead consists of three separate beings, I don't know what does.

That's what they believe, yes. I've had many dealings with the JW pre, post mission, and even in the work place and I've sat down many a time to compare doctrine. Their goal isn't to reach heaven (be one of the 144K) but rather to avoid being destroyed (as in ceasing to exist) by Jehovah. Their version of salvation is the equivalent of a never ending millennium on earth. I even asked a few what they believe will happen after millions and millions of years on earth, whether they would progress or not, and they all said they don't know, that it wasn't revealed to them.

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What I'm understanding from these answers is: 3 people are also at the same time 1 3=1 even though ONE being exists, He is both Father and Son of Himself And lastly, this whole concept is a "mystery", not to be understood in this lifetime. My problem with these answers is that they're anti-biblical. John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. If we are to have faith in God, we MUST know who He is and the best these answers can provide is "He is incomprehensible, He is a mystery." I have no problem with someone believing these answers. I do find it curious however that some would mock us for saying that we do know the nature of God and that He is not a mystery.

I'm going to be frank here, I've read these 26 pages over the last week and have seen NOTHING that gives an answer to the OP. In what way in Jesus God's son? I've heard "in relationship" in these posts. If they share a co-eternal relationship as the same being, they are not father and son, by pure definition, but rather one being. I.E., I can't be my own father. Two beings must exist for a father-son relationship to exist.

I don't think that was her point. I'm pretty sure she was just referring to our Church's history and not necessarily comparing it to other tragedies.