I'm interested in some finding certain passages in Mormon scripture.

[Guest pimpberries]

I'm looking for things regarding humans being like God, and how God once was like man, and if there were infact Gods before god now..

I am new, and don't even own any Mormon books, so please; bare with me.

Also I'd like some suggestions as to what a new reader might want to read, especially one with my particular interests in mind.

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Now; I tried to post this in scripture reading, but I was not allowed there for some reason.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[pam]

First of all...what do you mean by "Mormon scripture?' We use the Bible just like everyone else. Though we have the Book of Mormon we consider that a companion to the Bible. It's another testament of Christ.

The reason you couldn't start a thread in scripture reading is that only moderators may start topics there.

[Guest pimpberries]

Ok, well Im talking of the books which are exclusive to the Mormon church ie; book of Mormon, Pearl of great price etc

If you feel you need to defend your church against me you can drop your gaurd, I'm thinking of joining.

If you find me offensive, I'm sorry you feel that way.

Thanks for letting me know about the scripture category. Have a wonderful evening.

[pam]

I find you neither way. I am trying to get a basis for where to begin discussion and conversation.

[Guest pimpberries]

I find you neither way. I am trying to get a basis for where to begin discussion and conversation.

I'm sorry; well how are you tonight Pam?

If you wouldn't mind; I'd like it if we could start in talking about how god was once like man, and we once lived together with god and where to find this in writings, as well as what you might suggest to me to read being new, and things like that, that's all.

[Maxel]

I'm looking for things regarding humans being like God, and how God once was like man, and if there were infact Gods before god now..

The bulk of those teachings in their most efficacious form are found in the King Follet Discourse, given by Joseph Smith at the death of King Follet. They are not canonized Mormon doctrine, but it is common Mormon opinion- I myself hold to those ideas.

I am new, and don't even own any Mormon books, so please; bare with me.

You can find the King James Bible, Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine of Covenants (the Mormon scriptures) online at here.

Also I'd like some suggestions as to what a new reader might want to read, especially one with my particular interests in mind.

Well, quite honestly the rote answer is to read the Book of Mormon, ponder on it, and then pray to God to ask if it is true. That revelation sets the foundation on which to proceed with the most personal enlightenment.

The non-rote answer sends you to the Bible, particularly where we are told that Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God (Philippians 2:6); we are join-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17); that we are truly the children of God (Romans 8:16). Also, Christ's words that we are to be perfect like He is (Matthew 5:48), and that we are to be one like He and the Father are one (John 17:11).

[pam]

First of all this website is a great help to answering some of those questions. Having an understanding that we lived with our Heavenly Father before we came to earth gives us a better understanding of our role/Christ's role and God's role in our existence.

[pam]

You mentioned you don't have any LDS reading material. Do you know someone who is LDS or have you talked to any missionaries yet?

[Guest pimpberries]

You mentioned you don't have any LDS reading material. Do you know someone who is LDS or have you talked to any missionaries yet?

I've talked with a guy who is in the church [Merced Ca] his name is Kieth, I'm certain he said that he is the treasurer of a pantry of some sort in the church, as well as a Fire Chief. He was very knowledgeable, he had his books with him, and we talked religion for a couple hours, I was really impressed, and this knowledge makes me feel like I've always been right about some things, as I think this way.. anyhow I want to learn more.

Edited May 9, 2009 by pimpberries

[Dravin]

If you want to learn more in general a good place to start is Mormon.org - Home , you can request a Book of Mormon, request a visit from the Missionaries, chat with some Missionaries online (though probably not at this hour) or just poke around. The site is generally more milky than meaty (1 Cor 3:2). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is intended for members (thus more meaty) and you can search church magazine articles and General Conference talks and even church curriculum materials if you just want to poke around about a subject.

[pam]

I'm not sure what the treasurer of a pantry in the Church is...but I would recommend reading the Book of Mormon with an open mind. Also sincerely praying about it while reading it. I've got a forum here about the Book of Mormon where I post the scripture and provide some quotes for discussion that hopefully help explain those certain passages of the Book of Mormon.

[pam]

Thanks Dravin. I had provided that for mormon.org in my earlier post but I'm glad to see someone else thinks it a good place to start.

[Dravin]

Thanks Dravin. I had provided that for mormon.org in my earlier post but I'm glad to see someone else thinks it a good place to start.

Oops.

[mumbles]Stupid stealth links.[/mumble]

[pam]

I've been a member of the Church my entire life and certainly don't profess to know all of the answers. Not even close. I learn things every day that I didn't know. Or perhaps just didn't understand clearly before. I've learned a lot just from the members of lds.net.

[pam]

Oops.

[mumbles]Stupid stealth links.[/mumble]

hahaha it's okay darlin'

[spiritseeker]

The saying that you were quoting was from one of our Prophets named Lorenzo Snow. He is my personal favourite. Not that I guess you should have favourites but I do... Anyway it is called the Lorenzo Snow couplet;

"As man is God once was , as God is man may be."

The following link from mormon wiki is a brief synopsis,

Lorenzo snow couplet theology - MormonWiki.org

I highly recommend this site for mormon information. Good luck on your study and don't be afraid to ask questions.:)

Edited May 9, 2009 by spiritseeker
wrong link

[Guest pimpberries]

Thanks! Yeah; I'm going to check mormonwiki out right now.

I plan on reading the book of Nephi, and that of Lorenzo Snow first; think that's a good place to start ?

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I'd certainly buy a nice Book that contained all of the scriptures and writings recognized by the LDS church if anyone has suggestions.

It may as well be something that looks nice, and is full of all the information and resources if I'm going to pay for it, any suggestions ?

Edited May 9, 2009 by pimpberries

[bytebear]

I would start here and just start searching the scriptures:

Topical Guide: Man, Potential to Become like Heavenly Father

Topical Guide: God, Perfection of

[Guest pimpberries]

I would start here and just start searching the scriptures:

Topical Guide: Man, Potential to Become like Heavenly Father

Topical Guide: God, Perfection of

That is exactly what I was looking for. Good looking out tebear.

[Snow]

Here's an old post of mine

1. Deification:

By deification, Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe that God intends to transform those who are saved by Christ to be like Christ. We believe that God will succeed in what God intends. We take literally the idea that we are children of God and will grow up to be like God and will share in God's divinity and become co-inheritors, along with Christ, of everything that God has, including his divine nature.

People that want to poke fun at Latter-day Saints use language that sounds odd, like become a god of your own planet, and with your god-wife make spirit babies for the rest of eternity. Actually, earlier statements by some LDS figures are probably the source of such ideas, but there is no official justification for such in the LDS canon. I do not suppose that the saved that share in God's divine nature will ever be separate and independent from God.

2. LDS Doctrine:

LDS doctrine is contained in our canon (The Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price). That is from there that we take our beliefs. Doctrine of the Church does not extend beyond these tomes. Certainly all Protestants can understand the difference between the Bible and the excellent interpretive writings of Luther, Calvin or Wesley. That is not to say that which LDS authorities have taught outside the canon is necessarily wrong, just that the non-canon source do not define our beliefs and we are not bound to them. The LDS-only sources for the idea of deification are these:

1. D&C 76:58, 59, "Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God. Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's, and Christ is God's." This is essentially the same as Psalm 82:6, John 10: 34-36, Romans 8:38, and 1 Cor 3:22-23.

2. D&C 121:28, 32. You can look it up, but no proposition about deification is asserted, strictly speaking it is not a doctrine. Rather, it is a promise of an explanation of all things, including things speculated, at some future time.

3. The main scriptural authority comes from section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants. You can find it in the scripture section at lds.org.

"... they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fullness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them."

To the above I would add Joseph Smith' King Follett address and a Lorenzo Snow epigram about man becoming as God now is - because, even though those two are not canonical, they are both so widely accepted, they have become normative for the Church. They both assert that there will be a time after the resurrection and judgment that the saved and exalted will be gods.

All else is speculative or interpretive and non-binding.

3: Biblical and early Christian support:

We take seriously the language about becoming the Children of God (Rom 8:16). It makes sense to us that children grow up to be like their Father. God is the Father of our spirits (Heb 12:9) We are his offspring (Acts 17:29) and offspring grown like to be what their parents are. Through the atonement of Christ we are begotten sons and daughters of God (1Peter 1:13). We partake of his divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) and we have been designated heirs to all that he has (Roman 8:15-17, Rev 21:7) which is all that the Father has (Jn 3:35).

You can accuse us of taking the scriptures too literally but the doctrine is scriptural. The same passages have led others in the Christian tradition to the same conclusion:

Clement of Alexandria said that those who are perfected through the gospel of Christ "are called by the appellation of 'gods' being destined to sit on the thrones with the other gods that have been first installed in their places by the Savior." You can say that we misinterpret the NT but that means that it is matter of interpretation, not that the idea isn't in there.

So, when Christ appears, the sons and daughters of God will be like him (1 Jn 3:2) changed from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18). We receive his glory (Jn 17:22-23) and sit on his throne (3:21) We become joint heirs with Christ to ALL that the Father has (Rom 8:15-17, Rev 21:7, 1 Coir 3:22) and we "partake of his divine nature." What could "partake of his divine nature" possibly mean if the divine nature is not extended to us and does not become part of us?

To us the logic is inescapable 1. Christ is divine. 2. Through the atonement and grace of Christ the saved become one with Christ and become like him (Jn 3:2) and receive his image and glory (Jn 17:21-23; 2 Cor 3:18) Therefore, 3. Through the atonement of Christ the saved become, in some sense, divine. If A equals B and B equals C, then I conclude that A equals C.

4. What it All Means:

We do not deduce, as a philosophical argument, that the barriers will be reduced to make the saved like God. It is stated flatly in the Bible:

"John 17:21-23

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;"

We become one with them as they are one with each other. Whatever their relationship is, it is explicitly stated in the Bible that we will share it. We will participate in the life of God through Christ's atonement. You may argue that we really aren't God's children and that we can't really be like him but such a view is philosophical, not biblical. (references - Stephen Robinson HWTD)

[azaware]

Hi

You can find the Book of Mormon on YouTube. You can search with The Book of Mormon Reader: 1 Nephi 1

or this should get you there

[Maya]

You say you kind of already knew many things this guy told you... I know how that feels... I did too. Even your questions are about the same that I had, as I had heard others talk about them. Yes starting to read the BoM is a very good start. I started att the beginning. Actually I was all the time asking for God to show me if it was wrong... my grandparents both were lutheran priests... and my dad almost.

[BenRaines]

My guess that the treasurer of the pantry would be someone who works in the local Bishop's storehouse. That is a volunteer position and then also works, as you mentioned, as the local fire chief.

I still have a couple of friends that live in Merced, CA from when I lived there many years ago.

Ben Raines

[bytor2112]

My suggestion would be to start with the Missionaries. We all need to crawl before we walk and gaining a testimony.....a belief in basic gospel principals will give you a sure and solid foundation by which to gain further light and truth. Good luck on your journey!

[Guest pimpberries]

You say you kind of already knew many things this guy told you... I know how that feels... I did too. Even your questions are about the same that I had.

That's interesting. So where has that experience brought you since being in my postion more or less?