Trinity, Jesus, the Father, and who exactly do you worship?

[mhansen]

So, I know that the LDS do not believe in the Trinity in the same way that Catholics do. So, I have a few questions:

-Who do the LDS worship? God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirt? All three together? Only two?

-Who is the Holy Spirit, what does he do, and why does he lack a body?

-If God is a god and Jesus is one too, does that make Mormonism duotheistic?

-What exactly does "worship" mean?

-Could you explain the LDS version of the trinity?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[Moksha]

You may find some answers here on the thread below:

http://www.lds.net/forums/learn-about-mormon-church/23524-mormon-view-jesus.html

[ryanh]

When I first joined the LDS church at 16, it took me some time to sort out exactly what the theology was. Although quite a crude analogy, it was helpful to me at first when some described the Godhead as 'a basketball team'. Three unique individuals, but with one purpose, acting like a team, each performing a different function.

I'm sure there are others that can explain better than I some specifics of your questions. I'll provide a few links to official statements and articles of the church. These should help with understanding the view of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent by Jeffrey R Holland

In These Three I Believe - Gordon B Hinkley

In the following links, there is a lot more information under "Church Magazine Articles".

God the Father

Jesus Christ

The Holy Ghost

[tubaloth]

-Who do the LDS worship? God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirt? All three together? Only two?

We Worship Heavenly Father in the Name of the Son. Meaning we pray to Heavenly Father. We know he is our Father, our God, and the one that makes the plan of salvation possible.

We do worship Christ in the way of honoring him for the Atonement. But we don't pray to Christ, we pray to Father and give Thanks for His Son. We Pray to Father that we can have the power of the Atonement in our life. We know all is possible because of what Christ did. So its more of admiration and honor of Christ.

-Who is the Holy Spirit, what does he do, and why does he lack a body?

The Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost is just that a spirit. He is a member of the Godhead.

Joseph Smith (a prophet called in these later days) taught

22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.

23 A man may receive the Holy Ghost, and it may descend upon him and not tarry with him.

D& C 130:22-23

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/130

The reason the Holy Ghost doesn't have a body is because of the way he communicates with us. For whatever reason, being in the spirit form allows the Holy Ghost a more straight connection to our spirit. I don't think it has anything do with God not being able to do such a thing, but just to have a messenger that can speak to our spirits is the key.

-If God is a god and Jesus is one too, does that make Mormonism duotheistic?

duotheismBelief in and worship in two deities, usually framed as a god and goddess of roughly equal power.

No, because we don't worship both in the same way. If your definition means in the belief in two Gods, then I guess so.

-What exactly does "worship" mean?

I can't help you there, thats something you need to figure out on your own.

-Could you explain the LDS version of the trinity?

Its a Team! Just as Joseph Smith taught, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ both have a body, the Holy Ghost is a spirit. They form the Godhead. They are three people working as one, really for a common goal of saving us! Really the end goal is that we become part of the Team, we become one like they are. Meaning if we want happiness and Joy as God has it, we have to do what it takes to become more like He is.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

No problem.

[prisonchaplain]

Some LDS have told me that they are basically polytheistic. Others insist that, no, they are not polytheistic, but rather henotheistic. More recently, I'm hearing the term "social Trinity." This is my own take, by way of comparisons:

Emphasis on Unity of God = MODALISM (God is one in three): Jesus is God, and he presents himself in three different modalities, that of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But, it's all just Jesus. Thus, this is sometimes called "Jesus Only." The largest church holding this doctrine is the United Pentecostal Church.

Emphasis on both God's unity and three distinct persons: Trinity: the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. They are co-equal, co-eternal, and the three persons exist as the one essential being, God. Most Protestants, Orthodox and Catholics affirm this doctrine.

Emphasis on God's personages: The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. They are three distinct beings AND essences. The Father and Son have physical bodies. Their unity in the Godhead is that of purpose, not identity. This, of course, is the view of the Church to which this site is dedicated.