lattelady Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 I've seen stated on at least a couple threads now by multiple members of the Church that they believe that the Church is monotheistic. I've also seen people say, " I'm not going to be 'like' God, I will BE a god." That is NOT monotheistic teaching. How do you reconcile these two opposing thoughts?
Justice Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Whoever said they would become a god, assuming they are correct, they will not be "my Lord and my God," and they will not be responsible for my salvation. There is only One God responsible for my salvation, and that is Jesus Christ. Whatever other gods are out there doesn't matter.
lattelady Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Posted August 20, 2009 That may be how you PERSONALLY reconcile the two thoughts, but just the word monotheistic means one God, and the worship of one God. If you are going to become gods and I assume you will be worshipped (otherwise, what's the point of being gods?), then your religion is not in essence monotheistic, right?
Snow Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 That may be how you PERSONALLY reconcile the two thoughts, but just the word monotheistic means one God, and the worship of one God. If you are going to become gods and I assume you will be worshipped (otherwise, what's the point of being gods?), then your religion is not in essence monotheistic, right?That's an interesting thought - that the whole point of being God is to be worshipped. Do you believe that God exists so you can worship him?
pam Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 That may be how you PERSONALLY reconcile the two thoughts, but just the word monotheistic means one God, and the worship of one God. If you are going to become gods and I assume you will be worshipped (otherwise, what's the point of being gods?), then your religion is not in essence monotheistic, right? Well the question was asked: How do you reconcile these two opposing thoughts? Justice did in fact answer how HE would reconcile this. Now if you are asking how we as a religion as a whole reconcile that would be different.
lattelady Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Posted August 20, 2009 I was actually asking how the Church as a whole would reconcile the two opposing thoughts. How one person or another reconciles them would be as varied as the opinions found on any thread. The church has to have ONE stance. You can't teach "we can become gods", yet call your faith monotheistic. That's what I was trying to say. Pam, I could be wrong, but I get the impression that you dislike nonmembers using this site and asking questions. Correct me if I'm wrong...
pam Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Not sure how my clarification on the way the question was asked now makes me a disliker of nonmembers using this site.
Snow Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 You can't teach "we can become gods", yet call your faith monotheistic. .No?Are you aware that a belief in "divinization" or "theosis" (becoming God) was the widespread belief of the early Christian Church? Was the ancient Christian church not monotheistic?
Guest Believer_1829 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Dang people... LDS are technically polytheistic, but in a non-Hindu type of way. They believe there are many Gods but they only worship and have dealings with the One that created this Earth. Each God has His own sphere of creation and they don't interfere with each others "stuff".
lattelady Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Posted August 20, 2009 Snow, I actually believe that I exist to worship God. I believe He has always existed. I believe He created me and that my purpose is to glorify Him with my life.
bmy- Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Henotheist is the correct term. It's recognizing the potential for other Gods to exist but worshiping only one of them.
lattelady Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Posted August 20, 2009 Believer_1829, so you do not believe that the church is monotheistic? (Who are the dang people?--me?) :)
lattelady Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Posted August 20, 2009 bmy, is "Henotheist" the term that the LDS church subscribes to?
bytebear Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 (edited) The LDS Church is monotheistic. The Bible, Book of Mormon and D&C explicitly teach that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are ONE GOD. Period. That means that at least three beings can make up ONE GOD. I believe that when we become gods, we become one with God, and therefore, we are ONE GOD. Still monotheistic. Now you can take man's definition of polytheism and henotheism, but the prophets of God have defined God as being more than one being, so man's understanding of God is limited, and non-scriptural. Therefore, to claim polytheism or henotheism are to claim man made definitions instead of the clear definitions of the prophets, which is God is ONE. Edited August 20, 2009 by bytebear
Guest Believer_1829 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Believer_1829, so you do not believe that the church is monotheistic? (Who are the dang people?--me?) :)I think bmy- nailed the specific term. I believe the LDS church is monotheistic in terms of worship, henotheistic is terms of overall theology.
Snow Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Snow, I actually believe that I exist to worship God. I believe He has always existed. I believe He created me and that my purpose is to glorify Him with my life.Why would God need to be gloried by you or want to create you in order to glorify or aggrandize Himself? Seems kinda self-centered and shallow.
john doe Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 How do you reconcile the fact that Jesus said: John 10:34Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?The way I choose to reconcile it is thus: Big 'G', little 'g'. Big 'G' is the only one we need to concern ourselves with right now. He is the Father. He is the only God we worship.
lattelady Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Posted August 20, 2009 Snow, I've never heard of divinization or theosis. If you're talking about the ancient Christian church of the Bible, that was monotheistic and they didn't teach you could become a god.
bmy- Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 bmy, is "Henotheist" the term that the LDS church subscribes to?Yep.Snow, I've never heard of divinization or theosis. If you're talking about the ancient Christian church of the Bible, that was monotheistic and they didn't teach you could become a god.You would be surprised :)
Guest Believer_1829 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Why would God need to be gloried by you or want to create you in order to glorify or aggrandize Himself? Seems kinda self-centered and shallow.Pardon my interruption... but did not Joseph Smith teach that God had glory added to Him when we become glorified? Wouldn't that be creating us to "aggrandize himself" (add glory to)?
pam Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Ahh but is the intent of God in creating us to add Glory?
bmy- Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Ahh but is the intent of God in creating us to add Glory?Do we have children to glorify ourselves? ... I'll never understand why my mother chose to have me -- i'm a pain in the butt EDIT: But I'm HER pain in the butt.. and that makes all the difference.
Guest Believer_1829 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Ahh but is the intent of God in creating us to add Glory?I believe Joseph taught that, Yes, that is, in fact, part of His intent.** I need to get my TPJS, it's in storage**
lattelady Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Posted August 20, 2009 John Doe, I reconcile the John 10:34 scripture through crossreferencing it with the verse in Psalms that Jesus was actually quoting and then understanding that when He uses the word "gods", He's referring to rulers who were lording their authority over the people. Sometimes words have other meanings within scripture.
pam Posted August 20, 2009 Report Posted August 20, 2009 Or maybe I should have said His intent to add glory to Himself.
Recommended Posts