Need Help

[mliff]

Ok, I don't know if this is the right spot for this question.

I have a friend who is a non-member. He has read the Book of Mormon (which he likes) the Doctrine and Covenants and he has just read the Pearl of Great Price. He believes the Book of Mormon is true, his only problem is that he doesn't believe the Pearl of Great Price is true. He says he can't just get it to himself to believe it. He doesn't believe in more then one God. (He says the most he could do where it says Gods in pogp is he can believe it means God and angels.) He doesnt believe we become gods ourselves just, we can become like him as in living a perfect life. He has asked me if he can be a member of the church and only believe in the book of mormon? I told him I wasn't sure that I'll ask.

So if anyone can help me out here id really appreciate it.

[mliff]

He also read online that Adam is actually Michael, he says he doen't believe that either.

so i'm asking this stuff for him, cause im not too sure about the question. lol thanks for any help

[Just_A_Guy]

AFAIK, he only needs to pass the baptismal interview questions - see here, top of page 206 (page 4 of the PDF).

However, he is going to hear this stuff in Church, and so he has to decide whether he's comfortable going to a church where this stuff is openly discussed. And, frankly, if he disagrees with it in public, he's not going to find much sympathy.

And since a lot of our temple liturgy from the POGP, he's probably going to have doctrinal issues with the temple if/when he goes (and if he doesn't, sooner or later, he may start believing the antis who tell him he's a "second-class Mormon" for not having gone).

[mliff]

I have talked to him before about the temples and he said he doesnt intend to go ever. he basically believes the book of mormon and thats about it. ( i don't know how well that will work, but i guess since he's close to fully believing) but i cant say much about the temples since ive never been to one yet.

and when you said AFAIK, what does that mean?

[Dravin]

AFAIK = As Far As I Know

[mliff]

oh ok lol, thanks

[havejoy]

Wen I joined the church I didn't even have a testimony of the BOM. The only testimony I had was that I knew the priesthood was a true power I had felt. Everything else came later from studying the lessons, reading the scriptures and praying, praying and more praying.

[mliff]

him and I have been talking about the bom for a while and hes read it all the way through then he got a copy of d&c and pogp. after reading pogp is his problems he has in believing. he believes the bom but doesnt believe the pogp.

[Hemidakota]

If his testimony is based on the Joseph Smith, it wouldn't matter if it was the Book of Mormon or the Pearl of Great Price. I was converted on the D&C and the PoGP and anything else, was added since my testimony and answer was about him as a prophet.

[mliff]

If his testimony is based on the Joseph Smith, it wouldn't matter if it was the Book of Mormon or the Pearl of Great Price. I was converted on the D&C and the PoGP and anything else, was added since my testimony and answer was about him as a prophet.

im not understanding your response (it might be me misreading) If his testimony is based on the Joseph Smith?

He believes the bom because it was written by prophets and translated by joseph smith

he doesnt believe the pogp, he says he just has a feeling not to believe it. he said he would want to see proof of pogp (like the original manuscripts that joesph translated from) but he says he feels inside the truth of the bom.

[rameumptom]

There is no requirement to believe that man can be Gods. Besides, the LDS definition of a god is somewhat different than that of other Christians. If one believes, as is taught in Revelation, that through Christ we are made kings and priests unto God (Rev 1:5-6) that will sit with him on his throne and rule, then that is what we mean by gods. If as Paul taught that we can inherit all God's blessings means being a god, then we can be gods in the LDS view. If it means that we can have eternal families, then we can be gods in an LDS view.

None of us will ever be exactly like God the Father, who will always be our Father. He will always be our God. He will always be more advanced than we are in kingdoms and principalities, etc.

So, if your friend can accept the concept that there are levels of godhood, with God the Father on his own level, and giving his divine sons a portion of his divinity, then he shouldn't have a problem with this concept.

Either way, if he accepts the things noted in the baptismal interview, he can definitely be baptized.

[mliff]

in those sense he believe we can be like a god but not an actual god. he also said he told me that he doesnt believe that God was a human on another planet. that he is and always will be God never changing.

[rameumptom]

And I know a few very strong believing LDS who also believe God has never been mortal on his own planet. This includes Blake Ostler, one of the best LDS philosophers in the Church right now. While I disagree with Blake's assessment and how he works around the King Follett Discourse, I believe he is as much a strong LDS as anyone else I know.