Misconceptions About Latter-day Saints

[Catholic]

Hi,

I asked this on a LiveJournal community, but I figured this would be a good place to ask as well....What do you believe are some of the most common misconceptions about Latter-Day Saints that nonmembers have? I'm trying to understand The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints better and would like to have any misconceptions I have cleared up, so....

Thanks!

[jwhitlock]

Possibly a better way to approach it would be to ask you what your conceptions about LDS doctrine and the Church are.

There are too many misconceptions out there about us to be listed.

[HiJolly]

Hi,

I asked this on a LiveJournal community, but I figured this would be a good place to ask as well....What do you believe are some of the most common misconceptions about Latter-Day Saints that nonmembers have? I'm trying to understand The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints better and would like to have any misconceptions I have cleared up, so....

Thanks!

I have to agree with JWhitlock. Please, let us deal with *your* ideas. Just pick some that seem a bit unusual to you.

HiJolly

[Catholic]

Well, I don't know much about the Latter-Day Saints, so I can't say that much....(I had Mormon missionaries visit me when I was 15, but that was over a decade ago, and I never really discussed the subject in depth at the time, so I don't remember that much).

I've also heard things about Latter-Day Saints from nonmembers, but I don't know if I can trust that they were telling me the truth.

But I guess I'll list a few things I have heard.

1. LDS believe that God was once a man as we are, and that we can become gods ourselves

2. LDS believe God the father had sex with the Virgin Mary, resulting in the conception of Jesus

3. LDS believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers.

Again, I don't know how accurate those beliefs are, or if they are simply a distortion of what LDS actually teach. (After all, as a Catholic, I know that there are plenty of myths out there about what the Catholic Church teaches. I assume the same is the case with the LDS.)

I also wish to emphasize I don't wish to debate anything; I'm just curious if I am correctly informed or not. Thanks

[DrewM]

1. LDS believe that God was once a man as we are, and that we can become gods ourselves

That is fairly accurate.

2. LDS believe God the father had sex with the Virgin Mary, resulting in the conception of Jesus

That is not correct. We believe that God the Father is the Father of Jesus physically, but how that happened is not revealed. Mary was a Virgin when Jesus was born according to the Bible and the Book of Mormon

3. LDS believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers.

In a sense. I would recommend you read: http://en.fairmormon.org/Jesus_Christ_is_t...rother_of_Satan

[Shoofly]

Hi,

I asked this on a LiveJournal community, but I figured this would be a good place to ask as well....What do you believe are some of the most common misconceptions about Latter-Day Saints that nonmembers have? I'm trying to understand The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints better and would like to have any misconceptions I have cleared up, so....

Thanks!

Hi and welcome.

It might be easier if you tell us what your thinking of LDS folks and beliefs are.

Our basic beliefs are stated in our 13 Articles of Faith.

1. We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's trangression.

3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinaces thereof.

6. We believe in the same orginization the existed in the Primitive Church,namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

7. We believe in the gift of tounges, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tounges, and so forth.

8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

9. We believe all that God has revealed, all the He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be buily upon the American continent; that Chrisy will reign personally upon the earth; and that the earth will be renewed and recieve its paradisical glory.

11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul- We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything vituous, lovely, or of good report or praisworthy, we seek after these things.

[HiJolly]

1. LDS believe that God was once a man as we are, and that we can become gods ourselves

2. LDS believe God the father had sex with the Virgin Mary, resulting in the conception of Jesus

3. LDS believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers.

I also wish to emphasize I don't wish to debate anything; I'm just curious if I am correctly informed or not. Thanks

Ok. Do you believe that Jesus is God? We do. But then, Jesus was born as a baby, who grew up (aged) and ate food and so forth. So, He was a man, was he not? I know, books have been written and philosophers have worn out quills/pens for a lifetime over all this stuff. The condescension of God is a big topic in the Book of Mormon. We also believe that God is and always has been eternal and our scriptures are very clear on that point.

Basically, we believe that God offered to us the opportunity to be "One" with Him. He said, all that the Father hath should be ours. We are commanded to become perfect as He is. Its a basic belief in the potential of personal deification, which even though Catholics don't talk about it much anymore, the Eastern Orthodox still do, and the Early Christian Fathers spoke of it also. As Far as God the Father being like us, I think we kinda look at that as a logical extension of the principle in question.

Next, some in the Church have speculated on that, but where the scripture is discreet and says Mary was overshadowed by the power of the Holy Ghost, I think we should all leave it at that. So yeah, some have said it, but I don't believe that it was a good idea. Have no idea if its true or not, and don't really care. Privacy!

Next- - - We believe that men and angels are of the same family, namely, children of God. All of us are created, but God breathed into us the 'breath of life', which Mormons call "intelligence", which we are taught is eternal. Therefore, each of us is at heart of the same type, the same stuff and substance, of God Himself. I may have been an angel, back before I was sent here to the mortal world. After I die, God may call me to be an angel again. Even after I have received a Crown and been raised to Heaven, God may request me to return to earth as a messenger, or, in Mormon parlance, an angel.

Hope that helps.

HiJolly

[Catholic]

DrewM:

Thanks for answering my questions (though, of course, as a Catholic, I do disagree with those beliefs that I understood correctly.)

Shoofly:

Thanks for posting those Articles of Faith. I had seen those years before, but it's been a long time.

[Catholic]

HiJolly: Thanks for answering my questions so thoroughly.

Another question i have is this: There are study Bibles out there. Are there any Study "Book of Mormons"? (I guess that's how to phrase it). Thanks.

[HiJolly]

HiJolly: Thanks for answering my questions so thoroughly.

Another question i have is this: There are study Bibles out there. Are there any Study "Book of Mormons"? (I guess that's how to phrase it). Thanks.

Study manuals that we use are all available via the Church's main web site, www.lds.org. www.mormon.com is a big introductory website for beginners, too. If you need more specifics, speak up. ...and I do hope you are reading the other threads on this board---

HiJolly

[Catholic]

Study manuals that we use are all available via the Church's main web site, www.lds.org. www.mormon.com is a big introductory website for beginners, too. If you need more specifics, speak up. ...and I do hope you are reading the other threads on this board---

HiJolly

Thanks. I've been reading through the Book of Mormon, but it's hard to keep up with everything. I was looking for something that would include stuff like charts and maps and so forth to help me remember what I've read.

And I'm certainly plan on reading the other threads on this board :-)

[HiJolly]

Thanks. I've been reading through the Book of Mormon, but it's hard to keep up with everything. I was looking for something that would include stuff like charts and maps and so forth to help me remember what I've read.

And I'm certainly plan on reading the other threads on this board :-)

Here's a very nice (but unofficial) web site: http://bookofmormononline.net/

HiJolly

[Catholic]

Here's a very nice (but unofficial) web site: http://bookofmormononline.net/

HiJolly

Once again, thanks! That looks very helpful.

[HiJolly]

Once again, thanks! That looks very helpful.

Um, how appropriate that this thread is called "...misconceptions..."

I just looked at the map of the new world on that website, and I must say, it looks intriguing, especially since the layout there is NOT a for-sure thing. We don't have any physical corroboration of the actual locations of ANYTHING, really. So, like many other things (like, the shape of the Sword of Laban on the home page), much of this is speculative.

Take all but the BoM text with a grain of salt...

HiJolly

[kckern]

Um, how appropriate that this thread is called "...misconceptions..."

I just looked at the map of the new world on that website, and I must say, it looks intriguing, especially since the layout there is NOT a for-sure thing. We don't have any physical corroboration of the actual locations of ANYTHING, really. So, like many other things (like, the shape of the Sword of Laban on the home page), much of this is speculative.

Take all but the BoM text with a grain of salt...

HiJolly

If you look on the main panel when you mouse-over the map button, you will read:

"The New World

* This map shows a suggested arrangement of New World locations mentioned in the Book of Mormon based on internal descriptions and relative references. It is NOT an attempt to match existing Mesoamerican locations with Book of Mormon locations."

The locations have been placed based on descriptions that the book of Mormon gives about places RELATIVE TO OTHER PLACES.

Due to incomplete information, there is much guess work, but a careful reading of the book of Mormon text with attention to geographic references actually paints a more clear picture than you might think.

And yes, the shape of Laban's sword is highly speculative. This site is by no means an attempt to provide a photo-documentary of Book of Mormon artifacts.

[HiJolly]

If you look on the main panel when you mouse-over the map button, you will read:

The locations have been placed based on descriptions that the book of Mormon gives about places RELATIVE TO OTHER PLACES.

Due to incomplete information, there is much guess work, but a careful reading of the book of Mormon text with attention to geographic references actually paints a more clear picture than you might think.

And yes, the shape of Laban's sword is highly speculative. This site is by no means an attempt to provide a photo-documentary of Book of Mormon artifacts.

As you can tell, I didn't bother to read that text... I'm not sure how many people will... Thanks for your comments.

HiJolly

[Doctor Steuss]

Thanks. I've been reading through the Book of Mormon, but it's hard to keep up with everything. I was looking for something that would include stuff like charts and maps and so forth to help me remember what I've read.

And I'm certainly plan on reading the other threads on this board :-)

I would recommend the Reader's Edition edited by Grant Hardy. It leaves the text alone, other than placing it in paragraph form with very, very short headers that help you know who's talking, etc. It also has some charts and maps in the back.

-Stu

Amazon Listing

[Catholic]

I would recommend the Reader's Edition edited by Grant Hardy. It leaves the text alone, other than placing it in paragraph form with very, very short headers that help you know who's talking, etc. It also has some charts and maps in the back.

-Stu

Amazon Listing

Thanks. That looks like it would be very helpful.

[Catholic]

I have another question I wish to ask :-)

If LDS believe that God was once a man like us, then who was his God? And did his God have a God, and so forth? In short, how far back does this go? Who was the first "link" in the chain? Thanks.

[NeuroTypical]

If LDS believe that God was once a man like us, then who was his God?

I think the best answer any of us can give you, has a big sign on it that says "Warning: Speculation!" We don't have a lot of detail about it, and most of what we do have comes from the Bible. Like John 5:19 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."

It's a logical conundrum. If Jesus can't do it unless he has seen his Father do it first, then how could he lay down his life/be tempted of Satan/posess a body of flesh/etc/etc? Mix that scripture in, with the scriptures about God being eternal and endless and never changing, and you've got a noodler.

Mormons try to noodle. I don't know how the rest of Christianity explains this stuff away so it doesn't bother them. Maybe you can shed a little light, Catholic?

LM

[ztodd]

We don't know - we're not ready to know or even understand these things. Those questions are based on limited human understanding trying to fit eternal godly things into our concept of time and space and logic. It won't work.

[MorningStar]

Hi Catholic! Nice to meet you.

I would say one big misconception people have of us is that we believe our works are what get us to Heaven. Also, people say we don't believe Jesus is God. It's frustrating because you can correct them and they keep repeating this same false information.

[Catholic]

LoudmouthMormon and ztodd:

Thanks for answering my question. I guess I'm just trying to figure out who would be the first "link" in the chain...But I guess it's like you said: speculation

Morningstar:

I would say one big misconception people have of us is that we believe our works are what get us to Heaven

I can certainly sympathize with you there....a lot of people think that's what the Catholic Church teaches as well, though it isn't.

[MorningStar]

LoudmouthMormon and ztodd:

Thanks for answering my question. I guess I'm just trying to figure out who would be the first "link" in the chain...But I guess it's like you said: speculation

Morningstar:

I can certainly sympathize with you there....a lot of people think that's what the Catholic Church teaches as well, though it isn't.

Same here. :) I tell people we don't believe it's our works that get us to Heaven and they just keep on teaching it. So frustrating.