Becoming Gods? Is this true?

[Justice]

Malachi7,

This is a simple interpretation issue. Either you believe God when He says we are His children or you don't.

Where has there ever been a child that could not be like their parents?

Ask yourself this: Why all this effort (creation, fall of Adam, Atonement of His Only Begotten Son, prophets, apostles...) if there wasn't something eternal at stake?

What do you think heaven is like? Will it be a place where all the believes go and fall on their knees and worship God for eternity? Well, that might be acceptable for a pet, like a dog or cat, but for your children? Your offspring? God is perfect while you are imperfect, yet even you want the most for your children and would deny them nothing that is good for them.

You do bring up a very valid point. Most of modern Christianity does not teach these things. If our Church had it's beginning the way we claim it did, then we have the answer why modern Christianity does not teach these things.

You need to trust me on what I'm about to say so that you can get past this and move onto something much more important. It's not very important that you believe that we become like God. What is important is that you believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet called by God Himself to reorganize His Church on the earth. The Church Christ organized was lost and fell through apostasy. The only way it could be reorganized and put on the earth again was by direct revelation from heaven. Man was incapable of finding it all on his own.

Don't you see the confusion that the Bible by itself causes? Look at modern Christianity for a second. How many different beliefs and interpretations are there? No doubt, there are countless differences. What was needed was a restoration of truth. Truth, unsullied and pure, from beyond the veil of mortality was the only way man could be sure of any truth. Since His Church was lost, no man could find it.

There is only one way to know if what I'm saying is true. The greatest fruit of Joseph Smith's labors was the Book of Mormon. I suggest you find out about it, learn about what it is and where it came from, then read it with genuine curiosity and determination to know if the book is really what he said it is.

If you really want to know the answer to the questions you're asking, this is the only way you'll get them. So, I suggest you stop everything, get a copy and read it while praying with full purpose of heart, not doubting, to know it is true. Because if it is true, then it's the most remarkable thing to come forth on earth in the last 2,000 years. If it's not, then the questions and answers we're discuss here aren't worth your time.

[Justice]

Sorry all, I did not realize there were 30 something pages when I posted the above.

I was going to delete it, but thought I might leave it in case someone can get something useful out of it.

Once again, sorry.

[Hemidakota]

We have statements from Brigham Young that directly deal with his view on the curse of Cain and a priesthood ban. In 32 years, I have never found anything on Joseph Smith discussing a priesthood ban or imposing such a ban on anyone.

Most LDS scholars I know agree that Joseph was not involved in any priesthood ban, regardless of whether he thought the blacks were cursed. And on those scholars that think Joseph felt they were cursed, it was over slavery, not priesthood.

I would hate to think that the academia can read the mind of the prophet. He never stated the curse was a slavery issue.

Yes! I do note there are several articles that tell us that through the curse of Canaan, slavery was allowed by GOD. It was not the very curse that was pronounced by Noah unto this grandson; it was mainly slavery. It was a result of one parental endulgement in sin that led to this additional cursing among his mortal brethren – cause and effect. I don’t see anywhere with slavery as the main curse but that slavery was additional sub-set of that very curse. Can show me any biblical historical record that there were Canaan children receiving the priesthood ordination under the hand of God?

Ram, I will keep looking and make this a personal subject as to collecting various articles in summarizing it into a centric file for my children as references. Also, you need to remember, I do have the same articles, JD, HoC, and other various journals, as the Apologetics do but I don't follow the scholars as it was gospel because they said it was. Ultimately for me in finding truth, there is a Savior and Joseph Smith that can answer that question. This is the difference between them and me. Now, if I did follow them, I would not have that type testimony that a few could receive in this life.

Again, I did quoted it about the curse - meaning priesthood - that was not taken off of the children Canaan by Joseph Smith, as President Benson remarked in his conference speech. [see Documentary of the Church p. 438] after he translated the BOA. If you are looking for literal words for Joseph to say; "the priesthood is banned for the blacks...", you are not going to find it.

I do thank you for your personal insights. :)

[Hemidakota]

Sorry all, I did not realize there were 30 something pages when I posted the above.

I was going to delete it, but thought I might leave it in case someone can get something useful out of it.

Once again, sorry.

Never be sorry...discoursing is how we learn from others in order to find truth that was not part of our own knowledge. Ram brings alot of personal insight to this forum.

[rameumptom]

No, academia cannot read a prophet's mind. However, they can research his writings. Some of the prophets, including David O. McKay actually had the records researched to determine when the priesthood ban occurred, and if it was by revelation. No where could they find a revelation from God initiating the ban because of any curse or any other reason. In fact, Pres McKay used this fact to lift the ban from all dark-skinned groups outside of Africa. I recommend the bio on Pres McKay that was written a couple years ago by the grandson of Pres McKay's personal secretary (using her notes).

Also, I recommend Elder McConkie's statement on the ban. Forget everything stated prior to June 1978 on the subject, for it is wrong. Regardless of any reasons God had for the ban, it is now past. And we must move past it, which requires we must be willing to let lie any supposed reasons that Brigham Young and others gave for it. If we keep insisting that there was a curse on the blacks, we will only hurt future missionary efforts among peoples that are worthy to receive all the blessings of God.

Finally, I think we should focus on the blessings of current revelations, and not on beliefs of the past that do not agree with current revelations. The priesthood ban, for whatever reason is now 30 years past. Let us move on to discuss the blessings.

[Hemidakota]

I already did [moved on]!