eahaddix
03-11-2006, 01:03 PM
Q: Who are "the gods" of Mormonism?
A: In answering this question, let us begin by considering a few quotations by prominent Mormon figures.
"'It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God,' the inspired word continues, 'and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did.' The Father is a glorified, perfected, resurrected, exalted man who worked out his salvation by obedience to the same laws he has given to us so that we may do the same."
LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.64, LDS Collectors Library '97 CD-ROM
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"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. . . .
The King Follett Discourse
The Being and Kind of Being God Is;
The Immortality of the Intelligence of Man
By Joseph Smith the Prophet
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 p.342 [Link (http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/people/joseph_smith/follett_discourse.htm)]
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" . . . a plurality of Gods exists. To us, speaking in the proper finite sense, these three are the only Gods we worship. But in addition there is an infinite number of holy personages, drawn from worlds without number, who have passed on to exaltation and are thus gods . . ."
LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, under Plurality of Gods, p. 576-77; see also p. 321-22
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". . . . In the very beginning the Bible shows there is a plurality of Gods beyond the power of refutation."
Sermon by the Prophet—The Christian Godhead—Plurality of Gods Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
Meeting in the Grove, east of the Temple, June 16, 1844
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 p.369 [Link (http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/sermons_talks_interviews/smithpluralityofgodssermon.htm)]
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"Our father in heaven, according to the Prophet, had a father, and since there has been a condition of this kind through all eternity, each Father had a Father . . ."
Joseph Smith
Doctrines of Salvation 2:47
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See also:
Gospel Principles, by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,11-1-13-1,00.html)
"LDS View of God Contradicts the Bible," by Utah Lighthouse Ministry (http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/ldsviewcontradictsbible.htm)
In reading these quotes, one notices that Mormonism defines "the gods" as a race of gendered, anthropomorphic gods. This fact is evidenced by God the Father's alleged origin, in which he was created by a sexual union between a male god and female god.
But, in declaring that the gods are a race of gods, Mormonism inherently introduces the issue of lineage. Hence, as the branches on a tree are finite in number, the "family tree" of "the gods" will contain a finite number of gods, no matter how large the "tree" will be. Moreover, since the process of procreation is a linear, cause and effect process, one can logically or mathematically backtrack this racial lineage to an original pair or set of gods.
As a result, a logical paradox results: If "the gods" exist through racial reproduction, then how can there be an infinite amount of them? Moreover, if all gods are exalted men or women who achieved godhood, then where did the original gods come from?
A: In answering this question, let us begin by considering a few quotations by prominent Mormon figures.
"'It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God,' the inspired word continues, 'and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did.' The Father is a glorified, perfected, resurrected, exalted man who worked out his salvation by obedience to the same laws he has given to us so that we may do the same."
LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.64, LDS Collectors Library '97 CD-ROM
- - - - - - - - - -
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. . . .
The King Follett Discourse
The Being and Kind of Being God Is;
The Immortality of the Intelligence of Man
By Joseph Smith the Prophet
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 p.342 [Link (http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/people/joseph_smith/follett_discourse.htm)]
- - - - - - - - - -
" . . . a plurality of Gods exists. To us, speaking in the proper finite sense, these three are the only Gods we worship. But in addition there is an infinite number of holy personages, drawn from worlds without number, who have passed on to exaltation and are thus gods . . ."
LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, under Plurality of Gods, p. 576-77; see also p. 321-22
- - - - - - - - - -
". . . . In the very beginning the Bible shows there is a plurality of Gods beyond the power of refutation."
Sermon by the Prophet—The Christian Godhead—Plurality of Gods Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
Meeting in the Grove, east of the Temple, June 16, 1844
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 p.369 [Link (http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/sermons_talks_interviews/smithpluralityofgodssermon.htm)]
- - - - - - - - - -
"Our father in heaven, according to the Prophet, had a father, and since there has been a condition of this kind through all eternity, each Father had a Father . . ."
Joseph Smith
Doctrines of Salvation 2:47
- - - - -
See also:
Gospel Principles, by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,11-1-13-1,00.html)
"LDS View of God Contradicts the Bible," by Utah Lighthouse Ministry (http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/ldsviewcontradictsbible.htm)
In reading these quotes, one notices that Mormonism defines "the gods" as a race of gendered, anthropomorphic gods. This fact is evidenced by God the Father's alleged origin, in which he was created by a sexual union between a male god and female god.
But, in declaring that the gods are a race of gods, Mormonism inherently introduces the issue of lineage. Hence, as the branches on a tree are finite in number, the "family tree" of "the gods" will contain a finite number of gods, no matter how large the "tree" will be. Moreover, since the process of procreation is a linear, cause and effect process, one can logically or mathematically backtrack this racial lineage to an original pair or set of gods.
As a result, a logical paradox results: If "the gods" exist through racial reproduction, then how can there be an infinite amount of them? Moreover, if all gods are exalted men or women who achieved godhood, then where did the original gods come from?