LDS Theology for LDS

[Soli Deo Gloria]

For those of you who are LDS

[LeSellers]

what aspects of LDS theology are most satisfying to you LDS, especially vis-

[elguanteloko]

"As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become" has to be my favorite. I was always proud to teach this to Christians and be hated for having a more loving God than they did.

[Daniel Peterson]

Really big ones include the LDS denial of Ex Nihilo Creation,

I like that one very much.

the denial of the Trinity as expressed in the Council of Nicaea,

A big plus.

The LDS position has the advantage of being both true and coherent, and (as I tried to demonstrate in a relatively recent study of the LDS version of Trinity, a topic to which I hope eventually to return at book length), of being integrally related to our soteriology.

the assertion that Jesus was/is an

[Soli Deo Gloria]

The fact that God, our Heavenly Father, is actually my Father, that He loves me as I love my own children, and that this fact gives us the reason for our existence are the two most powerful and reassuring elements of LDS theology in my view.

Lehi

Appreciate the response, Lehi. And I assume by your words, "actually my Father"--you don't mean your biological father. The Christian is adopted into the family of God, as Paul writes to the Ephesians--"He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" (Ephesians 1:5). Is this what you mean by "actually my father?" If yes, that's cool--but it doesn't differentiate you from the traditional Christian view and you haven't really answered my question. But if no, then would you please explain what you mean?

SDG

[TAO]

Appreciate the response, Lehi. And I assume by your words, "actually my Father"--you don't mean your biological father. The Christian is adopted into the family of God, as Paul writes to the Ephesians--"He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" (Ephesians 1:5). Is this what you mean by "actually my father?" If yes, that's cool--but it doesn't differentiate you from the traditional Christian view and you haven't really answered my question. But if no, then would you please explain what you mean?

SDG

He means spiritual father, as in the literal father of our spirits... through birth of spirits.

You refer to adoption thorough spiritual rebirth. An emotion change of heart. That is what that verse means, but it in no way contradicts the statement above.

[Hamba Tuhan]

The fact that God, our Heavenly Father, is actually my Father, that He loves me as I love my own children, and that this fact gives us the reason for our existence are the two most powerful and reassuring elements of LDS theology in my view.

Ditto. And tied to this is the fact that God is therefore fully invested in my salvation. It is, quite literally, His work, and He won't rest until he's saved every last one of His children who will let Him. 'For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.'

[Sky]

One thing that I love about Mormonism is how it teaches about the sanctity of the human body

[Soli Deo Gloria]

He means spiritual father, as in the literal father of our spirits... through birth of spirits.

Can you please elaborate on "birth of spirits?" Is this something I can read about in the Book of Mormon?

SDG

[Ray Callis Hatton III]

I want to get beyond the obvious LDS missionary talking points

[ebeddoulos]

In my opinion the foundation of all LDS theology is the concept of a living, loving God who still speaks to mankind through living prophets who lead the church withinspiration from the Holy Ghost and the guidance of Jesus Christ. This has resulted in:

• an open canon and additional witnesses of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ,
  a fuller understanding of Matthew 16:19; 18:18 - families united for eternity,
  a health code providing a longer and healthier lifespan with fewer risks of cancer, heart disease and other life shortening conditions,
  the Relief Society - one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the world,
  committed youth who are far less likely to engage in inappropriate activities,
  a strong and vibrant missionary force that is far larger than what any other single denomination can field,
  etc., etc., etc., ad infinitum

[TAO]

Can you please elaborate on "birth of spirits?" Is this something I can read about in the Book of Mormon?

SDG

Let me see....

http://scriptures.ld.../en/abr/3/23#23

http://scriptures.ld.../en/moses/1/7#7

OOOOOhhh..... gigantor list here:

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/tg/m/24

BTW, I wouldn't recommend diving into adv. theology until you understand the importance of the simple stuff, for by small and simple means does God bring to past the salvation of many souls.

[Ray Callis Hatton III]

Can you please elaborate on "birth of spirits?" Is this something I can read about in the Book of Mormon?

SDG

Its mentioned in the Book of Abraham and vague and cryptic references in the Bible and elsewhere. There is a "birthing" process by which self-existing intelligence was organized into individual spirit beings. Abraham used the name "intelligences" to apply to the spirit children of the Eternal Father. The intelligence or spirit element became intelligences after the spirits were born as individual entities (Abr. 3:22-24)

But I think the focus of joy being literally children of God is more than just in what way, but what it means to be a child to a earthly parent. Humans, angels and God are all of the same kind, the same species, in a kindred relationship. Not a distant and impersonal relationship, as opposed to being some sort of pathetic plaything created solely for God's pleasure and amusement.

[Soli Deo Gloria]

I reject the term creature, applied to Christ.

I have some reservations about the way you've expressed it, but the notion that divinity and humanity are points on a continuum of power, intelligence, and holiness is very profound, and resolves a lot of pseudo-problems that greatly afflicted mainstream Christology over the centuries.

Hi Dr. Peterson. Appreciate your taking time to respond to me--and on LDS family night, of all nights. You reject the term "creature"--but then you seem to suggest the term fits in your very next sentence. By "creature"--I merely mean "anything created" per Dictionary.com's 2nd listed definition. Yes, I understand LDS don't really think anything is created in an ex nihilo sense, merely formed/organized from pre-existent matter/intelligences. And Jesus was/is an "organized intelligence," right? It may appear to your readers that you would "quibble over a word"--as you have accused others on this board...

Cute.

A wonderful doctrine, well attested in both ancient Judaism and early Christianity.

And again, it appears your next sentence undoes the previous. If it is a "wonderful doctrine" now--how could it be any less wonderful then when it first appeared in Scripture?

SDG

[Daniel Peterson]

Appreciate your taking time to respond to me--and on LDS family night, of all nights.

My wife is in California; my children are in their middle to late twenties.

My neighbors kindly had me over for dinner, but I had to get back to my computer to write. You offered some amusing diversion from the article I'm working on.

If it is a "wonderful doctrine" now--how could it be any less wonderful then when it first appeared in Scripture?

Truths spoken by God for the salvation of his children and in the proper context carry a very different charge than do truths spoken by Lucifer, surrounded by half-truths and lies and intended to lead God's children down to damnation.

Your ploy isn't really all that clever.

[Maidservant]

Can you please elaborate on "birth of spirits?" Is this something I can read about in the Book of Mormon?

SDG

I would say that the affirmation that we are literally the children of God is most fundamentally a modern revelation. Not that it can't be found, as has been mentioned already, scripturally; but that the source for us justifying this belief would be a recourse to modern revelation (which as you may know, to the LDS is THE most legitimate source for what is the truth).

All Sunbeams (3 year olds) are taught a basic belief structure that goes like this: We have a Heavenly Father. We lived with him as a family in heaven before we came to earth. We were/are his spirit children, and before earth life we only had spirit bodies. (And then goes on into a teaching of the purpose of coming to earth.) There IS no elaboration. THAT is it. There is no teaching of mechanics. But this shouldn't surprise any theologian. When it comes to assertions of religious ideas as presented by scripture and/or revelation (=by God), when is there EVER any mechanical elaboration? ha ha . Midrash, anyone?

[zerinus]

For those of you who are LDS

[stemelbow]

For those of you who are LDS

[David T]

Its mentioned in the Book of Abraham and vague and cryptic references in the Bible and elsewhere. There is a "birthing" process by which self-existing intelligence was organized into individual spirit beings. Abraham used the name "intelligences" to apply to the spirit children of the Eternal Father. The intelligence or spirit element became intelligences after the spirits were born as individual entities (Abr. 3:22-24)

Personally, I think the relationship is more adoptive than procreative, even from the very beginning. It's the only thing that makes sense from a 'we're all eternal beings' perspective. We are indeed all literally adopted children of God. When we sin, we disinherit ourselves. When we enter into the covenant of Christ, we are re-adopted through Him. It's all about adoption.

[semlogo]

I think the doctrine of salvation for the dead who died without baptism is great. Also, the three degrees of glory and the nature of God as someone who wasn't always God.

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

For those of you who are LDS

[Ahab]

For those of you who are LDS

[Soli Deo Gloria]

Careful that you don't fall for the standard Evangelical usage of this verse. Remember that God did indeed tell Adam and Eve that "They have become like us". The lie that Satan told was not that we would be as the Gods, but that Adam would not surley die.

Appreciate the response. I would ask for clarification of your point above. What makes you think the understanding of Genesis 3:5 (

[epignosis]

For those of you who are LDS

[zerinus]

Appreciate the response. I would ask for clarification of your point above. What makes you think the understanding of Genesis 3:5 (