Can Women Become Goddesses?

[Koloborator]

I find Mormon theology to be really interesting, but I often have a hard time understanding it. The D&C says that men can attain exaltation as gods in the Celestial Kingdom, but what about women? Is it accurate to say that they become goddesses, or is it more accurate to say that they do not become goddesses, but are instead exalted beings who are married to gods? Thanks in advance to everyone who can help me with this.

[Deborah]

Believe it or not women are equal partners with men in Mormon theology. So yes.

[bluebell]

In LDS theology, men and women have equal opportunity or access to exaltation and exaltation is, basically, to become gods and goddesses (lower case g usually).

In fact, in our theology we believe that a man can't become a god without a goddess and a woman can't become a goddess without a god.

[nicolasconnault]

Although it is theologically correct to use the words god and goddess, it is semantically preferable to use the word "exalted". The plural "gods" is still very much connotative of the Greek and Roman traditions, which is misleading and definitely not congruent with LDS theology.

[LDS Guy 1986]

I find Mormon theology to be really interesting, but I often have a hard time understanding it. The D&C says that men can attain exaltation as gods in the Celestial Kingdom, but what about women? Is it accurate to say that they become goddesses, or is it more accurate to say that they do not become goddesses, but are instead exalted beings who are married to gods? Thanks in advance to everyone who can help me with this.

In LDS Theology there cannot be a God without a Goddess, and vice versa. To obtain godhood one must be sealed to there spouse for time and eternity in a Temple, by the power of the priesthood authority. A man cannot be come a God without an eternal wife, a woman cannot become a Goddess without an eternal husband. As in this life, husband and wife are equal partners in eternity. Neither is over the other nor superior to the other, if you understand the concept of the ordinance of marriage you can come to no other conclusion. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)

When you wed you are not longer two persons but one, you are linked to each other for time and eternity. One cannot progress alone, you can only progress together, each person will obviously progress at a different pace but ultimately only through sacrifice and love can a couple attain Godhood. It isn't men or women that obtain Godhood it's couples that attain Godhood together, without each other they can never enter into that highest degree of Celestial Glory.

Some detractors like to play on this concept as falsely say women cannot enter into celestial glory without there husband's permission, this is a half truth made into a total lie. It is true a wife cannot enter Godhood without her Husband, just like a Husband cannot enter into Godhood without his wife.

Both Husband and Wife need to be prepared for exaltation in order to become gods, this is why picking a spouse is so important to us in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are picking a companion for eternity to grow with and hopefully be worthy of godhood with, this is the most important decision one will ever make!

So yes women will be goddesses in the highest degree of celestial glory, they will be one with there god husbands. Just as the scriptures tell us in Matthew 2:24 "they shall be one flesh!"

[nicolasconnault]

Some detractors like to play on this concept as falsely say women cannot enter into celestial glory without there husband's permission, this is a half truth made into a total lie. It is true a wife cannot enter Godhood without her Husband, just like a Husband cannot enter into Godhood without his wife.

Additionally, we cannot attain godhood without becoming one with God AND our brothers and sisters.

[LDS Guy 1986]

Although it is theologically correct to use the words god and goddess, it is semantically preferable to use the word "exalted". The plural "gods" is still very much connotative of the Greek and Roman traditions, which is misleading and definitely not congruent with LDS theology.

From what I have seen from Church history your position is not very correct, look at the Book of Abraham chapter 5 its says the Gods, not the exalted helped Jehovah make the Earth. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young spoke of the Gods (not with a lower case g as another commenter said) not of the exalted.

In modern times to ease potential conflict over our henotheistic beliefs we do not refer to Gods and Goddesses, we instead use the terms exaltation, deification, and become like God. This is to ease investigators and provide them with milk before meat, (D&C 19:22, 1 Cor 3:2, Heb 5:12).

We do very much believe in Gods and Goddesses, we believe that Heavenly Father has a unnamed wife our Heavenly Mother, we are the spirit children of these Heavenly Parents. We believe that couples that are sealed for time and eternity in the temple and endure in faith and righteousness till the end, will become Gods and Goddesses, this is discussed in D&C 131 - 132 in great detail.

[LDS Guy 1986]

Additionally, we cannot attain godhood without becoming one with God AND our brothers and sisters.

What is your scriptural evidence to support this?

Yes, to endure to the end one must obey the commandments of God and Jesus Christ, one of which is to be united in faith and love each other like we are loved by Christ and Heavenly Father. Our exaltation though in not a group reward though, it is an individual reward through the atonement of Jesus Christ based upon or works while we lived on the Earth.

Your dilute the power and glory of godhood in my opinion by making it seem like a group effort. It is an individual achievement, only the few who have the proper ordinances done and endure to the end in faith will achieve Godhood. When you achieve Godhood you are not longer dependent on anyone or anything at all you are completely self reliant, all powerful, all knowing, and absolutely and eternally perfect.

We will still worship our Heavenly Father when we are exalted and still honor and feel indebted to Christ, they are the only reason why we can obtain this great glory! We will no longer be dependent on them though, Gods and Goddesses are not dependent on anything.

Your position seems to me that you believe we will be dependent in exaltation that we need each other and God to stay exalted?

[Jason]

This is a stupid poll.

Ah, haven't used the catchphrase for awhile. Feels good.

[Jason]

Your dilute the power and glory of godhood in my opinion by making it seem like a group effort. It is an individual achievement, only the few who have the proper ordinances done and endure to the end in faith will achieve Godhood. When you achieve Godhood you are not longer dependent on anyone or anything at all you are completely self reliant, all powerful, all knowing, and absolutely and eternally perfect.

I disagree. You cannot reach Godhood without an eternal companion. Therefore at it's base it is not an individual achievement, and it seems reasonable to say that you are in fact still dependent on someone else - your spouse.

[LDS Guy 1986]

I disagree. You cannot reach Godhood without an eternal companion. Therefore at it's base it is not an individual achievement, and it seems reasonable to say that you are in fact still dependent on someone else - your spouse.

You obviously didn't read any of my earlier posts, and eternal companionship is two persons as one flesh as we are told in Genesis 2:24. So it is an individual achievement given to worthy couples, since a couple is 1 flesh not 2!

Also you are completely taking this out of context, I am arguing against the notion that exaltation is a group reward, that we need to achieve this glory as a ward or as a Church. Each person will be judged according to there works. For a married couple they will be judged together as 1 person not 2 since there eternal state is linked to each other.

[Jason]

You obviously didn't read any of my earlier posts, and eternal companionship is two persons as one flesh as we are told in Genesis 2:24. So it is an individual achievement given to worthy couples, since a couple is 1 flesh not 2!

I see your point, but even though my wife and I are to be one flesh, and act in unity, I can't see us as literally being the same person. Therefore I do not see our marriage as an individual acheivement of mine, but a group acheivement of the two of us together.

Also you are completely taking this out of context, I am arguing against the notion that exaltation is a group reward, that we need to achieve this glory as a ward or as a Church. Each person will be judged according to there works. For a married couple they will be judged together as 1 person not 2 since there eternal state is linked to each other.

Point taken. We will indeed be judged according to our individual works. Of course, many of those works will be what we did with our Ward and the Church.

[BCSpace]

I find Mormon theology to be really interesting, but I often have a hard time understanding it. The D&C says that men can attain exaltation as gods in the Celestial Kingdom, but what about women? Is it accurate to say that they become goddesses, or is it more accurate to say that they do not become goddesses, but are instead exalted beings who are married to gods? Thanks in advance to everyone who can help me with this.

They are Godesses of course. Genesis 5:1-3 for example implies that the image of God is a married couple.

[mercyngrace]

I find Mormon theology to be really interesting, but I often have a hard time understanding it. The D&C says that men can attain exaltation as gods in the Celestial Kingdom, but what about women? Is it accurate to say that they become goddesses, or is it more accurate to say that they do not become goddesses, but are instead exalted beings who are married to gods? Thanks in advance to everyone who can help me with this.

Speaking to husbands and wives, Elder Holland said "think of yourself and of her as the god and goddess you both inherently are..."

[nicolasconnault]

When you achieve Godhood you are not longer dependent on anyone or anything at all you are completely self reliant, all powerful, all knowing, and absolutely and eternally perfect.

We will still worship our Heavenly Father when we are exalted and still honor and feel indebted to Christ, they are the only reason why we can obtain this great glory! We will no longer be dependent on them though, Gods and Goddesses are not dependent on anything.

What is your scriptural evidence to support this?

[Koloborator]

Speaking to husbands and wives, Elder Holland said "think of yourself and of her as the god and goddess you both inherently are..."

[Koloborator]

My wife is way ahead of Elder Holland on this one. She's always insisted that I think of her as a goddess (um, I mean GODDESS! Excuse me, dear!).

[thesometimesaint]

Neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord.

[T-Shirt]

Speaking of husbands and wives, D&C 132:20 says:

Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.

Best,

T-Shirt

[LDS Guy 1986]

What is your scriptural evidence to support this?

All of the Standard Works is my evidence, we are heirs of God and Joint heirs of Christ (Romans 8:17), we inherit everything that they have this means we are perfect, all powerful, all knowing, and completely self sustaining. This means we have no need for God but common sense says that since we could not achieve this without God and Jesus Christ we still with Worship God and praise Christ.

The entire standard works testify of God's absolute power and that he depends on nothing and no one, as his heirs we too inherit this same nature ourselves.

[Jeff K.]

Whether a particular woman can be a goddess or not, if we treat them like goddesses they will reciprocate. And isn't that what its all about in a relationship?

[nicolasconnault]

All of the Standard Works is my evidence, we are heirs of God and Joint heirs of Christ (Romans 8:17), we inherit everything that they have this means we are perfect, all powerful, all knowing, and completely self sustaining. This means we have no need for God but common sense says that since we could not achieve this without God and Jesus Christ we still with Worship God and praise Christ.

The entire standard works testify of God's absolute power and that he depends on nothing and no one, as his heirs we too inherit this same nature ourselves.

One scriptural reference hardly qualifies as "All of the Standard Works". Besides, that scripture says nothing about becoming independent. AFAIK, the idea of becoming independent creatures, somehow cut loose from God the Father, is non-scriptural. I'm not sure about "needing" him, I just think that our own godhood would be meaningless without our oneness with Him.

Also, being heir and receiving all that the Father has doesn't mean necessarily becoming all that He is. If it did, it would mean that we inherit all his glory, which we know is not going to happen. I don't believe that the standard works testify of any such thing.

[LDS Guy 1986]

One scriptural reference hardly qualifies as "All of the Standard Works". Besides, that scripture says nothing about becoming independent. AFAIK, the idea of becoming independent creatures, somehow cut loose from God the Father, is non-scriptural. I'm not sure about "needing" him, I just think that our own godhood would be meaningless without our oneness with Him.

Also, being heir and receiving all that the Father has doesn't mean necessarily becoming all that He is. If it did, it would mean that we inherit all his glory, which we know is not going to happen. I don't believe that the standard works testify of any such thing.

So the Father who is the God the Father dependent on?

If we are his heir and the joint heir of Christ we can only be as dependent as Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are.

The Standard Works testify that Christ and Heavenly Father are dependent on no one or no thing. (I never said Hebrews was the standard works, you took what I said out of context)

So shall we be since we are the heir of God.

If we received less than everything we are not a joint heir of Christ, as we are told in Hebrews

[nicolasconnault]

The Standard Works testify that Christ and Heavenly Father are dependent on no one or no thing.

CFR please.

I think you've got this whole "independence" thing completely wrong. Remember the topic of this thread? If each individual is to become completely independent of anything or anyone, then are you saying that each exalted man will become completely independent of his exalted wife?

What do you mean by independent anyway?

[TAO]

All of the Standard Works is my evidence, we are heirs of God and Joint heirs of Christ (Romans 8:17), we inherit everything that they have this means we are perfect, all powerful, all knowing, and completely self sustaining. This means we have no need for God but common sense says that since we could not achieve this without God and Jesus Christ we still with Worship God and praise Christ.

The entire standard works testify of God's absolute power and that he depends on nothing and no one, as his heirs we too inherit this same nature ourselves.

LDSGuy, the problem would be with the statement 'self-reliant'... you aren't 'self-reliant'... you are dependent on whomever your will will be up there in the celestial, that you are.

We are dependent upon our greater half, so to say, for we will be one. =)