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Was God once a man?


Restformationist

Was God once a man?  

109 members have voted

  1. 1. Was God once a man?

    • Yes
      64
    • No
      28
    • Not sure
      17


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Posted

I understand there is debate over what was truly said on that day of the King Folette discourse, but humor me. :P

Most of my LDS friends will say Joe's words are taken out of context and/or improperly recorded. That is an acceptable answer.

If Joseph really did say that, however, he was in direct contradiction with Moroni 8:18 and Mormon 9:9-10.

Posted

Two people have voted yes.

I'm curious, could you explain how that fits in with the Book of Mormon?

Before anyone gets defensive, please understand I'm not an "anti." I've just never received a clear answer on this.

Posted

I can't speak for your friends, but most LDS will say that it is a semantic issue. "Man" is usually used by critics as derogatory closer to the meaning of "the nature of man". Even Jesus was not just "like us". Did God have a mortal experience? Yes. Do we know what that entails? No.

And if you are going to come on an LDS board use elementary respect and refer to our leaders by their actual name. Thanks.

Posted

Actually, God still is a man, albeit a glorified, perfect, immortal, incorruptible man, but a man nonetheless... :P<_<

Posted
I can't speak for your friends,  but most LDS will say that it is a semantic issue.  "Man" is usually used by critics as derogatory closer to the meaning of "the nature of man".  Even Jesus was not just "like us".  Did God have a mortal experience?  Yes.  Do we know what that entails?  No.

Ok, are you saying Joseph was referring to Christ? Well, if that is the case, I agree with him.

And if you are going to come on an LDS board use elementary respect and refer to our leaders by their actual name.  Thanks.

No problem.

Posted
Actually, God still is a man, albeit a glorified, perfect, immortal, incorruptible man, but a man nonetheless... :P<_<

What about John 4:24? :unsure:

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

Posted
Brent:

So I must die before I can pray?

tss - You are a human being; man/woman. Therefore you have a body, soul and spirit. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out how we can have a relationship with God if we have that spiritual connection.

M.

Posted
Brent:

So I must die before I can pray?

tss - You are a human being; man/woman. Therefore you have a body, soul and spirit. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out how we can have a relationship with God if we have that spiritual connection.

M.

I do have a relationship with God, but that does not require God to have once been a man like me. Humans have a spirit because we are made in the image of God. Our bodies, however, are not in His likeliness. God is a Spirit.

I still do not understand the point you're trying to make.

Posted

The point being made is that if that Bible verse is defining God as only spirit, then we must become disembodied spirits, too, in order to worship him, as per the second part of that verse, or it appears inconsistent. Obviously, we don't do that, so obviously that verse is not defining God as only spirit.

Posted

Maureen:

I'm a male. I have no problem with God being a spirit and having a physical body, as I am a spirit having a physical body(only very far from perfect or perfected) :P

I've never prayed to an amorphus blob of nonmaterial spirit matter, whatever that is.

I pray to MY Heavenly Father.

Posted
The point being made is that if that Bible verse is defining God as only spirit, then we must become disembodied spirits, too, in order to worship him, as per the second part of that verse, or it appears inconsistent. Obviously, we don't do that, so obviously that verse is not defining God as only spirit.

It says we should worship Him in spirit, as in with our spirit. I don't know how that implies we must be disembodied to worship God.

Posted

The often overlooked fact is that Christians believe that Jesus was fully God even while clothed in his mortal body. Some even pay attention to the fact that after his resurrection, he still declared he had a body of flesh and bone, yet had not ceased to be God.

So what is so horrifying about Mormons believing that God, as in the Father, has a body, too?

I thought they were all one, as per the classical Trinity.

Posted
What about John 4:24? <_<

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

This is a good example of what translators do. This reads "God as a spirit" (there is an article in the Greek). [Correction: this is incorrect. It reads without the article] My other favorite is how the commonly used plural heavens has been rendered singular to fit in with prevailing beliefs. :P

Ok, are you saying Joseph was referring to Christ? Well, if that is the case, I agree with him.

No...but you have just identified the problem with trinitarians making an issue of this. If you believe Jesus was "man" then you believe that God was "man". Or at least a third of him.

(LDS will quote the verse where Jesus says he only does what he saw the Father do...a verse that conventional Christians tend to skip over)

Posted
The point being made is that if that Bible verse is defining God as only spirit, then we must become disembodied spirits, too, in order to worship him, as per the second part of that verse, or it appears inconsistent. Obviously, we don't do that, so obviously that verse is not defining God as only spirit.

It says we should worship Him in spirit, as in with our spirit. I don't know how that implies we must be disembodied to worship God.

No, you added "with" our spirit. Your text says "in spirit." You can't take one part of the verse literally but not the other.

Posted
If God has a physical body, how can He be in more than one place at once?

Bodily, he can't. But he doesn't need to be. With this logic you cannot be "in a room". You are only in your own skin without the ability to see or experience outside of your own body. Believing that he is everywhere at once has some pantheistic baggage...not to mention not giving God any control over his own whereabouts.

Posted
No, you added "with" our spirit. Your text says "in spirit." You can't take one part of the verse literally but not the other.

It depends on the translation.

I do worship God in spirit. I don't understand why that requires me to be dead.

Posted
I believe God took on flesh to provide atonement for our sins and so that we will be resurrected from the dead. Furthermore, so that we can have a relationship with God the Father through Christ.

So do Mormons.

Posted
Brent:

So I must die before I can pray?

tss - You are a human being; man/woman. Therefore you have a body, soul and spirit. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out how we can have a relationship with God if we have that spiritual connection.

M.

I do have a relationship with God, but that does not require God to have once been a man like me. Humans have a spirit because we are made in the image of God. Our bodies, however, are not in His likeliness. God is a Spirit.

I still do not understand the point you're trying to make.

Just so we're clear - I'm agreeing with you Brent.

I believe we are made in a Trinitarian type image like God - body, soul and spirit. Therefore I agree that it is possible for us mere humans to converse with our divine spiritual God because we too are spiritual.

M.

Posted
If God has a physical body, how can He be in more than one place at once?

Bodily, he can't. But he doesn't need to be. With this logic you cannot be "in a room". You are only in your own skin without the ability to see or experience outside of your own body. Believing that he is everywhere at once has some pantheistic baggage...not to mention not giving God any control over his own whereabouts.

Are you suggesting God is not all-powerful?

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