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E-MAIL ON MORMON SOURCES

I disagree. First of all, My church [Mormonism] does not teach that God was once a man. It says in D&C [Doctrine and Covenants] 20:12, "Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen."

Second, they do not teach that we will become Gods, but like Gods in the sense of all knowing. Ex. - Genesis 3:22....

So as you can see, you have been misinformed and need to search another source. I recommend going straight to the original source, The Church itself. For if you read these scriptures for yourself you will surely see your errors. I seek not to insult or demean you in any way but only to inform. I believe strongly in the 11th Article of Faith. Peter

Response: Below are a few of the sources I have used throughout this Web site to document the of the teachings of Mormonism (officially called: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

Gospel Principles, Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1988. I ordered this book directly from the Mormon church. It teaches, "WE CAN BECOME GODS LIKE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. This is exaltation" (p.290).

After a discussion about the need to keep all of God's commandments, this book also teaches, "This is the way OUR HEAVENLY FATHER BECAME A GOD" (p.293).

Ludlow, Daniel ed. Latter-day Prophets Speak. Logan, UT: Bookcraft, 1988. I purchased this book at a Mormon bookstore in Denver, CO. It is a collection of excerpts from the writings of the first seven prophets of the Mormon church.

Following are two excerpts from the writings of Lorenzo Snow (fifth Mormon prophet): "AS MAN NOW IS, OUR GOD WAS; AS NOW GOD IS, SO MAN MAY BE..." (p.72).

Further, "We are the offspring of our Father in Heaven and we possess in our spiritual organizations THE SAME CAPABILITIES, POWERS AND FACULTIES THAT OUR FATHER POSSESSES, although in an infantile state" (p.276).

Smith, Joseph. The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1985, 1986, 1986.

Joseph Smith was the founder and first prophet of the Mormon church. These books are three of the four "standard works" of Mormonism (The other is the Bible). All three were given to me by a couple of Mormon missionaries. Quotes from these books are seen in the article Joseph Smith vs. the Book of Mormon.

Smith, Joseph Fielding. Doctrines of Salvation. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954. Joseph Fielding Smith was a descendant of Joseph Smith and the tenth prophet of the Mormon church.

He writes about Joseph Smith, "The Prophet taught that OUR FATHER HAD A FATHER and so on" (Vol.1, p.12). Further, "Joseph Smith taught A PLURALITY OF GODS, and that man by obeying the commandments of God and keeping the whole law will eventually reach the power and exaltation by which he ALSO WILL BECOME A GOD" (Vol.1, p.98).

So as the reader can see, I make every effort to "go straight to the original source" in my articles on Mormonism.

Moreover, the quotes above demonstrate that at least some authoritative Mormon sources do in fact teach "God was once a man" and "we will become Gods." And this Godhood goes beyond becoming just "all knowing."

If a Mormon can produce quotes from Mormon sources that contradict the above, then the Mormon church is to blame for contradicting itself. But that is the whole point of the article Joseph Smith vs. the Book of Mormon.

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The above e-mail and response were published in Darkness to Light newsletter
and posted on this Web site in April 1997.

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