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Can we have a friendly conversation about the LDS church? [Spirituality & Religion]

This is in NO means asked to attack anyone and their religion, It is simply to try to understand and be led to the truth

*ANY RUDE OR ATTACKING COMMENTS ON EITHER SIDE WILL BE DELETED! As believers, we are called to share the gospel and the truth. I would like to have a genuine and friendly discussion on the church of the LDS.

I have had the opportunity as a Christian to witness and have unperson conversations with a couple of mormon missionaries as they share with me what they believe, however, I have noticed some inaccuracies that align with the teachings of the Bible.

My first question and topic of discussion is Why do LDS believe that Jesus was a mere prophet and "a" god, but not [i]God[/i]?

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LadyGrace ·

I really don’t know, but to sum it up, if what people tell you, doesn’t match up with God’s Word....even if it’s a minister saying it, leave it alone. Walk away. Those are false teachers.

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

@LadyGrace Hi Lady! How are you! Oh and I know that! I'm trying to get others to see it. I'm looking for an effective way to witness. I've had some LDS and JW knock on my door and I'm tying to have conversations with them about who Jesus is. It's not a quick process.

LadyGrace ·

Been there, done that. They get stumped real easily because they don’t know what they believe and more importantly, why. It’s not our job to convince them. Jesus told us to move on. Pray for them that the Holy Spirit will show them His truths in His Word. @sweetiepoo

MistyCee

I sort of wish we had an LDS scholar around to explain stuff, because this points out one of those things which I'm not sure is official LDS thoughts, or FLDS or just apocrypha.

The Jesus as prophet but not divine thing I get. Both Islam and to some extent Judaism have kind of gone down that road.

But, and like I said, I'm not sure if I'm accurate here, but I find the idea that men can become gods really interesting, especially if they get their own planets to rule.

I get why it's a neat belief structurally for a religion to allow for divine Ascension, but it's definitely pretty radical and confusing.

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

@MistyCee Unfortunately men can't become gods.

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

@MistyCee The best way to understand is to read the word of God ( the bible) and ask for the Holy Spirit's leading, guidance and understanding. If you still don't understand, there are plenty of biblical concordances and verse by verse commentaries.

Mamapolo2016 · F

I don't know. I'm not LDS. (My impression is that here, too, the desired title has changed. I'm told it's not even the Mormon Tabernacle Choir anymore but the Tabernacle Choir.) The church itself wants to be known by its full name, The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. Not Mormon, not LDS.

Over the years I had several long-term conversations with, then, Mormon missionary teams. They were always nice sincere kids.

Good luck with your search for understanding!

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

@Mamapolo2016 I understand the Bible, I probably need to start making that clearer., but 'The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints' have a lot of beliefs that conflict with the Bible.

Mamapolo2016 · F

I know this is a bit radical and this is my own personal path, not one I feel a need to spread, but I have decided not to focus on areas of disagreement, but on areas of accord. My conviction is God doesn't care if we pray five times a day or two, if we heal with laying on of hands or speak in tongues.

I think God cares if we seek God's presence and love each other. Everybody can't be right, unless they are, for the basic message God sent to them in their time and place.@sweetiepoo

SheElf · 22-25, F

It's because in order to create a new holy land and seat of power in N. America room had to be made where Smith could now be considered on par with other prophets. It was chiefly a business decision. Mormons will shun this explanation, but it does fit.

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SheElf · 22-25, F

@MistyCee They try very hard to get press coverage. A decade or two ago they claimed to have successfully cloned a human. Their founder even posed with naked women in Playboy magazine.

MistyCee

@SheElf Strange stuff. I actually had some interactions with Scientology folks in Hubbard's last days which were, to say the least, interesting.

SheElf · 22-25, F

wildbill83 · 36-40, M

Mormons sure do like their doomsday predictions, according to them, it should have ended 6 or 7 times already by now....

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." - Matthew 24:36

The point being, if angels or Jesus himself doesn't even know when it will end, what are the chances they do?

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

@wildbill83 And Unfortunately, there are more prophecies that didn't come to pass, like :

David W. Patten to go on a mission
Verily, thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto the world. (Doctrine & Covenants 114:1)
This prophecy was made on April 17, 1838. David W. Patten died in October of 1838 and thus never went on a mission the following spring.

LadyGrace ·

They didn’t come true, because the prophy must come from God’s Word. There’s no such prophecy as theone about Patten in the Bible. @sweetiepoo

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

This is just an excerpt from going further.net:

Some say Jesus Christ was just a man, or maybe a great teacher. But He was and is much more than that. The Bible says Jesus is unique in both His person and His purpose. He wasn’t just some spiritual individual during His time on earth; He was both God’s Son (John 3:16) and God Himself—God in human flesh (I Timothy 3:16). Yes, He was fully man, but He was also fully God (Colossians 2:9).

The claims

Jesus claimed to be God. It might be hard to understand how this could be true, but it’s important to remember that God is much bigger and more powerful than we can comprehend. We do know that Jesus said He existed before Abraham (John 8:58). He claimed that He and His Father are one (John 10:30), and that He is equal with the Father (John 5:17-18).

Not only did He claim to be God, but He also claimed to have the power of God. He said He has the authority to judge the nations (Matthew 25:31-46). He claims the authority to raise people from the dead (John 5:25-29) and to forgive sins (Mark 2:5-7)—things only God can do (I Samuel 2:6; Isaiah 43:25).

MartinTheFirst · 26-30, M

@sweetiepoo [quote]and that He is equal with the Father (John 5:17-18).[/quote]

[quote]John 14:28 You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am.[/quote]

Jesus never claimed to be equal to Jehovah the Father, however the people seized him on the belief that Jesus claimed that he was an equal with the Father.

[quote]Philippians 2:5 Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God.[/quote]

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

@MartinTheFirst So with that verse you have to look at the surrounding scriptures:

Philippians 2:5-11

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When Jesus was born, he didn't come as a King on a horse so to speak, but as a poor servant.

MartinTheFirst · 26-30, M

@sweetiepoo Exactly, Jesus did not put himself in the place of God Jehovah. He humbled himself, since everything that was his had been given to him by the Father. Jehovah has made him king over everything beneath him.

MartinTheFirst · 26-30, M

Dunno what lds is

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MartinTheFirst · 26-30, M

@sweetiepoo You see, this is why it's so important to keep the name Jehovah in the Bible. All of a sudden you can't know when it's the Father or when it's Jesus that the scripture is written about, since the text itself is already translated to fit a certain belief.

Jehovah created everything, yes, he however created everything through Jesus. Psalm 102 is referring to Jehovah since Jehovah's name is in it.

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

@MartinTheFirst What about Hebrews 1:10-12. What does that say on the NWT?

wildbill83 · 36-40, M

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." - Revelation 22:18-19

abe182 · 46-50, M

I would look very closely at the person and life of who started it.

sweetiepoo · 36-40, F

@abe182 I've definitely done my research and looked into Joseph Smith and his prophecies. Some of his prophecies didn't come to pass, and biblically speaking, even one prophecy that doesn't come to pass makes a false prophet.