Obi Wan Bergkamp posted:1} Is the body male, female or gender neutal? If God is indeed male {or female} this would strongly hint at conventional repoductive abilities. Since the mayor reason for reproduction is the continuation of a species beyond your lifespan, this to my mind would imply that God is mortal, and has parents.
Obi Wan Bergkamp posted:2} Does God have the same basic body parts as us? e.g. does He have a nose, mouth, lungs and stomach? If so does He need to use these in the same way we do?
Obi Wan Bergkamp posted:3} Does God dwell within the Universe with the rest of us? If so is He constrained by the same physical laws, the ones He set in place for us? I am thinking primarily of the speed of light here, Relativity Theory tells us that due to length and time dilation travel faster than the speed of light is impossible, does the limit God imposed apply equally to him?
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself
Lane_Winree posted:The only real "Mormon" church is the one that both KK and I are members of.
Jedi_Keiran_Halcyon posted:Lane_Winree posted:The only real "Mormon" church is the one that both KK and I are members of. Yeah, but isn't that kind of like Catholics saying theirs is the only 'real' Christian Church?
Septhaka posted:The Jeffs reminds me of an interesting fact within Mormonism. Polygamy was espoused by Joseph Smith Jr. based on an alleged "everlasting" revelation he received from God in 1831. Why would God have given an everlasting revelation that apparently lasted only 59 years? Was God wrong? He thought it was everlasting but then realized it was not? How does Mormonism reconcile all this? Especially since some Mormon churches excommunicate members for practicing polygamy and other Mormon churches compel their members to practice polygamy.
Kimball_Kinnison posted:Septhaka posted:The Jeffs reminds me of an interesting fact within Mormonism. Polygamy was espoused by Joseph Smith Jr. based on an alleged "everlasting" revelation he received from God in 1831. Why would God have given an everlasting revelation that apparently lasted only 59 years? Was God wrong? He thought it was everlasting but then realized it was not? How does Mormonism reconcile all this? Especially since some Mormon churches excommunicate members for practicing polygamy and other Mormon churches compel their members to practice polygamy.Have you read the actual revelations relating to marriage? They make it extremely clear that the "new and everlasting covenant" that it speaks of is eternal marriage, not plural marriage. And you are confusing several things. First of all, polygamy was not a doctrine, but a practice. The doctrine is that of eternal marriage. Polygamy was simply one application of that doctrine. Practices can change (and have throughout the scriptures). Doctrines do not.
posted:Second, will you please not simply lump groups together as "some Mormon churches"?
username posted:Finally, yes the LDS Church excommunicates people found to be practicing polygamy. Why is that so strange? The Church also excommunicates people who are convicted of serious crimes (usually for felonies - I know one person who was excommunicated for embezzlement). Additionally, even during the height of the practice of polygamy by the Church, it was still done at the direction of Church leaders, and not on the whim of the participants. Taking an additional wife without the approval of your leaders was also grounds for excommunication. Since the LDS Church leaders are no longer giving that approval, why should you be surprised that they have continued that policy?
Septhaka posted:I think you are confusing concepts. Here's the description of the revelation: http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132 Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded July 12, 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, as also plurality of wives. The "covenant", which is "everlasting", includes the covenant of marriage (which is "eternal"), and the "plurality of wives." You are confusing the "eternal" nature of marriage with the "everlasting" nature of the covenant. If they were one in the same then the word "including" would not be utilize since this term is used to show that the latter term ("marriage) is contained within the scope of the former term ("covenant").
God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises. Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it. Abraham was commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.
Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.
Septhaka posted:I "lumped" the Mormon churches that advocate polygamy together. Anyone that can parse English should not be misled. And there are allegedly hundreds of such groups of varying sizes. I didn't say LDS practiced polygamy.
Septhaka posted:I am just surprised that government basically made the Mormon God change his mind. God wanted plural marriage. Government said no. And government won. And now people that do what Joseph Smith Jr. did are excommunicated. Besides how do you really know that Wilson's revelation about God deciding to capitulate is true or simply a desparate move by Wilson to save the institution that provided him his livelihood?
Kimball Kinnison posted:LIke I said, have you read the actual revelations? The "plurality of wives" part mentioned in D&C 132 is found only in verses 34-39. The critical part of it is found in 34-36:
Septhaka posted:username posted:LIke I said, have you read the actual revelations? The "plurality of wives" part mentioned in D&C 132 is found only in verses 34-39. The critical part of it is found in 34-36: Yes I read them. Have you? The plurality of wives is not only discussed there but also, and more substantively, starting with verse 55. Here's a link for you: http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132
username posted:LIke I said, have you read the actual revelations? The "plurality of wives" part mentioned in D&C 132 is found only in verses 34-39. The critical part of it is found in 34-36:
