Mormon Q&A with Brian Mackert

For those attending the 6 week seminar that I'm teaching here are the notes for Session 2 containing the chart that illustrates the Mormon Law of Eternal Progression.

Our Focus – Today’s message is going to focus on three key phases of Mormon Theology in the form of a question.

Where did we come from?
Where are we now?
Where are we headed?

Overview of Mormonism: Every religion has a story of origin that explains where we came from, where we are now, and where are we headed in this life and Mormonism is no different. So this is what we will be focusing on today.

The foundation of all of Mormon Theology is that God was once a man who lived a mortal life like ours on a planet much like ours, and progressed to godhood and that we can also progress to godhood in the same fashion that he did. Mormon leaders tell us that this method of progression to Godhood has been going on throughout all eternity past and will continue throughout all eternity future. It didn’t begin with our Heavenly Father and it doesn’t end with Him either but continues throughout all eternity future through His offspring and their offspring.

Theological Terms:

By its own definition Mormonism teaches polytheism – the belief that there are many Gods. In Mormonism there are many Gods who came before God and there will be countless Gods formed after God.
By its own definition Mormonism teaches theosis – the belief that men can become Gods, as part of the polytheistic religion of Mormonism men are able to progress to Godhood, to literally hold the same status and nature of God, becoming Gods in their own right making, populating, and ruling over their own worlds just as they believe God the Father has.
The first Essential of the Christian Faith is that there has only been and there will only be one God, who always has been and always will be God. There is a big difference between the Biblical teaching that through Christ’s atonement for sin and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we become partakers of God’s divinity and the teaching that we will become Gods in our own right being in every way just as divine as God is.
What does scripture teach concerning Mormon Theology? Throughout scripture it is clear that there is only One God and that all others aren’t really Gods but false Gods. Scripture is also clear that there were no other Gods formed before God, and that there will be none formed after Him.
Isaiah 43:10-11 (NIV) "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”
i. God is speaking to Isaiah; this isn’t Isaiah speaking to us, but God through Isaiah, saying that there were no Gods formed before Him. So Mormonism errs in its teaching that God was once a man like us who progressed to Godhood.
ii. God also tells Isaiah that there will be no Gods formed after Him. Either God is a liar, or Mormonism is false!
iii. There are many other passages throughout scripture that communicate the same concept, that there has always been and will always be only one God. (here are a few: Isaiah 44:6, 8; Isaiah 45:5, 6)

The Fifth LDS Church Pres. Lorenzo Snow summarized the central theme of Mormonism by coining this phrase, "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become." But scripture teaches that God has always been God “…from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2 NIV).

The next quote from LDS Church President Joseph Fielding Smith is rather long…“The Father has promised us that through our faithfulness we shall be blessed with the fullness of his kingdom. In other words we will have the privilege of becoming like him. To become like him we must have all the powers of godhood; thus a man and his wife when glorified will have spirit children who eventually will go on an earth like this one we are on and pass through the same kind of experiences, being subject to mortal conditions, and if faithful, then they also will receive the fullness of exaltation and partake of the same blessings. There is no end to this development; it will go on forever. We will become gods and have jurisdiction over worlds, and these worlds will be peopled by our own offspring. We will have an endless eternity for this.” (Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.2, p.48)

If you want more references like these here is a website for you. There are quotes from Mormon Prophets and Scholars along with references for those quotes. At the bottom of that page you will also find the Biblical passages that contradict these teachings all without any outsider commentary. It is a very fair and balanced look at the issue. Here is the link:
a. www.utlm.org/onlineresources/mormonshopetobecomegods.htm
Another good source for most of this material is the LDS Church’s “Gospel Principles Manual” which is available online.
a. http://www.lds.org/gospellibrary/materials/gospel/Start%20Here_01.pdf

Three Key Phases of the Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism:

Where did we come from? The First Estate:
a. On the chart above you will find in the upper left-hand corner a circle labeled “Realms of Deity / Spirit Life / First Estate.” This section is what Mormons refer to as the “Pre-Existence” which is what they believe happened in heaven prior to our coming to this earthly existence. I will be referring to this section of the chart when answering what Mormonism teaches about where we came from.
b. In the “Pre-existence”, Mormonism teaches that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as ours (Refuted by John 4:24 NIV… “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”), lives on a star near an unknown planet called “Kolob” with his many Goddess Wives. Through these Goddess Wives he fathered many spirit-children who don’t have physical bodies but are simply spirits. The first born of his spirit-children was Jesus (Refuted by Col 1:16 NIV…“For by him (Jesus) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”) and the second born was Lucifer (But the Bible says…“Lucifer is a fallen angel / created being / spirit being and not the spirit-brother of Jesus!” See Ezekiel 28:12-14, Ephesians 6:11-12). This pre-existent life is called the “First Estate.”
c. In order for his spirit-children to progress to their intended natural state of being gods themselves they have to obtain a physical body and endure the temptations of the flesh (Refuted by 1 Cor. 15:46 NIV “The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.”). It is only by conquering the desires of the flesh and subduing the flesh that they can live righteously and progress to Godhood. In order for this test to be a true test all memory of this pre-existence had to be erased when they were born into their physical bodies. In order to enter into this state man would have to fall into a sinful state, thereby becoming mortal. For Mormons Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden was actually a good thing because it allows them to progress to Godhood.
d. Prior to sending his children to this earth for their probationary period God needed a plan for man’s Salvation. God summoned his two first born spirit-children, Jesus and Lucifer, and charged them with the task of presenting a plan for man’s salvation at a council of the Gods (Refuted by Isaiah 45:5&6 NIV “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God…from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.”).
i. Lucifer’s plan refused man his free will but would force them to obey God’s laws. Through Lucifer’s plan all would be saved, God would get back all of his children and none would perish. Lucifer’s plan came with a catch. Lucifer wanted all the glory for himself for accomplishing such a feat.
ii. Jesus’ plan gave mankind their free will and Jesus would atone for Adam’s transgression in the fall. Those who loved God would obey him. Rather than getting back all, God would get back those who truly love him, the cream of the crop, and all the glory would to go to God the Father.
iii. The Council of the Gods voted to accept Jesus’ plan. This infuriated Lucifer who led one third of the hosts of heaven in a revolt and there was a great war in heaven.
1. Lucifer’s army is defeated and cast down to earth in spirit form to tempt the souls of men; their progression towards godhood was stopped, because they would never be able to have a physical body as part of their punishment.
2. One third of the hosts of heaven were neutral or proven cowards in battle; they are cursed and not allowed to hold the priesthood while in their probationary period on earth. In Mormonism the priesthood is the power and authority to act for God on earth. Because they didn’t fight for God, they aren’t allowed to act for God on earth. The curse included a dark skin to identify them which is the Mormon explanation for Blacks and why up until 1975 Blacks weren’t allowed to hold the priesthood. This racist view is not in keeping with the Christian Doctrine that all are created in God’s image.
3. The one third that fought valiantly for God were given the right to hold the priesthood and are given a white and delightsome skin to mark them as God’s chosen seed.

Where are we now? The Second Estate:

We started out in the upper left-hand corner of your chart, and now we are going to move to the lower left-hand corner to the circle that looks much like the planet Earth, has the image of a couple driving their car into outer space, and says “Second Estate.” This is where we are now in this mortal existence or what Mormons refer to as “Our Probationary Period.”
After the war in heaven ended and judgment was passed and rewards were given God sent his children to earth to gain physical bodies and begin their probationary period to prove themselves worthy of progressing towards Godhood.
i. Adam-God Doctrine: You can find Brigham Young’s teaching on the “Adam-God Doctrine” in the Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, pp.50-51. In establishing human life on earth God created Adam who some Mormons believe was a polygamist. However Brigham Young taught that Adam was really God who came down to establish his family on earth and sinned in the Garden of Eden. This is known as the Adam-God doctrine which the LDS Church has renounced although they haven’t renounced Brigham Young who taught it. Brigham Young also taught that Adam’s sin in the fall of man wasn’t a bad but good; it was only through falling that we could enter into this probationary period to receive a physical body and progress Godhood.
ii. The Curse of Cain: In the Garden of Eden when Cain killed Abel, one of the judgments that God passed on to Cain was the curse mentioned earlier on those who were neutral or cowards in the war in heaven, where they weren’t allowed to hold the priesthood and would be marked with a dark skin. According to Mormonism Cain is the first Black person. When early Mormon leaders use the phrase “the blood of Cain”, or the “curse of Cain”, it is all in reference to this curse (You can find the “Curse of Cain Doctrine” in the “Pearl of Great Price – The Book of Abraham 1:21-27”).
iii. . Once again this racist view isn’t in keeping with the Christian Doctrine that all are created in God’s image.
iv. Obedience to the Laws & Ordinances: During our probationary period Mormons are required to obey all the laws and ordinances of the Mormon Gospel. Some of these ordinances are Baptism by emersion, The Laying On of Hands For the Gift of the Holy Ghost, Ordination to the Priesthood, Temple Endowment Rituals, Temple Marriage Rituals, the Sacrament, Baptisms for the Dead, Keeping the Ten Commandments, Keeping the Commandments of all three Mormon Scriptures, Tithe, Obey the Word of Wisdom – which is their dietary law, Magnify the Church Callings – Sustaining the leaders of the LDS Church…and the list goes on. There are over 4,800 laws and ordinances to keep in Mormonism and all must be kept to be found worthy and to progress towards godhood.

Where are we headed? Man’s Eternal Estate:

On the chart we’ve moved from the upper left-hand corner, to the lower left-hand corner, and now we are going to move to the right-hand side of the chart and discuss the three different levels / kingdoms of the Mormon heaven. Each is labeled for you and all three have a path that leads you from planet Earth to each kingdom and they have listed the requirements for attaining each one. This is the section that I will be referring to as we discuss where we are headed. Before we start there are a few concepts that I need to highlight to prepare us for our journey to each of these kingdoms.
b. Christ’s Atonement: In Mormonism, Christ’s atonement for sins paid for Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden which brought death into the world. Christ’s atonement affords all the ability to be resurrected in the next life regardless our belief. Therefore Mormon salvation is a universal salvation that isn’t dependent upon faith in Christ’s atonement (See the LDS Church’s “Articles of Faith” 2 & 3).
c. Being Worthy: Only through obeying all the laws and ordinances of Mormonism can a person live worthy of progressing to Godhood. All 4,800 laws and ordinances that I mentioned earlier have to be obeyed to progress towards Godhood.
d. The Curse of Cain: According to Brigham Young the curse of Cain would not be lifted until the final judgment and “Adam’s entire Race” had the opportunity to receive the priesthood. Only then would worthy Blacks be allowed to hold the priesthood. In 1978 the President of the LDS Church, Spencer W. Kimball, gave Blacks the priesthood in spite of Brigham Young’s earlier assertions.
e. Biblical Reference for the “Third Heaven”: In 2 Corinthians 12:2 the Apostle Paul mentions the “third heaven” which is where Mormons get their ideas about the three levels of heaven. Paul wrote, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven.” However this is a misinterpretation of what Paul meant. Paul wasn’t talking about one of three heavens meaning dwelling places for the afterlife but rather the heavens as man understood them from man’s perspective. The first heaven would be the atmosphere around us, the air we breathe, and the space which birds fly in. The second heaven is outer space, where the stars are held. The third heaven is the dwelling place of God, the place where God’s throne is, or the spirit realm.

Three Degrees of Glory / Three Kingdoms: In Mormonism there are three different levels / kingdoms of Heaven. Let’s go back to your chart and start at planet Earth and work our way towards each of them starting with the lowest one.

Telestial Kingdom: This kingdom is the lowest level of heaven. The path to this level is known as the Low Way. It is reserved for those who were dishonest, liars, sorcerers, adulterers, and whoremongers who are condemned to suffer in hell for a thousand years (kind of like the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory).
1. Mormon Doctrine of Hell: Because Mormonism teaches a universal salvation for all regardless of one’s beliefs about Christ, there is no eternal hell in Mormon Theology. Hell is temporary for those who aren’t worthy of any of the three levels of heaven and they are Satan, his False Prophet, and Sons and Daughters of Perdition – those who reject the Mormon Faith once it was revealed to them.
2. Once the millennial reign or Christ ends, those who won’t suffer the second death go to the Telestial Kingdom where they spend the rest of eternity as servants to those who reside in the higher kingdoms, they will be like the angels, single, unable to reproduce and separated from God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. The only member of the Mormon Godhead who can visit them is the Holy Spirit.

Terrestrial Kingdom: Let’s go back to planet Earth on your chart for a moment so that we can explore the path to the middle level / kingdom of heaven. The path to this level is known as the Broad Way. It is reserved for those who were good and honorable, but blinded by the craftiness of men, those who weren’t valiant in their testimony of Christ, and those who died without the law. In this kingdom they are forever servants of those who attain the highest kingdom. They will be like the angels, single, unable to reproduce and separated from God the Father. The only members of the Mormon Godhead who can visit them are Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Celestial Kingdom: Once again let’s take a trip back to planet Earth on your chart so we can explore the path to the highest level / kingdom of heaven; however note that this level has three levels within it. The path to this level is known as the Straight and Narrow Way. It is reserved for those who obey and keep all of the basic ordinances of the Mormon Gospel. All in this Kingdom dwell eternally in the presence of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father. The requirements for each level are:

Level One: This is the lowest level and is available to those who repent, have faith in Joseph Smith, the LDS Church, and the Book of Mormon, receive membership into the Church through the ordinances of baptism and the laying on of hands to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Those who attain this level will eventually progress towards Godhood, but cannot do so without having their temple endowments and temple marriage rituals performed either during their lifetimes or they can be done post-mortem by proxy. This is why Mormonism practices by proxy baptisms, endowments, and wedding ceremonies for the dead in their temples.
Level Two: This is the middle level and is available to all those who keep the requirements of the first level of the Celestial Kingdom and are moral, loyal to the Church and it’s leaders, faithful tithe givers, obey the dietary law known as the Word of Wisdom, and are faithful in performing the duties of their calling (whatever that might be). Those who attain this level will eventually progress towards Godhood, but again without having their temple endowments and temple marriage rituals performed.
Level Three: This is the highest level of heaven and the inner circle of God’s family. It is available to all who keep the requirements of the first two levels of the Celestial Kingdom and having their temple endowments and temple marriage rituals performed, see the banner that says “Celestial Marriage?” That is the term Mormons use for marriages that have been sealed for eternity in their temples. Those who attain this level are exalted to Godhood. They get to start reproducing with their Goddess Wives and start populating their own worlds that they will soon create. They have become Gods in their own right just as they believe that God the Father did.

Mormon Q&A with Brian Mackert

Sunday, June 28, 2009

LDS Church's "Gospel Principles" Manual

Saturday, June 27, 2009

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Home Work Assignment

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Session 2 Notes!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Mormon Q&A with Brian Mackert

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