I am looking for scripture references and explanations to the following in the book of Mormon
by Richard Abanes
1)There are many gods in the universe (Polytheism). The god of this planet (the one worshiped by Mormons) is an exalted man of flesh and bones who progressed to godhood just like all the other gods in the universe (although we have nothing to do with those particular gods). God has at least one wife (perhaps more) with whom he has procreated spirit children in the spirit world (see "pre-existence").
2)All of us pre-existed (i.e., lived before coming to earth) in heaven as literal spirit children of Heavenly Father and his wife, Heavenly Mother. We were procreated in as spirit babies in the same way babies on earth are procreated—i.e., via the natural biological act of sexual intercourse of our parents (in context of pre-existence, that would be Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother). Consequently, we are all brothers and sisters in a literal sense, having had the same heavenly Father and Mother whom we lived with on an as-yet-undiscovered planet somewhere in the cosmos named Kolob. Moreover, our actions in "heaven" before coming to earth determined our race here (a teaching that led to blatant racism throughout Mormonism's history, although this teaching is now being stressed much less).
3)Jesus, like all of us, is a literal spirit child of Heavenly Father and Mother, who was born in the spiritual realm with us. He is distinguished from us, however, because he was the "firstborn" of God. Therefore, he is literally our elder brother. Another spirit child of God was Lucifer, commonly known as Satan, or the Devil. Consequently, Jesus is the spirit-brother of Lucifer. All of us, in fact, are siblings from the pre-existence state when we lived together on Kolob, which Mormons believe is God's planetary home
4)Jesus was conceived on Earth via physical relations between Heavenly Father and Mary (who was a virgin when God visited her, but was no longer a virgin when he left her impregnated). This teaching is rarely if ever talked about among Mormons, and truth be told, many Mormons will deny the teaching, which leaves them with no real explanation of how (given their full theology) Mary became pregnant. Early Mormon leaders, however, made it very clear how Mary was impregnated (quotes by early Mormon leaders and more recent leaders indicate that this is still an underlying belief in Mormonism). As of 2008, the Mormon Church had not yet issued any official repudiation of those statements by former church leaders wherein it was clearly suggested that Jesus was conceived by way of sexual relations between God and Mary.
5)There are three realms/kingdoms in the afterlife: 1) the Telestial Kingdom; 2) the Terrestrial Kingdom; and 3) the Celestial Kingdom. A person's actions in this life determines the kingdom to which they will eventually go. The first kingdom is reserved for non-Mormons whose lives were marked primarily by immorality and wickedness (oddly, Mormons still consider this state to be a kingdom of glory). The second kingdom is for non-Mormons and also Mormons whose lives were general marked by kindness, goodness, and trying to live the best life possible, but who were "not valiant in the testimony of Jesus" (see the Mormon Doctrine & Covenants 76:75-77, 79). The third kingdom is reserved for those faithful Mormons who lived exemplary lives. It has three levels itself, and only at the highest level can a Mormon attain godhood. Reaching this highest level of the Celestial Kingdom is exaltation (i.e., the state of a god). As Mormon apostle Bruce McConkie stated, "That exaltation which the saints of all ages have so devoutly sought is godhood itself" (see Mormon Doctrine, pp. 566-567). Mormon president Gordon B. Hinckley put it this way: "[T]he whole design of the gospel is to lead us onward and upward to greater achievement, even, eventually, to godhood" (Mormon General Conference, Salt Lake City, October 1994).
6)Individual salvation, including the removal of personal sins), is based on one's own effort and is "conditional" (Neal maxwell, "The Glorious Atonement," Aug. 29, 1999, Missionary training Center Address). The LDS Church manual Gospel Principles provides the following conditions necessary for us to earn our salvation/forgiveness: "We accept Christ's atonement by repenting of our sins, being
baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obeying all of the
commandments. In this way we are cleansed from sin and we become worthy to return and live forever with our heavenly Father. . . .Christ's atonement makes it possible to be saved from sin if we do our part" (pp. 68-69, 1979 edition). Christ's death on the cross merely made it possible for us to save ourselves through human effort and good works. In addition to the above requirements, Mormons also must spread the gospel in a conscientious manner, abstain from coffee/tea, and receive forgiveness from a Mormon bishop if a serious transgression is committed (for documentation see endnotes #62, #63, and #64 in either Becoming Gods or Inside Today's Mormonism).
7)The Holy Ghost is a third god, like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (Joseph Smith, June 16, 1844). But unlike Jesus or the Father, the Holy Ghost "god" has no body, which is something that remains unexplained by Mormons, who at the same time teach that all gods have a body of flesh and bones (because all gods at one time has had to progress through "mortality" to become a god).
by Richard Abanes
1)There are many gods in the universe (Polytheism). The god of this planet (the one worshiped by Mormons) is an exalted man of flesh and bones who progressed to godhood just like all the other gods in the universe (although we have nothing to do with those particular gods). God has at least one wife (perhaps more) with whom he has procreated spirit children in the spirit world (see "pre-existence").
2)All of us pre-existed (i.e., lived before coming to earth) in heaven as literal spirit children of Heavenly Father and his wife, Heavenly Mother. We were procreated in as spirit babies in the same way babies on earth are procreated—i.e., via the natural biological act of sexual intercourse of our parents (in context of pre-existence, that would be Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother). Consequently, we are all brothers and sisters in a literal sense, having had the same heavenly Father and Mother whom we lived with on an as-yet-undiscovered planet somewhere in the cosmos named Kolob. Moreover, our actions in "heaven" before coming to earth determined our race here (a teaching that led to blatant racism throughout Mormonism's history, although this teaching is now being stressed much less).
3)Jesus, like all of us, is a literal spirit child of Heavenly Father and Mother, who was born in the spiritual realm with us. He is distinguished from us, however, because he was the "firstborn" of God. Therefore, he is literally our elder brother. Another spirit child of God was Lucifer, commonly known as Satan, or the Devil. Consequently, Jesus is the spirit-brother of Lucifer. All of us, in fact, are siblings from the pre-existence state when we lived together on Kolob, which Mormons believe is God's planetary home
4)Jesus was conceived on Earth via physical relations between Heavenly Father and Mary (who was a virgin when God visited her, but was no longer a virgin when he left her impregnated). This teaching is rarely if ever talked about among Mormons, and truth be told, many Mormons will deny the teaching, which leaves them with no real explanation of how (given their full theology) Mary became pregnant. Early Mormon leaders, however, made it very clear how Mary was impregnated (quotes by early Mormon leaders and more recent leaders indicate that this is still an underlying belief in Mormonism). As of 2008, the Mormon Church had not yet issued any official repudiation of those statements by former church leaders wherein it was clearly suggested that Jesus was conceived by way of sexual relations between God and Mary.
5)There are three realms/kingdoms in the afterlife: 1) the Telestial Kingdom; 2) the Terrestrial Kingdom; and 3) the Celestial Kingdom. A person's actions in this life determines the kingdom to which they will eventually go. The first kingdom is reserved for non-Mormons whose lives were marked primarily by immorality and wickedness (oddly, Mormons still consider this state to be a kingdom of glory). The second kingdom is for non-Mormons and also Mormons whose lives were general marked by kindness, goodness, and trying to live the best life possible, but who were "not valiant in the testimony of Jesus" (see the Mormon Doctrine & Covenants 76:75-77, 79). The third kingdom is reserved for those faithful Mormons who lived exemplary lives. It has three levels itself, and only at the highest level can a Mormon attain godhood. Reaching this highest level of the Celestial Kingdom is exaltation (i.e., the state of a god). As Mormon apostle Bruce McConkie stated, "That exaltation which the saints of all ages have so devoutly sought is godhood itself" (see Mormon Doctrine, pp. 566-567). Mormon president Gordon B. Hinckley put it this way: "[T]he whole design of the gospel is to lead us onward and upward to greater achievement, even, eventually, to godhood" (Mormon General Conference, Salt Lake City, October 1994).
6)Individual salvation, including the removal of personal sins), is based on one's own effort and is "conditional" (Neal maxwell, "The Glorious Atonement," Aug. 29, 1999, Missionary training Center Address). The LDS Church manual Gospel Principles provides the following conditions necessary for us to earn our salvation/forgiveness: "We accept Christ's atonement by repenting of our sins, being
baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obeying all of the
commandments. In this way we are cleansed from sin and we become worthy to return and live forever with our heavenly Father. . . .Christ's atonement makes it possible to be saved from sin if we do our part" (pp. 68-69, 1979 edition). Christ's death on the cross merely made it possible for us to save ourselves through human effort and good works. In addition to the above requirements, Mormons also must spread the gospel in a conscientious manner, abstain from coffee/tea, and receive forgiveness from a Mormon bishop if a serious transgression is committed (for documentation see endnotes #62, #63, and #64 in either Becoming Gods or Inside Today's Mormonism).
7)The Holy Ghost is a third god, like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (Joseph Smith, June 16, 1844). But unlike Jesus or the Father, the Holy Ghost "god" has no body, which is something that remains unexplained by Mormons, who at the same time teach that all gods have a body of flesh and bones (because all gods at one time has had to progress through "mortality" to become a god).
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