Elohim or Eloah

I don't get the place of Christ in LDS theology.

Were there other Christs on different worlds?

Was Heavenly Father a christ in his human life?

Will you be a Christ one day in your universe?

B-

Much of LDS afterlife speculation comes from Lorenzo Snow's couplet that says: "As man is now, God once was; as God is now man may be."

That couplet was most likely influenced by the King Follett discourse by Joseph Smith in which many in depth ideas are presented regarding the afterlife and our potential as children of God.

Neither the couplet or the King Follett discourse are accepted doctrine from the church. That's not to say that they are not true or partly true but nonetheless, not doctrine.

The following teachings and scriptures are what I know to be doctrine:

Acts 17:29, "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device."

Romans 8:16-17, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Revelation 21:7, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Psalms 82:6, "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High."

Jesus later quoted Psalms 82:6 to an angry crowd in John 10:31-36. It reads:

"Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?"


Boyd K. Packer gave a talk in 1984 titled, The Pattern of Our Parentage.

Below are several quotes from this talk:

"There are many other verses of scripture, at least an equal number in the Bible, that speak in plural terms of “lords” and “gods.” The first chapter of Genesis states: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Gen. 1:26; italics added.) Such references are found from Genesis to Revelation. (See Rev. 1:6.) The strongest one was given by Christ Himself when He quoted that very clear verse from the Eighty-second Psalm: “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? [See Ps. 82:6.] “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (John 10:34–36; italics added.) The acceptance of this truth does not mean accepting the multiple gods of mythology nor the polytheism of the pagans, which was so roundly condemned by Isaiah and the other prophets. There is one God, the Father of all. This we accept as fundamental doctrine. There is only one Redeemer, Mediator, Savior. This we know. There is one Holy Ghost, a personage of spirit, who completes the Godhead. I have emphasized the word one, in each sentence, but I have used it three times. Three is plural. Paul used the plural many and the singular one in the same verse: “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) “But to us there is but one God, the Father.” (1 Cor. 8:5–6.) Anyone who believes and teaches of God the Father, and accepts the divinity of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, teaches a plurality of Gods."


"The Father is the one true God. This thing is certain: no one will ever ascend above Him; no one will ever replace Him. Nor will anything ever change the relationship that we, His literal offspring, have with Him. He is Eloheim, the Father. He is God. Of Him there is only one. We revere our Father and our God; we worship Him. There is only one Christ, one Redeemer. We accept the divinity of the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. We accept the promise that we may become joint heirs with Him."


OK so let me sum this up in my own words. I believe that to be a joint-heir with Christ is to receive ALL things from God. However, I feel that many LDS members have assumed incorrectly believing that if we are to receive all from God, we must somehow take part in the same order that God has taken to create, and most importantly, save us. Members seem to forget that Christ's atonement plays a role in not just our salvation here on this earth, but in our eternal lives as well. The couplet previously mentioned may not be entirely true. I have found no where in LDS teachings and/or doctrine that says that God was once a man like myself. Additionally Christ can never be replicated. That is doctrine. The Atonement of Christ is all encompassing of the past, present, and future. He is the Savior for not only those on this earth, but all everywhere. Assuming that I were to one day have all that my Father has, and to believe the Atonement how I know it to be taught, means that Christ is the Savior of all that I could one day create as well. Remember that this last concept is speculation on my part from what many consider a very limited knowledge of church teachings.

The same Christ that extends his hand to me now is who I believe will offer his hand to those I might take part in creating. I do not feel that my Heavenly Father is somehow diminished by the glorification of His children. I also do not believe that I must come from the same past as my God to one day receive all that He desires to bestow upon me. Furthermore, I do not feel that it is necessary for whatever I take part in creating, in the life to come, to share my same mortal history. I look forward to further study and prayer as I seek to find the answers to my still many questions.

Thank you for stirring up many thoughts that have been at the brink of written words but had not yet received enough opposition for growth to be born. While thinking about this, I came up with a few questions for you as well. They are:

1. What in Catholic doctrine keeps you from believing that you could "inherit all things" as stated in Revelation?

2. Is it impossible within your doctrine to be "offspring of God" as stated in Acts?

3. If you believe in the biblical account of Jesus' baptism where God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit take on three forms, is it impossible to believe that someone could see God the Father and Jesus in a vision separate from one another?

It feels good to do this again. I look forward to your response.

Your Brother,

A

A

well now i'm all confused.

most of what you said sound more or less like Catholicism.

B

To what degree of exhaltation do you believe in?

Am I right that Catholicism does not teach the potential for Godhood?

Or is it that you simply don't become like God because you do not originate from Him but still take part in some level of creation?

Is the highest "level" of exhaltation or glorification being an angel in God's presence?

A

A

we don't become angels, they are a different species.

we are filled with the Holy SPIRIT, with the BODY of Christ, more and more, infinitely more, forever ... yet never reaching the infinity that God the Father already is/has. in other words, God the Father gives us all that he has (the Spirit and the Son) and yet, even when we have ALL, he still has MORE, and gives us that, repeating forever. Key ideas that point to this: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation.

creation: we await the New Heavens and New Earth, which will be made OUT OF and WITH us, with our ecstatic approval. in other words, we will be the instruments of that new creation, the many words ("small white stone w/ new name") which God the Father will use to call that New Creation into existence. Thus the new creation, in some sense, can be said to be made BY us, in somewhat the same way that God the Father created this universe BY his Word, his Son.
main issue in trying to deal with mormon theology: there seem to be two massively conflicting ideologies or tendencies: one I call the Joseph Smith tendency, which is summarized in the King Follet discourse etc and approaches an almost genius level of imaginativeness-- it is that stream of thought with which i am fascinated on an anthropological level. while i do not think that it is true, i will say that it may very well be the greatest work of the art to come forth from the anglo-american mind. The other stream is what I call "cross-eyed Protestantism", this is the stream which bores me to tears and makes me laugh, just a confused mishmash of American Protestant "earnestness" , really REALLY poorly-thought-out theology, intellectual dishonesty and straight-up BS. Frankly, LDS seems to be veering in that much more boring direction and has been for some time now.

B

Does Authority Make You Righteous?

Below is a letter I wrote to a member in my stake after he gave a talk that put into words I had so longed to articulate myself. I think it makes for a great conversation!

Hello ****,

I greatly appreciate your talk from Sunday night. We've never met for more than a handshake but I've kept up with your amazing work in your ward. You've helped many friends that I've had over the years in the Alief area.

I wanted to share with you a scripture that came to mind when you said in your talk that "“Righteousness” does not mean “perfection.” The men who bear the Priesthood are men. They make mistakes. They have their quirks and foibles."

Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-37 in my opinion illustrates so well what you were talking about. In verse 36 it says, "That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the power of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness."

Until recently I never realized that I didn't understand this verse. What other principles other than righteousness take part in the handling of the priesthood?! I found the answer in verse 37 only after first thinking that it was a contradiction. In verse 37 it says, "and when it (righteousness) is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of the man." It is not only the righteousness of a man that allows him to act in God's name, but the AUTHORITY as well. There are many men that are righteous that have no authority. However a man that has been given the authority, has an opportunity to prove his righteousness to his Lord.

Often I see members who forget that it is the authority that separates us from the rest of Christianity and not righteousness. I follow my church leaders not just because I perceive them to be righteous but more importantly because I know them to be those with authority. We have made commitments to follow our leaders with faith because we believe in the authority of the Lord's church and the leaders He calls to guide us back to Him.

These thoughts led me to a couple questions:

Do the unrighteous acts of a man take away the authority from whence it came?

D&C 121:36
"...that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness."

Does the authority diminish in the man when he is unrighteous?

D&C 121:37
"...and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of the man."

The answers to these questions are now very clear to me as the first question is answered in verse 36 as no and verse 37 answers the second question as yes.

I'm sorry if I'm rambling on but I wanted to try to share these feelings with you as you did so well in sharing yours in your talk. Thank you for your inspired words. I am truly grateful to the Lord for blessing me with the opportunity of being a member of His true and everlasting church.

Andy Ruggles

Following God’s Commands in the Storms of Life

For the sake of posting something, below are a compilation of thoughts and quotes related to how I feel we should act while going through the trials and tribulations that we are all blessed with in our life.

- John 20:24-29, “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

- Moses 5:5-6, “I know not save the Lord commanded me.”

- Alma 32:14-16, “without being brought to know the word”

- How many of us justify disobedience because we have not yet received a testimony or

knowledge of that which we have been commanded to do?

- Abraham 3:24-25, “And we will prove them here with”

- 2 Nephi 2:11, “For it must needs me, that there is an opposition”

- What kind of Father tests his children with all kinds of difficulty knowing that the failure

of such tests could mean never being with them again?

- “The myopic and despairing soul – cry and question, “If there is a God, why does He permit suffering?” reflects a basic failure to understand the very nature of life with its components of chastening and suffering. And as for that question, it is not difficult to imagine who originated it, however understandably sincere some are who raise it. The question strikes at the heart of Father’s plan, because it comes from him who rejected that plan! The future duties to be given to some of us in the worlds to come by an omniscient God will require of us an earned sense of esteem as well as proof of our competency. Thus the tests given to us here are given not because God is in doubt as to the outcome, but because we need to grow in order to be able to serve with full effectiveness in the eternity to come. Further, to be untested and unproven is also to be unaware of all that we are. If we are unknowing of our possibilities, with what could we safely be entrusted? Could we in ignorance of our capacities trust ourselves? Could others then be entrusted to us? Thus the relentless love of our Father in heaven is such that in His omniscience, He will not allow the cutting short some of the brief experiences we are having here. To do so would be to deprive us of everlasting experiences and great joy there. What else would an omniscient and loving Father do, even if we plead otherwise? He must at times say no. Furthermore, since there was no exemption from suffering for Christ, how can there be one for us? Do we really want immunity from adversity? Especially when certain kinds of suffering can aid our growth in this life? To deprive ourselves of those experiences, much as we might momentarily like to, would be to deprive ourselves of the outcomes over which we shouted with anticipated joy when this life’s experiences were explained to us long ago in the world before we came here.” Maxwell

- 2 Corinthians 6:2-10, “As sorrowful yet always rejoicing”

- Doctrine and Covenants 127:2, “Deep water is what I am wont to swim in”

- The hardships that we go through are wonderful blessings. For as we go through the “furnace of affliction” we must choose between separating ourselves from our sins or be left behind as the furnace gets hotter and hotter. Through this process in life we are refined and become more as our Savior. Without these tribulations we would remain weak and not develop into our full potential as the plan of salvation has set us out to do. “For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.” Brothers and sisters give haste to these words and “cast off your sins and not procrastinate the day of your repentance.” The longer you wait the hotter the furnace gets. “For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And in as much as men do good they shall in no wise lose their reward.”

- “So, the great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God’s commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage. And the tragedy of life is to fail in that test and so fail to qualify to return in glory to our heavenly home.” Elder Eyring

- Alma 37:6-7 “by small and simple things”


- Elder Eyring gave four settings to practice to have sufficient strength to follow God’s commandments:
o Feast upon the word of God
o Pray always
o Pay a full tithe
o Escape from sin and its terrible effects

Additional Notes for Talk

- Is our obedience conditional?

- Could our disobedience be related to our lack of understanding who God is?

- If we knew more of who God is, would we be better prepared to follow Him through the storms of life?

- What is it about disobedience that makes it such an attractive way of life?

- “…why don’t we at least resist equally the gravitational pull coming from the other direction? The adversary would claim us too! Some how he gets away with it, even though his way is monotony masquerading as individuality, and even though the selfishness he encourages is merely an apostate individualism.” Maxwell

- “Perhaps the tilt to the telestial occurs because many feel less compromised when they are led carefully down the paved, gently descending, wideway, on which there is no exhilaration, whereas in climbing up the straight and narrow way, one seems to notice every chuckhole and all the loose gravel.” Maxwell

- “I suggest a simple solution for selecting the channel to which we attune ourselves: listen to and follow the voice of the Spirit. This is an ancient solution, even eternal, and may not be popular in a society that is always looking for something new. It requires patience in a world that demands instant gratification. This solution is quiet, peaceful, and subtle in a world enamored of that which is loud, incessant, fast paced, garish, and crude. This solution requires you to be contemplative while your peers seek physical titillation. (This may seem foolish in a time when it is not worth remembering much of the trivial tripe to which we are exposed.) This solution is one unified, consistent, age-old message in a world that quickly becomes bored in the absence of intensity, variety, and novelty. This solution requires us to walk by faith in a world governed by sight. With the eye of faith we are to see eternal, unseen, spiritual verities, while the masses of mankind depend solely on temporal things which can be known only through the physical senses.” James Faust

- Do we know what it means to have an omniscient God as our Father in Heaven?

- “Does the foreknowledge (which grows out of His omniscience) seem to make us less significant or less free? Does the perfect predictability of our behavior (in God’s eyes) seem to squeeze out some of the sense of adventure in mortality? And if so, do we childishly want to play - act just a little longer - risking righteousness and true happiness merely in order to be reassured about our independence?” Maxwell

- Are we defiant because we want to feel original?

- “…if it were not for the idea existing in the minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible for them to exercise faith in Him.” Joseph Smith

- “Unfortunately, the omniscience of God in the minds of some well – meaning Ladder Day Saints has been qualified by the concept of “eternal progression.” Some have wrongly assumed God’s progress is related to His acquisition of additional knowledge. In fact, God’s “eternal progression” (if one is nevertheless determined to apply these two words to God) is related to the successful execution, again and again, of His plan of Salvation to redeem billions of His children throughout His many creatures.” Maxwell

- There is vast difference, therefore, between an omniscient God and the false notion that God is one some sort of post – doctoral fellowship, still searching for additional key truths and vital data. Were the latter so, God might, at any moment, discover some new truth not previously known to Him that would restructure, diminish, or undercut certain truths previously known by Him…Fortunately for us, however, His plan of salvation is constantly underway – not constantly under revision.” Maxwell

- “…those who wrongly think of Him (God) as still progressing with regard to the acquisition of knowledge will not be able to manage well the hard doctrines.” Maxwell

- “…our adoration for and appreciation of God will be measurably increased as we increase our understanding of Him and His plan of Happiness.” Maxwell

Prayer and Fasting

I'm about to go and give a talk at the Vietnamese branch. I was great to refresh my mind to the importance of these two principles.

Prayer and Fasting

I pray that I may be worthy of the Lord’s guidance and His Spirit today to speak to you about the importance and influence of prayer and fasting. While on my mission in Chile, I read a plaque above someone’s door that said, “To live without prayer is to live without God.” I know that without the ability to communicate with our Heavenly Father, we would be lost and without purpose, but with heartfelt and sincere prayer and fasting, we can come to know of the love that our Maker has for us.

The Bible Dictionary says, “Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.”

The adversary would have you believe that your prayers are no more than silent words of the weak but I testify that sincere faithful prayer can change your life and others for the better. We learn in the scriptures of the many lives that were saved by someone else’s prayer and faith. In Mosiah 27: 11-14 it says:

11 And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;

12 And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.

13 Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.

14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.

The sons of Mosiah and Alma were actually working against the kingdom of God and by true prayer they were given an opportunity to return to the Lord’s fold. I would challenge you to consider within yourself what you must do to have prayers be so powerful in your life, that the very lives of those you love will be changed for the better.

We also learn from the scriptures that fasting plays an important and sometimes necessary role in receiving an answer to our prayers. After casting a devil from a child, the Savior taught his disciples a very important lesson. In Matthew 17: 19-21 we read:

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Often times the reason our efforts do not end with the results we were looking for is because of our lack of faith. Jesus taught in the above referenced scripture that the reason why His disciples could not cast the devil out themselves is because they had not the sufficient faith. He also then taught that those with the faith to carry out His will, “goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Another example of what the Lord requires of us to receive an answer to our prayers is found in Doctrine and Covenants 67: 1-3. It says:

1 Behold and hearken, O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.
2 Behold and lo, mine eyes are upon you, and the heavens and the earth are in mine hands, and the riches of eternity are mine to give.
3 Ye endeavored to believe that ye should receive the blessing which was offered unto you; but behold, verily I say unto you there were fears in your hearts, and verily this is the reason that ye did not receive.

Where there is fear there cannot be faith! How often do we find ourselves going through the motions of prayer or doubt in what we ask for? It has been told to me that there is no reason that we would not obtain that which the Lord commands unless that reason is one we put upon ourselves. It is by our faith, not the Lord’s, that we gain Salvation. Therefore, it is the faith in our prayers that determine the outcome of our existence.

My mission taught me of the miracles that can take place when there is sincere prayer and humble fasting. I saw the hearts of those who once rejected the gospel change as an answer to those who prayed they would accept the love that their God has for them. I saw lives spared as they and those who administered the blessing of health were faithful and in tune with the Lord’s will through a special fast. Prayer accompanied by fasting will move mountains, whether they are the mountains that you see or the personal mountains in your own life. In Alma 17:2-4 we learn that if we search the scriptures, pray frequently, fast frequently, and work hard we will receive the spirit of prophecy and revelation, knowledge of the word of God, and be able to teach with the power and authority of God so that we may ultimately bring many to the knowledge of truth through the power of your words. What a recipe for success! We must believe that we all can play a role in the building up of the Kingdom of God even by our prayers alone.

We also must remember that our prayers and fasts are sacred and personal and not meant to be advertised somehow for attention. Jesus taught in Matthew 6: 16-18:

16 ¶ Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

If the attention of man is what you seek from your prayers and fasts that is ultimately all you will receive.

Remember that secret prayer does not mean silent. The Lord teaches us to pray vocally in Doctrine and Covenants 19:28 when He says:

28 And again, I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.

Personally, I’ve found that if I can find a place to have my personal prayers where I can pray vocally, it is easier for me to feel the influence of the Spirit. While kneeling and praying vocally do not necessarily make a prayer more powerful, it helps us recognize the sanctity of it.

While preparing for this talk, I’ve become aware of my complacency especially in regards to fasting. I once could not imagine what my life would be like without it as I had been part of such amazing miracles while fasting. As my circumstances in life changed, I allowed myself to slowly forget, until now, the importance fasting plays a role in my life. I wish to commit once again to incorporate fasting in my life so that I may be a more worthy instrument in the Lord’s hands. I invite all of you to do the same. May we also remember how fast offerings can better the lives of those we impart them to! I once had a bishop recommend me to estimate the amount of my fast offerings by how much it “hurt” me financially. He went on to say that if we currently can easily pay the amount we are paying, then maybe we should find the faith within so that the amount we pay stretches our faith a little more each time.

I would like to conclude my talk with my heartfelt testimony. It has been witnessed to me by the Holy Ghost that this gospel and all its principles and doctrines are true. Prayer and fasting are requisite towards our salvation. It is by prayer that all of us can come to know of the truthfulness of this gospel. My prayers have been answered and I hope that you persevere until your prayers are answered as well. The Lord loves all of us and He would have us be with Him again. May all our prayers be sincere and faithful so that they may change the lives of those that are in them. Of this I testify, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

An Uphill Journey

In preparing for a fireside that I did last night I found some thoughts that I wrote back on February 1, 2006 to a couple friends of mine after a deep lunch conversation about religious devotion.

How can so much evil and good coexist in the world, a society, or even in one individual? What is it about us as humans that make us so attracted to sin, but so hungry and yearning for purity?

Where there is light there cannot be dark and yet we seem to want somewhere in between. If we believe in a Creator that requires obedience to His laws to live with Him again eternally, and we desire to be with Him, would we not dedicate our lives to the pursuit of salvation? Is life’s secret then doing what one loves or loving what one must do to gain salvation? Can we not have both? Must we be always torn between what is required by God’s laws and what we want to enjoy on this earth alone? Why must we feel that to enjoy this mortal life, we must risk our eternal one? Is it possible to find complete and absolute enjoyment on this earth while at the same time living in accordance with God’s commandments securing our eternal life with Him?

I feel impressed to seek an answer to these questions. It has been said that if we seek for any other thing in this life other that God, in the end it makes no difference what we seek instead. With that in mind, I would want you to think for a moment what your tallest priority in your life is. Priority is to be defined as what you spend most of your thoughts, time, talents, and passions towards. If God is not your priority, what rewards will your current priority in life bring you? Most do not wish to truly answer that question because normally the answer is an indication of a selfish, self-serving life style that is not pretty to come to grips with. Taking your spiritual temperature is not a comfortable thing to do but necessary while in the pursuit of salvation. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Do you really believe that your God is a rewarder of those that live within His laws? By way of our acts our desires are shown. Thus indicating that if we truly believed that we had a chance to live with our Creator we would act accordingly and also proving that the reason we would not live accordingly is because we do not truly believe that heaven is a reality or more simply put…we do not have the faith required to return and live with our Father in Heaven again.

I feel that most of us have good times and bad in respect towards our faith in God and what is required of us, which is why I feel that we tend to go back and forth from being the believer to the unbeliever. Our goal should be to find within ourselves the strength to continually side ourselves with God more than we do with His adversary. We can not be satisfied with remaining where we are at this moment spiritually or we risk losing our conviction which can only be maintained by a constant progression towards heaven. If we remain still, our “spiritual” muscles become complacent and weak therefore leaving us ill prepared for what challenges we face next in our battle and struggle towards heaven.

The Circle of Faith

I've been working on a post for about two months and I'm still not done! I was looking through some of my old mission notes and came across what I called The Circle of Faith. I wrote it in hopes to find a better way to motivate missionaries to be more dedicated. I was 20 at the time and it shows. I thought it would be a filler post nonetheless. Feel free to break it down and tear it up!

THE CIRCLE OF FAITH

Faith

From the beginning we have been taught that faith is the first principle that we must attain to progress the Lord’s work the way he wants us to do it. Faith is so important that without it all things that require any kind of action to be accomplished cannot be done. Being that everything that exists is created by the spirit of the Lord both spiritual and temporal, there are laws that must be satisfied or obeyed so that we can obtain what we act upon or work for. The Lord has given us these laws or commandments so that we may receive more truth and light to become as Him. Therefore first we must have confidence in the laws or a commandment the Lord has given us which is faith.

Obedience

Secondly, to obtain what we desire we must be obedient to the law upon which what we desire is predicated or simply said, do what the Lord has told us to do to get what we want.

Work

Third we must work or do something to obtain our desired objective because as we have been taught “faith if it hath not works, is dead.”

Correct Decisions

So as we apply our faith while being obedient to the laws which have been given and at the same time working within these laws to obtain what we desire, we will come across decisions that we have to make so we can have success in what we are working for. In Joshua 1:8 we learn that to make good decisions we must meditate or think deeply in the work that we are doing and then observe or study what has been taught to us. By doing this we prepare ourselves to make the correct decisions needed to have success in the Lord’s work.

Success

Success is a result of applying faith, being obedient, working hard, and making the correct decisions.

Self Confidence

When we have success in the Lord’s work, we truly have a great joy, a joy that replaces all doubt and fear into pure faith and confidence in the Lord.

Drive

This self confidence attained by having success in the Lord’s work is a great moment for a missionary because the “drive” to progress the work is increased. That is the step required to reach a higher level in relation to becoming a better instrument in the Lord’s hand. When a missionary can look back upon the success he has already had his attitude is changed when faced with a new challenge, it becomes “why not” instead of “I hope so.” That is why it is so important to report the success of a missionary so that he feels that he isn’t the only one that realizes that he is getting better. However with success there must be follow-up so that the missionary knows in what to improve. Without follow-up, success becomes the number on the sheet of paper instead of what the numbers represent. This is a key procedure in maintaining the circle to grow properly. As we can see success takes away doubt which increases the drive to reach a higher level of intensity to progress the work.

Desire

The last step is the keystone that keeps the circle of faith spinning. When the drive of a missionary has increased there is a natural reaction. With the increase of drive there is also a great increase in desire. Drive is the spontaneous spark that allows one to maintain a higher level of desire. Desire is so important that at every completion of the circle, if there is not an increase in desire the circle cannot grow. Desire is the only reason that causes one to get up everyday and do more and more to save souls. If the desire of a missionary is not increased he will become bored at what he is doing and the circle will collapse. Desire is something that cannot be given but only motivated. It must come from within. Desires are easy to point out because that are what cause a person to act, and by way of your acts your desires are shown. As we learn in Alma 32:27, what we first must have isn’t faith, but rather a “desire to believe.” Therefore brethren and sisters, let us have a desire to become better and from there we can start. Nurture your desire as if it was a seed so that as a seed it may grow in your hearts and give place for the words of God.

Notes:

Circle of Faith

Faith – 1Nephi 7:12 with faith all things of God can be done; Alma 32:21; Alma 19:23 by our faith others can be saved; 3Nephi 5:1-2 previous blessings strengthen our faith; Ether 12:12-16 All is done through faith; Jacob 4:6 Hebrews 10:38; Helaman 10:4-7 Lord will work through you if you do your part; Moroni 10:7; Hebrews 11

Obedience – D+C 130:20-21 every blessing from God is because of obedience; 1Nephi 2:20 obedience brings success; 1Nephi 17:3 we are given all that is needed to accomplish the Lord’s work when we are obedient; D+C 14:7; D+C 132:5

Work – James 2:17; D+C 123:13 work to bring all unto the light; Alma 36: 24-26 work to convert; Alma 26:3-5

Correct Decisions – 1Nephi 4:6 decisions must be made with the Spirit; Joshua 1:8 thinking it out by observing the situation brings success; D+C 58:26-29 must take your own initiative; Alma 43:30

Success – Alma 26:31 we must think back on the success the Lord has given us; Alma 26:27 don’t give up and success will come; D+C 103: 36; Alma 60:36; Alma 29:9; Moroni 10:22; success is not an option

No Doubt (self confidence) – Mormon 9:27 don’t doubt and use the faith of old or in other words let the success you’ve had motivate you; Alma 26:27,31; D+C 67:1-3

Drive – Alma 26:22 recipe for success; D+C 18:15-16 desire many to be with God

Desire – D+C 137:9 by way of your acts you desires are shown; Alma 29:9; Mosiah 28:3 desire that all be saved; D+C 88:32-33 you receive what you truly desire; Alma 29:14; Alma 32:27-28 desire is the key to all progression

The circle of faith is like a helix – D+C 50:24

The Fine Print

I've had several conversations over the past few years with several friends about trying to keep an eternal perspective. I am so blessed to have so many friends and family members that have such admirable faith. I wanted to share some of the things that I have learned from the conversations I've had. They are as follows:

1. Forgiveness is unconditional. We as disciples of Christ have made a commitment to forgive all and love all despite their behavior. Often times we seek to feel justified in reacting to our hurt feelings because of how offended we feel. If we can not make a decision that is motivated by Christ's love, is it the right one? Our relationship with Christ dictates our self control. If we distance ourselves from Christ with our anger, despair, and faithlessness we distance ourselves that much further from making the right decision.

2. Time does matter. The longer we hold on to feelings that are not conducive to the Spirit, the longer it will take to get back to Christ. When we say to ourselves that we are not ready to forgive because we are still upset, we are only following the adversary's path to destruction. A proper relationship and faith in Christ and His Atonement will give you the capacity to forgive as quickly as the offensive feelings you feel entered your conscience. God alone may judge. Don't be fooled into thinking that you can play God.

3. Forgiveness does not mean things stay the same. The world would have you believe that when you forgive someone you must accept their behavior. The Lord would not have you remain with those who would jeopardize your salvation. It is crucial that we make decisions filled with God's love and perspective and that we not be afraid of where that may bring us. Sometimes to love someone the way God would is to distance yourself from them. I believe that in regards to divorce, it can only be through faithful prayer and pondering that a decision can be made. Every effort to remain sealed should be sought. I believe that a decision of divorce can only be made after the deciding individual can say that he or she still loves his or her spouse the way our Heavenly Father does and feels inspired to do so. We must make sure that we are not motivated by fear, pain, and sadness but be guided by peace, love, and charity.

4. Life should be hard. The quest for easy things in life makes one weak and ill prepared for what makes us stronger. Trials and tribulations alone are not an indication that your life is headed down the wrong path. God entrusts His children with difficulty and challenges to prepare them for what lays ahead. We are not to abandon those we go through trials with hoping that they were the cause of it. We should study the lives of those that we admire and more than often we will see that their lives were filled with challenges and tragedies that the world would have you believe are not worth passing through. Remember that the adversary would have you seek what makes you feel complacent. It is not necessary that we become evil to not live with God, just lazy.

5. Happiness can be constant. I've found that my happiness is conditional with my relationship with Christ alone. A few years ago were the darkest of times temporally but I found that as I cast my burdens to the feet of my Lord, I was filled with joy and peace. It didn't matter what my circumstances were because I had found peace. Peace is what the Lord gives us to know that He is with us through all times. Our temporal condition is subject to the Lord only. We are not to think that we are going through good times because we somehow are entitled to it any more than we should think that we are being cursed by passing through trials. The sooner we realize that our happiness is up to us and not our circumstances, the sooner we'll come to enjoy all aspects of our life.

The Apple Story

I wanted to share a conversation I had with Prez Walker. The conversation started at the end of 1997 during what was becoming a regular chastening shortly after I had, once again, upset either a companion or leader with some overzealous behavior in regards to the process I took towards baptizing. After a short but heated exchange of opinions, very frustrated, I asked Prez if I should just give up, slow down, and/or take it easy in an effort to avoid offending anyone else. In Prez’s typical and almost mischievous way, he leaned back in his chair, put his hands behind his head, and said, “Ruggles, let me tell you a short story.”

He proceeded to tell me about a young man who was charged with preparing sliced apples. This young man was eager to impress his employer but was surprised when all he was given was a hammer. As the young man did his best with what he was given, he reluctantly went to present what were hardly sliced apples. After leaving the apples with his employer, he was soon given a dull machete. The young man quickly took advantage of his new tool preparing what were much better looking sliced apples. Each time the young man returned with his apples, he was given a better tool until he eventually was given a paring knife. By this time, the young man could not only prepare finely cut apples, but many more apples in the time it used to take.

After telling the story, Prez looked at me and asked, “What would have happened if the young man refused to present the apples he had prepared with the hammer until they looked like they were cut with a paring knife?” I responded that the young man would have wasted a lot of apples and he would have never felt like he could have presented the apples because no matter how hard he tried, he would not have been able to make the apples appear as if they had been cut by a paring knife and would have thought himself a failure. Prez then looked at me and said that he didn’t want me to not slice apples or even slice less. He told me that after each month that I presented to the Lord what I had prepared, that I should make sure to start next month with better tools and skills to not only improve upon what I presented, but how many as well. Prez then looked at me and said, “Ruggles, don’t be afraid by the mess that may surround you until you learn to prepare perfectly sliced apples.”

That was the last time I ever looked back concerning myself with whether or not I should “take it easy” until I figured out how to become a better missionary. I learned that it is the process of constantly refining myself that truly leads me to becoming what the Lord wants me to be. I’ve held on to that story as it has served me well over the years in reminding me that when I fear the “collateral damage” of the process it takes to be better at something, I am only fearing myself and therefore aligning myself with the self doubt that our adversary works hard to promote.

To my surprise, while I was with a group of former missionaries at the ten year reunion, Prez started that story again. This time instead of apples he used watermelons, and instead of expounding on the watermelons, Prez paralleled an even better example. Prez made reference to the pioneers that traveled across the country to Utah. Initially, there were several deaths along the trail towards Salt Lake and many doubted whether or not it was worth the risk. Many of the first pioneers who crossed the plains did not follow what they viewed as important instructions and died because of it. As the leaders of the church continued to encourage the journey, members paid better attention to the prophet’s instructions and soon the journeys across the plains resulted in no deaths at all. The instructions never changed, just the members following them with perfect obedience! Prez pointed out, interestingly, the church didn’t slow the number of members across the plains because of the tragedies that initially took place. Similarly, we as missionaries were told what to do but until we followed the instructions with exactness, we couldn’t reach our full potential.


Obviously the three years Prez was in Chile were very similar in process to both the apple and pioneer stories. Likewise, a good number of us Westies share the same progression. How many of us felt that it would have been better to stop or slow down our methods until we were better at it? The one time I slowed down, because I was afraid of a mess I had created the previous month, was one of the darkest times of my mission. I soon realized that the feelings that consumed me were not of the Spirit. After a reflective, “De donde vienen estos sentimientos?” self evaluation, I quickly went back to what let me feel the Spirit. Soon I began working with that paring knife and took part in building God’s kingdom in ways I had only read about.

While I return home from celebrating Prez coming home ten years ago I feel overwhelmed with gratitude that the Lord saw fit to allow me to be part of something so special and sacred. May we all take to heart what could be in our wards and stakes. Let’s remember that the best way to retain is through the waters of baptism! Retain does not mean retard. We are not to slow the work of the Lord because of our limited mortal perspective. As I have studied this topic off and on, I found a couple scriptures and notes that I wanted to share to end my soapbox. Thank you for all the friendships. I’m forever grateful. The scriptures and notes are as follows:

Hebrews 5:8, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.”

JST Hebrews 11:40 “God having provided some better things for them through their sufferings, for without their sufferings they could not be made perfect.”

Alma 32:16, “blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.”
St John 20:29, “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Moses 5:6, “And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.”

Is the Middle Ground found in another?

Disclaimer: I know my entries are long. I have a great deal I'm trying to figure out.

At a very young age I realized that people treated me differently. My white classmates didn't think, talk, nor live the way I did and many distanced themselves from me and regularly belittled me. My Hispanic and black classmates rejected my attempts to hang out with them (except for kids that were from my barrio) because of the color of my skin. That was all before sixth grade....

The summer before sixth grade I became ill. I would randomly loose my breath and simply couldn't breathe. Doctors tried treating me for asthma and various other things, including six horse pills a day, and nothing seemed to help. I started to notice that I would lose my breath most often when I became upset. I noticed if I didn't get upset, I didn't have an episode. As suddenly as it began, I never had another issue after that summer.

The year I started sixth grade was the year that LCISD had decided to put all sixth graders in their own school. The school district had decided on Jackson Middle School which was situated in one of the worst parts of town. We were bussed in from all over the district to go to Jackson. This would be the first year that I would meet new kids from all over the district. Most of my friends from my neighborhood had started maturing and the topic of girls and sports became the only topics of discussion. Sixth grade was also the year that an elective class would be provided: band or theater. I wanted to get into theater but my mother figured that since she already had a flute, that they could afford to put me into band.

So there I was excited to start over to get a new set of friends. I was an eleven year old still several years from maturing the way most of my classmates had, reluctantly entering band as the only male flute player, and determined to feel accepted by those around me. I had everything going my way!

Due to kids being bussed in from all over to one school, the demographic of Jackson was split almost in thirds. There quickly began a separation from the whites, Hispanics, and blacks. Jackson was located in an area that had almost no whites living there and we were surrounded by drugs and violence. The separation was most evident during large gatherings like, lunch, PE, or school functions. I was from an all Hispanic barrio, except for my family, and I had started to think that I fit in best with the Hispanic crowd. In fact, I remember clear as day while during PE several of the kids were playing football, many whites and almost all of the Hispanic kids were left to find something else to play. Someone had brought a soccer ball and suggested that we play whites against the Mexicans. Can you guess what team I played on? That's right primo!! Viva Mexico!! That very game started my love for soccer and it has never stopped. That game also started my path towards believing that it would be possible to be accepted by everyone. Additionally I even started telling people that I was Hispanic and that my family was from Spain.

From my sixth grade year until now I've made it my quest to appear acclimated in every group and or culture I came across. In junior high and high school I tried to convince whites that I was rich and privileged, Hispanics that I was Hispanic, and blacks that I could relate to being discriminated against. There were few exceptions. I went to great lengths to not allow any white friends know where I lived excluding my friends from church. It wasn't until my senior year in high school that I let a girl drop me off at my driveway. It was Christmas break of my first semester in college, that I let my best friend from high school come inside where I lived.

By the end of my sophomore year in high school I felt like I had mastered the art of gaining acceptance in almost any scenario. I had formed relationships with certain upperclassmen that provided protection when I may have been around any gang members. All the popular white girls liked being around me therefore forcing the white jocks to befriend me. I lived in a Hispanic community and I treated everyone from there as family. I became friends with a few other serial social animals (one black, one Hispanic, and one white) that allowed me to go to any party no matter what race was throwing it. During my senior year in high school I thought that I had gained acceptance from any one I had put effort in getting it from.

Interestingly I was still able to gain my new found popularity without compromising the majority of my religious beliefs. I never at one time got involved with any alcohol, smoking, or drugs. It was also known that I was respectful with the girls and that a lot less would happen with them than the girls wanted. That's not to say that I wasn't surrounded by the above mentioned activities. My friends openly drank, smoked and took and sold drugs in front of me and I admittedly at some times even encouraged it. Most of my friends knew I was a Mormon and the only one in my grade. I often would get in debates with other Christians as to whether or not I was Christian. I went to early morning seminary every morning and I would arrive to school more than an hour early between the time I finished seminary to when school started. I spent that time doing homework and going to various school clubs like Science Club, Fellowship of Christian Students, Student Environmental Action Coalition, Spanish Club and Black History Club.

I'm sure many people felt that I was just an above average well rounded kid. The problem was that I had gained acceptance at a price. The price was that I led people to believe that I was something that I wasn't and I had essentially built myself a house of cards that would eventually fall. I obviously had a talent for networking but I had formed it on a person that was not everything people believed him to be. Of course now that I look back on it, I see that most people would not have cared that I was the only white kid growing up in a small trailer with loose plywood floors and ten people in it. I also see that I would have been better off only making half the "friends" I had made over the years. It has been a long process of self reflection. Its not hard for me to see the benefits of telling the truth, its only hard for me to believe that people will still like me the same after having the truth. I wanted to have friends whether or not they were friends with me or who they thought I was.

My mission in Chile changed everything. It was there that I had found the strength to stand for something. I don't think there will ever be another time in my life that I will be able to dedicate myself to one thing the way I did in Chile. I learned that there are many things in life that are worth losing friends over. I also learned that when I didn't try to lead people into thinking a certain way, that people still like me and sometimes even admire me. I learned that I had to be true to myself and then and only then could I be true to others. Ultimately I learned that my relationship with Christ was directly related to how I acted around others. If I truly believed that Christ accepted me for who I am, then I would have the faith to be me.

Since returning from my mission, I married someone that requires me above all else. She does not concern herself with the consequence of speaking the truth, just the truth. I love her for it so much. There have been aspects of my previous life that have reared their ugly head on occasion and she has seen me through. She and I create what I think is the ideal middle ground. While I try to improve on being transparent, she trys to take other's feelings into consideration. We try to help eachother as best we can.

My prayer is that I can continue to identify my faults and have the faith sufficient to change for the better. I appreciate all the comments!

Mainstream vs. Truth

Dear Andy,
Over the past couple of months, I have found myself recalling the great times we have had together since we first met in college. I have such a profound respect for you as a friend, a husband, a father, and as a man of faith. My one great regret over the past years is that we have not had the opportunity to enter into a dialogue concerning the nature of our systems of religious belief. I will never forget the years that you spent in South America on mission. When I first heard that you were leaving college and would be gone for a couple of years, I did not understand why you were going nor did I understand what you would be doing. However, when I spend time with you today, I know that experience was transformational for you. In light of this, I would like to enter into a dialogue with you regarding our religious worldviews. I know that you are a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, however, until recently, I have not had a solid understanding of that religious system. I have spent some time over the past months reading and trying to understand the Mormon religion and I would like to share with you what I have found. I would ask for a portion of grace and understanding as I attempt to verbalize my understanding of your faith tradition. Please accept any errors in my description as ignorance as I will not intentionally misrepresent your faith. I hope that we can continue this conversation over the years to come as we both attempt to open our eyes to the realities of our differing perspectives.
I must begin by divulging the sources of my information. First, a text written by Mary Farrell Bednarowski, a professor of Religious Studies at United Theological Seminary, has been very enlightening in its treatment of the core beliefs and systems of Mormonism.[1] In addition to this text, I am currently enrolled in a course that investigates not only the Christian worldview but also that of many other religious systems. My hope is that neither of these sources has provided me with a “Christianized” argument against the Mormon faith. Now that I have provided you with the sources for my information, let me begin by sharing with you my understanding of some of the tenants of your faith.
Central to Mormon theology is the concept of God as Father. In this sense, God is the literal father of all people, and God is the literal Father of Jesus Christ. The concept of Father is not allegorical or figurative in nature. God, who exists and operates within time and space, is a male being with a physiology like yours and mine. In addition to physiological similarities between God and humans, God also has emotions and feelings. These psychological characteristics are the source of God’s creative will; God created this world out of love and has true empathy for us, since God was once one of us. While God did create this world, God is not the creator who made all things out of nothing. In addition, God is not alone. God coexists with many other gods and worlds and must deal with the realities that lie therein.
Connected closely to this understanding of the person of God is the ways in which God is revealed. Bednarowski notes that revelation, above all else, may be the most attacked belief in Mormon theology.[2] Not only is God revealed in nature, God reveals special knowledge to man at different times throughout history. This view does not discount the credibility of the Christian scriptures, but it does state that revelation did not end around the first century C.E.
Concerning the nature of humanity, Mormonism views the individual as made up of three distinct parts: 1) an eternal intelligence which has always existed; 2) a spiritual body which was conceived by celestial parents; and 3) a physical body which was conceived by mortal parents. Mormonism has a high view of humanity since it has connections with God’s purposes. Human mortality simply acknowledges that humans cannot escape death. However, our mortal lives are seen as vital to the spiritual growth of the person, because it is during this period of mortality that humans learn and grow towards divinity themselves.
Since humans exist as mortals, there must be some understanding of the brokenness that we see in the world and in the lives of people. It is here that the issue of sin is accounted for in Mormon theology. Sin is the result of individual choices and actions; there is no original sin that keeps humanity in bondage from birth. Mormonism does teach that humanity is fallen, but it is through that fallen state that humanity is able to experience God’s grace. If not for the fall, humanity would not have been subjugated to death, and without death, there is no resurrection, which reconnects the spiritual body with the physical body.
I do not intend to quickly pass over the doctrine of the resurrection. Mormonism affirms that Jesus Christ lived, was crucified on a cross, and was resurrected. However, Jesus’ death and resurrection are not a means of atonement or a covering over of sin, a doctrine found in Christianity. Jesus’ resurrection provided the opportunity for all humanity to be resurrected at some point after succumbing to death. Without the resurrection, the physical body and the spiritual body would be eternally separated. Salvation in Mormon theology involves the rejoining of the spiritual and physical body after death. Salvation alone is not the ultimate goal, it considered the “common minimum”; the faith and works of the individual provides for a deeper salvation experience3. The key to any conversation regarding the salvation of humanity in Mormonism is “agency”, the teaching that by their good deeds, humanity earns salvation. As Bednarowski states, “Humanity is saved by grace, but not by grace alone.” [3]
Finally, I would like to express my understanding of the Mormon teachings concerning the afterlife. This teaching is complicated, so I dare not assume that I will state in full or that I understand the totality of this doctrine. First, concerning death, there are several forms including physical death, separation from God, and death as a consequence of sin. Upon death, the spiritual body moves to one of two places, Paradise and Hell. Paradise is a spiritual realm of great activity where we participate in mission, guidance, and other work. For the unrighteous, Hell is the place where their spiritual bodies await the resurrection. When the resurrection occurs, both Hell and Paradise cease to exist. From here, there are three levels of God’s kingdom where most of humanity will dwell; 1) the telestial; 2) the terrestrial; and 3) the celestial. Those who have committed terrible sins are sent to dwell with the devil. Concerning the three levels of God’s kingdom, the telestial level, the first level, is not the goal or the desired dwelling place for Mormons. The ultimate hope is to dwell in the highest kingdom, the celestial kingdom, which is the place where the family dwells together and becomes like God.
Now that I have expressed my elementary understanding of the Mormon tradition, I would like to provide you with an overview of my worldview. You have known since we first met that I am a follower of Jesus Christ and consider myself a Christian. It concerns me greatly when I turn on religious television and see the representations of my faith that are sent across the airwaves. I would like to clarify my understanding of the story for you. I believe that, before time and out of nothingness, God spoke all things into existence. This first statement is critical to the Christian worldview because there is a distinction between the created and the creator. In Christianity, nothing existed before God and God is the uncreated One. Upon creating the physical world, God created man and woman and breathed into them the Imago Dei, the image of God. Having been created in God’s image, humanity has a unique relationship with God. God created humanity to live in community, and God desires to be a part of that community. The first question in scripture is, “Where are you?”[4] This question signifies God’s search for us, a search that continues to this day. God’s search for us is a result of the fall, the moment in the story where the first people accepted the lie of the serpent and ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This act signified humanity’s desire to be more than God intended; the desire to be like God. As a result, humanity was separated from God and became subject to death.
Over many centuries, revelation of God was given to the nation of Israel. Through this relationship, God established laws and practices which were intended to help the nation turn towards God and away from their sinful nature. However, humanity does not have the ability to perfect itself, nor do humans have the capacity to live sinless lives. In an act of loving condescension, God became one of us by sending God’s son, born of a virgin named Mary, around the beginning of the first century C.E. The birth of Jesus firmly placed God ‘s actions within the realm of time and space. Having lived a sinless life, Jesus became an acceptable substitute for the sins of all humanity. On the cross, Jesus took on the sins of the world, died and was separated from God. Jesus then rose from the dead, leaving behind an empty tomb, claiming the ultimate victory over death. As a Christian, I take seriously Jesus’ words that he came to announce, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”[5] Jesus came to inaugurate the Kingdom of God and his death and resurrection began an era in which Christians live partially in God’s Kingdom as we await full realization of God’s Kingdom and the restoration of God’s creation. [6] In response to this, Jesus Christ is the only path to reconnection with God and the only means by which we may inherit eternal life with God.[7]
Having expressed my understanding of the Mormon tradition and having provided an overview of the Christian perspective, areas of commonality as well as areas of inconsistency are obvious. First and most profound to me is the idea that God empathizes with humanity. We both share an understanding that God knows what it is like to be human. God understands the realities of our temptations, he understands the power of love, and he experienced the sadness and pain of death. However, I must acknowledge that we come to this understanding in conflicting ways. Where Mormonism teaches that God was once human, therefore God empathizes, Christianity teaches that God’s empathy comes through the person of Jesus Christ. The life of Jesus is the vehicle through which the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is able to empathize with the realities of the human condition.
Secondly, both Mormonism and Christianity acknowledge that humanity lives in a fallen state. The choice made by the first humans in the garden brought sin and death into the world. The two worldviews split once we travel further down this road. The Mormon understanding that the fall is good in that it facilitates death, which in turn leads to resurrection and salvation, is inconsistent with Christian teaching. Christianity understands that God created all things and called them good. Creation was filled with purpose and humanity played an image-bearing role in creation. Christianity cannot reconcile that God intended for man to sin so that God could provide a means of salvation
Finally, I would like to acknowledge a differentiation between our worldviews that I found interesting. The Christian understanding of the afterlife is very nebulous. Within the Christian faith, while all believers affirm a Heaven where we will live with God for eternity, some believers do not affirm the existence of a literal Hell. In addition, not all Christians agree on the timing by which we are joined with God; either immediately upon our death or at the second coming of Jesus Christ. I understand that this lack of consistency within Christian doctrine of the afterlife contributes in some capacity to the confidence with the Mormon tradition that God has revealed new knowledge as to the nature of Heaven and Hell. The specificity with which the Mormon faith describes the afterlife is fascinating to me. I do not mean to belittle or disagree with the teachings in any way; I simply find it interesting that our two traditions hold things in common, yet we have much different concepts of what lies in store for humanity after death.
I am so grateful for your willingness to read this letter and to enter into this conversation with me. I understand that society tells us not to talk about politics or religion if we are to be politically correct; however, I believe that the depth of our relationship is such that we can have productive and informative conversations on these sensitive issues without altering our affection towards each other. So often, culture and even other religious systems misrepresent our theological understandings in an attempt to discredit our faith. I hope that we can enter into this dialogue free from any intentional misrepresentations. Again, I am so very honored to call you my friend and I am excited about the possibility that this conversation will lead us down a path to an even closer relationship
Sincerely,
Chad[1] Bednarowski, Mary Farrell. New Religions & the Theological Imagination in America. (Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1989).[2] Bednarowski, p. 22.[3] Bednarowski, p. 49.[4] Genesis 3:9[5] Mark 1:15 (NRSV)[6] Various writings and teachings of N.T. Wright. Wright understands 1 Corinthians 15:25-29 as Paul’s assertion that the Kingdom of God is both a present and future reality. In addition, Wright accepts as gospel the restoration of God’s creation as having been initiated by Christ.[7] John 14:6

My response...


Chad,

I am excited that we have an opportunity to discuss our beliefs centralized around our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The unfortunate consequence of our nickname, Mormons,
is that people are led to think that we do not share the same convictions in following
Christ as mainstream Christians. The fact that we are members of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints seems to be overlooked. Even in your letter you only referred
to my faith as “the Church of Latter Day Saints”. The “Latter Day Saints” is only meant to
distinguish us from the church that Christ established while on the earth and His church
today that He reestablished after there had been a time without all His truths and
ordinances known to the LDS faith as the Apostasy. In this letter I hope to share with you
my beliefs as a Christian and also the differences that my specific faith has with
mainstream Christianity.

In your letter, it is obvious that you have received an in depth but brief education as to
the beliefs of the LDS faith. However I do wish to correct the most erroneous comment.
You wrote that, “Mormonism affirms that Jesus Christ lived, was crucified on a cross, and
was resurrected. However, Jesus’ death and resurrection are not a means of
atonement or a covering over of sin, a doctrine found in Christianity.” I do not blame
you for this mistake as I assume that you were most likely taught that we do not believe
in Christ’s atonement as a means to overcome our sins and death. I have struggled my
whole life with mainstream Christian churches teaching their congregations that
Mormons do not believe in Christ in an effort to keep anyone from investigating any
further my beliefs. It is hard for me to imagine what is worse: to teach that we do not
believe in Christ at all or to teach that we believe in His existence but not his
atonement. To believe that Jesus Christ is not our Savior, to me, is to negate the very
reason He came to Earth. I’d like to share with you what we teach of Christ so that you
may know what role He plays in the LDS faith.

Since my faith does not believe the mainstream Christian’s definition of deity as found in
the Nicene Creed, many churches teach that we do not believe in Christ or that we are
not Christians. It is true that the LDS faith believes that God the Father, His Son Jesus
Christ, and the Holy Ghost exist as three separate Beings acting together as the
Godhead. As I study the Bible and LDS scriptures, I conclude that without an external
definition given by either the Nicene Creed, authoritative leadership, or a spiritual
confirmation, it can not be determined whether the Trinity of mainstream Christianity or
the LDS doctrine of the Godhead is what the scriptures teach. It is also important to
understand that those of the LDS faith believe that we are created in the image of God
in its literal sense. I do not feel that it is coincidence that we as humans are the only
creation of God referred to in any scripture that I am familiar with as His children. We
believe that we as humans share the same physical characteristics of God down to ten
fingers and ten toes. We believe that both God and Jesus Christ live in an exalted,
immortal body of flesh and bone and that the Holy Spirit alone has not a physical body.
We also believe that we are not only created in the image of God but also that we are
descendants of God as His begotten spirit children and that we lived in His presence as
spirits before we came to live on this earth to further our progression. We believe that as
mortal humans on this earth there are two things that separate us from God’s presence:
our sins and our mortal bodies. Without overcoming these two obstacles, we believe
that we can never dwell in God’s presence again. We believe that God has prepared
a way back to His presence and we call it the Plan of Salvation. In the Plan of
Salvation, God has given us a means to overcome our sins and our mortality through
the Atonement of Jesus Christ, God’s only Begotten Son on this earth. In the Book of
Mormon, we are taught:

“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be
fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon
him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the
flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon
him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now
behold, this is the testimony which is in me.” Alma 7:11-13

This particular scripture is unique because it is the only one that I know of that teaches
that Christ not only suffered the pains of our sins but the pains of all suffering. In fact, if
you were to continue familiarizing yourself with the LDS’s teachings of The Atonement,
you would see that we believe that Christ’s scope towards our salvation is typically
more than what is taught in mainstream Christianity. The temptation seems to be with
my non LDS friends to somehow try to diminish our belief in Christ because we aspire to
one day be all that God is. It is because of that very belief that increases the role that
Christ plays in our salvation! For without the sacrifice that Christ made for us, we believe
that we would be a lost and fallen people unable to ever live with God again. The
Book of Mormon also reiterates this point by teaching,

“And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that
Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone
for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be
an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost,
and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of
any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.” Alma 34:8-10

I hope that by reading this information you are able to see past what you have been
told about my faith not believing in the single most important moment in the history of
the world, the Atonement. I also hope that you will understand that if we, as Mormons,
believe we truly are the actual children of God, and not just one of His infinite creations,
then He would want, as any good father, for us to have and be all that He has and is.
Under that light I hope you see that we do not intend to prop ourselves up as something
more than God wants, but that we simply seek to fulfill God’s will as His children. We
believe in the literal teachings of Paul to the Romans when he said,

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16-17)

For quite some time I was perplexed as to why so many of my mainstream Christian
friends found this specific belief to be offensive until I realized that it is your doctrine that
teaches that God is not of the same substance as humans and that humans have as
much chance to be like God as does any other of His infinite creations. Over the years,
I’ve been able to familiarize myself more with the beliefs of other religions who profess
Christ as their Savior and it has served me a great deal in understanding the reason
behind so many misconceptions with the LDS faith. If a Christian is to be defined by the
doctrine set forth by the Catholic Church and or Nicene Creed, then by its standards
and doctrine we are not Christian. However if a Christian is to be defined by their belief
in the infinite scope in which Christ’s atonement can bring about salvation and eternal
life, then I believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the most
complete doctrine found anywhere and for that reason I am part of it.

It is Christ that I follow above all else. I choose to be part of the LDS faith because of my
beliefs and convictions in my Lord and Savior. It is my belief that I should continually
seek out the truth of all things despite the sometimes difficult consequences. I would
encourage you to study the life of our Lord and Savior even Jesus Christ and ask
yourself if you are part of His church. Even before that, one would have to see the
need to align himself to His church and not just His teachings. I believe that many
Christian religions teach correct principles from the Bible but are the principles all we
need for salvation? If we are to believe in all the Bible’s teachings then we also believe
in the need for ordinances such as baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit by
laying on of hands for our salvation. Can anyone baptize someone else in the name of
our Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit or is there a need for authority in relation to our
Lord’s saving ordinances? If not every man can have the authority, which men can
and by whom do they gain this authority? I would challenge you as a faithful believer
of Christ to ask yourself whether or not gaining an education alone is what gives
someone authority. Christ did not give His apostles authority by a series of classes but
by the Holy Priesthood and through the power of the Holy Spirit. The very history behind
your Christian faith came from recognizing that there was no authority within the
Catholic Church because of its corruption and ever convenient doctrinal modifications.
Those brave Reformists refused to be part of something that did not align itself with
Christ’s teachings which is always the first clue into recognizing that there is no authority.
Which of the Reformists that you’re aware of taught that they had authority?

I’d like to conclude this letter by saying that I value our friendship a great deal. I hope
that this is only the beginning of our correspondences in relation to our beliefs. This
world would have us be filled with hate and spite. I pray that we will always remember
that it is Christ who saves and no other. I know that Christ is my Savior and yours. I know
that He is merciful and yearns for our return. These truths have been witnessed to me by
the Holy Spirit and I can not deny them. Thank you for your letter and your friendship.


Your Brother in Christ,


Ruggles