What do you picture the Godhead to be?

[All-American]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

I'm not questioning who or what anyone prays to. I'm wondering how many gods are recognized.
Christianity recognizes some x number of Gods where 1<=x<=3
That's either monotheism or polytheism depending on where the x lands.

It was my impression that there are multiple gods within LDS theology, and regardless of whether all of them are worshipped, that's polytheism. Now, other than what you kind members have shared with me, I got all my information on LDS beliefs from the Baptist Student Union, so there's a possibility of inaccuracies.

"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, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."

Some LDS construe this scripture to mean that there are other gods. Certainly a strong argument can be made that it is only speaking of people who assume titles of gods or false gods altogether (though one must wonder, if this is so, what they are doing in heaven), and so I won't push the point if you find it unconvincing.

Mormons believe other gods are out there, but we concern ourselves only with the one. We don't know anything or teach anything about any other god, except the belief that they exist. Beyond that, divine beings other than the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost do not factor into our worship whatsoever.

[ChinoCoug]

Originally Posted by All-American

Mormons believe other gods are out there, but we concern ourselves only with the one. We don't know anything or teach anything about any other god, except the belief that they exist. Beyond that, divine beings other than the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost do not factor into our worship whatsoever.

We don't worship them because they're not equal to Father/Son/Holy Ghost. They're not upper-case Gods because they're not Gods in the same sense as The Most High.

[All-American]

Originally Posted by ChinoCoug

We don't worship them because they're not equal to Father/Son/Holy Ghost. They're not upper-case Gods because they're not Gods in the same sense as The Most High.

I've not seen anything from a church president (or authority, for that matter) that would indicate as much, or that contradicts the idea that as man is, God once was. If such material exists, and it is convincing, I'll be happy to change my mind.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by ChinoCoug

No. Some say we join the trinity. And keep referring to LDS non-Christians. I'm sure the Lord appreciates it.

Christians have destroyed the word, as far as I'm concerned. The public does not recognize Mormons as Christians, and I'm happy to agree with them.

I'm happy to be apart from those that do draw close with their words. And the Lord doesn't disagree with me, IMO.

There are a few Mormons out there who desperately want to be Methodists. I'm not one of them.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Christians have destroyed the word, as far as I'm concerned. The public does not recognize Mormons as Christians, and I'm happy to agree with them.

I'm happy to be apart from those that do draw close with their words. And the Lord doesn't disagree with me, IMO.

There are a few Mormons out there who desperately want to be Methodists. I'm not one of them.

Waters, I've just been reading about how Islam, after being a single united creed even an empire for over a hundred years, began to fragment over the very thing that is troubling you--drift away from the prophet's original teachings, under influence of competing religious philosophies and the philosophies of man. This is your chance to start a real cult. Can you claim to be descended from Joseph in some way? That would help a lot.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

... under influence of competing religious philosophies and the philosophies of man.

Doesn't that pretty much summarize this entire forum?

[Tex]

Originally Posted by ChinoCoug

That is correct. I'm surprised that as of now the results show mormons think of themselves as polytheistic. Perhaps it's because I didn't word #2 right.

Or maybe they're just scared of the word "homo."

"So what kind of God do we worship: homousious, homouoiosious, or tritheistic?" I doubt that question comes up in Sunday School too often. And here I thought the First Vision settled everything.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Waters, I've just been reading about how Islam, after being a single united creed even an empire for over a hundred years, began to fragment over the very thing that is troubling you--drift away from the prophet's original teachings, under influence of competing religious philosophies and the philosophies of man. This is your chance to start a real cult. Can you claim to be descended from Joseph in some way? That would help a lot.

It's not my destiny. I'm not a leader. I'm more of a Porter Rockwell than a Joseph Smith.