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Original Title: Marriage and God is Spirit
In this episode, Brendon and Skyler discuss the seventh lesson in the LDS Come, Follow Me sunday school manual. This week (Feb. 6-12) covers John ch.'s 2-4 and is titled "Ye Must Be Born Again".
If you are in the Provo or Salt Lake City area - we invite you to worship with us on any Sunday - either at First Baptist Church of Provo or Christ Presbyterian Church in Magna. We welcome visitors!
LDS Sources:
Individuals and Families
Achieving a Celestial Marriage (student manual)
Orson Hyde (JD 4.259f)
King Follett Discourse by Joseph Smith
A Rational Theology by John A. Widtsoe
In These Three I Believe (Gordon B. Hinckley)
JST John 4
D&C 131.7-9
Brad Wilcox Fireside
Joseph Smith: Behind the Mask (Jason Wallace)
Sandra Tanner (here and here); also see Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?, ch. 16.
Conflict In the Quorum by Gary Bergera includes accounts of Joseph Smith not only sending men on missions and then trying to secretly marry their wives - but also Joseph Smith secretly isolating and then marrying even teenage girls (with the promise of exaltations depending on their submission to him) - and of course, behind Emma's back. (Some of the evidence even includes Smith writing the line: "burn this letter as soon as you read it".) More notes below.
Resources:
Westminster Confession of Faith, ch. 2
Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck
The Gospel Code by Ben Witherington III
The Gospel According to John by D.A. Carson
God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation by Andreas Kostenberger and David W. Jones
7 Myths About Singleness by Sam Allberry
Redeeming Singleness by HyoJu Lee
Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
On the Trinity by Augustine
The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til by Lane Tipton
Temples Made With Hands? (Jason Wallace)
On the development of the LDS temple (here)
Temple of Presence by Andrea Robinson (Also here and here)
God Dwells Among Us by Gregory Beale and Mitchell Kim
The Temple and the Church's Mission by Gregory Beale
Additional Notes/Resources:
It should be noted that there is no evidence even from the so-called "gnostic gospels" that Jesus was married, either (whether in history or even in the imagination of later heretics) - contrary to what many may suppose. And the so-called 'Gospel of Jesus' Wife' has now been proved a forgery. What served as supposed evidence for the position when believed authentic is often ignored as evidence against the position when proved a forgery. (here, here, here, here, here and here)
One example of an early mormon leader teaching not only that Jesus was a polygamist - but that he was crucified for polygamy is: "The grand reason of the burst of public sentiment in anathemas upon Christ and his disciples, causing his crucifixion, was evidently based upon polygamy, according to the testimony of the philosophers who rose in that age. A belief in the doctrine of a plurality of wives caused the persecution of Jesus and his followers. We might almost think they were 'Mormons.'" (Jedediah Griant, JD 1:346 )
Brigham Young also claimed that the Lord was a polygamist. (JD 13:309)
Conflict in the Quorum by Gary Bergera (e.g.):
In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith by Todd Compton (also: here)
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman (e.g.):
Joseph Smith told Alexander Neibaur that he saw Jesus with a light complexion (white skin) and blue eyes (A.N. Journal, May 24,1844). Yes, Jesus is a white man, according to the founding Mormon/LDS prophet. And if the son looks just like the father, then...! This is related to some racial issues in LDS history - but has clearly impacted LDS art to this day, as should be obvious throughout any official sources. Whiteness is also true of Mary in 1 Nephi 11.13-15, who is even claimed by some LDS (e.g.) to actually be from England. Also see Mormonism - Shadow or Reality?, ch. 21.
On Joseph Smith being the Holy Ghost - many have in mind the teachings where Smith said (e.g. KFD) he couldn't tell the congregation who he was. This is then linked with the quote: "Joseph also said that the Holy Ghost is now in a state of probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has." (WPJS, p. 245; also here) This is hinted at in even mormon prophecies of Joseph's part in the last days. Many who believe this will deny it.
Lying For the Lord (also here, here and here)
Original Title: Marriage and God is Spirit
In this episode, Brendon and Skyler discuss the seventh lesson in the LDS Come, Follow Me sunday school manual. This week (Feb. 6-12) covers John ch.'s 2-4 and is titled "Ye Must Be Born Again".
If you are in the Provo or Salt Lake City area - we invite you to worship with us on any Sunday - either at First Baptist Church of Provo or Christ Presbyterian Church in Magna. We welcome visitors!
LDS Sources:
Individuals and Families
Achieving a Celestial Marriage (student manual)
Orson Hyde (JD 4.259f)
King Follett Discourse by Joseph Smith
A Rational Theology by John A. Widtsoe
In These Three I Believe (Gordon B. Hinckley)
JST John 4
D&C 131.7-9
Brad Wilcox Fireside
Joseph Smith: Behind the Mask (Jason Wallace)
Sandra Tanner (here and here); also see Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?, ch. 16.
Conflict In the Quorum by Gary Bergera includes accounts of Joseph Smith not only sending men on missions and then trying to secretly marry their wives - but also Joseph Smith secretly isolating and then marrying even teenage girls (with the promise of exaltations depending on their submission to him) - and of course, behind Emma's back. (Some of the evidence even includes Smith writing the line: "burn this letter as soon as you read it".) More notes below.
Resources:
Westminster Confession of Faith, ch. 2
Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck
The Gospel Code by Ben Witherington III
The Gospel According to John by D.A. Carson
God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation by Andreas Kostenberger and David W. Jones
7 Myths About Singleness by Sam Allberry
Redeeming Singleness by HyoJu Lee
Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
On the Trinity by Augustine
The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til by Lane Tipton
Temples Made With Hands? (Jason Wallace)
On the development of the LDS temple (here)
Temple of Presence by Andrea Robinson (Also here and here)
God Dwells Among Us by Gregory Beale and Mitchell Kim
The Temple and the Church's Mission by Gregory Beale
Additional Notes/Resources:
It should be noted that there is no evidence even from the so-called "gnostic gospels" that Jesus was married, either (whether in history or even in the imagination of later heretics) - contrary to what many may suppose. And the so-called 'Gospel of Jesus' Wife' has now been proved a forgery. What served as supposed evidence for the position when believed authentic is often ignored as evidence against the position when proved a forgery. (here, here, here, here, here and here)
One example of an early mormon leader teaching not only that Jesus was a polygamist - but that he was crucified for polygamy is: "The grand reason of the burst of public sentiment in anathemas upon Christ and his disciples, causing his crucifixion, was evidently based upon polygamy, according to the testimony of the philosophers who rose in that age. A belief in the doctrine of a plurality of wives caused the persecution of Jesus and his followers. We might almost think they were 'Mormons.'" (Jedediah Griant, JD 1:346 )
Brigham Young also claimed that the Lord was a polygamist. (JD 13:309)
Conflict in the Quorum by Gary Bergera (e.g.):
In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith by Todd Compton (also: here)
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman (e.g.):
Joseph Smith told Alexander Neibaur that he saw Jesus with a light complexion (white skin) and blue eyes (A.N. Journal, May 24,1844). Yes, Jesus is a white man, according to the founding Mormon/LDS prophet. And if the son looks just like the father, then...! This is related to some racial issues in LDS history - but has clearly impacted LDS art to this day, as should be obvious throughout any official sources. Whiteness is also true of Mary in 1 Nephi 11.13-15, who is even claimed by some LDS (e.g.) to actually be from England. Also see Mormonism - Shadow or Reality?, ch. 21.
On Joseph Smith being the Holy Ghost - many have in mind the teachings where Smith said (e.g. KFD) he couldn't tell the congregation who he was. This is then linked with the quote: "Joseph also said that the Holy Ghost is now in a state of probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has." (WPJS, p. 245; also here) This is hinted at in even mormon prophecies of Joseph's part in the last days. Many who believe this will deny it.
Lying For the Lord (also here, here and here)