Gospel Principles - Our Father in Heaven - Analyzed

Gospel Principles found Here is a book that was published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  

From the LDS.org website, 

"On second and third Sundays in 2010, Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society classes will use Gospel Principles, which is available in multiple media formats. For other Sundays in the month, additional resources are available."

I would like to closely examine Gospel Principles to find the truth.  What is the Gospel according to Mormonism?  

(My comments are in blue)

OUR FATHER
IN HEAVEN
C h a p t e r  1

There Is a God

Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, wrote, "All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44). We can look up at the sky at night and have an idea of what Alma meant. There are millions of stars and planets all in perfect order. They did not get there by chance. We can see the work of God in the heavens and on the earth. The many beautiful plants, the many kinds of animals, the mountains, the rivers, the clouds that bring us rain and snow--all these testify to us that there is a God.

Discussion

• Have someone read the first article of faith.
• What are some of the things around us that show us there is a God?

Alma even wrote of a "Supreme Creator" in Alma 30:44.  There are millions of stars and planets (?) all in perfect order - Ok, let's stop there.  According to LDS doctrine, there are gods many and planets many, so it would be perfectly acceptable for the LDS to say there are millions of stars and PLANETS. Each person who achieves glory in the Celestial Kingdom, of course, gets their own planet.  Where exactly is that written?  I'll have to find that one out.  It's on my to do list.  

"We can see the work of God in the heavens and on the earth. The many beautiful plants, the many kinds of animals, the mountains, the rivers, the clouds that bring us rain and snow--all these testify to us that there is a God."

Now, this doesn't say, many Gods, it doesn't say, one God "in purpose".  It simply says One God.  So, by reading this, one would be led to believe that the Mormon faith is in One God.  However, that is not the case.  The Mormon faith is in three Gods (united in "one purpose").  However, there is no place that is written.  (It could have been spoken about at General Conference, therefore it is is "Scripture"), but it's not in the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, or the Bible.  

Moving on...

God Is the Ruler of Heaven and Earth

The prophets have taught us that God is the almighty ruler of the universe. God dwells in heaven (see D&C 20:17).Through his Son, Jesus Christ, he created heaven and earth and all things that are in them (see Moses 2:1). He made the moon, the stars, and the sun. He organized this world and gave it form, motion, and life. He filled the air and the water with living things. He covered the hills and plains with all kinds of animal life. He gave us day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest. He made man in his own image to be a ruler over his other creations (see Genesis 1:26-27).

God is the one supreme and absolute being in whom we believe and whom we worship. He is the Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things (see Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 18-23).

D&C 20:17 - "By these things we ^aknow that there is a ^bGod in heaven, who is infinite and ^ceternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same^dunchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them;"  

By breaking down this verse we see that we "know" there is A God.  Not many, not one in purpose, but simply One.  He is infinite, from everlasting to everlasting, not once a man.  He was there from the beginning of time.  Unchangeable, not progressing.  He's not on the path of eternal progression as many Mormons have been taught.  It says it right here in "Scripture".  

Again, I must mention Mormon Doctrine (roll your eyes if you must, this book was highly regarded and it's simply because Bruce McConkie ran his mouth in it that the LDS Church decided to ban it).  He wrote, on page 576-577, speaking of God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost, "These are the only three Gods we worship."

What Kind of Being Is God?

Because we are made in his image (see Moses 6:9), we know that God has a body that looks like ours.  See John 4:24 "God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" His eternal spirit is housed in a tangible body of flesh and bones (see D&C 130:22). God's body, however, is perfected and glorified, with a glory beyond all description. See D&C 20:18 "And that he created man, male and female, after his own image, and in his own likeness, created he them." Now, let's look at Moses 6:9 "In the image of his own body, male and female, created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created and became living souls in the land upon the footstool of God."  Isn't it interesting how four little words can change the meaning of the whole doctrine?  "Of his own body" is written in Moses, written in November-December 1830 and it is not written in D&C 20:18 in April of 1830.  Why would this information, important information, only come about roughly 7 months later?  This is HUGE in the doctrinal differences of the Nature of God and Who He is.  

God is perfect. He is a God of love, mercy, charity, truth, power, faith, knowledge, and judgment. He has all power. He knows all things. He is full of goodness.

All good things come from God. Everything that he does is to help his children become like him--a god. See Genesis 3:5, "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."  That was why man was separated from God, because man chose to be "like God".  The Fall of man was NOT a good thing.  It separated us from God.  It didn't put us on a path so that we can "have bodies and progress".  It took our communion with God away from us, yet the Mormon Church still strives for that very thing that initially took us from Him.  

He has said, "Behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).  If you just take a quick glance through the book of Moses, you will see "I, God" over and over and over.  It is talking about the Creation and it doesn't say, "I, through Jesus", it says "I, God" created, spoke etc.  Again, yet another reason why it is hard to believe that they are three separate Gods.

Discussion

• Ask class members to read the following scriptural references and discuss what each one teaches about our Heavenly Father: Abraham 3:18-19; John 3:16; Mormon 9:9; 2 Nephi 9:17; Alma 26:35; Doctrine and Covenants 109:77.
  

Why Should We Try to Know God?

Knowing God is so important that the Savior said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

The first and greatest commandment tells us, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart" (Matthew 22:37).

The more we know God, the more we love him and keep his commandments (see 1 John 2:3). By keeping his commandments we can become like him. Again, becoming "like God".  I go back to my original statement that that is the very thing that got us into this whole mess.  The only way to perfection is by accepting Jesus' death, by Faith and therefore God sees His Son when He sees us.  That is perfection.  Not by anything we have done.  Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is a gift from God.  Not of works lest any man should boast."

Discussion

• Why is it important to know God?
  Ask any Mormon this and I'm sure you will get a thousand different answers.  "Progressing" doctrine = progressing answers to questions, with no real truth.  Due to the very nature of progression, doctrine going to change, minute by minute, and person to person.  
  God, however, according to the Bible, does NOT change.  Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever" and Malachi 3:6, "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." And, Numbers 23:19, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"

How Can We Know God?

We can know God if we will--

1. Believe that he exists and that he loves us (see Mosiah 4:9).
2. Study the scriptures (see 2 Timothy 3:14-17).
3. Pray to him (see James 1:5).
4. Obey all his commandments as best we can (see John 14:21-23).  As best we can?  It doesn't say that.  That is Mormon teaching... to be perfect.  They take that from "Be ye perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect".  But they also deny the impossible LDS Gospel.  

As we do these things, we will come to know God and eventually have eternal life.  Eventually... seems like LDS wording to me.  How about have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Know it and life in that... NOT "after all we can do."

Discussion

• What are some of the ways we can come to know God?
• How can each of us do these things in our lives?
  

Additional Scriptures

• Acts 7:55-56 (Son at the right hand of the Father)
• D&C 88:41-44 (qualities of God)  41He ^acomprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever."  
  OK... There are so many things wrong here.  1.  Are we saying that this is now Pantheism?  God is in all things, through all things?  What teaching is this?  2.  HOW can God do that with a body of flesh and bone?  3.  I'm confused now....  :/
  
• Psalm 24:1 (the earth is the Lord's)
• Moses 1:30-39 (Creation)  33And ^aworlds without number have I ^bcreated; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the ^cSon I ^dcreatedthem, which is mine ^eOnly Begotten. 34And the ^afirst man of all men have I called ^bAdam, which is^cmany.
   35But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I ^aknow them.  
  37And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The ^aheavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.
   38And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no ^aend to my works, neither to my words.
   39For behold, this is my ^awork and my ^bglory—to bring to pass the ^cimmortality and ^deternal ^elife of man.
  
  OMGosh!  HOW many earths?  Is this Normal teachings in the LDS Church?  I was under the impression that you only go ONE planet from Godhood, but I guess you can make as many as you want, destroy them as you please and since you're the one in charge, you can do this all willy nilly.  HOW can the LDS members be ok with this?  This is NOT Biblical?  But I guess since "the Bible has been tampered with", it doesn't matter.  WHY use it then?  Why even bother if it's so screwed up?  Can't seem to get an answer for that one.  
  
  
• Alma 7:20 (God cannot do wrong)  20I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot ^awalk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round.
  
  Believe me.  I wish I could agree with something the Church puts out.  I'm tired and would love to publish this, but there is something wrong here too....  "He cannot vary from that which he hath said,"  REALLY?  HOW many REVELATIONS has the Church had?  Polygamy?  It was right then, but now it's not?  There are so many times that God has "changed His mind" in LDS Doctrine, I cannot even name them all here.  African Americans can now hold the Priesthood?  Why couldn't they before?  Oh, the curse of Cain, which has not been edited from the BOM??? Over 4,000 changes to the "most correct book ever written".  If God didn't "vary from that which He hath said", I wouldn't be writing this and the LDS Church wouldn't be an issue!  But the LDS God DOES change His mind, because of Modern Day Revelation.  It's constant.  Therefore the members are confused, I'm confused and most importantly... People are being driving away from the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ.  
• Joseph Smith--History 1:17 (Father and Son are separate)  17It no sooner appeared than I found myself ^adelivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I^bsaw two ^cPersonages, whose brightness and ^dglory defy all description, ^estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My ^fBeloved ^gSon. Hear Him!
  
  If there was just a little staring emoticon here, I would use it.  This "vision" has changed so many times.  This is just the one the Church has stuck with.  What about "I and the Father are one", John 10:30?  I much more apt to believe John, than a convicted "seer".  But I digress.  For more information on the varying versions of the "vision", click here.  
• Alma 5:40 (good comes from God)
• John 14:6-9 (Son and Father are alike)  6Jesus saith unto him, I am the ^away, the ^btruth, and the life: no man ^ccometh unto the Father, but by me.
   7If ye had ^aknown me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
   8Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
   9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the ^aFather; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
  Alike?  Insert blank staring emoticon...  He that hath seen me hath see the Father.  That's not just "alike"... if you see an apple, then you pick up the apple... it's the SAME APPLE... bad analogy, but come on.  If Jesus said you have seen me, then you've seen my Father, He is not just saying... eh.  We're tight.  We're close.  We're similar.  If you have seen one, you've seen the other.  That would be the same thing.  Please explain otherwise.  I know I have a trinitarian viewpoint, but if you have seen one, and He says you've now seen us both.  Then, they are one thing.  
• Mormon 9:15-20 (God of miracles)   15And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do ^ano miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
   16Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous ^aworksof God?
   17Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his ^aword the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was ^bcreated of the ^cdust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
   18And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty^amiracles? And there were many ^bmighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
   19And if there were ^amiracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he ^bchangeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
  Sigh... I'm sorry.  Here we go again.  In Mormon Doctrine, God and Jesus are separate. And Jesus created everything, or shall I say "through" Jesus all things were created.  Then why doesn't it say that?  It says that GOD created everything.  He and Jesus are two separate beings.  So, it should be worded as such.  This is the type of thing that confuses people and puts LDS Doctrine to the test.  The reason it is not worded this way is because when Joseph Smith wrote it, that was NOT DOCTRINE.  LDS Doctrine Changed INTO three separate Gods.  
  Also, it states again that God does not change.  Then WHY is He, according to LDS Doctrine, on the Path of Eternal Progression?  Does He change or does He not?  According to the Bible AND LDS Scripture, He does not.  Yet, LDS Doctrine claims He is progressing.  Major conflict.

Discussion

• Read Mosiah 4:9. What things did God create?  9Believe in ^aGod; believe that he is, and that he ^bcreated all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all^cwisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not ^dcomprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
  
  Believe in God.. check.  That He is... check.  That He created all things... Him or Jesus? Two separate beings here.  Need to specify.
  
  Both heaven and earth... check.  But wait, what about all the other heavens and the other earths?  Are we just not mentioning those here?
  
  Believe that He has all wisdom and all power... check, both in heaven and in earth... check.
  
  Here is the kicker... Believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.  CHECK.  This I agree with.  Then WHY does the LDS Church claim to have restored the Gospel if no one can understand it.  And I think this is a clever out for the massive loopholes in LDS Doctrine to simply say that only God understands them, so don't worry yourself over it.
  
  But isn't much of the LDS Church based on James 1:5, "5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
  
  Doesn't the LDS Church claim that wisdom will liberally be given to all who ask?  And that is a cornerstone of the LDS Church.  Then maybe God can explain these massive difficulties with LDS Doctrine, LDS Scripture and the LDS Church.