Why does LDS doctrine differ from what can be found in the book of Mormon?

Question

Book of Mormon teaches that God has always been God. This is not only true in Mormon 9:9-10, but also in Moroni 8:18, "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." These statements are quite orthodox and true. However, that is NOT official LDS doctrine. The LDS Church teaches that God was once a man who was exalted to Godhood. They also teach that all men may become gods through obedience. This doctrine of "eternal progression" is official LDS doctrine, and it contradicts the Bible AND the Book of Mormon. That is our point in addressing the LDS belief that God has not always been God. Keep being thoughtful (and prayerful).

Answer 1

There is no real conflict.  The scriptures are true as far as mortal beings are concerned.  The prophets, in teaching the people of their time told them what they needed to know in order to progress through mortality.  As far as we are concerned, God is infinite with no beginning nor end.  Our mortal comprehension does not adequately encompass eternity.  Therefore, the doctrine of eternal progression, while true, is barely more than an abstract concept as far as mortal comprehension is concerned.  We don't need to know about God's past, nor our future, in the eternal scheme of things, in order to successfully pass through our mortal sojourn.  What we do need to know is that God is eternal in nature, very true, and that we need to learn of Him, obey Him and be faithful to the end of our mortality in order to return to Him.  Then, after we accomplish that goal, we can begin to concern ourselves with the full eternal scope of life.

Again, there is no conflict, nor discrepancy.  It is all in the perspective you take on the scriptures.  

As you said, pray about it for understanding and clarification from the Holy Ghost.

Answer 2

"However, that is NOT official LDS doctrine."

Yes it is; there's no conflict.  Hope this helps.

Jesus became a man, but was God before and after.  In other words, the belief that God became a man doesn't mean you must believe God was ever NOT God.

Answer 3

Well, this question and many of the answers I see trouble me.  Because most of the LDS answerers here don't seem to realize that the "God was once a man who was exalted to Godhood" is indeed a church teaching that was given by Joseph Smith during the "King Follett Discourses".  If that teaching, given to the church by the church's founder isn't "official doctrine", then what is?

We do indeed believe that God was once a mortal who was exalted to His current status as God.  Exactly how that works, we don't know.  We don't have all the details.  But one answer that really seemed to hit the nail on the head, explaining our doctrine, as far as I understand it, was RAC.

It boils down to our mortal perspective of the eternities and our interpretation of the scriptures.  And RAC explained it beautifully, so I won't try to put it into my own words here.

Your line of questioning ultimately doesn't hold water.  You are trying to catch the LDS church in a contradiction of its own doctrine, rather than comparing your own understanding of your scriptures and your doctrine and saying, "I don't agree with your doctrine, because my doctrine, backed up by my scriptures, in verses such and such, says something different."  This latter approach is a more honest and constructive approach.  I encourage you to consider it.

Answer 4

Actually, in LDS Sunday school, we are taught that which is found in the Book of Mormon, that God has always been God.  EDIT: My husband says to truly understand what these verses are saying, you must have a better understanding of the doctrine of eternity, eternities, and eons.  Elder McConkie gave a great talk about it: http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vg...  These versus do NOT contradict the idea of eternal progression.

The idea of God having evolved from the state of man, as we now are, is speculation from various members of the church in the past, but is not taught as doctrine in Sunday school.

People can, and do, speculate based on their own understandings of the world and personal study.  We, as a faith, encourage that as long as the person does not try to publicly contradict the church's stated stances.  When we are in our temples, we can sometimes come to a greater understanding of the things of God, but this is very personal and will not neccessarily make sense to another person that is not ready for such truths.

Just because someone doesn't recognize truth, doesn't make it any less true.

Answer 5

First of all thank you for being respectful in your question!...

I appreciate that and because you seem to truly be seeking an answer I am going to share a bit more with you on this topic than anyone else's similar question that I have answered.

1. In church I have heard that teaching mentioned "that God was once a man who was exalted to Godhood"...and I have also read it somewhere...BUT whether it is OFFICIAL Church doctrine I do not know...the Church seems to be VERY careful what it labels as "Official"...for example there are many books written by prophets and apostles...but they are still not 'official doctrine'

2. "all men may become gods through obedience" - this point you make seems like a valid point to consider...and here is where I am going to give you a bit more (and just so you know this is not official doctrine either as far as I know).

...so what does it mean to become a God?

From what I understand...and here is the key - *"Godhood is a Priesthood ordinance."

So just as in receiving the Priesthood when men become worthy of it...which gives men the power to act in God's name and perform the ordinances of salvation...just as that is conferred upon a man...so also can a man  become a God.(in my opinion).

That ordination will NOT be given in this life...

3. "This doctrine of "eternal progression" is official LDS doctrine, and it contradicts the Bible AND the Book of Mormon." - I respectfully disagree with you that it contradicts the Bible and the Book of Mormon.

for ex: Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

3Nephi 12:48 is the exact same in the Book of Mormon

it seems to imply that we are to press forward and keep getting better and better always...

And here is a thought to consider...if we are always doing that...getting better and better every day...and IF we never die...then it seems like one day our light will continue growing brighter and brighter until the perfect day...

by the way - we never die...(our spirit just seperates from our body at death for a while)

4. God's origin I do not know...but one important thing to keep in mind is this thing we call "time"...how does time relate to God?...I have heard statements like "all things are as one day with God" and "time is measured unto man only"...so maybe God transcends time....Joseph Smith taught that anything that had a beginning will also have an end...so even though it is difficult for us as humans to understand (because we have always lived in a "time based" world where things begin and end) God most likely is not living in that state of existence like we are...after all WE are the ones down here being tested...not Him.

thank you also for the comment to be prayerful!

good question.

Answer 6

The Book of Mormon is not a book of doctrine. It supports our doctrine, but it's not the source. Neither is the Bible, for that  matter.

GOD is the source of our doctrine.

Answer 7

Its evolution of a God.

Answer 8

The cult of mormonism is constantly "changing" There are many, many other sources on "mormon doctrine" - Their "Book of Abraham" mentions Kolob (the planet/star that Joseph Smith invented), Bruce McConkie's "Mormon Doctrine" talks about how "******" are evil and the mormons permit divorce, their "Journal of Discourses' says that Brigham Young knew that men live on the Sun, etc., etc.

Update: I've got to admit that it is almost funny that Yahoo! automatically censors one word from my original post (Interestingly, that word still appears when I edit this post.) That word appears to all other readers as "******" and, if readers could see it, they would see that it refers to the word that mormon racist, Bruce McConkie used in his book, "mormon Doctrine" (yes, the book is still in print and that word DOES appear in his book) and refers to an older term that used to be used regarding African-American's (not the derogatory "n word" but the other "n word" that was in common usage until the 1960's and remains in the names of some orangizations such as the "United ***** College Fund." (Refer to the link I've provided below for the full name.)

In McConkie's book, the term IS used derogatorialy and shows that the cult of mormonism is racist (they still are); specifically, McConkie states,

"Cain, Ham, and the whole ***** race have been cursed with a black skin, the mark of Cain, so they can be identified as a caste apart, a people with whom the other descendants of Adam should not intermarry." (LDS "Apostle" Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 108-109, 1966) edition.

I've provided a link below regarding the racism that still exists in mormonism. Interestingly, Yahoo censors all use of the archaic word for African American therefore, it won't appear in this answer.

Answer 9

First, let me respond to my fellow Mormons.  Here is a quote from this years Priesthood RS manual.  You will find it in chapter 2:

"“God Himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by His power, was to make Himself visible,—I say, if you were to see Him today, you would see Him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another. …"

Joseph Smith was not speculating.

This is a good question.  The answer, I believe, lies in a combination of two things:

1)  the way we use the term "God".

2)  the fact that we  (our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and all the rest of us) have always existed, and always will, and are of the same race.

We can define "God" a number of ways:

1) Our Heavenly Father, a being of spirit, flesh, and bone

2) Jesus Christ, also a being of spirit, flesh, and bone

3) The Holy Ghost, a being of spirit only

4) A collection of attributes which, if obtained in their perfection, result in godhood. Attributes such as love, mercy, power, knowledge, wisdom etc.

Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ obtained those attributes in perfection, and when they did so, they became instantiations of the One True God that has always existed, that is everlasting and unchanging.

We are of the same race.  The differences between us and them are great, but are ones of degree not species.  We, like they, have always existed, and we all started as a form of intelligence of some undefined type.  We are now progressing as they did, but at a much slower pace, indeed, they might have obtained all they needed (except a body) while still in that state.  If that is the case, then that would also answer the question.

Answer 10

L.S.D be careful of that stuff. when it goes bad.Its really bad man.

Answer 11

The problem isn't the Book of Mormon, it's your interpretation and lack of knowledge.

Where does LDS doctrine teach that God was once not God?

Let's review this allegation of a changing God for a moment.  The Christ child born to Mary was indeed God, who came from heaven and took upon Himself flesh of mortality.  All Christian religions believe this.

So is that changing?  How can He be born of a mortal woman and not have some change in His personage?

What about the resurrection?

God's attributes have always been, His form has obviously changed from what we see in the bible alone.

Among those eternal attributes is the ability to speak to His children.  If you believe that He has stopped revealing Himself to man through prophets as He has always done, then you are contradicting yourself.

By the way, you have a critical misundersatnding of the doctrine of eternal progression.  First of all you lack the basis of understanding what it involved; second of all you make the heretical mistake of thinking that this means that God is growing in knowledge and wisdom - He's not!

God's "work" is going forth as His children come closer to Him, it's their progression towards Him, not His progression.

Answer 12

This apparent contradiction is not just a problem in the LDS church, but in every church that believes in the Bible.  The bible clearly teaches that God is unchanging, and that his son became a man, and that his son was also God.  Did God change into a man?  Did a man with a mortal body change into a God with an immortal body?  Was Jesus never really mortal?  Is there one God or two?  Can a man be his own son?  If God was just pretending to be a man, was he only pretending to suffer?  Was he only pretending to be mortal?

There is clearly a need for modern revelation to help us understand the mysteries of God.  God reveals things to mankind through prophets, and through his son.  A new prophet was needed.  Joseph Smith was that prophet.  There are still areas where our knowledge is lacking, and I expect that God has much more to teach us.  We just have to trust the spirit of revelation.

"  18 For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

  19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round."  (1 Nephi 10)

Answer 13

Actually, the current LDS church is returning to a BoM church by abandoning most of the teachings of Joseph Smith (e.g., King Follett Discourse), Brigham Young, John Taylor, the Pratts, Heber Kimball and the other early prophets, seers and revelators.  The current LDS church is about as different from the Nauvoo era church as it can possibly be.  Not quite, because they can still change the endowment ceremony a few more times and discount the Journal of Discourses and early church newspapers and other writings a little more strongly, and then... finally... become just another conservative evangelical church.  So many LDS are living for that day.

Answer 14

There's no conflict that I can see.

God is the same being that He always has been for eternities past.  He is our Father in Heaven. He has put us on this earth with the desire and instruction to become as He, because he loves us.

He is capable of perfect and infallble love. He has also has no sin. We can strive for the same. That is what would undoubtedly make a man become a god--the capability to love unconditionally and to be completely pure.

Nobody on earth is capable of this--yet. But God is, and that is what we hope for as well, in eternities to come.

And this is. . .a bad thing?

Answer 15

I do not see how you are drawing your concluision of a conflict here.

God is God. His doctrine of salvation is always the same and will continue it to be.   That is why it is so amazingthat many Christian denominations fail to follow doctrine taught in the Bible.   God IS unchangeable and his doctrine for people of old, ie Old Testament persons, is the same as in this day and age too.

Eternal progression IS a part of the Bible.   Eternal progression IS a part of the Boook of Mormon too.

Here are some examples:

Galatians 4:7

  7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Romans 8:17

17 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.

What is an "heir?"  Is is an offspring that inherits all that the father has.

Matthew 5:48

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Why would God command us to be perfect, if he did not know that we had the potential to progress and become perfect?

Book of Mormon

III Nephi 27: 27

27 And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.

III Nephi 28:10

  10 And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one;

We will become "like" God, having of his fulness.  What is a "fulness?  It implies we will have "all" that he has, even be one like him.

II Nephi 2:25

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Our whole purpose in living is to accept Christ and have eternal joy. That joy comes from being like God.

Answer 16

well because the church changes its doctrine to accomodate the current times.

Hey if god was once a man I can do it too...lol

It is all b.s. and brain washing !

Answer 17

Mormonism is a cult and there is therefore no firm dogma or doctrine. It changes as the "president" and chief interpreter of revelations determines.