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8 episodes with becoming like god
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2 episodes with becoming like god
2 episodes with becoming like god
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2 episodes with becoming like god
Join us on a Cruise Feb. 2025! www.growingupinpolygamy.com/guipcruise2025 Join us as we delve into the fundamental beliefs of Mormonism, particularly the intriguing concept of God being a polygamist. In this reaction video, we discuss and analyze the key points from Episode #2 of Polygamy USA, shedding light on the historical and theological perspectives that shape this belief. Don't miss our in-depth exploration and commentary on this fascinating topic! Chapters: 00:00:00 - Polygamy and the Importance of Marriage 00:02:53 - The Emphasis on Marriage in Mormonism 00:05:46 - Age difference in polygamous relationships 00:08:27 - The Norms of Marriage and Age Gap 00:11:11 - Polygamy and Deep Doctrine 00:14:14 - Doctrine of Becoming Like God and Polygamy 00:17:13 - Polygamy in the Early Church 00:19:49 - The Distinction in Christian Beliefs 00:22:36 - Understanding Different Beliefs and Cultures Join our NEW Patreon HERE: https://patreon.com/growingupinpolygamy If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world." If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy Insta: @growingupinpolygamy New website is now up! www.growingupinpolygamy.com Theme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us! growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/growingupinpolygamy/support
Dr Andrew C Skinner is the former Dean of Religious Education at Brigham Young University.I wanted to speak to Dr Skinner about one of the most powerful - and sometimes uncomfortable - doctrines of the Restored Gospel: Theosis, Human Divinization, or simply - becoming like God. Some highlights from this episode include what other faiths believe, the King Follett discourse, and why this doctrine is important to Dr Skinner.--You can find more of Andrew's work at the following links:- https://rsc.byu.edu/author/skinner-andrew-c- https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/140627.Andrew_C_SkinnerFollow For All The Saints on social media for updates and inspiring content:www.instagram.com/forallthesaintspodhttps://www.facebook.com/forallthesaintspod/For All The Saints episodes are released every Monday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVDUQg_qZIU&list=UULFFf7vzrJ2LNWmp1Kl-c6K9Qhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3j64txm9qbGVVZOM48P4HS?si=bb31d048e05141f2https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/for-all-the-saints/id1703815271If you have feedback or any suggestions for topics or guests, connect with Ben & Sean via hello@forallthesaints.org or DM on InstagramConversations to Refresh Your Faith.For All The Saints podcast was established in 2023 by Ben Hancock to express his passion and desire for more dialogue around faith, religious belief, and believers' perspectives on the topics of our day. Tune into For All The Saints every Monday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.Follow For All The Saints on social media for daily inspiration.
We continue the series from last week on Becoming Like God.
We continue the series from last week on Becoming Like God.
We continue the series from last week on Becoming Like God.
This week Bill and Eric take a look at just what is required in becoming like God.
This week Bill and Eric take a look at just what is required in becoming like God.
This week Bill and Eric take a look at just what is required in becoming like God.
This week Bill and Eric take a look at just what is required in becoming like God.
This week Bill and Eric take a look at just what is required in becoming like God.
Many embrace the cultural mantra, “If it feels good, do it.” But Christians shouldn't conform to the world's rationalizations for sin. In this message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Lutzer points out three ways we are called to be like God. Since we are God's children, we take on the characteristics of our heavenly Father. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/172/29
Many embrace the cultural mantra, “If it feels good, do it.” But Christians shouldn't conform to the world's rationalizations for sin. In this message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Lutzer points out three ways we are called to be like God. Since we are God's children, we take on the characteristics of our heavenly Father. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.
God is working in us to make us like Himself. Because we belong to His family, we resemble our Father. In this message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Lutzer imparts lessons on how to model God's qualities to the lost around us. As recipients of a new self and the Holy Spirit, we walk in love. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/172/29
God is working in us to make us like Himself. Because we belong to His family, we resemble our Father. In this message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Lutzer imparts lessons on how to model God's qualities to the lost around us. As recipients of a new self and the Holy Spirit, we walk in love. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.
In this episode, William Green speaks with Michael Berg, a great scholar & author who draws on the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah to explore how we can build lives that are truly richer, wiser, & happier. Here, Michael discusses how to extract more pleasure from whatever wealth you have; why sharing your money & time builds a greater sense of abundance; how to support your kids without sapping their desire to succeed; why deferred gratification is a superpower in business & life; how to handle challenges & adversity; & why the real key to happiness is appreciation.IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:00:00 - Intro17:01 - Why Michael Berg sees no conflict between a spiritual life & material success.20:17 - How our own actions open or close the “channels of abundance.”22:38 - Why Sir John Templeton called tithing “the single best investment.”32:44 - Why Charlie Munger reveres Maimonides, a 12th-century sage & doctor.39:39 - How to extract more pleasure from whatever wealth we have. 48:37 - Why it's helpful to recognize that we don't truly own anything.55:29 - How appreciation helps Howard Marks to stay humble & be happy.59:00 - Why many rich people are surprisingly unhappy.1:15:51 - How to build joyful abundance by sharing your time & money.1:23:15 - How to help your kids without disempowering them.1:26:14 - Why delayed gratification is essential in business, investing, & life.1:35:45 - How Michael handles challenges & reframes adversity.1:41:38 - Why his father, Rav Berg, taught that “consciousness is everything.”Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.BOOKS AND RESOURCESThe Zohar translated by Michael Berg in 23 volumesSecrets of the Zohar & Becoming Like God by Michael BergAnd You Shall Choose Life by Rav Yehuda AshlagThe Thought of Creation by Rav Yehuda AshlagNano: Technology of Mind Over Matter by Rav BergThe Kabbalah Centre websiteSpiritually Hungry podcast with Michael & Monica BergWilliam Green's book, “Richer, Wiser, Happier” – read the reviews of this bookWilliam Green's TwitterNEW TO THE SHOW?Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs.Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here.Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool.Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services.Stay up-to-date on financial markets and investing strategies through our daily newsletter, We Study Markets.Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. P.S The Investor's Podcast Network is excited to launch a subreddit devoted to our fans in discussing financial markets, stock picks, questions for our hosts, and much more! Join our subreddit r/TheInvestorsPodcast today!SPONSORSInvest in Bitcoin with confidence on River. It's the most secure way to buy Bitcoin with 100% full reserve custody and zero fees on recurring orders.If you're aware you need to improve your bitcoin security but have been putting it off, Unchained Capital's Concierge Onboarding is a simple way to get started—sooner rather than later. Book your onboarding today and at checkout, get $50 off with the promo code FUNDAMENTALS.Experience real language learning for real conversations with Babbel. Get 55% off your Babbel subscription today.Reach the world's largest audience with Linkedin, the place to B2B. Plus, enjoy a $100 credit on your next ad campaign!Get a customized solution for all of your KPIs in one efficient system with one source of truth. Download NetSuite's popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance for free.Send, spend, and receive money around the world easily with Wise.Beat FOMO and move faster than the market with AlphaSense.Choose Toyota for your next vehicle - SUVs that are known for their reliability and longevity, making them a great investment. Plus, Toyotas now have more advanced technology than ever before, maximizing that investment with a comfortable and connected drive.Be confident that you'll be small businessing at your best with support designed to help you reach your goals. Book an appointment with a TD Small Business Specialist today.Start, run, and grow your business without the struggle. Be in control of every sales channel with Shopify. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period today.Return to the all-access world of the rich and powerful. Don't miss new episodes of Billions streaming August 11th on the Paramount Plus with Showtime plan.Look good and feel good with True Classic's range of summer essentials, crafted with premium quality fabrics at an accessible price. Get 25% off today with the code WSB.Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors.HELP US OUT!Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Lorenzo Snow taught that "as man is God once was, and as God is man may be. This wonderful doctrine of the Restoration is often overlooked or misunderstood. In this episode, I draw upon Andrew Skinner's book "To Become Like God" as I explain the power of this doctrine in our lives.Do you have questions or comments?Please contact me: rtosguthorpe@gmail.comWant more info about my books and talks?Go to my website: https://www.russelltosguthorpe.com/Want to order a book? Just go to Amazon and type in Russell T. Osguthorpe Want to access my YouTube channel:https://youtube.com/@russellt.osguthorpe497Want know more about the music on this podcast? We are blessed to have M. Diego Gonzalez as a regular contributor of songs he has arranged, performed, and recorded especially for this podcast. My wife and I became acquainted with Diego when he was serving a as missionary in the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission. We were so impressed with his talent, we asked if he would compose and perform songs for Filled With His Love. He thankfully agreed. Hope you enjoy his work!Want to boost your mood and make someone's day?Go to the App store on your iPhone, and download the app—Boonto.Want a good introduction to my book? Morgan Jones Pearson interviewed me on the All-In Podcast, and it was one of the top 10 episodes of 2022. Here's the link:https://www.ldsliving.com/2022-in-review-top-10-all-in-podcast-episodes-from-the-last-year/s/11190...
On another collaborative episode in The Gospel Topcs Essays Series with The Backyard Professor, Rebecca and Landon dive into the Gospel Topics Essay, Becoming Like God. Most of us grew up in the church with the narrative that we would someday become gods and create our own worlds. This was not something we misunderstood, but something that was taught in sunday school lessons, seminary, sacrament meeting talks, firesides, and more. In the past decades and especially recently, this idea has been discarded and sent down the memory hole as if it never existed. In this episode we delve into statements by past and current prophets that help us understand the motivations behind removing this pivitoal concept from the gospel. We also look at what this means to current members and what their concept of an afterlife looks like now. We know you'll find this episode as fascinating as we did, this change is gigantic! We also want to note that BYP had some technical issues in this episode but they even out as we get going, so bear with us, you'll be glad you did! It's always an adventure to podcast with BYP!We appreciate our Mormonish viewers and listeners so much! If you would like to support our podcast, you can DONATE to support Mormonish Podcast here: PayPal: https://paypal.me/BiblioTechMedia?cou... Venmo: @BiblioTechMedia
Mormons believe in the doctrine of "exaltation"- that worthy Mormons can become gods of their own planets some day. They believe God was once like us, and we can someday become like him. Let's unpack that heresy.The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Mentioned in this episode:Donate NowDonate Now
The idea that people can become like God is not unique to Latter-day Saints, nor is it new. In this episode, Professor Daniel Becerra takes us back to early Christianity to learn more about ancient teachings of deification—and why our becoming like God is so integral to the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Reference: Luke 6:36-42 Series: Luke Recorded Date: March 13th, 2023 Preacher: Jacob Young
Reference: Luke 6:27-38 Series: Luke Recorded Date: March 5th, 2023 Preacher: Jacob Young
This is a breakdown, analysis and review of the concepts of the amazing book Becoming Like God By Michael Berg Berg argues that we inhabit a prison—a strange sort of prison, to be sure, because most inmates don't even realize we're behind bars. We're even conditioned to scoff at the notion that there might actually be another world, a world of joy and Light, shining right beyond the prison walls. Then, one day, someone hands us an escape plan that includes a layout of the prison and a step-by-step plan of escape. A flawless plan. What will we do? What this episode reveals is a blueprint to freedom. Of course, we don't literally live inside prison walls, and we're not literally confined to dingy concrete cells, but we are trapped by pain, suffering, and death. This is an escape plan from the greatest maximum security prison ever. 1. The world is the war of two opposite forces: light and darkness 2. The source of light, better known as God, is the wellspring of all joy, fulfillment and life. The force of darkness better know as Ego nature, is the source of all pain suffering and death. 3. We create our lives by whichever force we connect to. 4. We connect to the two forces through the law of similarity of form: we connect to and become what we become like. 5. We become like God by stystematically destroying the ego, because the desire to receive for the self alone is the opposite of God. He does not receive from anyone. 6. We become like God by transforming into beings of shaing because God is a force of infinite sharing The God Formula through a dual process of eradicating the ego and performing transformative service and sharing we awaken our true nature and become like God, creating a life of total joy and fulfillment. Buy My Art - Unique Sigil Magic and Energy Activation Through Flow Art and Voyages Through Space and Imagination. https://www.newearth.art/ BUY MY BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/Reality-Revolution-Mind-Blowing-Movement-Hack/dp/154450618X/Listen to my book on audible https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Reality-Revolution-Audiobook/B087LV1R5V The New Earth Activation trainings - Immerse yourself in 12 hours of content focused on the new earth with channeling, meditations, advanced training and access to the new earth https://realityrevolutioncon.com/newearth Alternate Universe Reality Activation get full access to new meditations, new lectures, recordings from the reality con and the 90 day AURA meditation schedulehttps://realityrevolutionlive.com/aura45338118 Join our Facebook group The Reality Revolution https://www.facebook.com/groups/523814491927119 For all episodes of the Reality Revolution – https://www.therealityrevolution.com Follow Us on Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/TheRealityRevolution/ Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_reality_revolution/ Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/mediaprime Follow me on MeWe https://mewe.com/i/brianscott71 Music by Mettaversewaking dreaminner worldsconvergenceappeased soundscape 11love becomes ussuspended beliefmuted rainfor a momentphaseslight holderssolacea still mindsolsticewaking dream
What does it mean to be human? What kind of beings are we, and how do we relate to God and everything God made? While Latter-day Saints use many words and phrases familiar to traditional Christianity, the underlying world view of Mormonism is very different from historic, biblical Christian faith. This is seen most dramatically when comparing what the two groups believe about the nature of God and the nature of human beings.Life Before Birth?Latter-day Saints believe that all human beings are eternal spirits. We existed before this earthly life as God's spirit children. In fact, they believe that human beings are uncreated and co-eternal with God. As the LDS scripture Doctrine and Covenants says, “Man was also in the beginning with God'' (93:29). In this view, human beings are not dependent on God for their ultimate existence. As premortal spirits, humans are seen as literal sons and daughters of heavenly parents. In the Pearl of Great Price (Abraham 3:22) we read, “Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones.” Apparently God provided these primordial “intelligences” with spirit bodies in the premortal life.The Bible teaches, however, that human life and existence begins in this world. Genesis 2:7 states, “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person.” When God made Adam, he did not place an already existing personal spirit into a physical body. Instead, he animated that body with the breath of life. The man's personal existence as a living being began at that moment.Literal Offspring of God?When Mormons say that human spirits were created by God, they mean that we actually became God's spirit children in the spirit world, before our birth. The LDS instruction manual Gospel Principles says:All men and women are literally the sons and daughters of God. ‘Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth…'”To Latter-day Saints, we are related to God in a similar way that children are related to their earthly parents. Hence we were not simply created by God, but “begotten and born” by our heavenly parents (God the Father and his spouse) - although LDS scriptures and prophets have not made explicit exactly how this works.By contrast, the Bible teaches that being a child of God is not a genetic relationship, but a spiritual one. Human beings become children of God by faith. John 1:12-13 says, “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” In other words, only those who trust in Jesus alone as Savior can join God's eternal family and become children of God. Romans 8:14-16 puts it like this:For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.Anyone can become a child of God by adoption, when we receive His Spirit at the point of spiritual conversion. That happens in this life, not in some premortal existence.The Same Kind of Being as God?If people are literal children of God, it follows that we are of the same species as God. The LDS Church website, in an article called “Becoming Like God,” states:Latter-day Saints see all people as children of God in a full and complete sense; they consider every person divine in origin, nature, and potential. Each has an eternal core
Welcome to Episode 93 of the Being Human Podcast: Becoming Like God for Others, w/ Fr. Boniface Hicks (Certification Series: Part 10 of 12) This week on the podcast, Dr. Greg is switching things up by welcoming as a guest to the show Fr. Boniface Hicks: Benedictine monk, Director of Spiritual Formation at St. Vincent Seminary, and an author of one of the books used in our new Certification! Together, Dr. Greg and Fr. Boniface explore the topic of spiritual direction, accompaniment, Mentorship, and the content of the fourth-level spirituality course in our Certification. Discussed in this episode: What is spiritual direction and how is it different from other relationships? Qualities needed to become a spiritual director along with common challenges faced by those who pursue this path; Connections and overlap between spiritual direction and Mentorship; The importance of silence and the need to cultivate a posture of listening to another; Silence as a means of reflecting and imaging the love of God to others; Resisting the temptation to “be the guru” or have all the answers when accompanying others; Praying with clients in session: is it a necessary part of Catholic therapy? The need to have a disposition of reverence for the uniqueness of each individual's interior journey; Fr. Boniface's personal journey of developing a comfortability with silence. Resources mentioned or relevant: Register for the next Open House to learn more about our new Certification! Get to know Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB; Spiritual Direction Formation Program at St. Vincent Seminary; Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Father's Love by Fr. Thomas Acklin & Fr. Boniface Hicks; Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father's Love by Fr. Thomas Acklin & Fr. Boniface Hicks; The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Program (USA); Witness to Love - a Catholic marriage mentoring and prep program; Evangelii Gaudium - Apostolic exhortation; Born Only Once - Conrad Baars' book on affirmation; Learn about IDDM (Mentorship) and how it can help you; Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with our staff to discuss your situation and how we can support you! Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, including his Catholic Mindfulness 2: Discernment of Spirits course; Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available. Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you! Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review.” Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven't already, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now!
When we truly know who we Belong to, we will Believe God's plans and purposes, and we will Become who we were created to be. What were we created to be? Marcel Hall helps us see that God is forming us back into His image. https://occhurchofchrist.com/ (Click here to donate to the program) https://oc-church-of-christ-ser.captivate.fm/ (Click here for more sermons) https://occhurchofchrist.com/ (OC Church of Christ)
Happiness is Becoming Like God
Happiness is Becoming Like God
Tuesday after Epiphany Sunday - Year CII You can follow The Average Shepherd on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify by clicking here. Music by Michael Paton
Listen as Fr. Tom urges us to become like God in our forgiveness.
Listen as Fr. Tom urges us to become like God in our forgiveness.
Series: New Lens - Michael Mallick
Series: New Lens - Michael Mallick
An FAQ article was published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints nearly a decade ago in an effort to help educate the news media and the curious public about their particular brand of Christianity. This recently became the source of some hubbub around the unique Mormon teaching that faithful members may become gods of their own planets, and the church's apparent denial of it … kind of. They choose their words carefully. So, to be fair, the siblings start from the beginning of this article and read the questions as presented, the answers they chose to give, and discuss them and their accuracy from the Ex-Mormon perspective. --- Mormonism 101 article - http://tiny.cc/lds101 ‘Becoming Like God' - https://bit.ly/3rLneMJ Improvement Era 1919 - https://bit.ly/379LEGb --- http://siblingsinzion.com http://facebook.com/siblingsinzion http://instagram.com/siblingsinzion http://twitter.com/siblingsinzion YouTube: http://tiny.cc/SIZYouTube Theme Music: 'The Falls' by Umbrellaman - http://umbrellamanband.com ©2021 Siblings in Zion
Hey Fireflies! Welcome to this bonus episode of Outer Brightness: From Mormon to Jesus. The Apostate Paul here. I'm recording a new intro for this episode, because since Matthew the Nuclear Calvinist and I recorded this episode on July 1, the state of affairs has changed. So in this intro, I'm going to provide a quick timeline. In 2012 or 2013, the LDS Church began publishing Gospel Topics Essays designed to allow church members to learn about difficult topics in LDS Church history and doctrine directly from the Church's official website, rather than other online sources. These essays have the imprimatur of the First Presidency of the LDS Church and acknowledge the reliance on the work of scholars in crafting the essays. In the early 2000's, when I was in the midst of my period of deep questioning and wrestling with my Mormon beliefs—what many call a faith crisis—there were many online apologetics resources, FAIR, SHIELDS, Ask Gramps. I remember that in the discussion boards, if someone posted an article from one of those resources in response to a question, it was often lamented that LDS Church leadership did not put their stamp of approval on those answers. Struggling members wondered if they could trust the apologetic resources. Many surmise that The Gospel Topics Essays were designed to do just that—to inoculate church members against difficult topics. The relationship of the LDS Church to the essays, however, has been thorny. The essays are not easy to find on the website, and you won't stumble on them unless you know what you're looking for. Many who have left over the past 7-8 years have cited the essays as sources that caused them to question their beliefs and noted that when they spoke with local ecclesiastical leaders about the essays and the questions they caused, many local leaders were not even aware of their existence. On June 23, Fred Anson shared with us that one of the Gospel Topics Essays—the one titled “Becoming Like God”—had disappeared from the LDS Church's website, but was still available in the Gospel Library app available for mobile devices. Matthew and I had already discussed doing a series of episodes on the essays, so we fast tracked this one. We recorded this episode on July 1st. At that time, the link for the “Becoming Like God” essay was still on the website: churchofjesuschrist.org, but it redirected to a different essay titled “Are Mormons Christian?” The disappearance of the “Becoming Like God” essay was widely noted in online ex-Mormon communities, and many were speculating that maybe the LDS Church was seeking to distance itself from the doctrines discussed therein—doctrines which perhaps more than any other LDS doctrines place Mormonism outside the mainstream of orthodox Christian beliefs. The fact that the link redirected to an essay aimed at answering the question “are Mormons Christian?” furthered that speculation. On Tik-Tok, an ex-Mormon named “Exmo Lex” noted that the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Newsroom section of the LDS Church website expressly denies that Latter-day Saint scripture or doctrine teaches that exalted Mormons will get their own planets, even though LDS leaders have taught that as doctrine for almost two centuries and as recently as 2018, when current LDS prophet and president, Russell M. Nelson taught the traditional LDS doctrine on this point when he said, "A fourth gift from our Savior is actually a promise—a promise of life everlasting. This does not mean simply living for a really, really, really long time. Everyone will live forever after death, regardless of the kingdom or glory for which they may qualify. Everyone will be resurrected and experience immortality, but eternal life is so much more than a designation of time. Eternal life is the kind and quality of life that Heavenly Father and his beloved Son live. When the Father offers us everlasting life he is saying in essence, “If you choose to follow my Son, if your desire is really to become more like him, then in time you may live as we live and preside over worlds and kingdoms as we do." It seemed odd that the LDS Church would seemingly be distancing itself from this doctrine, but the LDS Church has repudiated core doctrine and practice before. Over the weekend of July 3 and 4th, the essay in the mobile app began to disappear for those users whose apps had completed content refreshes. On the website no longer rerouted. It simply became circular, such that if you clicked the link for “Becoming Like God” you landed on another page with a link to “Becoming Like God.” It's almost as if the LDS Church was trolling and the link became like the “eternity mirrors” in the sealing rooms of their temples. Then on July 7th, the essay appeared back online. I used archive.org's Wayback Machine to pull a version from May 18th and compared it to the July 7th version to see if edits had been made. The only change was the removal of the original publication date of February 2014. So for now we close this odd bit of Mormon History still unsure why the essay disappeared for a couple weeks and which declaration of the LDS Church should be taken as doctrine: that made by the LDS Newsroom staff or that made by the current prophet and president of the church. Even so, Matthew and I read each section of the essay in this episode and discuss it. Link to “Becoming Like God” Gospel Topics Essay https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/becoming-like-god?lang=eng Link to FAQ's # 11 & 12 https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/frequently-asked-questions Link to Russell M. Nelson's 2018 Christmas Devotional Address https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOIxEU2trOk Link to referenced podcast episodes about Origen https://wordandtable.simplecast.com/episodes/origen https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-first-centuries-part-07-origen/id435665417?i=1000382806203 https://historyofphilosophy.net/origen
Hey Fireflies! Welcome to this bonus episode of Outer Brightness: From Mormon to Jesus. The Apostate Paul here. I'm recording a new intro for this episode, because since Matthew the Nuclear Calvinist and I recorded this episode on July 1, the state of affairs has changed. So in this intro, I'm going to provide a quick timeline. In 2012 or 2013, the LDS Church began publishing Gospel Topics Essays designed to allow church members to learn about difficult topics in LDS Church history and doctrine directly from the Church's official website, rather than other online sources. These essays have the imprimatur of the First Presidency of the LDS Church and acknowledge the reliance on the work of scholars in crafting the essays. In the early 2000's, when I was in the midst of my period of deep questioning and wrestling with my Mormon beliefs—what many call a faith crisis—there were many online apologetics resources, FAIR, SHIELDS, Ask Gramps. I remember that in the discussion boards, if someone posted an article from one of those resources in response to a question, it was often lamented that LDS Church leadership did not put their stamp of approval on those answers. Struggling members wondered if they could trust the apologetic resources. Many surmise that The Gospel Topics Essays were designed to do just that—to inoculate church members against difficult topics. The relationship of the LDS Church to the essays, however, has been thorny. The essays are not easy to find on the website, and you won't stumble on them unless you know what you're looking for. Many who have left over the past 7-8 years have cited the essays as sources that caused them to question their beliefs and noted that when they spoke with local ecclesiastical leaders about the essays and the questions they caused, many local leaders were not even aware of their existence. On June 23, Fred Anson shared with us that one of the Gospel Topics Essays—the one titled “Becoming Like God”—had disappeared from the LDS Church's website, but was still available in the Gospel Library app available for mobile devices. Matthew and I had already discussed doing a series of episodes on the essays, so we fast tracked this one. We recorded this episode on July 1st. At that time, the link for the “Becoming Like God” essay was still on the website: churchofjesuschrist.org, but it redirected to a different essay titled “Are Mormons Christian?” The disappearance of the “Becoming Like God” essay was widely noted in online ex-Mormon communities, and many were speculating that maybe the LDS Church was seeking to distance itself from the doctrines discussed therein—doctrines which perhaps more than any other LDS doctrines place Mormonism outside the mainstream of orthodox Christian beliefs. The fact that the link redirected to an essay aimed at answering the question “are Mormons Christian?” furthered that speculation. On Tik-Tok, an ex-Mormon named “Exmo Lex” noted that the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Newsroom section of the LDS Church website expressly denies that Latter-day Saint scripture or doctrine teaches that exalted Mormons will get their own planets, even though LDS leaders have taught that as doctrine for almost two centuries and as recently as 2018, when current LDS prophet and president, Russell M. Nelson taught the traditional LDS doctrine on this point when he said, "A fourth gift from our Savior is actually a promise—a promise of life everlasting. This does not mean simply living for a really, really, really long time. Everyone will live forever after death, regardless of the kingdom or glory for which they may qualify. Everyone will be resurrected and experience immortality, but eternal life is so much more than a designation of time. Eternal life is the kind and quality of life that Heavenly Father and his beloved Son live. When the Father offers us everlasting life he is saying in essence, “If you choose to follow my Son, if your desire is really to become more like him, then in time you may live as we live and preside over worlds and kingdoms as we do." It seemed odd that the LDS Church would seemingly be distancing itself from this doctrine, but the LDS Church has repudiated core doctrine and practice before. Over the weekend of July 3 and 4th, the essay in the mobile app began to disappear for those users whose apps had completed content refreshes. On the website no longer rerouted. It simply became circular, such that if you clicked the link for “Becoming Like God” you landed on another page with a link to “Becoming Like God.” It's almost as if the LDS Church was trolling and the link became like the “eternity mirrors” in the sealing rooms of their temples. Then on July 7th, the essay appeared back online. I used archive.org's Wayback Machine to pull a version from May 18th and compared it to the July 7th version to see if edits had been made. The only change was the removal of the original publication date of February 2014. So for now we close this odd bit of Mormon History still unsure why the essay disappeared for a couple weeks and which declaration of the LDS Church should be taken as doctrine: that made by the LDS Newsroom staff or that made by the current prophet and president of the church. Even so, Matthew and I read each section of the essay in this episode and discuss it. Link to “Becoming Like God” Gospel Topics Essay https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/becoming-like-god?lang=eng Link to FAQ's # 11 & 12 https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/frequently-asked-questions Link to Russell M. Nelson's 2018 Christmas Devotional Address https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOIxEU2trOk Link to referenced podcast episodes about Origen https://wordandtable.simplecast.com/episodes/origen https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-first-centuries-part-07-origen/id435665417?i=1000382806203 https://historyofphilosophy.net/origen
Hey Fireflies! Welcome to this bonus episode of Outer Brightness: From Mormon to Jesus. The Apostate Paul here. I'm recording a new intro for this episode, because since Matthew the Nuclear Calvinist and I recorded this episode on July 1, the state of affairs has changed. So in this intro, I'm going to provide a quick timeline. In 2012 or 2013, the LDS Church began publishing Gospel Topics Essays designed to allow church members to learn about difficult topics in LDS Church history and doctrine directly from the Church's official website, rather than other online sources. These essays have the imprimatur of the First Presidency of the LDS Church and acknowledge the reliance on the work of scholars in crafting the essays. In the early 2000's, when I was in the midst of my period of deep questioning and wrestling with my Mormon beliefs—what many call a faith crisis—there were many online apologetics resources, FAIR, SHIELDS, Ask Gramps. I remember that in the discussion boards, if someone posted an article from one of those resources in response to a question, it was often lamented that LDS Church leadership did not put their stamp of approval on those answers. Struggling members wondered if they could trust the apologetic resources. Many surmise that The Gospel Topics Essays were designed to do just that—to inoculate church members against difficult topics. The relationship of the LDS Church to the essays, however, has been thorny. The essays are not easy to find on the website, and you won't stumble on them unless you know what you're looking for. Many who have left over the past 7-8 years have cited the essays as sources that caused them to question their beliefs and noted that when they spoke with local ecclesiastical leaders about the essays and the questions they caused, many local leaders were not even aware of their existence. On June 23, Fred Anson shared with us that one of the Gospel Topics Essays—the one titled “Becoming Like God”—had disappeared from the LDS Church's website, but was still available in the Gospel Library app available for mobile devices. Matthew and I had already discussed doing a series of episodes on the essays, so we fast tracked this one. We recorded this episode on July 1st. At that time, the link for the “Becoming Like God” essay was still on the website: churchofjesuschrist.org, but it redirected to a different essay titled “Are Mormons Christian?” The disappearance of the “Becoming Like God” essay was widely noted in online ex-Mormon communities, and many were speculating that maybe the LDS Church was seeking to distance itself from the doctrines discussed therein—doctrines which perhaps more than any other LDS doctrines place Mormonism outside the mainstream of orthodox Christian beliefs. The fact that the link redirected to an essay aimed at answering the question “are Mormons Christian?” furthered that speculation. On Tik-Tok, an ex-Mormon named “Exmo Lex” noted that the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Newsroom section of the LDS Church website expressly denies that Latter-day Saint scripture or doctrine teaches that exalted Mormons will get their own planets, even though LDS leaders have taught that as doctrine for almost two centuries and as recently as 2018, when current LDS prophet and president, Russell M. Nelson taught the traditional LDS doctrine on this point when he said, "A fourth gift from our Savior is actually a promise—a promise of life everlasting. This does not mean simply living for a really, really, really long time. Everyone will live forever after death, regardless of the kingdom or glory for which they may qualify. Everyone will be resurrected and experience immortality, but eternal life is so much more than a designation of time. Eternal life is the kind and quality of life that Heavenly Father and his beloved Son live. When the Father offers us everlasting life he is saying in essence, “If you choose to follow my Son, if your desire is really to become more like him, then in time you may live as we live and preside over worlds and kingdoms as we do." It seemed odd that the LDS Church would seemingly be distancing itself from this doctrine, but the LDS Church has repudiated core doctrine and practice before. Over the weekend of July 3 and 4th, the essay in the mobile app began to disappear for those users whose apps had completed content refreshes. On the website no longer rerouted. It simply became circular, such that if you clicked the link for “Becoming Like God” you landed on another page with a link to “Becoming Like God.” It's almost as if the LDS Church was trolling and the link became like the “eternity mirrors” in the sealing rooms of their temples. Then on July 7th, the essay appeared back online. I used archive.org's Wayback Machine to pull a version from May 18th and compared it to the July 7th version to see if edits had been made. The only change was the removal of the original publication date of February 2014. So for now we close this odd bit of Mormon History still unsure why the essay disappeared for a couple weeks and which declaration of the LDS Church should be taken as doctrine: that made by the LDS Newsroom staff or that made by the current prophet and president of the church. Even so, Matthew and I read each section of the essay in this episode and discuss it. Link to “Becoming Like God” Gospel Topics Essay https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/becoming-like-god?lang=eng Link to FAQ's # 11 & 12 https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/frequently-asked-questions Link to Russell M. Nelson's 2018 Christmas Devotional Address https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOIxEU2trOk Link to referenced podcast episodes about Origen https://wordandtable.simplecast.com/episodes/origen https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-first-centuries-part-07-origen/id435665417?i=1000382806203 https://historyofphilosophy.net/origen
Jon, Burgess & Tyson talk about the gospel topics essay 'Becoming Like God'. We discuss the potential we have as children of God to progress throughout eternity if we will follow the gospel. The human race has very different ideas about the nature of God and it's important to know who God is in order that we can know our purpose in this life and after. God desires to give all that He has to his children. Time is a mortal constraint, eternally infinites are everywhere. Man is nothing, but through the atonement we have a very high ceiling. Neal A. Maxwell is the master of smart jokes. We accidentally relate the Jet Li movie The One to becoming God somehow...
A new MP3 sermon from Lighthouse Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: "Becoming like God through the Power of Forgiveness" Subtitle: "The Foundation of Forgiveness Speaker: Dwayne C. Smith Broadcaster: Lighthouse Baptist Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 5/16/2021 Length: 81 min.
Fr. Josh discusses what it means to become partakers of God's divine nature, how Enoch and Elijah were taken up to heaven prior to the time of Christ, and how the Church looks at mental health when investigating apparitions and visions. Snippet From the Show "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God."- St. Athanasius Text “askfrjosh” to 33-777 to subscribe to Fr. Josh’s shownotes or go to www.AscensionPress.com/askfatherjosh Submit your questions and feedback to Fr.Josh by filling out a form at www.ascensionpress.com/askfatherjosh
Becoming Like God (with co-host Earl Erskine)
The best Gospel message and mission come from a heart like God's. His love never gives up and His grace never runs out. Like with Jonah, God patiently and persistently pleads with us to have a heart like His, especially for those who are still running away from God and who He is still running after. We have received God's grace and He, therefore, wants us to run after others with Him.
Philippians 2:1-8.
Genesis 1:1-5, 2:7. James 1:7 and Acts 20:35.
In this episode we discuss the issues that may arise when we misunderstand the doctrine of exaltation. Also, Brian survives a car wreck.
In this episode we discuss the doctrinal history of theosis, or the belief that one can become a god. This early christian doctrine lost prevalence throughout the centuries until the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith.
Everyone’s goal is to be like God. But is that the right goal you should has members of his church? You’ll find out in this episode. You’ll discover how to become like Christ and why it’s important. And is God a Jealous God?
https://jbcpodcast.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/r_20200301-124406.mp3 https://journeybaptist.net/2020/03/02/3-1-2020-becoming-like-god-2-pet-13-4/feed/ 0
Alcott Ministries Word of Power Radio Broadcast by Jeanne Alcott
Becoming Like God!
Alcott Ministries Word of Power Radio Broadcast by Jeanne Alcott
Becoming Like God!
Alcott Ministries Word of Power Radio Broadcast by Jeanne Alcott
Becoming Like God!
Alcott Ministries Word of Power Radio Broadcast by Jeanne Alcott
Becoming Like God!
So far, we have learned that God desires for believers to fellowship together. And when believers do come together, conflict will eventually arise. However, even though the possibility of conflict between believers exists, God still desires us to be in fellowship together regularly. Why? Because the process of becoming the Church is becoming like God. Listen to today's message to dig into this idea.
We continue our tour of the Gospel Topics Essays and with the essay Becoming Like God. The Goal- To share the LDS Church’s Gospel Topic Essays and help the both the believing member and the non-believer get a sense of the why these essays were written, who the intended audience is, whether these essays resolve […] The post Gospel Topic Essay: 004: Becoming Like God appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.
Where to begin? Hmmm… I know… Let's start at the beginning! In this episode, we cover 2 major topics buried within one story. Namely, the story of creation and the genesis of mankind in Genesis 1, 2, and 3. Have you ever noticed the 2 different creation accounts in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2? Have you ever wondered why the hell God gave Adam a commandment in the first place? Have you ever considered that there are two kinds of light? This episode answers all of these questions and more… or at least attempts to answer them. Enjoy! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/new-age-christianity/support
Alcott Ministries Word of Power Radio Broadcast by Jeanne Alcott
Becoming Like God!
Luke Storey joins me in an episode that is a fascinating combination of biohacking and spirituality. We’ll talk about both extreme higher-level consciousness topics as well as extreme self-experimentation. Because we are fundamentally unable to access ultimate truth, we shouldn’t think of our beliefs as true or false. Rather, we should view our beliefs as either empowering or disempowering. Choosing empowering beliefs leads to an empowered life! This is one of my favorite episodes, and I think it’ll be one of your favorites too! Find Out More About Luke Here: Luke Storey @MrLukeStorey on Twitter Luke Storey on Instagram Luke Storey on YouTube @MrLukeStorey on Facebook Luke Storey on LinkedIn In This Episode: [02:23] - Luke talks about how he and Stephan met, which was by being part of Neil Strauss’ mastermind The Society. Stephan then talks about how he got involved in the group. [07:14] - The weekend at the intensive Luke has been talking about was the catalyst to Luke living what he believes is his true purpose. [11:09] - We hear about Luke’s shift away from fashion, which he did for 17 years. In hindsight, he can’t believe he didn’t quit much sooner. [15:08] - Stephan talks about the importance of getting the right wardrobe and understanding basic fashion principles, using himself as an example of a transformation. [16:33] - Luke isn’t quite sure how to categorize himself or what to call himself, since he works in the health, wellness, and biohacking space but is more deeply invested in the inner work of spiritual growth and learning spiritual principles. [20:16] - Luke still does some consulting in terms of personal style. [22:32] - We learn that Stephan had a moment of realization at a Tony Robbins event when he participated in the fire walk. [25:52] - Luke responds to the way Stephan has been framing a particular concept. He likes the idea of keeping most of one’s attention in the stillness and present moment, while staying a little bit grounded. [27:59] - Stephan recommends setting aside the desire to seek the Truth, and instead focusing on what is empowering (rather than disempowering). He and Luke then talk about the benefit of going for what yields results. [31:04] - Luke discusses the polarization of the world and our culture. He also points out the importance of being able to admit it and adjust when you’ve been wrong about something. [34:41] - Stephan responds to Luke’s points with a quote from Dan Sullivan. [36:00] - Recently, Luke listened to Jack Canfield on Oprah’s podcast. He shares his thoughts on Jack Canfield, including his brief thought of wondering why Jack still works so hard when he must be very financially well-off. [39:36] - After having talked about recycling, Luke points out that he feels guilty about not having a good system for recycling used electronics and batteries. [40:44] - Stephan shares a story that Tony Robbins tells about deciding who was going to pay for a meal. [43:08] - Luke doesn’t know a lot about Kabbalah, but was very struck by the book Becoming Like God by Michael Berg. [46:29] - For the last part of the episode, we move onto the topic of biohacking. Luke digs into the topic of EMFs and offers advice on how to minimize your exposure. [51:48] - Stephan started taking EMFs seriously at the recent Bulletproof Conference after he saw how dedicated Dr. Mercola is to avoiding them. [52:48] - Luke shares more of his thoughts on EMFs, including that in this age you’ll inevitably be exposed to some of them. He also describes more habits he’s changed to minimize his exposure. [58:54] - Where can people find Luke if they want to work with him? Links and Resources: Luke Storey @MrLukeStorey on Twitter Luke Storey on Instagram Luke Storey on YouTube @MrLukeStorey on Facebook Luke Storey on LinkedIn Life Stylist Podcast Luke Storey on the Optimized Geek Neil Strauss The Society Unleash the Power Within Tony Robbins Urban Escape and Evasion Intensive Bulletproof Coffee Daniel Vitalis Jack Kruse Kabbalah Twelve-step programs Dan Sullivan Jack Canfield on Oprah’s podcast Becoming Like God by Michael Berg The Kabbalah Centre Los Angeles EMFs Bulletproof Conference Dr. Mercola
A New York native, Terryl Givens did his graduate work in intellectual history (Cornell) and comparative literature (UNC Chapel Hill). He teaches courses in nineteenth-century studies and religious themes in literature at the University of Richmond, where he is Professor of Literature and Religion and the Jabez A. Bostwick Professor of English, and he has been a Research Fellow at both Brigham Young University and the University of Oxford. An award-winning author, Givens’s work has been called “provocative reading” by The New York Times and includes By the Hand of Mormon, When Souls had Wings, People of Paradox, and a two-volume history of Mormon thought: Wresting the Angel and Feeding the Flock (Oxford University Press). With his wife Fiona, he has written The God Who Weeps, The Crucible of Doubt, and most recently, The Christ Who Heals (Deseret Book). Professor Givens has also been a commentator on CNN, NPR, and in the PBS/Frontline documentary, The Mormons. With Fiona, he makes his home in the village of Montpelier, Virginia. Terryl Givens discusses the somewhat controversial "Becoming Like God" Gospel Topic essay, and how some Mormons are confused about what becoming like God actually means. Download Transcript
A New York native, Terryl Givens did his graduate work in intellectual history (Cornell) and comparative literature (UNC Chapel Hill). He teaches courses in nineteenth-century studies and religious themes in literature at the University of Richmond, where he is Professor of Literature and Religion and the Jabez A. Bostwick Professor of English, and he has been a Research Fellow at both Brigham Young University and the University of Oxford. An award-winning author, Givens’s work has been called “provocative reading” by The New York Times and includes By the Hand of Mormon, When Souls had Wings, People of Paradox, and a two-volume history of Mormon thought: Wresting the Angel and Feeding the Flock (Oxford University Press). With his wife Fiona, he has written The God Who Weeps, The Crucible of Doubt, and most recently, The Christ Who Heals (Deseret Book). Professor Givens has also been a commentator on CNN, NPR, and in the PBS/Frontline documentary, The Mormons. With Fiona, he makes his home in the village of Montpelier, Virginia. Terryl Givens discusses the somewhat controversial "Becoming Like God" Gospel Topic essay, and how some Mormons are confused about what becoming like God actually means. Extra Resources: Episode 63 Transcript The Christ Who Heals "Becoming Like God"
I Peter 1:13-16
The process of becoming the Church is becoming like God
Built to Last leads into Becoming Like God
Built to Last leads into Becoming Like God
The most recent entry in the Gospel Topics series at lds.org, "Becoming Like God," represents the LDS church’s newest attempt to help clarify (for members, media, and those with other interests in Mormonism) often misunderstood or difficult gospel teachings or practices. It, like all the essays in the series, is well-crafted with many scriptural and academic citations that display engagement with scholarship even as it seeks to also maintain a devotional tone. After a short introduction that grounds the shared idea among many Christians of our being in some way "children of God" as well as the idea that Latter-day Saints see this in far more literal ways than many other faiths, the essay presents several Old and New Testament scriptures and statements from early Christian leaders that use strong familial terms when talking about the relationship between God and humans, as well as places that they identify the human potential to be "like" God. In presenting these texts, the statement acknowledges that all of these are contested among Christians in terms of the authors’ views about whether or not humans might one day become "Gods," but then claims that "by viewing them through the clarifying lens of revelations received by Joseph Smith, Latter-day Saints see these scriptures as straightforward expressions of humanity’s divine nature and potential." The statement then describes the ways that teachings about this potential were introduced to and grew to be understood by the Saints, as well as how these teachings are viewed today. In this episode, panelists Charley Harrell, Jim McLachlan, and Richard Livingston, join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon for a thorough overview of the statement, maintaining throughout an overarching interest in questions about whether or not this statement represents a shift in previously held teachings, and, if so, to what degree. Are the sources cited fairly presented? What seems to be the overarching concerns of the church in preparing this statement and in the final form it took? The panel also discusses early reactions among members as well as outside critics to the statement, and the reasons for disappointment that many feel. Has this statement really clarified the matter, or has it simply glossed over how central this teaching had once been and seems now more geared toward outsiders who have caricatured Mormon ideas, attempting to make LDS views sound less sensational and more in line with mainline Christian views? Further framing the discussion are questions about LDS assumption of doctrinal uniformity throughout time (the persistent idea that even ancient prophets fully understood the teachings that emerged from Joseph Smith) and the problems that assumption poses whenever we find what seem to be definite shifts. Does this statement represent a healthy way to manage changes in church teachings and emphases? Are there alternative approaches that might better match the historical record and lead toward less disorientation and fragility of faith among LDS members when they are confronted with evidences of changing doctrines?
The most recent entry in the Gospel Topics series at lds.org, "Becoming Like God," represents the LDS church’s newest attempt to help clarify (for members, media, and those with other interests in Mormonism) often misunderstood or difficult gospel teachings or practices. It, like all the essays in the series, is well-crafted with many scriptural and academic citations that display engagement with scholarship even as it seeks to also maintain a devotional tone. After a short introduction that grounds the shared idea among many Christians of our being in some way "children of God" as well as the idea that Latter-day Saints see this in far more literal ways than many other faiths, the essay presents several Old and New Testament scriptures and statements from early Christian leaders that use strong familial terms when talking about the relationship between God and humans, as well as places that they identify the human potential to be "like" God. In presenting these texts, the statement acknowledges that all of these are contested among Christians in terms of the authors’ views about whether or not humans might one day become "Gods," but then claims that "by viewing them through the clarifying lens of revelations received by Joseph Smith, Latter-day Saints see these scriptures as straightforward expressions of humanity’s divine nature and potential." The statement then describes the ways that teachings about this potential were introduced to and grew to be understood by the Saints, as well as how these teachings are viewed today. In this episode, panelists Charley Harrell, Jim McLachlan, and Richard Livingston, join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon for a thorough overview of the statement, maintaining throughout an overarching interest in questions about whether or not this statement represents a shift in previously held teachings, and, if so, to what degree. Are the sources cited fairly presented? What seems to be the overarching concerns of the church in preparing this statement and in the final form it took? The panel also discusses early reactions among members as well as outside critics to the statement, and the reasons for disappointment that many feel. Has this statement really clarified the matter, or has it simply glossed over how central this teaching had once been and seems now more geared toward outsiders who have caricatured Mormon ideas, attempting to make LDS views sound less sensational and more in line with mainline Christian views? Further framing the discussion are questions about LDS assumption of doctrinal uniformity throughout time (the persistent idea that even ancient prophets fully understood the teachings that emerged from Joseph Smith) and the problems that assumption poses whenever we find what seem to be definite shifts. Does this statement represent a healthy way to manage changes in church teachings and emphases? Are there alternative approaches that might better match the historical record and lead toward less disorientation and fragility of faith among LDS members when they are confronted with evidences of changing doctrines?
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