To all non-LDS Christians, Why do so many of you think we actually believe some of these weird things?

Question

like God having sex with Mary; wives need the husband's permission to get into heaven; that in the Celestial Kingdom, men have endless sex, women are eternally pregnant and have spirit babies; that the church is a racist organization; that we are forced to part with 10%+ of our money; and so on? I know you didn't get all that by learning it from US.

No, I am not young; I joined the church in 1979, when I was 21 years old; you can do the math. I am not an elder, but my husband is. I am asking why non-members THINK we believe these things.

And, no, Joseph Smith did not say all of these things. He said NONE of these things.

universal, if we do believe these things, then why was I never taught them? Why do all LDS scholars and apologists I have read say we do not believe these things? Why have none of the General Authorities ever spoken on these things?

I have also been to the Celestial Room (although what that has to do with this, I don't know). And being in a bishopric does not give one more knowledge than one who has never been in a bishopric. And being an Elder is having the priesthood, and there can't be any more priesthood than that.

I have been thru the temple, received my endowments, and I was NEVER taught that my exaltation rested on my husband's righteousness. That is a lie of Satan. No righteous woman will be denied exaltation simply because she had no righteous husband.

Answer 1

Honestly, I don't know what to believe about what Mormons believe. I hear some such as yourself saying you don't believe that stuff, but I do hear others who seem to be in positions that would know saying that they do indeed believe those things. So I'm getting mixed messages. So I don't have a conclusion. I'd have to do a lot more research to know, and maybe even then, I would get mixed messages and still not know.

But here is what I DO know: all of the Mormons I have met have been spectacular people. They are moral, kind, and caring. This is what matters the most. Even if they do believe some of these things, it does not matter to me. There may even be some truth in some of those things, if they are taken metaphorically. It does not offend me, even if I don't hold to those beliefs myself. Well, the one about racism DOES offend me. But other than that, it doesn't. And it is my understanding that the Book of Mormon may have originally been racist, but this has been changed and edited out. As long as a religion is willing to reform itself for the better, then it is at least going in the right direction, and I applaud them for that.

Answer 2

Hey, fellow LDS member here, I can explain SOME of this stuff. I really don't know why they think that God had physical sex with Mary. God is a spirit and would need a physical body to have physical sex. It was immaculate conception, that's why she is known as the VIRGIN Mary.
To the best of my knowlege, to obtain the highest level of Celestial Glory, you must be sealed to an eternal partner, so we kind of DO need permission, we need a worthy husband.
I've never heard of the spirit baby thing lol, but that's funny.
I believe they think the church is a racist organization because way back when, african american males were not considered worthy of holding any type of priesthood. This DID get corrected in time as they realized this wasn't right. Everyone is equal in God's eyes, we are ALL children of God and treated fairly and equally in the church now.
We are not "forced" to part with 10% of our money, however we are asked to pay 10% of our income also known as Tithing. This is not just the LDS church, the Bible mentions tithing NUMEROUS times in it, this does not exclude us, we are just following the commandments asked of us in the Bible.

Answer 3

Brigham Young stated that Jesus was not concieved by the Holy Ghost "filling" Mary, but by God the Father. His reasoning was: that if being filled with the Holy Ghost caused even one pregnancy (ie Jesus) then NO more women could risk recieving the HG indwelling them, lest they also concieve spontaneously. This can be found in Brigham Young's "Journal of Discourses".

"Journal of Discourses" also has at least one reference to JOSEPH SMITH being the only person who can give any person permission to enter heaven.

For an excellent article on the role of women in Mormonism, and the part "Celestial Marriages" play, check out the following article:

http://www.mormonismi.net/kirjoitukset/longaker_women/shtml

These "doctrines" may or may not exist in the Mormon version of the bible and/or the Pearl of Great price. However, they have been taught by Mormon scholars since the 1800's, much the way many Roman Catholic teachings were proclaimed by the Pope after the scriptures were closed.

Answer 4

That is a good question. I don't know why people think a lot of those things. Especially about polygamy and being forced to do things. I think it has been taught that God did come down and visit Mary. We just choose not to worry about that, since it is the testimony of the Holy Ghost that convinces us. Our questions will be answered at a later time. Now the important part is to realize that we have God in Heaven who has a plan for us, and that includes the atonement, resurrection and temple work.

Answer 5

A lie, no rely how frequently repeated would not grow to be genuine.... besides the reality that many will start to have self assurance it incredibly is. (Hitler actually used this technique in his anti-Semetic propaganda.) No, we (women of the LDS church) don't sense we are opressed. (i in my opinion those days asked a question approximately this.) sure, some LDS adult men have been asked to stay a polygamous life form. (basically approximately 3% of the adult men... See references interior the OT to King David- his downfall wasn't his many better halves, it replaced into his lust for Bathsheba, and his murderous reason against her husband.) No, we don't think interior the trinity. (John 17- the two Jesus replaced into heavily mentally unwell, or He replaced into actually speaking to a distinctive Being, His Father. on the grounds that i don't think of He suffered from dissociative character disease or pschizophrenia, i've got self assurance the only option is that He and the daddy are 2 distinctive Beings.) sure, we've self assurance each and all the training the LDS church has ever taught (no rely if at the instant practiced or not) have Biblical help. specific we understand the Biblical passages distinctive from the Catholics, however the Catholics understand the scriptures distinctive from the Lutherans, Methodists, JW, Baptists, Episcopals, etc.... If the Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopals, JW, etc have the final to interpret and understand scripture as they see in good shape, do not the LDS?? What i hit upon exciting is the components utilized by utilising non-LDS as their references related to what we've self assurance... a similar "good judgment" would desire to be utilized to their documentation... they say our management has altered the writings. Whose to assert the writings they use have not been altered? interior the top, what i've got self assurance is what i've got self assurance. What others think of makes no distinction.

Answer 6

Ok.... here's a lesson on LDS Church doctrines for everybody:

Yes, there are several Church leaders that have taught that God had sex with Mary. The most recent was Bruce R. McConkie, both in his book (not considered doctrine, despite the title) as well as recorded talks at official Church meetings such as General Conference, Regional Conferences, Ensign Articles, etc. Brigham Young also taught this, as well as Joseph Fielding Smith.

John Taylor, Brigham Young, Heber C Kimball (counselor in 1st pres) all taught that a wife could not so much as be resurrected in the first resurrection without the help of her husband, since he had to resurrect her. If the woman had no husband, or if her husband was unworthy, she would resurrect at the second resurrection and presumably inherit Terrestrial glory. A piece of this doctrine is still present in the Temples where the husband calls the wife through the veil (those of you who have been through know what I'm talking about).

Yes, we also believe that in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, we will have sex with our spouses and create spirit children to inhabit worlds, just as our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother(s) have done here. It's not a fundamental doctrine by any means, but is related to the eternal progression doctrine the LDS Church has.

The Church is not a racist organization, but Church leaders from Brigham Young to Harold B. Lee had racist views on the black race, that were actually doctrines until 1978 when President Kimball received the revelation to repeal the doctrine. Joseph Smith ordained black men to the priesthood and performed temple marriages for black women (most of these were plural marriages, either for himself or other leaders at the time). Although the black race was indeed stated by Joseph Smith to be the descendents of Cain, he never stated that the "curse" included a priesthood ban or anything other than black skin. This started with Young in around 1957-1958. The following prophets went along until the late 1970s, when the need for temples in Brazil (most Brazilians have at least a little African blood) necessitated a modification. So Pres. Kimball and the leaders prayerfully sought inspiration and got the answer from God.

We are not forced to pay the 10% tithing. Sure we won't be able to go to the temple or ask for Church Welfare assistance, but we are still welcome to come to meetings if we don't pay. Nobody but the bishop, his counselors, the ward clerk, executive secretary and the Stake Presidency even find out about it.

Anyway, so what if these things are based in truth? If you hear them from non-mormon sources, of course you will hear them out of context because they don't live them.

That's not to say every Mormon believes everything on that list (especially the first 3 items), but the Church did teach it all at one point or another, but doctrinal changes are inspired of God and the members of the Church are taught to follow God's chosen leaders. When Moses told Israel that they were leaving Egypt, they were supposed to follow without questioning. Not all of them did, but the ones who did (Joshua, Caleb) were blessed. Likewise, when our prophet commands all Mormons to pack up and go to Adam-ondi-Ahman in Missouri, we will be expected to just do it without questioning. Not every Mormon will, but we are supposed to, and the ones who do will be blessed. If we are willing to follow the prophet to Missouri, then why not follow him on a simple doctrinal question? It's all about faith in God's chosen representatives.

Answer 7

You must be young. Have you been to the temple? Are you a holder of the priesthood? (not just an Elder)...

I've been to the celestial room, held the priesthood, served in the bishopric (first counselor) and many of those things are true or based in some truth of LDS teachings.

You should research your own religion, because they don't tell you everything... but many former believers will tell you the truth.

Edit: Honey... according to LDS belief, you cannot get into the celestial kingdom by yourself. In the temple, your husband will know your temple name, but you will not be told his...

And non members believe these things because people who have been members, like me, tell them the truth. I was born and raised LDS (fifth generation), temple married, and what I am telling you is true.

Answer 8

I was told by a mormon that this "wives need the husband's permission to get into heaven" is true.

I also was told that there is a star god lives on by a mormon, and lastly, that you guys have spirit keys.

I don't judge however because Christians believe similar crazy junk, you just added stuff on. I mean, myth believers can't judge other myth believers, even if the myths are true.

Answer 9

Hmm, you do still believe in the polygamy and the magic golden plates that only one person ever saw which were decoded with magic stones to reveal a truth about how after a carpenter in the middle east rose from the dead and flew up to heaven he went to America and hung out with Native Americans, which for some reason the Native Americans didn't remember that way... Right?...

Answer 10

Listen to Universal Pants. He is one of your own and I couldnt add anything to that. BTW you may want to start investigating your own church.