Questions for Mormons?

Question

DISCLAIMER: These are serious questions and Im not trying to diss on your religion, so if you have a problem then simply click on the back button instead of trying to waste five minutes of your life writing a really long reply trying to insult me, which I wont read after the first line anyway.

Is it true that you have three layers for Heaven? I was told by Mormons that there really isnt a Hell, everyone who deserves to go to Hell gets stuck in the lowest form of Heaven. They told me the second layer was you got to kick it with Jesus and the third you got to kick it with God. But Hitler and Saddam is kicking it in the first layer by themselves.

Also, the only way to go on your mission is to have the head priest or whatever you wanna call them send you on your mission, but only after God tells them to. Does your preacher talk to God himself?

Next, if I were to talk into SLC saying God Himself spoke to me and I was carrying proof with writing on a piece of wood (yes I know Joseph Smith had golden tablets) everyone would think Im crazy. But would I sound any crazier then Joseph Smith?

Answer 1

RickNY and Justme&3 gave really good answers, so I won't waste my time writing it all over again. But your last addition. That made me chuckle. You really would be considered crazy, naturally. Joseph Smith was considered crazy. But I'm sure you'll convince SOMEONE, too. Joseph Smith convinced many many people with the Holy Spirit. I don't know if even you would believe yourself. If you did, then.....good luck with founding your own religion. Joseph Smith acted on God's council. He didn't make it up.
Thanks for your sincere question about Mormons. We need more of those around here.

Answer 2

The "Three Kingdoms of Heaven" are first described by Emmanuel Swedenborg in the late 1700s, some 40 years before J Smith was born in his book, "Heaven and Hell".

This was in response to a series of 'heavenly visitors' visions who told Swedenborg that god had a New Plan, as the Old One wasn't working out so well.

Then Smith copied the idea.

Swedenborg was an acknowledged scientist and philosopher, Smith was an Idiot.

Answer 3

It looks like the layers part has been answered, but not the "hell" part. We believe that when the people who did not believe in Jesus Christ or never heard of him die, they are in what we call spirit prison, which can be termed "hell" There, we believe, they are taught the gospel by those who are dead but learned it in this life. After the 2nd Coming and millenium everyone will be resurrected, judged and assigned their eternal consequences. Those that committed the unpardonable sin of "denying the Holy Ghost" will not receive a degree of glory, but will be consigned to "outer darkness" which can also be called "hell." however it is extremely difficult to get there, so we don't mention it often because it doesn't apply to 99.999% of the world.

Hope that helps

Answer 4

Ryan,

Regarding your questions on Heaven. Instead of layers, we prefer to call them degrees, of glory. Within these degrees are also certain subdivisions if you will. It really does make sense when you have so many varying degrees of obedience to God's word. The better effort you put in to live your life right, the greater the reward. The Bible itself speaks of "many mansions" and "degrees of glory" akin to the sun, moon, and stars. Jesus used the phrase "many mansions" in the Gospels and the degrees of glory are mentioned in 1 Corinthians.

Regarding the mission, one goes on a mission first and foremost because it is a commandment for all young worthy single males to do so. When the desire builds, one goes through the process of interviews w/his local ecclesiastical leaders, he also gets his physical and dental exams done, and discussion on how to pay for his mission takes place. Finally, if all goes well there, the young man sends his papers to headquarters and awaits to hear where the President of the Church (not a local leader, but the leader of the worldwide church) feels he should go. The President is regarded as a prophet and the Lord's spokesperson here on Earth. In such a context, we certainly take our mission call very seriously and sacredly.

I served a mission, so I know the process full well. Today, I am a local leader and was part of the process in helping a young man prepare to serve today. It was not my decision on where he went, but the Lord's, through our prophet, the President of the Church.

Regarding if our preachers talk to God themselves, what I can tell you is that we can all talk to God no matter who we are. We are all encouraged to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. With respect to the affairs of an entire congregation, it is up to the bishop to receive revelation for the congregation. For the affairs of the whole Church, it is only our President who can receive revelation for that.

Forgive me if this was long, but I sensed the candor in your desire to understand us better and I just wanted to do the best I can. I appreciate your openness. Hope this helped.

Answer 5

I'm very interested in hearing the answers to these questions. I've studied the LDS religion a bit and I've heard a lot. In the LDS religion there are 3 levels of heaven, but I believe there is also a 'highest' where if you've been 'good' enough you become a 'god' yourself and you get your own 'heaven and earth.' Only the men can becomes gods and they can have as many wives/goddesses they want to physically populate their 'new earth.'

I'm looking forward to seeing your other responses!

Answer 6

Yes---we believe there are 3 degrees of glory.
The telestial
The terrestrial
The Celestial (there are also 3 kingdoms here, the highest of which is where God dwells)
We do not know who will go where...it is not up to us.
Our head "priest" is our prophet. Yes he signs each and every mission call. I believe Gordon B Hinckley talks to God. Everyone can. It's called prayer.
Thank you for a non insulting, non condescending question.

Answer 7

Except for Roadrat's juvenile response, the other answers are correct.

Not much is known about Outer Darkness, even in the revealed scripture that we have. But what has been revealed by the Savior is that it is not of fire and brimstone, but the exact opposite: cold, dank, no light of Christ for the eternities.

As mentioned previously, this Outer Darkness is reserved for Satan and his followers and those that blaspheme the Holy Ghost in the unpardonable sin.

Ryan, your question is a good, decent one.

Answer 8

Yes, there is hell. One hell is where a person goes who dies without repenting of their sins. They are there till they have repented. Then they go to the Telestial Kingdom, the lowest of the three kingdoms of heaven.

Te other hell is Outer Darkness where Satan and his followers go, including teh Sons of Perdition, whoever they are.

If you want to go on a full time mission, you go to your bishop (local leader) and fill out a lot of papers and get checked out by a doctor and dentist, and then your papers are submitted to Salt Lake, where it is decided where you will go.

And everyone talks to God when they pray.

Answer 9

regarding your "piece of wood" on which you have written what God told you, we believe in revelation. You have a perfect right to receive your own revelation for yourself, we all receive personal revelation, for ourselves. some call that answer to prayer. The only person we recognize with authority to receive revelation for the whole church is the head Priest as you call him, our Prophet, President of our church

Answer 10

Here is the thing....Mormonism didn't create this but are commonly blamed for this one.. 1Cor 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

the other scripture talking about the several mansions or places for his children is in John 14:2-4 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.


On Outer darkness: Matthew 8:12 does not refer to children as we might think..but to God WE ARE ALL his children regardless of our age. in the same way you are still a son/daughter of your parents here on earth. Darkness, symbolically is that of IGNORANCE or SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS...which to me signifies a blatant offense of KNOWING full well of the laws and purposely ignoring them as well as any sense of accountability or responsibility as well.


As far as the choice to go on a mission...it is PURELY free agency...it was my choice from the beginning...We DO have an interview with our bishop to verify that we are worthy (cannot have pre-marital sex, cannot have gone to jail there are other things that can render you as unworthy as a missionary) BUT...for those who "pass", they do all of their medical and send a package into the Church at which point the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley is inspired by God where each person is to go. we then receive a package in the mail regarding the decision as to where we will be going. My brother went to the Philippines, my Dad went to Southern Brasil (Porto Alegre) and I went to Central Brasil (Belo Horizonte), I have cousins who have been called to Salt Lake City, Washington DC, Paraguay...so there is no REAL rhythym as far as where you go..i have uncles who went all over as well...it really IS a personal decision as to where we will go. I know for a fact that I was supposed to go to Belo Horizonte. there were families that I was privileged enough to meet and know that impacted my life as much as I may have impacted theirs.

Now..as far as my preacher talking to God? That is a stretch obviously...HOWEVER...we ALL have stewardship over our families whether we are Mormon or not...so I can pray as well as my wife and we can receive answers to our prayers regarding OUR family and OUR marriage. A Bishop has stewardship over his congregation and can do the same. A Stake president is in charge of SEVERAL (7-10) congregations and can, again do the same...as you go higher and higher...the responsibility as well as the accountability increases...and as ANY Prophet from the Old and New Testament.. they are in charge of the Church as a whole and DOES commune with Heavenly Father in that regard with the 12 Apostles as Christ did when he was here on Earth.