if the Mormon Church is false, then why would Father Joseph Vajda, a Roman Catholic Dominican monk, successfully complete a master's thesis at the University of California, Berkeley, which shows that this LDS doctrine of human exaltation is consistent with early Christian teachings?
The work in question is Jordan Vajda, OP, "Partakers of the Divine Nature": A Comparative Analysis of the Patristic and Mormon Doctrines of Divinization, master's thesis, Graduate Theological Union at the University of California, Berkeley, 1998, published under the same title as Occasional Paper No. 3 by the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (Provo, Utah, 2002).
In this work, Father Vajda notes that the writings of the early Church fathers clearly express a belief in the divine potential of human beings - that we can become "gods" through the grace of Christ and partake in the divine nature.
2007-12-12 07:45:54 · 17 answers · asked by notoriousnicholas 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
LOL-- Cuz it's true.
Romans 8:17....
We're God's children, and therefore joint-heirs with Jesus to all Father has (is?)
Paul clearly felt we were literally God's children.... dunno what the big deal is when we LDS agree....
2007-12-12 08:40:14 · answer #1 · answered by Yoda's Duck 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
You are asking for something that cannot be given. You are looking for physical evidence that can be debated. Sure there is allot of evidence that the LDS church is true. But there is no proof. Those who believe, accept the evidence while those who do not, scoff at it. The LDS church survives on personal revelation. I cannot provide that to you. You must gain it yourself. To tell you the truth, with all the negative stuff going around about the church, I suspect there would be very few followers without personal revelation. All this talk about feelings and burning in the bosom are pop spirituality. The Holy Ghost is real and it leads us to what is good. It speaks though what Mormons call the light or spirit of Christ. This is where our conscience comes from and everyone has it to varying degree's of sensitivity. I can say that I know that the Book of Mormon is true because the Holy Ghost has confirmed in a powerful way that it is good and right and true. You also feel the spirit of Christ that tells us right and wrong. If someone asked you if you believed that beating a 3 year child was a good thing, what would you say? I will be that no sophistry or debating could sway you from believing it was wrong. You can say that you know. Even when people mock, you would probably stick to your conviction. The Holy Ghost uses this same power and can lead us to all truth.
2016-04-08 23:10:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I used to belong to the Jehovah's Witness cult, and they spoke exactly as Mormons do. They claim to be the Truth, the only ones that really know and worship God. If you do a search on Jehovah's Witness in Yahoo Answers you will find the conversations parallel those when searching on Mormons.
If you look at http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/similar.htm and other topics on jwfacts.com you will see that although the doctrine may differ slightly, the techniques and history of the groups are very much the same. All cults spend effort pushing the small amount of research that supports their cause, ignoring that the majority of information available proves their religions untrue.
The fact is that people do not believe a religion because it is true, the principle decider will be where they are born and what their parents believed.
2007-12-12 15:29:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Mormon religion is as real as Harry potter. Its a fiction account of Christ in the Americas. Probably move by white supremest agenda.
They have been proven wrong by DNA exports, Archaeologist, Historians, Geographers, Theologists, Former Members and anyone with free will and intelligence. But most importantly the Bible.
Jehovah witness are not a cult it is a legitimate Christian denomination base solely on interpretation of the Bible. More so then the Catholic and Evangelic. Must not have been a Jehovah witness to have said that. And I am a Christian of no denomination. People hate religion that tell them they can't polute their bodies, have orgies, fornication and adultery and be forgiven like nothing happen. Yes God forgives but he isn't a fool either.
Your source bares no weight in justice, because all denomination of Christianity believe they are the most correct interpretation. A denomination of the Christianity is just that a interpretation of the bible. Unlike the Mormons and they are all based on the Judeo Christian believe.
2007-12-12 16:25:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
I find it funny how so many members of the church don't see how much their beliefs have changed just over the past 30 years. They are constantly changing their views so that they look more christian. I guess that is ok they are only fooling themselves no one else believs it. Did you check out the interview yesterday with Romney. He was asked on national telivsion if the mormons beleive that Satan and Jesus are brothers. I know for a certain fact that they do. However, he and I quote said " that is a traditional smear on the church" He denied thats what the believe on national telivsion. OMG I'm so tired of this debate.
2007-12-13 01:15:45 · answer #5 · answered by averagegolfer3 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
People will take this to mean that we will be above God, or that we are trying to take away what is rightfully Gods. They don't understand the symbolism, or the way it was worded, so the will decipher it as they want to. Also, to most people, the idea that we could be even remotely like God blows what they think about God out of the water. If we could be like God, then God can't be the entity they think He is.
I can understand where they are coming from. If you had been taught something all your life, and believe in that with all your heart, it would be hard to understand that someone else could think differently from you.
2007-12-12 08:28:02 · answer #6 · answered by odd duck 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't think were false. Most of the reasons why people think were false is because of crazy roumers they've heard, for example:
Many people believe that that the church of jesus christ of latter day saints (aka the mormon church) is a cult. they think it's a secret society. There are many lies and garbled versions about mormons. So they really don't understand mormons. So people like to insult us or create lies, or put us down. It's really sorrowing we don't do really half the stuff people say we do.
Here. I asked a question about the strange rumors people have heard about mormons. i got alot of crazy answers: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
Every church is different. Let's just accept each other's differences, ok? it will make this website a better place.
2007-12-12 07:52:31 · answer #7 · answered by ~*Felicity*~ 3 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Deification is still a strong doctrine in the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church, so it should be no surprise to Christians that early church fathers espoused the concept.....
I think I read somewhere that Father Vajda is now Elder Vajda...I leave it up to you to argue whether that was a promotion or demotion....
"Neither, then, imortal nor yet mortal did He make him, but, as we have said above,
capable of both; so that if he should incline to the things of immortality, KEEPING
THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, he should receive as reward from Him immortality,
AND SHOULD BECOME GOD; but if, on the other hand, he should turn to the things
of death, disobeying God, he should himself be the cause of death
to himself"
(Theophilus To Autolycus, Book II, 27).
"For the Spirit designates both [of them] by the name of God -- both Him who is
anointed as Son, and Him who does anoint, that is, the Father. And again: 'God
hastood in the congregation of the gods,He judges among the gods.' He [here] refers
to the Father and the Son, and those who have received the adoption; but these are the
` Church. . . .
"But of what gods [does he speak]? [Of those] to whom He says, 'I have said, Ye are
gods, and all sons of the Most High.' To those, no doubt, who have received the grace
of the 'adoption,' by which we cry, Abba, Father"
(Irenaus, who lived from A.D. 120 to A.D. 202, was a disciple of Polycarp, who was in turn a disciple of the apostle John, Against Heresies, Book III, vi, 1).
2007-12-12 08:03:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
The promise to become like God isn't new. It was stated early in the Bible (Gen 3:5). Many put their faith in the one who said it too. However, that doesn't make it right or true.
2007-12-12 07:52:38 · answer #9 · answered by Questions_I_ask 2 · 6⤊ 0⤋
does it really show that? I haven't read it, but judging from the title, and the abstract... I don't see it verifying your claim... It looks more like early gnostic thinking. So the mormons would be wrong from any of the other christian churches' point of view... right?
2007-12-12 08:01:40 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Look, it's all very simple. Your "Joseph Vajda" did what "HE" wanted to do....
Whose to say whose right or wrong? A belief is like a feeling, it's not right or wrong,it just is. Who the hell is anyone to question, challenge, diminish, contest against ones personal belief???
A book is a book.....bible, quran, 12-step doesn't make a difference.
Ones personal beliefs is that beings entitlement...and daymn anyone who tries to impose their will on others!!!
2007-12-12 07:53:02 · answer #11 · answered by Loh 2 · 2⤊ 3⤋