4 Responses to “Mormons believe in a different God for each planet? Do they …”
Diego Castro
2009-04-05 22:59:25
Mormons sometimes use the words "God" and "gods" in ways that other Christians do not. This can understandably lead to some confusion. The simple answer to your question is no, we believe God is the God of the whole universe. We do believe that some of God's children will be granted access to His divine power. This is part of what Christ meant when he said through the apostle John, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" (Revelations 3:21). (You can read more about the Mormon view of the afterlife elsewhere on my site.) However, most Mormons would say that even these kinds of "exalted" people are still subject to the supreme oversight of God the Father. He'll always be the supreme God of the universe.
Some Mormons might argue that God's "exalted" children can act independently of His authority and so are "gods" in their own right. I believe this view is in the minority, however, and I don't think it is supported by the official teachings of the Church.
Anonymous
2009-04-08 10:33:21
I think that the web master did a good job of answering the question as far as he has knowledge to do so. I feel however this is one of those questions that we don't get a full answer to in this life.
We've got enought information to reach a good spot in heaven after this life, and when we get to a point where more information is needed, and we merit it, then we'll get it. For now we get the trails of faith and trusting that it will all work out.
Webmaster: I think this answer is better than the one I gave. "We just don't know" is probably the best answer to most of these kinds of questions. :)
Kendra
2009-05-04 01:40:43
Is this really what you believe?
I came across this paper [on the internet] recently:
Isaiah 43: 10: "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he; before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me."
And then it said: "Mormons would say that this verse refers just to this world, that there is no other God that the latter day saints worship besides Eloheim. To them God is just the God of this world (earth) but there are many gods and many worlds. Thats what they believe." Please clarify.
Diego Castro
2009-05-04 01:46:19
Hi Kendra,
It was good to hear from you again. The quote you cite is at best a gross oversimplification of our beliefs. Individual Mormons have many varying opinions about these kinds of questions, but the truth is we don't really know much about how God has organized His universe. I think very few Mormons would accept the specific idea that each planet has its own God. If I'm not mistaken, that idea came out of the very inaccurate anti-Mormon movie "The God Makers," which was condemned by the Jewish Anti-Defamation League for its blatant bigotry against Mormons.
Joseph Smith certainly did preach about a single "God the Father" who is apparently sovereign over the entire universe. His teachings guide my own opinion concerning this question. I believe that God the Father (Eloheim as He is called in Hebrew) is the God of the entire universe. I think the idea that He is limited to one single planet is silly.
One verse of Mormon scripture teaches the following about God: "And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten." Clearly, the creations of our Heavenly Father (Eloheim) extend far, far beyond this world alone. He is the Creator and Governor of the whole Universe.
Some Mormons might argue that God's "exalted" children can act independently of His authority and so are "gods" in their own right. I believe this view is in the minority, however, and I don't think it is supported by the official teachings of the Church.
We've got enought information to reach a good spot in heaven after this life, and when we get to a point where more information is needed, and we merit it, then we'll get it. For now we get the trails of faith and trusting that it will all work out.
Webmaster: I think this answer is better than the one I gave. "We just don't know" is probably the best answer to most of these kinds of questions. :)
I came across this paper [on the internet] recently:
Isaiah 43: 10: "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he; before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me."
And then it said: "Mormons would say that this verse refers just to this world, that there is no other God that the latter day saints worship besides Eloheim. To them God is just the God of this world (earth) but there are many gods and many worlds. Thats what they believe." Please clarify.
It was good to hear from you again. The quote you cite is at best a gross oversimplification of our beliefs. Individual Mormons have many varying opinions about these kinds of questions, but the truth is we don't really know much about how God has organized His universe. I think very few Mormons would accept the specific idea that each planet has its own God. If I'm not mistaken, that idea came out of the very inaccurate anti-Mormon movie "The God Makers," which was condemned by the Jewish Anti-Defamation League for its blatant bigotry against Mormons.
Joseph Smith certainly did preach about a single "God the Father" who is apparently sovereign over the entire universe. His teachings guide my own opinion concerning this question. I believe that God the Father (Eloheim as He is called in Hebrew) is the God of the entire universe. I think the idea that He is limited to one single planet is silly.
One verse of Mormon scripture teaches the following about God: "And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten." Clearly, the creations of our Heavenly Father (Eloheim) extend far, far beyond this world alone. He is the Creator and Governor of the whole Universe.
Hope this answer helps.