Why does Mormonism want to be Associated with Christianity?

[TasteForTruth]

Hi,
I am going out to Brownsville for another great hamburger. Last week's trip was more than wonderful, in the food, the museum and that place that serves wonderful home made cinamon roles. Saturday is my play day, and if I don't, God gets involveced and causes it to happen with me.
This is still personal and as private as this can be to me, and hopefully to you. Could you help my curiousity a little more???? Please.
What was your first great barrier to belief, in what I would like now between you and I to call the LDS, gospel, if that is okay. I do not mean for everyone, but for you and I as, Restored Gospel is too esoteric for me, right now.
What were the weighty questions. Again between you and I.
LOVE,
...Katie., .... .

I was raised in the LDS church and was taught the Restored Gospel all along the way. As such, I can't really say that I had to breach a barrier of any kind before I began believing. This is not to say that I never had questions or doubts. Rather, it is to say that it was primarily when I was older, and was confronted by persons contradicting what I'd been taught, that I began measuring what I'd been taught against common barriers to belief, both general and specific. The existence and nature of God, is a good example. The teaching in the Restored Gospel that God is an immortal, glorified, perfect, embodied man (something I had, until that point, always believed), upon scrutiny and evaluation and prayer and reflection, became something that I simply could not deny. It wasn't just an idea. It wasn't just a teaching. It was the truth—absolute, dependable, inspiring, ennobling, and worthy of being shouted from the rooftops. Whatever had been my reasons, prior to that time, for believing that the Restored Gospel was truly God's, I now had one that I couldn't simply dismiss. My spirit had been enlarged. Things both temporal and spiritual had become clearer. The ground beneath me felt more firm than it had before, if you will. It was like I was being found after wandering lost for a long time, even though I'd never really felt...lost. I don't know...it's difficult to describe. Hopefully you perceive in that the message I intend to convey.

 

[TasteForTruth]

..When I say to you that God was never a man, or that Jesus did not have to be "exalted" because He was always God to begin with...He is not stepping up to God's throne, He stepped down from it for our sakes...

So true and many verses support that truth.

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 17:5
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Where in LDS doctrine is it taught or believed—or could it in any way be even implied—that Jesus "stepped up" to God's throne, had designs on it, attempted it, or in any way presumed it as his own?

If such evidence cannot be produced, then you have no grounds to make a contrasting comparison. Or, in other words, if no such evidence can be produced, you are both railing against a straw man assertion.

 

[katerinah1947]

I was raised in the LDS church and was taught the Restored Gospel all along the way. As such, I can't really say that I had to breach a barrier of any kind before I began believing. This is not to say that I never had questions or doubts. Rather, it is to say that it was primarily when I was older, and was confronted by persons contradicting what I'd been taught, that I began measuring what I'd been taught against common barriers to belief, both general and specific. The existence and nature of God, is a good example. The teaching in the Restored Gospel that God is an immortal, glorified, perfect, embodied man (something I had, until that point, always believed), upon scrutiny and evaluation and prayer and reflection, became something that I simply could not deny. It wasn't just an idea. It wasn't just a teaching. It was the truth—absolute, dependable, inspiring, ennobling, and worthy of being shouted from the rooftops. Whatever had been my reasons, prior to that time, for believing that the Restored Gospel was truly God's, I now had one that I couldn't simply dismiss. My spirit had been enlarged. Things both temporal and spiritual had become clearer. The ground beneath me felt more firm than it had before, if you will. It was like I was being found after wandering lost for a long time, even though I'd never really felt...lost. I don't know...it's difficult to describe. Hopefully you perceive in that the message I intend to convey.

Hi,
I am at KIRK'S FERRY, in Brownsville, sitting at a table with my food, and the internet on this old old iPad, with a wireless keyboard to allow me to type comfortably. The Gals from the Lutheran Church even dropped by, from Sweet Home. I don't remember their names. As my food cools because talking to you is interesting, much of you makes sense to me. Maybe all of you does.
I am possibly left with fond thoughts of you, and yes, I am taken, I am also old, I am 67, so this if it sounds creepy, please try and feel this another way now. Those fond thoughts are for your comfort in an uncomfortable world.
I if you will allow me, will reveal to you some of the reasons, now, that I do not believe in God technically, nor do I believe in The Bible technically. That is a very very very long story, taking many hours, and I wish to stay on point with you now.
I unlike you questioned to the point of ~telling God one day, I would not believe in Him, nor believe what that church I was born into, said.~ That sounds unforgivable. I said it totally honestly. I did not know, Who was talking to me. I actually still do not know precisely. At least not yet. Precisely, I mean.
Later after having the proofs, and therefore, KNOWING God is Real, and knowing The Bible is Real, in 2006. in January, in a foreign country I was called to, I heard that same voice again. ~"Think of the end to Silent Night."~. That was more than a request. It was a command.
Before I go on. The Barrd said once, or ToBeBlessed said once, that God comes to us as we are. My end to Silent Night is different from everyone else's. It is 'So Tender and Mild" You see, I am so deaf, that I cannot hear, and therefore remember songs. Thus what I have is merely the pieces, of what is actually there. (God comes to us, as we are, verbally, and emotionally.)
Instantly "Tender and Mild entered me." It seemed full force. I was frightened that This that I would later find out is Jesus The Christ, gave me no indications of Who or What He was. Now, for you. The lights went out. As the interiour of me, was lit up by Tender and Mild. I was given the measure of this. I was given visuals with content. I was given words with content, and much much more. I was given information, precisely on the core personality of Jesus, The Christ.
Yet, it was not that, that made me believe in God. It was the proofs of The Bible as given to me really, but I had to do all of the work. (Well almost.) It is also that proof, that caused me to know God, then God if you will, came out of the woodwork in slang, and made it impossible for me to ever not remember that proof, and the pure existence of God. Jesus coming inside of me, and other things happened years later from that proof.
After the proof was done, I picked a church as something in there is written about not forsaking your regular meetings.
At this point, if I had nothing else, I have to believe. God is a fact to me. The Bible is a fact to me. Those proofs, all scientific, repeatable, and in the words of some others falsifiable, is my experience with God, and it is why I believe.
LOVE,
...Katherina., .... .

 

[Der Alte]

I was raised in the LDS church and was taught the Restored Gospel all along the way. As such, I can't really say that I had to breach a barrier of any kind before I began believing. This is not to say that I never had questions or doubts. Rather, it is to say that it was primarily when I was older, and was confronted by persons contradicting what I'd been taught, that I began measuring what I'd been taught against common barriers to belief, both general and specific. The existence and nature of God, is a good example. The teaching in the Restored Gospel that God is an immortal, glorified, perfect, embodied man (something I had, until that point, always believed), upon scrutiny and evaluation and prayer and reflection, became something that I simply could not deny. It wasn't just an idea. It wasn't just a teaching. It was the truth—absolute, dependable, inspiring, ennobling, and worthy of being shouted from the rooftops. Whatever had been my reasons, prior to that time, for believing that the Restored Gospel was truly God's, I now had one that I couldn't simply dismiss. My spirit had been enlarged. Things both temporal and spiritual had become clearer. The ground beneath me felt more firm than it had before, if you will. It was like I was being found after wandering lost for a long time, even though I'd never really felt...lost. I don't know...it's difficult to describe. Hopefully you perceive in that the message I intend to convey.

Unfortunately there are a lot of folks who belong to other denominations such as JW, WWCG, UU, OP UPCI, SDA, INC to name only a few who say exactly the same thing. You all can be wrong but you can't all be right. And there are some people posting here who once said virtually the same thing you say here but now renounce the teaching of the LDS. Anectdotal testimony does not carry much weight.

 

[TasteForTruth]

Hi,
I am at KIRK'S FERRY, in Brownsville, sitting at a table with my food, and the internet on this old old iPad, with a wireless keyboard to allow me to type comfortably. The Gals from the Lutheran Church even dropped by, from Sweet Home. I don't remember their names. As my food cools because talking to you is interesting, much of you makes sense to me. Maybe all of you does.
I am possibly left with fond thoughts of you, and yes, I am taken, I am also old, I am 67, so this if it sounds creepy, please try and feel this another way now. Those fond thoughts are for your comfort in an uncomfortable world.
I if you will allow me, will reveal to you some of the reasons, now, that I do not believe in God technically, nor do I believe in The Bible technically. That is a very very very long story, taking many hours, and I wish to stay on point with you now.
I unlike you questioned to the point of ~telling God one day, I would not believe in Him, nor believe what that church I was born into, said.~ That sounds unforgivable. I said it totally honestly. I did not know, Who was talking to me. I actually still do not know precisely. At least not yet. Precisely, I mean.
Later after having the proofs, and therefore, KNOWING God is Real, and knowing The Bible is Real, in 2006. in January, in a foreign country I was called to, I heard that same voice again. ~"Think of the end to Silent Night."~. That was more than a request. It was a command.
Before I go on. The Barrd said once, or ToBeBlessed said once, that God comes to us as we are. My end to Silent Night is different from everyone else's. It is 'So Tender and Mild" You see, I am so deaf, that I cannot hear, and therefore remember songs. Thus what I have is merely the pieces, of what is actually there. (God comes to us, as we are, verbally, and emotionally.)
Instantly "Tender and Mild entered me." It seemed full force. I was frightened that This that I would later find out is Jesus The Christ, gave me no indications of Who or What He was. Now, for you. The lights went out. As the interiour of me, was lit up by Tender and Mild. I was given the measure of this. I was given visuals with content. I was given words with content, and much much more. I was given information, precisely on the core personality of Jesus, The Christ.
Yet, it was not that, that made me believe in God. It was the proofs of The Bible as given to me really, but I had to do all of the work. (Well almost.) It is also that proof, that caused me to know God, then God if you will, came out of the woodwork in slang, and made it impossible for me to ever not remember that proof, and the pure existence of God. Jesus coming inside of me, and other things happened years later from that proof.
After the proof was done, I picked a church as something in there is written about not forsaking your regular meetings.
At this point, if I had nothing else, I have to believe. God is a fact to me. The Bible is a fact to me. Those proofs, all scientific, repeatable, and in the words of some others falsifiable, is my experience with God, and it is why I believe.
LOVE,
...Katherina., .... .

Thanks for sharing your experience. It is a good feeling to have a solid faith, isn't it. Stay strong in it! Should you ever find yourself ready for an even more expanded eternal vista, don't hesitate to study the Restored Gospel. It may challenge certain doctrinal beliefs you may have, but that's what it's designed to do. On the other side is a trove of truth that won't ever stop expanding.

God bless in your journey.
TFT

 

[TasteForTruth]

Unfortunately there are a lot of folks who belong to other denominations such as JW, WWCG, UU, OP UPCI, SDA, INC to name only a few who say exactly the same thing. You all can be wrong but you can't all be right.

I don't doubt their sincerity and am not concerned about the apparent contradictions. All will have an opportunity to know and accept the truth.

And there are some people posting here who once said virtually the same thing you say here but now renounce the teaching of the LDS. Anectdotal testimony does not carry much weight.

I haven't given you any testimony. I have given you a list of reasons why I believe. And as for those who have left the LDS church, I can only say that it's not likely they really understood what they once had. I'm afraid many LDS neglect the care of their legitimate, Spirit-borne testimony (if they ever really had one). And when the strong winds of confrontation, misinformation and falsehood blow against the weakened walls, the structure just can't support the strain.

 

[katerinah1947]

Thanks for sharing your experience. It is a good feeling to have a solid faith, isn't it. Stay strong in it! Should you ever find yourself ready for an even more expanded eternal vista, don't hesitate to study the Restored Gospel. It may challenge certain doctrinal beliefs you may have, but that's what it's designed to do. On the other side is a trove of truth that won't ever stop expanding.

God bless in your journey.
TFT

~Hi,
You said: Should you ever find yourself ready for and even more expanded eternal vista, don't hestitate to study the Restored Gospel. I think I have. I have read the Book of Mormon. I have attended services at the LDS. I have searched there. I have also searched many other faiths. I will talk of none of that, but of a part of my experience.
For years, before I was called to see God, I was asked by I think The Holy Spirit, to talk to Missionairies.
The first of these events, I was leaving my choice of churches, for do not forsake your weekly meetings. There are two missionaries across the street. "Go talk to them." No. "Go" No. I felt bad in a few moments. I then said: "Okay, I will park my car on the corner. I will walk up the sidewalk, and if they leave the door of the people they are talking to, and meet me, I will talk to them." Well, of course they did. For years I would repeat this kind of thing. Each time, I would listen to my words less and less, compared to the first of these events.
In the first event like this. I tried to remember the words I spoke. I did. Wow! "Is that true? Are the mormons like that?" I pretty much knew that what I listened to, those words out of my mouth, were real. Amazingly, none of this bothered me. None of it.
Coming back from Seeing The Essence of The Trinity, and having had Jesus come inside of me there, revealing to me why He Loves, and also seeing The Virgin Mary as she looked when she was older, (A very special treat for me. I always wanted to know that.), a day or so after I got back home from that foreign country, Missionaries showed up at my door. Infused knowledge hit. I had an emotional response with content now. Yet, that is not important here yet, between you and I sharing. This next part is.
~When I interfaced with Jesus, who personally came inside of me, a tunnel was involved. I in some format, was traveling down that tunnel matching This inside of me, inch by inch. When Tender and Mild came inside of me: "Oh yeah. I can match you." Those unpious words came out of my mouth. I took off and mathched Mr. Tender and Mild. I did this in kid mode. I was told later why this was allowed. Well, I failed.
Months passed, and I tried again, to see if I could get farther. I did. Then I was shocked, into stopping. Feet of mine came out. I did not think of that then, nor how I was doing this. Below me was something. It was the entire known and unknown universe. That was the end of my second attempt to match what was really in content ~Infinitely Infinitely Infinitely and then some Tender and Mild~ Amazingly, infinite has a size. I knew what that was. Somehow in that set of experiences, I also had put into some of the language of God, with definitions, for I actually for the first time, knew precisely how God defines infinite. Time passed. At some point I would start rememvbering that my shoulders almost touched the tunnel walls as I vertically went down and down, fearing the direction, and fearing the darkness. LATER, I would not.
The third time I tried this, I went the entire way and saw the envelope, within which, the entire known and unknown universe exists. I also knew where earth was. Enough of that for now.
You have said to me, to see more. At least that is what you seemed to say. I have seen it all. ~God's pretty wondeful.~ Isn't He?
In my life, I don't know what else I could be shown. I have seen all the people that exist that do exist. Again, off topic. I have seen what people look like in heaven. Again off topic. I interface with God The Father now. This part is on Topic. I interface with Jesus and The Holy Spirit. That is my normal life. I have seen and experienced more than that, not that God, is not really the source of everything, but I mean, I have interfaced now with Angels and Saints for the first time this year.
And because we are being entirely personal with each other, I will leave it at that. There is virtually nothing I have not experienced in God's world, except the realization of heaven, or actually seeing God's face. I have not seen that, I have felt Him, with content. And just seeing The Essence of God, left me with an almost unbearable task, to breath without His presence. Instantly after that encounter, I didn't want to be here anymore. I wanted to be there, and I still do. So, seeing God's face, would be even more impossible for me to bear. I am sure I would lose my mind or die, in the longing, after that.
LOVE,
...Katherina., .... .~

 

[TheBarrd]

Where in LDS doctrine is it taught or believed—or could it in any way be even implied—that Jesus "stepped up" to God's throne, had designs on it, attempted it, or in any way presumed it as his own?

If such evidence cannot be produced, then you have no grounds to make a contrasting comparison. Or, in other words, if no such evidence can be produced, you are both railing against a straw man assertion.

Perhaps I misunderstood you. Did you not tell me that Jesus Christ had been "exalted"? Did you not use Him as the example that showed that God must have been a mortal man who was "exalted" to become God? I don't think it was in this thread, but I'm fairly sure those were your words to me.
We got sort of sidetracked with the new charge that the LDS had taught that God had physically had sex with Mary, as a man has sex with a woman, in order to produce Jesus, remember? As that conversation progressed, it slowly became clear that, while this was never the LDS "official doctrine", the LDS had actually published a book that did teach it, and that there were a few men in authority in the church who also believed and taught it, including, as I recall, a man who the church considered a "prophet".
You got quite upset with me for saying that, if God were nothing more than a man who had been "exalted" and had a body of flesh and blood like all men have, it would be quite plausible that He might feel an attraction to Mary, as a man feels attracted to a woman.
Shortly after that I left the thread, mainly because I felt I was losing control of myself. My sarcastic side started to come out. And you were becoming quite annoyed with me.
But I digress. The point is that God has always been God. He is the only God there is, there are no others. There never was another God to "exalt" Him, nor did He ever need to be "exalted" because He was God before time began.
And Jesus has always been God, as well. He is the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. He existed long before Mary was born...long before Adam was made from the dust of the ground...long before the first star twinkled in the vastness of space. Jesus was not raised up to Heaven, He came down from Heaven to us.
A man cannot be God. The created thing cannot be the Creator. A man can no more be "exalted" to be God than you can "exalt" that keyboard you are typing on to be a man.

 

[TheBarrd]

Where in LDS doctrine is it taught or believed—or could it in any way be even implied—that Jesus "stepped up" to God's throne, had designs on it, attempted it, or in any way presumed it as his own?

If such evidence cannot be produced, then you have no grounds to make a contrasting comparison. Or, in other words, if no such evidence can be produced, you are both railing against a straw man assertion.

I think you missed the point. Jesus never "had designs" on God's throne.
It has always been His throne.
Jesus never "attempted it".
He owns it.
Jesus never "presumed it as His Own".
It is His Own.

The "Great Truth" is that God came to us, lived among us, suffered for us, and died for us.

Jesus is our Emmanuel.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God....

AND THE WORD WAS GOD​

"

 

[Rescued One]

I stuck with Mormonism for years and years knowing that it contradicted the Bible. I attended my meetings, I kept the Word of Wisdom, I paid a full tithe and gave other offerings, I did my visiting teaching, I went as a companion to my husband when he did his home teaching, and at the request of one of the families prepared a message for their children, I was always faithful to my husband, etc. But God kept nudging me to seek Him (whoever He was as I wasn't sure). Interestingly, my neighbor who was being baptized in a Protestant church told me how disappointed she was that her husband was not going to attend. I volunteered because I didn't have transportation to the LDS church and I wanted to comfort her. Praise God for opening my eyes to the message of the Bible! I'll never forget that beautiful Sunday!

PROVERBS 3​

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.​

 

[RevelationTestament]

I stuck with Mormonism for years and years knowing that it contradicted the Bible. I attended my meetings, I kept the Word of Wisdom, I paid a full tithe and gave other offerings, I did my visiting teaching, I went as a companion to my husband when he did his home teaching, and at the request of one of the families prepared a message for their children, I was always faithful to my husband, etc. But God kept nudging me to seek Him (whoever He was as I wasn't sure). Interestingly, my neighbor who was being baptized in a Protestant church told me how disappointed she was that her husband was not going to attend. I volunteered because I didn't have transportation to the LDS church and I wanted to comfort her. Praise God for opening my eyes to the message of the Bible! I'll never forget that beautiful Sunday!

Strange how I had the opposite effect. The Bible led me to the LDS Church. I find nothing inconsistent with the Bible and the LDS church. But, I do find such inconsistencies between other churches and the Bible. It's not like the LDS church hides the Bible - we study it and teach from it. You seem to find comfort in being "freed" from commandments. We cannot live the gospel and be freed from commandments. The greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus called us to live these commandments.

PROVERBS 3​

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.​

 

[RevelationTestament]

After the proof was done, I picked a church as something in there is written about not forsaking your regular meetings.
At this point, if I had nothing else, I have to believe. God is a fact to me. The Bible is a fact to me. Those proofs, all scientific, repeatable, and in the words of some others falsifiable, is my experience with God, and it is why I believe.
LOVE,
...Katherina., .... .

Sounds like a powerful experience. When one has had a powerful experience it does sometimes seem hard to live our lives, because they just don't compare. I encourage you to continue to follow the spirit, and seek Him out. I believe the spirit will lead you to where He wants you to be. Have you visited various churches? It is basically impossible to pray about where He is leading you to if you don't any experience upon which to pray. Continue to seek Him out.
Be blessed

 

[Ran77]

Strange how I had the opposite effect. The Bible led me to the LDS Church. I find nothing inconsistent with the Bible and the LDS church. But, I do find such inconsistencies between other churches and the Bible. It's not like the LDS church hides the Bible - we study it and teach from it. You seem to find comfort in being "freed" from commandments. We cannot live the gospel and be freed from commandments. The greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus called us to live these commandments.

Ditto.

 

[thepromiseofgrace]

Strange how I had the opposite effect. The Bible led me to the LDS Church. I find nothing inconsistent with the Bible and the LDS church. But, I do find such inconsistencies between other churches and the Bible. It's not like the LDS church hides the Bible - we study it and teach from it. You seem to find comfort in being "freed" from commandments. We cannot live the gospel and be freed from commandments. The greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus called us to live these commandments.

So you don't find the information that the mormon God did not create everything when the bible says he did, that's quite a big difference to start with.

 

[RevelationTestament]

So you don't find the information that the mormon God did not create everything when the bible says he did, that's quite a big difference to start with.

The Bible says nothing about God creating the earth from nothing. You are mistaken. It says the earth was without form until Elohim blew His spirit across "the waters" and formed the earth.

You are simply overgeneralizing. Here is another example:
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

Of course they didn't know all things. Not even Christ knew all things since the Father didn't tell Him all things until they were to transpire. Isaiah.

 

[thepromiseofgrace]

The Bible says nothing about God creating the earth from nothing. You are mistaken. It says the earth was without form until Elohim blew His spirit across "the waters" and formed the earth.

You are simply overgeneralizing. Here is another example:
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

Of course they didn't know all things. Not even Christ knew all things since the Father didn't tell Him all things until they were to transpire. Isaiah.

so you don't think the bible says God created everything? who did create everything?

 

[TheBarrd]

With all the various theories about the beginning of the universe, I have forgotten where I read it...but evidently there is at least one that has the universe, shortly after it's beginning, in a sort of semi-liquid state. The whole universe...not just one bit of rock.

Let's take another peek into the Book of Beginnings:

Gen 1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Gen 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
Gen 1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Now, whatever you think this firmament called Heaven might be, it is pretty apparent that it is not anywhere on this planet. Unless you know something I don't?

I submit that, for ancient people who had no knowledge of much outside their own village, the earth would have been the only planet they knew or cared about. However, the account does tell us that God did create everything that exists....including light, itself...stars, et al. It may be a bit clumsy in the details, but the truth is there for anyone who cares to see it.

 

[Jayson Alexander]

The Definition of a Christian is literally means to be "Christ Like" and to follow him as your Messiah.

I really don't think believing in Christ or the Trinity for that matter makes you a default Christian by it's true definition.

Muslims also believe in Jesus.

 

[TheBarrd]

TfT, I saw your post to Katie. As Der Alter told you, many, many people have such testimonies. As far as proving that your faith is true, such words are useless. I'm sure you are telling us the truth, insofar as you know it, but the facts that we know about your faith tell us that you can't possibly be worshiping the same God as we are, even if you are calling Him by the same name.

Henotheism has to be one of the most ridiculous notions I have ever heard. If you acknowledge that there is even one other God it doesn't matter whether you worship him or even know him or not...you lie when you say that you believe that there is only One God. I acknowledge that there are people living in Japan. I do not know them, and I have never spoken to them...but when I say I "acknowledge" them, I am admitting to their existence. Same thing. Henotheism acknowledges the existence of an infinite number of gods...therefore, Henotheism cannot be Christianity, which acknowledges only One. Every Christian recognizes this immediately.
If you want to call yourself a Christian, that is fine with me. If I must put my hand over my mouth, so be it. The god you worship is not the God of Christianity.

 

[Jayson Alexander]

TfT, I saw your post to Katie. As Der Alter told you, many, many people have such testimonies. As far as proving that your faith is true, such words are useless. I'm sure you are telling us the truth, insofar as you know it, but the facts that we know about your faith tell us that you can't possibly be worshiping the same God as we are, even if you are calling Him by the same name.

Henotheism has to be one of the most ridiculous notions I have ever heard. If you acknowledge that there is even one other God it doesn't matter whether you worship him or even know him or not...you lie when you say that you believe that there is only One God. I acknowledge that there are people living in Japan. I do not know them, and I have never spoken to them...but when I say I "acknowledge" them, I am admitting to their existence. Same thing. Henotheism acknowledges the existence of an infinite number of gods...therefore, Henotheism cannot be Christianity, which acknowledges only One. Every Christian recognizes this immediately.
If you want to call yourself a Christian, that is fine with me. If I must put my hand over my mouth, so be it. The god you worship is not the God of Christianity.

To be fair the Trinity is a human paradox, so if you can't understand it, you really don't know what you really believe in.