So what is known of Mormonism?

[ClaranceSH]

Mormonism has several areas where they differ from Christianity. One is area that is not known by all mormins is that they do continue to write "scripture" and one of the early "prophets" wrote that as, "as man is, God once was." Meaning that they believe that God was once a man.

They claim that Jesus was just a son of God and the perfect son but that he is seperate. They say that we had to sin so we could one day become God's ourselves. They do not believe in a hell like we do. They believe Satan and Jesus are brothers.

There is also a few different mormon sects, some believe that anyone can be a prophet and some believe only decendants of Joseph Smith can be. One of the branches has made more and more steps to line themselves up with the general beliefs of protestant Christians but still hold some traditionally mormon beliefs but they seem to be sheding them.

I would love to see that happen all the way but mainstream mormonism tends to try and just hide the diffrences and keeps a tight rap on the secret rituals they do but many books by former mormans have come out show casing some of those rituals that only higher up members can take.  

[KraylorDePanthro]

Yes, Mormonism does believe in continuing revelation, and that we have a prophet on the earth today.
As for the becoming gods, that would be for those in the Celestial heaven, who have a celestial Marriage and are exalted, they are glorified with Christ, as they take on the name of Christ, the glory and authority they gain is from Heavenly Father and through Jesus Christ.
Yes, the fall is believed to be necessary, as the two Commandments of be fruitful and multiply and to not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil were somewhat mutually exclusive as in a pre-carnal state, man in body, wouldn't be having sex, and so not able to be fruitful and multiply, until after.
The Prophet/First President is chosen by sustaining and revelation of the Holy Spirit by the Quorum of the 12 apostles. I believe that was the group.

Yes, there are other groups which originated in LDS, but differentiated themselves later. FLDS and RLDS I think are them. RLDS are likely the ones you speak of, while FLDS cling to certain beliefs like polygamy that the Church no longer allows.  

[ClaranceSH]

I don't see how the fall is necessary for procreating. The story about how the other books came about is rather sketchy. The idea of God once being like us is entirely against the fact that He has always been. The fact that pologomy was ever praceticed by teachers/elders/pastor or which ever title was taken goes against scripture.  

[Xandris]

ClaranceSH

The fact that pologomy was ever praceticed by teachers/elders/pastor or which ever title was taken goes against scripture.

Unless you're looking at the OT where most men had a minumum of two wives. stare  

[Priestley]

Xandris

ClaranceSH

The fact that pologomy was ever praceticed by teachers/elders/pastor or which ever title was taken goes against scripture.

Unless you're looking at the OT where most men had a minumum of two wives. stare

The Old Testament is also responsible for making polygamy illegal. The reason was because of hardness of heart. My understanding of this is that polygamy was made illegal because it made people jealous.

However, in parts of the world, polygamy is still legal and it works. Providing that relationships between all involved parties remain stable, I don't see why there should be an issue other than "that dude has more wives than me, that's not fair", etc..  

[Fushigi na Butterfly]

Interestingly enough, in the cultures where polygamy is practiced, more wives means more wealth (more resources to support your wives and their children, more children to work for you, etc.). We have the same issues here, just replace "wives" with "cars" or "iPods" or "money."  

[Priestley]

Fushigi na Butterfly

Interestingly enough, in the cultures where polygamy is practiced, more wives means more wealth (more resources to support your wives and their children, more children to work for you, etc.). We have the same issues here, just replace "wives" with "cars" or "iPods" or "money."

Well yes, generally anyone with more desirable things is seen as being better off. The trouble is that I don't see why anyone who has good things should be penalised in society for having those things or that people being jealous is a reason for preventing others from enjoying what they have.  

[Fushigi na Butterfly]

Yeah ... that's true ... confused  

[Xandris]

Priestley

Well yes, generally anyone with more desirable things is seen as being better off. The trouble is that I don't see why anyone who has good things should be penalised in society for having those things or that people being jealous is a reason for preventing others from enjoying what they have.

Unless it's the women themselves that are jealous, and they have every right to be. No matter how much these wives get along with each other, there's still the simple fact that they're sharing the same man, and that can get under one's skin.  

[Priestley]

Xandris

Priestley

Well yes, generally anyone with more desirable things is seen as being better off. The trouble is that I don't see why anyone who has good things should be penalised in society for having those things or that people being jealous is a reason for preventing others from enjoying what they have.

Unless it's the women themselves that are jealous, and they have every right to be. No matter how much these wives get along with each other, there's still the simple fact that they're sharing the same man, and that can get under one's skin.

Jealousy isn't restricted to the female gender. Besides, who says the wives wouldn't be allowed to practice polygamy themselves?

Also, how is jealousy righteous and coveting not, since one comes from the other?  

[KraylorDePanthro]

LDS doesn't practice polygamy any longer, though FLDS and some Islamic may,
Long ago, some in Judaism had multiple wives, my understanding of the Islamic logic of it anyway, is that you may have more wives if you can support and satisfy all of them. That may be the same case in the others as well, though not sure.
LDS is a law abiding religion, when the laws of the land went against the practice, and one of the prophets declared that they would no longer practice it, they stopped, those who didn't want to stop it, and still thought it valid amoung other disagreements, formed the FLDS.

"Polygamy (Plural Marriage)

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. At certain times and for His specific purposes, God, through His prophets, has directed the practice of plural marriage (sometimes called polygamy), which means one man having more than one living wife at the same time. In obedience to direction from God, Latter-day Saints followed this practice for about 50 years during the 1800s but officially ceased the practice of such marriages after the Manifesto was issued by President Woodruff in 1890. Since that time, plural marriage has not been approved by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and any member adopting this practice is subject to losing his or her membership in the Church."

-from LDS.org the quote.