These are the continued questions from the article FOX News ran in December 2007. The portions in blue were part of the original article.
The next three questions, the Church answered exactly the same way. They are a Church of few words. Or maybe the answer is just the same in all three cases.
Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God? Does the Church believe in the divinity of Jesus? Does the Church believe that God is a physical being?
A: Mormons believe Jesus Christ is literally the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer, who died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead on the third day with an immortal body. God, the Father, also has an immortal body.
Q: Does the church believe God is a physical being? If so, does the Church believe that God lives on a planet named Kolob? Where is the planet Kolob? What significance does the planet have to Mormons?
A: 'Kolob' is a term found in ancient records translated by Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith did not provide a full description or explanation of Kolob nor did he assign the idea particular significance in relation to the Church’s core doctrines.
Joni’s Addition:
This is actually the first time I have heard of the planet Kolob, and Fox News got it wrong. Kolob is not a planet, it’s a star. Some people apparently believe that it is actually a planet, but the widespread opinion is that it is most likely a star. Joseph Smith “discovered” it in the Book of Abraham when he translated it and it is mentioned in chapters 3 and 5. As far as I know, it hasn’t been discovered in real life yet, but you know, Pluto was a planet and is now a star, so maybe that is where Kolob is.
The LDS website has a complete translation here: http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/abr/fac-2?lang=eng Apparently Joseph Smith didn’t get the entire translation of the drawing because he notes that several of the figures will be explained later. Olibish is another star/planet mentioned in the above hieroglyphic. It is mentioned only once in the Book of Abraham, and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that God and Mary had physical sex to conceive Jesus?
A: The Church does not claim to know how Jesus was conceived but believes the Bible and Book of Mormon references to Jesus being born of the Virgin Mary.
The Mormons are a very logical, rational people. Magical conception seems a little far-fetched, as does the idea that Jesus, being the son of God, never married. So the LDS response to Fox isn’t entirely accurate… they do actually for the most part believe that God and Mary had sex, but the Mary was still technically a virgin because she only had sex with an immortal (God). Additionally, it appears that God did not have sex with Mary on earth, but instead, she was taken over to God’s planet and/or heaven to conceive.
SOURCES FOR DAYS 1, 2, and 3 Mormon 21 Questions
Works Cited
FoxNews.com. (2007, December). 21 Questions Answered About the Mormon Faith. Retrieved May 2011, from FOXnews.com: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317272,00.html
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (n.d.). Study Helps. Retrieved from http://lds.org/: http://lds.org/
The next three questions, the Church answered exactly the same way. They are a Church of few words. Or maybe the answer is just the same in all three cases.
Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God? Does the Church believe in the divinity of Jesus? Does the Church believe that God is a physical being?
A: Mormons believe Jesus Christ is literally the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer, who died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead on the third day with an immortal body. God, the Father, also has an immortal body.
Q: Does the church believe God is a physical being? If so, does the Church believe that God lives on a planet named Kolob? Where is the planet Kolob? What significance does the planet have to Mormons?
A: 'Kolob' is a term found in ancient records translated by Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith did not provide a full description or explanation of Kolob nor did he assign the idea particular significance in relation to the Church’s core doctrines.
Joni’s Addition:
This is actually the first time I have heard of the planet Kolob, and Fox News got it wrong. Kolob is not a planet, it’s a star. Some people apparently believe that it is actually a planet, but the widespread opinion is that it is most likely a star. Joseph Smith “discovered” it in the Book of Abraham when he translated it and it is mentioned in chapters 3 and 5. As far as I know, it hasn’t been discovered in real life yet, but you know, Pluto was a planet and is now a star, so maybe that is where Kolob is.
Book of AbrahamIncidentally, Facsimile Number 2 is a drawing in hieroglyphics made by Joseph Smith of what he saw in his vision of the tablets.
3: 3 And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.
3: 16 If two things exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them; therefore Kolob is the greatest of all the Kokaubeam that thou hast seen, because it is nearest unto me.
5: 13 But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the time that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Now I, Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord’s time, which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning.
Facsimile Number 2Fig. 2. Stands next to Kolob, called by the Egyptians Oliblish, which is the next grand governing creation near to the celestial or the place where God resides; holding the key of power also, pertaining to other planets; as revealed from God to Abraham, as he offered sacrifice upon an altar, which he had built unto the Lord.
Q: Does the Mormon Church believe that God and Mary had physical sex to conceive Jesus?
A: The Church does not claim to know how Jesus was conceived but believes the Bible and Book of Mormon references to Jesus being born of the Virgin Mary.
The Mormons are a very logical, rational people. Magical conception seems a little far-fetched, as does the idea that Jesus, being the son of God, never married. So the LDS response to Fox isn’t entirely accurate… they do actually for the most part believe that God and Mary had sex, but the Mary was still technically a virgin because she only had sex with an immortal (God). Additionally, it appears that God did not have sex with Mary on earth, but instead, she was taken over to God’s planet and/or heaven to conceive.
18And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.19And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!20And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. (I Nephi 11:18-20)
SOURCES FOR DAYS 1, 2, and 3 Mormon 21 Questions
Works Cited
FoxNews.com. (2007, December). 21 Questions Answered About the Mormon Faith. Retrieved May 2011, from FOXnews.com: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317272,00.html
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (n.d.). Study Helps. Retrieved from http://lds.org/: http://lds.org/
Hey! Of course I have to throw in my two cents... Can't say I've ever heard at church that God and Mary had sex, but more from personal speculations in side conversations. My husband always says it makes sense, but I'm like, couldn't it have been ... different? Like not so ... carnal? (I guess sex doesn't have to be carnal in a bad way... still trying to figure that one out.) I also don't know that I've ever heard of her being taken to God's "planet." Definitely something I've never heard at church.
ReplyDeleteYeah its funny to me how this stuff comes up. NEVER EVER been discussed at church. Not in my presence anyway. I remember at a function we went to growing up my mom was handed anti-mormom flyers from someone and she just took it thinking it was a program LOL and it had this stuff about God having sex with Mary and we were like huh?? wha??? There is some logical way that it happened. sex? I don't think so - but not magic either. God could probably figure something out - We are not the only one who considers him the SON of God right??
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess most Mormons don't teach that then... hmmmm. But you're right, it had to happen some way, right? Magic, maybe? Harry Potter? :) I wonder if we could ask the pastor @ the Ward when we go, Janie? Although, really, it doesn't seem that important HOW Mary got pregnant. I thought it was pretty interesting. It does make sense that they must have been together to make it happen though - on earth or in heaven. I bet it was in heaven because on earth, God would have drawn too much attention.
ReplyDeleteSince the day of the flyer I have thought about it on and off and thought - could she have not just been born with a pre-fertilized egg? - DNA already on board LOL...
ReplyDeleteBut no its never been taught or discussed in any arena in my life besides me and my mom. Most of the "hot' topics are that way. They may not say but most mormons are just as iffy about them as non-mormons. Things that happen in the Temple are unusually NOT strange as outsiders like to speculate. We don't worry too much about how Mary came to be expecting - much like I doubt mainstream Christians ponder it. We do believe God and Jesus have a PHYSICAL body so they must "BE" somewhere - Kolob is the name for that place but even Kolob... I can' count on one hand how many times its been discussed at church in my ENTIRE life. Our testimonies focus heavily on the here and now. You are here to do good, keep your promises to God and help your fellow man.
I have a stronger feeling about how my tithing does not go to a paid clergy, that when my husband was laid off for almost a year right after my 4th baby was born the church helped pay our bills and literally put food on our table.
But having said that I don't shy away from these topics - but they are topics that are almost always with people out of the church not in.
We can ask anyone on Sunday but its sometimes hard to peg down a Bishop on Sundays - they are approachable but super busy.
I mean its liking asking an evangelical christian their feelings about polygamy in the Bible. They don't really focus on it. It might be there but its not the focus.
I don't know why it's any harder to believe what the LDSs believe than it is to believe any other religion's origins. They're all just as wacky as the next! However, this is a great, great example of the hullabaloo that ensues in the name of "rightness." (I would stay really busy, too, if I was a bishop and people were asking me these hard questions!)
ReplyDeleteJoni, I love your work and I just adore how you manage to keep your opinion out of things in an unbiased way. You can teach the world (and me!) a lot!