DiscussMormonism.com

Assuming a belief in God:

The doctrine of eternal progression, which Pres Hinckley said he's not sure we teach, is that man can become a god. Yet the only examples we have of Gods are God and Christ, neither of which can be proven to have ever been a man before they were Gods.

Is there any other documentation of this idea, so that there would be some basis for Joseph to restore this? Or is this something Joseph dreamed up all by himself?

harmony wrote:Assuming a belief in God:

The doctrine of eternal progression, which Pres Hinckley said he's not sure we teach, is that man can become a god. Yet the only examples we have of Gods are God and Christ, neither of which can be proven to have ever been a man before they were Gods.

Is there any other documentation of this idea, so that there would be some basis for Joseph to restore this? Or is this something Joseph dreamed up all by himself?

Documentation where? In the Christian tradition? All religious traditions? Specifics?

Trevor wrote:

harmony wrote:Assuming a belief in God:

The doctrine of eternal progression, which Pres Hinckley said he's not sure we teach, is that man can become a god. Yet the only examples we have of Gods are God and Christ, neither of which can be proven to have ever been a man before they were Gods.

Is there any other documentation of this idea, so that there would be some basis for Joseph to restore this? Or is this something Joseph dreamed up all by himself?

Documentation where? In the Christian tradition? All religious traditions? Specifics?

Anywhere. We know there are numerous creation stories, numerous flood stories. Does this exist anywhere other than Mormonism?

Read up on Emanuel Swedenborg.

harmony wrote:Anywhere. We know there are numerous creation stories, numerous flood stories. Does this exist anywhere other than Mormonism?

There are lots of stories about human beings becoming deities. Many Roman emperors were deified by the Senate after their death. Apotheosis is nothing new.

Jersey Girl wrote:Read up on Emanuel Swedenborg.

I already know about Swedenborg, Jersey. I just want to know where the idea originated from... the 1800's AD or 1800's BC?

Trevor wrote:

harmony wrote:Anywhere. We know there are numerous creation stories, numerous flood stories. Does this exist anywhere other than Mormonism?

There are lots of stories about human beings becoming deities. Many Roman emperors were deified by the Senate after their death. Apotheosis is nothing new.

Could ordinary men become gods in Roman religion? Is there something somewhere about ordinary guys on the street becoming gods?

harmony wrote:Could ordinary men become gods in Roman religion? Is there something somewhere about ordinary guys on the street becoming gods?

Deification was thought of as the result of heroic deeds, extreme philosophical discipline, or both. It was not the kind of thing people assumed that just any person might achieve. Check out the careers of Pythagoras and Empedocles, for example. These folks are usually elites.

Trevor wrote:

harmony wrote:Could ordinary men become gods in Roman religion? Is there something somewhere about ordinary guys on the street becoming gods?

Deification was thought of as the result of heroic deeds, extreme philosophical discipline, or both. It was not the kind of thing people assumed that just any person might achieve. Check out the careers of Pythagoras and Empedocles, for example. These folks are usually elites.

So Joseph's idea that ordinary men could become gods is unique?

harmony,

How different would you say the doctrine of man/god is for LDS vs the (let's say) Baptist doctrine that man becomes immortal? Would you say that Baptists have an answer to one question regarding the eternal fate of man via salvation but lack the rest of the story? Does LDS doctrine simply answer both questions?