Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Becoming Gods/Chapter 4

Chapter 3

A FAIR Analysis of: Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism A work by author: Richard Abanes

Chapter 5

Claims made in "Chapter 4: One God Versus Many Gods"

Page	Claim	Response	Author's sources
109	Mormons embrace polytheism—the belief in a plurality of gods.	Polytheism	Definition of "polytheism" taken from Vergilius Ferm, ed., The Encyclopedia of Religion, p. 774.
112 n25-26	Mormons redefine monotheism to be the worship of one "primary or supreme god above all other gods."	Polytheism	The author adds the endnote: "LDS theology recognized that other supreme gods exist for other universes and world. But Mormons contend that we have nothing to do with these gods." John Widtsoe, A Rational Theology, p. 67. Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:41. Joseph Smith, Lecture on Faith, Lecture 2, paragraph 2.
114	Early biblical church quotes used by Mormons to support tritheism only superficially support their position. Upon closer examination, they do not provide this support.	Absurd claim: Ironically, it is Nicene trinitarianism which scholars have concluded is not biblical or believed by the early Church. Godhead and the Trinity	No source provided.
114	Mormons worship the Godhead as "one god."	Scripture consistently affirms that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are "one God." This is why members of the Church consider them as such. The just do not consider them "one God" in the same sense as Nicene trinitarians like the author. Godhead and the Trinity	No source provided.
115, 379n47-48	The Trinity is "one of the most important doctrines of the Christian faith" and is at the "heart of the Christian conception of God."	The Saints are trinitarians, just not Nicene trinitarians: Godhead and the Trinity Nicene trinitarianism not part of early Christian beliefs Non-LDS scholars on Nicea and the Bible	Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 226. Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p. 99.
130	The Mormon concept of the "eternality of matter" is a pagan belief.	Absurd claim: Ironically, it is creatio ex nihilo that was unknown to the Hebrews, and represents borrowing from Greek philosophy. Creatio ex nihilo	Source not provided.
130	The Mormon concept of "pre-existence of spirits" is a pagan belief.	History unclear or in error: Premortal existence Terryl Givens, "When Souls Had Wings: What the Western Tradition Has to teach Us About Pre-Existence," FAIR Conference 2007 off-site	The author claims that this is derived from "pure Greek philosophy."
130	The Mormon concept of "human deification" is a pagan belief.	Deification of man	Source not provided.

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