Comments on: One Eternal God – The Oneness of God in The Book of Mormon

By: » The Lynchpin: The Doctrine of Divine Investiture The Millennial Star

» The Lynchpin: The Doctrine of Divine Investiture The Millennial Star — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:55:12 +0000

[...] This is only the beginning of the explanation of why “Oneness” is emphasized over “Separateness” in the scriptures. [...]

By: Ben Pratt

Ben Pratt — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:13:10 +0000

Good stuff, Bruce! I echo Geoff; it’s great to have you here.

By: Geoff B

Geoff B — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:00:15 +0000

On the other hand, Bruce, we have a lot fewer comments here than other sites, so there are fewer tangents to discuss. Six and a half of one, half-dozen of the other. But I can say we love having you here.

By: Bruce Nielson

Bruce Nielson — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:21:01 +0000

Can I just tell you all how nice it is to make posts and not have every single one twisted into an argument over polygamy, gay marriage, or why Mormons are jerks for believing their religion is actually true?

By: JA Benson

JA Benson — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:03:47 +0000

Again, Bruce fantastic post. Thank you.

By: Vader

Vader — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:02:29 +0000

I think Tex is on the right track. God as a community of Persons who are one in purpose is easily misunderstood — look at how many critics of the Church misunderstand it today. (Admittedly, many of them may be doing so deliberately.)

And there is much we still don’t know about God, 167 years after D&C 130. One might reflect on which aspects of the nature of God are most pertinent to our salvation, and see that reflected in what was revealed first.

By: Thoughts on the Mormon Doctrine of Deity | Junior Ganymede

Thoughts on the Mormon Doctrine of Deity | Junior Ganymede — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:45:04 +0000

[...] I then later “continued my series” by doing a post about The Oneness of God in the Book of Mormon. [...]

By: Bruce Nielson

Bruce Nielson — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:30:12 +0000

Great answers, guys. Think of more and post them here. I’m curious if you’ll think of all (and more) of the ones I’ve come up with so far. needless to say, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. But this is what I consider a “productive line of questioning.”

By: Tex

Tex — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:14:27 +0000

You have brought up some good points that I have never thought about. Thank you. Just an initial guess but I think why God would wait so long to reveal directly the separateness of God is because he was waiting for us to have such a strong break with polytheism that we wouldn’t dare step too far from the oneness of God. If he had revealed that in Paul’s time with so many pagan Romans around Christianity wouldn’t have lasted very long and just been absorbed into the state religion.

By: Geoff B.

Geoff B. — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:52:39 +0000

One clue may be in the fact that when Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his son they were exactly alike in appearance. God is perfect. Jesus after his resurrection appears exactly like Him. We can become more like God, ie more perfect. It seems at least one of the purposes of scripture is to remind us there is one God, ie one standard, to emulate.

Obviously be one in purpose is important, but having one goal, of becoming like the one God, is even more important.