Today’s dilemma reminded me of God’s providence. As I research and gather historical information about the teachings of the Church I’m reminded every day how I used to think and behave. To say that I’m beyond grateful that He rescued me from treacherous teachings like this one today would be the understatement of the year.
Mormons are conditioned to live a very structured lifestyle and weekly schedules are filled with church sanctioned meetings and activities. One of those activities, ‘Family Home Evening’, is held every Monday night. This is such an integral part of Mormonism that in Utah even the public schools and organized sport teams are pressured to not schedule anything for Monday evenings so families can stay home and obey their leader’s admonitions.
Our focus today is one of the lessons taken from a 1972 Family Home Evening Manual (yep they have manuals for that).
The topic for this lesson is how God is literally our father and its purpose was to teach little children that God had sex with Mary to beget Jesus. The original teaching was taken from a chapter titled “Whom Say Ye That I Am?”.
“Home Evening Lesson 27
”Whom Say Ye That I Am?”
This home evening is to help you and your children understand that Jesus is God’s Only Begotten Son and to seek this knowledge through prayer.In What Way is Jesus God’s Only Son?
Read or tell the following story.
JENNY’S QUESTION
The Markham family had been to Sunday School and was driving home…When Jenny was asked what she had learned, she replied, “Daddy, I’m confused. The teacher talked about Jesus’ being God’s only son. I thought all of us were God’s children.”
Ask, Have you ever wondered about this question?
How would you answer Jenny?
Discuss this with your family, letting each have a chance to express himself.
Now read to the family how a modern prophet answered Jenny’s question.
A MODERN PROPHET’S ANSWER
…I want the little folks to hear what I am going to tell you. I am going to tell you a simple truth, yet it is one of the greatest truths and one of the most simple facts ever revealed to the children of men.
You all know that your fathers are indeed your fathers and that your mothers are indeed your mothers – you all know that don’t you? You cannot deny it.
Now, we are told in scriptures that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh.
Well, now for the benefit of the older ones, how are children begotten? I answer just as Jesus Christ was begotten of his father. The difference between Jesus Christ and other men is this:
Our fathers in the flesh are mortal men, who are subject unto death: but the Father of Jesus Christ in the flesh is the God of Heaven…
We must come down to the simple fact that God Almighty was the Father of His Son Jesus Christ. Mary, the virgin girl, who had never known mortal man, was his mother. God by her begot His son Jesus Christ…
Now, my little friends, I will repeat again in words as simple as I can, and you talk to your parents about it, that God, the Eternal Father, is literally the father of Jesus Christ. (Joseph F. Smith [6thProphet and President of the Mormon Church], Box Elder Stake Conference Dec. 20, 1914 as quoted in Brigham City Box Elder News, 28 Jan. 1915, pp. 1-2)
An Illustration and Discussion to Help Further Answer Jenny’s Question:
At this point, discuss in your own words how Jesus was the only begotten Son of God. You might do this by using the following illustration on a chalkboard or piece of paper.
All boys and girls have a mother and father on earth. Your mother and father, of course, are
mother and I.Jesus is the only person ever born on this earth that is different. Jesus had a mother on earth.
What was her name? (Mary.) But who was his real father? (Heavenly Father.) So you see, Jesus is the only person who had our Heavenly Father as the father of his body.
Family Home Evening
Published by the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © 1972 Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Pages 125-126”
It’s a known fact that a religion that has an explanation for everything in the Bible, is false. The Bible says that Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit. This is NOT the simple answer or diagram that the Mormons use. (The explanation of this in the sidebar topic GOD, JESUS &THE HOLY SPIRIT OF THE BIBLE.)
This example is why the Mormons worship a DIFFERENT Jesus and are not Christians. The Christian God is Triune-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Mormon God is not.
AMEN!
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