WTF? Now Mormons Believe in the Trinity?

[_consiglieri]

So maybe Mormons should state they think God is like the borg if we are going for accuracy.

And throw in the rest of the membership for good measure?

[_Tobin]

So maybe Mormons should state they think God is like the borg if we are going for accuracy.

And throw in the rest of the membership for good measure?

Pretty much. God commands us to be one or we aren't his after all.

[_zeezrom]

My dear Consig,

If Mormons believed in the Trinity, then the article would read as follows:

Do Mormons believe in the Trinity?
Yes.

Instead, it reads as follows:

Do Mormons believe in the Trinity?

blah blah blah...
Latter-day Saints believe God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are one in will and purpose but are not literally the same being or substance, as conceptions of the Holy Trinity commonly imply.

I read this to be "NO."

Here is how they should answer it:

Do Mormons believe in the Trinity?
No. Latter-day Saints believe God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are one in will and purpose but are not literally the same being or substance, as conceptions of the Holy Trinity commonly imply.

Maybe they could dare to be unique!

[_consiglieri]

You totally nailed it with this one, Zeez!

[_Cicero]

I realize that the Hinckley quote I used above was not given in response to this question specifically, but it is applicable in that it was given in response to a question about a key tenet of Mormon doctrine.

I don't really know what Mormon theology is anymore. Blake Ostler and Charles Harrell have each written fascinating books on the subject, but I can't help wondering whether there is any substance to it (meaning, for lack of a better work, stick-to-it-iveness) after hearing quotes like GBH's above or this example from Consig . . .

[_Equality]

They could have just said this, from page 35 of The Articles of Faith by James Talmage:

The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man.

Mormons have always used the word "Trinity," but they have described it differently from historical traditional orthodox Christianity. They used to be proud of the differences, pointing to the traditional Christian view as a corruption, a "philosophy of men" that came about during the Great Apostasy. Now, they want Christians to accept them as mainstream, so they water it down, dissemble, and deceive about their own doctrine. Anyone want to venture an opinion on why President Newsroom didn't just use the above quote from Talmage that so succinctly defines Mormon doctrine on the Trinity?

[_brade]

Who is this LDS newsroom person? Whoever it is, he/she is lame. Grow a pair!

[_Philo Sofee]

Would you feel better Consig if we changed the name from "Godhead" to tri-unity?

I know you are being funny here, Tobin, but how about if we just say that we believe that God the Father and Jesus have a body of flesh and bones, as tangible as man's, and that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit?

I mean, is the point of answering FAQ's on the official Mormon website to clarify or to obscure?

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

Both all at once I would think. That is the problem of trying to assimilate, one MUST begin to take up the language of the culture one is trying to become one with....... obviously the world has not and will not be conquered, so, logically, of course, Mormonism must simply join em since they can't beat em.

[_Paloma]

After 34-years as a member of the LDS Church, I just got informed that Mormons believe in the Trinity.

This is in complete contradiction to what I grew up hearing in the Church.

The strange thing is I didn't hear this from my Baptist neighbor down the street, or the Catholic across the street.

Instead, I have to hear it from the LDS Church's official website:

Do Mormons believe in the Trinity?

Mormons most commonly use the term “Godhead” to refer to the Trinity. The first article of faith for the Latter-day Saints reads: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” Latter-day Saints believe God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are one in will and purpose but are not literally the same being or substance, as conceptions of the Holy Trinity commonly imply.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormonism-101#C5

This attempt to try to mainstream Mormonism is a bit much for me.

First, when Mormons say "the Godhead," they are NOT referring to "the Trinity."

And the Holy Trinity does not "commonly imply" that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are the same substance; it is an essential part of the creed.

Starting to get a bit sick of the whole PC thing.

Who exactly is it we are trying to impress?

Or fool?

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

I'm not LDS, and don't have access to an LDS hymnbook.

But I seem to remember singing the LDS version of Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty and noticing that the words I was used to at the end of certain stanzas: "God in three persons, Blessed Trinity" being changed.

I thought at the time there was no mention of the Trinity, and instead a mention of Deity.

Would love if someone could check that!

(Haven't read this thread beyond the first couple of posts, so my apologies if anyone has raised this already.)

[_bcspace]

Who exactly is it we are trying to impress?

You are correct. We don't accept the trinity doctrine at all. It is an attempt though to communicate on some basic level that we believe in the same God of the Bible which they refer to as a "trinity". It's akin to the Book of Mormon attempt to bridge the same gap with the Lamanites saying the Great Spirit is God. However in this day and age, I find it to be disingenuous to reference the Godhead that way.

But of course you already know this.....