I heard Dan Peterson describe Mormon theology as a huge lake that was shallow enough to wade across, or something like that. An LDS philosopher by the name of Sterling M. McMurrin wrote a book called
The Theological Foundations of the Mormon Religion which was all of 179 pages long. That's all we have, 179 pages of a small paperback. We really do not have a well-developed theology and it is obvious when we look at ontological questions about God. But here is a brief summary without references because I am too lazy.
Mormons believe in a Godhead of three separate male personages, Elohim, Jesus and the Holy Ghost, each with their own unique individual physical body. The Holy Ghost has a spiritual body only, but Mormons believe that spirits are made up of "finer" matter, so it still counts.
That part is fairly clear and understandable. The problem in Mormonism is trying to nail down exactly who/what Elohim is.
He is described two different ways, which , in my view, conflict.
1. Elohim is one in a long line of exalted God's who had a mortal existence like us and progressed to full Godhood where He now creates and populates worlds (galaxies? universes?). We can, someday, if we pay enough tithing, marry enough wives, and stay away from coffee, be a full-fledged God just like him. This Elohim is not God in the sense most Christian religions use that term, more like god in a long line of gods. This is mostly based on the King Follet discourse which we all know isn't doctrine but somehow it hangs around. Members still talk about being exalted and raising their own families "forever". So, are we going to be just another in a long line of Elohims or maybe just some version of Elohim junior? Who knows. Mormonism doesn't.
2. The second option is a little fuzzier in Mormon theology. Elohim, matter and spirits or intelligences (another very vague term in Mormon theology) existed from the beginning and this God is the original creator/organizer of everything else and is special somehow. This version is a little closer to traditional Christian descriptions of God but still not there because He did not create everything and is subject to rules and laws. He can't destroy matter, just organize it, and He has to follow certain rules, even rules that bind Him to reward us with eternal life when we agree not to smoke, wear sundresses or more than two earrings.
In other words, we don't really know who/what God is but we really really really want to be just like Him when we grow up and are willing to spend our lives doing silly stuff to get there, wherever "there" is.
