nomi wrote:I'm actaully impressed by Nehor's responses. Wow, you go boy. Look fact of the matter to me anyways is that in my ten years in the church I don't remember worshiping Joseph Smith, do I praise him...YES! I will be forever grateful that he went to a grove and poured out his heart to God and as a result I now have the information that I need about God. Whether you believe it or not, there is a God but that's a different topic all together. I'm not here to change anyone's views but here to tell people that there is a difference between Worship and Praise. If you don't believe me, then why don't you take a look in your dictionaries. I don't think that Joseph Smith is above Jesus Christ. I have never heard the prophet of the church or any teachings say contrary to that. Remember that the plan of salvation centers around the Atonment of Christ, without it all men would perish. Joseph Smith, restored the true gospel under the direction of Christ. Yes we sing praises to the man who communed with Jehovah, but we do not worship the man that commune with Jehovah. There is a vast diffrence between Praise and Worship, if you don't believe me then go to your dictionaries. Technology is a nice invention use it to your advantage, these days there are online dictinaries.
I don't know what LDS do... I have no inside knowledge. But I took your advice and went to an online dictionary.
praise /preɪz/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[preyz] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, praised, prais·ing.
–noun 1. the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation.
2. the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship: a hymn of praise to God.
3. the state of being approved or admired: The king lived in praise for many years.
4. Archaic. a ground for praise, or a merit.
–verb (used with object) 5. to express approval or admiration of; commend; extol.
6. to offer grateful homage to (God or a deity), as in words or song.
—Idiom7. sing someone's praises, to praise someone publicly and enthusiastically: He is always singing his wife's praises.
wor·ship /ˈwɜrʃɪp/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[wur-ship] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, -shiped, -ship·ing or (especially British) -shipped, -ship·ping.
–noun 1. reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.
2. formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: They attended worship this morning.
3. adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.
4. the object of adoring reverence or regard.
5. (initial capital letter) British. a title of honor used in addressing or mentioning certain magistrates and others of high rank or station (usually prec. by Your, His, or Her).
–verb (used with object) 6. to render religious reverence and homage to.
7. to feel an adoring reverence or regard for (any person or thing). –verb (used without object) 8. to render religious reverence and homage, as to a deity.
9. to attend services of divine worship.
10. to feel an adoring reverence or regard.
I don't think the differentiation of the terms is very helpful. It seems from dictionary.com that they both could be used interchangeably.
Right now in my investigation the only thing that gives me great pause when it comes to LDS is Joseph Smith. It just makes me uncomfortable. It makes me uncomfortable when my step-son comes here and tells my children all about Joseph Smith. He's starry eyed when he talks of him. He is a man. I believe he was a flawed man, as all of us are! I don't understand the pedestal.