Criticism of Mormonism/Books/The Changing World of Mormonism/Chapter 7

Chapter 6

A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books A work by author: Jerald and Sandra Tanner

Chapter 8

Claims made in Chapter 7: The Godhead

Page	Claim	Response	Author's sources
172	The Book of Mormon teaches that God is a spirit.	God is a Spirit [needs work]	[ATTENTION!]
173	The Book of Moses says that God created the earth, but the Book of Abraham says that "the Gods" created the earth.	Author(s) impose(s) own fundamentalism on the Saints "God" may be properly spoken of as one in some senses, and as plural in other senses. Are Mormons polytheists?	[ATTENTION!]
177	God is "just an exalted man."	Prejudicial or loaded language: The Saints do not believe that God is "just" anything. The word "just" shows the authors' biases, and their predetermined conclusion that the creedal view of God is automatically "better." Deification of man	[ATTENTION!]
178	There is a "Heavenly Mother."	Heavenly Mother	[ATTENTION!]
180	Jesus Christ was conceived through a physical act rather than by the power of the Holy Ghost.	Prejudicial or loaded language  The author's claim is false: LDS scripture teaches that Jesus was conceived when Mary "was carried away in the Spirit" (1 Nephi 11꞉19). We know of no details beyond this, save that God the Father was Jesus' literal Father; there is nothing allegorical about Jesus' parentage. Jesus Christ's conception	[ATTENTION!]
183	1 Nephi 13:40 was changed from "Christ is the Eternal Father" to "the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world."	Book of Mormon textual changes—Significant changes	Book of Mormon, 1830 edition, p. 32 1 Nephi 13:40.
183	1 Nephi 11:18 was changed from "the mother of God" to "the mother of the Son of God"	Book of Mormon textual changes—Significant changes	Book of Mormon, 1830 edition, p. 25 1 Nephi 11:18
183	1 Nephi 11:21 was changed from "the Lamb of God, yea, even the Eternal Father" to "the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father."	Book of Mormon textual changes—Significant changes	Book of Mormon, 1830 edition, p. 26 1 Nephi 11:21
183	1 Nephi 11:32 was changed from "the Everlasting God" to "the Son of the everlasting God."	Book of Mormon textual changes—Significant changes	Book of Mormon, 1830 edition, p. 26 1 Nephi 11:32
185	The Lectures on Faith state that God is a spirit.	Lecture 5 teaches the Father is "a personage of spirit"	[ATTENTION!]
185	The Lectures on Faith were removed from the Doctrine and Covenants.	The Lectures were never canonized. Lectures on Faith removed from Doctrine and Covenants	[ATTENTION!]
187	The Book of Mormon teaches that God is "unchangable," but LDS leaders taught otherwise.	History unclear or in error: Unchanging Nature of God	[ATTENTION!]
188	The Lectures on Faith indicate that there are only two personages in the Godhead, and that their mind is the Holy Spirit.	Lecture 5 teaches the Father is "a personage of spirit"	[ATTENTION!]
190	LDS leaders can't explain why the Holy Ghost should be denied a body since the Father has one.	Absurd claim  The author's claim is false: The scriptures tell us why the Holy Ghost does not (at present) have a body: "the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us" (DC 130꞉22). Will the Holy Ghost receive a body? Holy Ghost—divine without a body?	[ATTENTION!]
190	The Holy Ghost can't be a God since he doesn't have a body.	Absurd claim: Holy Ghost—divine without a body? Will the Holy Ghost receive a body?	[ATTENTION!]
191	During the First Vision, Joseph learned that the Father and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bones.