50 Answers to 50 Mormon Answers to 50 Anti-Mormon Questions (answer 22)

Tower To Truth Question:

22. Why does the Book of Abraham, chapters 4 & 5, contradict Alma 11 in stating that there is more than one God?

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FAIR Answer:

The term "God" may be used in more than one way. Latter-day Saints are not Nicene Trinitarians, but still believe in "one God."

To learn more: Polytheism

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My Response:

Note: Mormons are not, technically, polytheistic. They are more henotheistic, believing in the existence of many living gods, but only worshipping one.

The longer this series goes, the more flustered I become. It would be one thing if FAIR could formulate an answer that was more than 10 words long, and contained some kind of point. But it seems as though every answer they give is "No we don't, so do Christians, you're anti-Mormon." The answer they give to this question isn't even an answer. They are confronted with a fact--a contradiction in their "scriptures"--and they don't even bother to answer it. They just give some lame excuse about "the word 'god' can mean more than one thing." That's like me telling my waiter "I asked for my burger without onions" and he looks at me and says "Pickels aren't onions." So, here's the issue.

Alma 11:26-29--26 And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and living God?
27 And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God.
28 Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?
29 And he answered, No.

So, clearly, the Book of Mormon says that there is only ONE LIVING GOD. Now, let's see what the Ancient Egyptian pagan burial manual Book of Abraham says.

Abraham 4:1-4--1 And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.
2 And the earth, after it was formed, was empty and desolate, because they had not formed anything but the earth; and darkness reigned upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of the Gods was brooding upon the face of the waters.
3 And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light; and there was light.
4 And they (the Gods) comprehended the light, for it was bright; and they divided the light, or caused it to be divided, from the darkness.

Abraham 5:1-3--1 And thus we will finish the heavens and the earth, and all the ahosts of them.
2 And the Gods said among themselves: On the seventh time we will end our work, which we have counseled; and we will rest on the seventh time from all our work which we have counseled.
3 And the Gods concluded upon the seventh time, because that on the seventh time they would rest from all their works which they (the Gods) counseled among themselves to form; and sanctified it. And thus were their decisions at the time that they counseled among themselves to form the heavens and the earth.

Here's the thing: When FAIR tries to say that there is more than one meaning for the word "gods"--there is about a half a grain of truth in that. But, they are, in a sense, lying. Because what they mean by "Gods" is not what you or I mean when we say "gods" (Notice distinction between little 'g' and big 'G'). When the Book of Abraham talks about these "Gods," it is referring to those "Gods" who have attained godhood in Mormon theology. When you or I talk about "gods," we usually refer to mute idols, statues of wood or metal, that can do nothing.

What does all this boil down to? FAIR is not living up to their acronym. And I cannot imagine that this is something they were not aware they were doing. They know what they mean by "Gods," so to give the response they did is less than honest.

Oh, and if you want a good read, check out the link "Polytheism." Here is their response to this charge:

Usually the very same people who are pressing the case that Mormons are polytheists are some stripe of Evangelical Christians who claim to be monotheists. But Trinitarians are not Monotheists by definition (just ask a Jew or Muslim).

Ask a Jew or a Muslim!! Two groups that deny the deity of Christ!! In other words, to make their case seem more credible, they would have you go to people who would call Mormons blasphemers!! Now, we don't have time to give a thorough discussion of the Trinity here. Suffice it to say Mormons do not understand the Orthodox view of the Trinity. We do NOT worship three Gods. We worship Father, Son, Holy Spirit--who are One God.

And, once again, they throw out baseless accusations against influential christians, accusing them of worshipping many Gods--

Additionally, there is abundant evidence of deification being taught by various commonly accepted Christians. If belief in theosis makes one a polytheist, many Christians would have to be so labeled - including such figures as C. S. Lewis and John Calvin.

Umm, yeah, would FAIR like to show us how they make this accusation? They won't, because they know that if they do, then someone who knows quite a bit more about these men will crush this statement under a pile of facts.

Apparently, FAIR only exists to give social Mormons a little relief in thinking that there are actually ways to resolve the spaghetti bowl that is Mormon theology. Because once you chase off the smoke and shatter the mirrors--they really have no answers.