SCOTT - About murder being an unforgivable sin equal to denying the Holy Ghost - Doctrine and Covenants 132: 27 vs. Matthew 12: 31-37 - the "church" qualifier is absent from the former.

JOEL - Actually the kind of "church qualifier" you are looking for (which indicates that only church members receive no forgiveness for this sin, as stated in the D&C 42:18-79 scripture about murder), doesn't need to be in that section for two reasons:

1. The entire canon of scriptures known as the Doctrine and Covenants only applies to the membership of the Church and not to the whole world in general as the Bible and Book of Mormon do. Section 1 of the D&C constitutes the Lord’s Preface to the doctrines, covenants, and commandments that are found in the D&C.
The first verse of that sections says:
"Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high," (D&C 1:1)

2. Section 132 is talking specifically about those who enter the eternal marriage covenant which can only be obtained in the temple by those who are active qualified members of the church.
So there's two qualifiers.

SCOTT - Also, in 2 Samuel 12:14, when given the chance to commit blasphemy, the enemies of the Lord spoke evil against the Lord, they did not commit murder.

JOEL - I am not sure what your question is here, but this scripture is not talking about the same kind of blasphame that we call "blasphame against the Holy Ghost". Blasphame against the Holy Ghost is when someone has been given a special witness from the Holy Ghost to the point that they know without a doubt that God lives and that His gospel is true. According to Joseph Smith:

"What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him.
He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it with his eyes open;
he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; "
(Joseph Smith King Follett Discourse)

SCOTT - According to the LDS, to gain exaltation, we must be in harmony with every law and ordinance and forth. How can this be reconciled with Exodus 20:13, 14 and James 2: 10-11?

JOEL -
"Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:13)

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." (James 2: 10-11)

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained this verse:

"James did not mean that a man who stole was guilty of murder, or that one who lied was guilty of unchastity. He was endeavoring to impress upon the minds of the members that the kingdom of God is one. Its laws are perfect. No unclean person can enter there. Since it is a perfect kingdom, its laws must be obeyed. There can be no disunity, no opposition in that kingdom. . . . Therefore the words of James are true. Unless a man can abide strictly in complete accord, he cannot enter there, and in the words of James, he is guilty of all. In other words if there is one divine law that he does not keep he is barred from participating in the kingdom, and figuratively guilty of all, since he is denied all." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1960), 3:26)

This means that a person with unrepented sins cannot inherit the kingdom of God. That's why I am so happy that God allows us to repent of our sins and receive forgiveness for them so we can receive our exaltation.

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa. 1:18).

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Heb. 8: 12)

If He remembers our sins no more, they will not stand against us at the final judgment.

SCOTT - Many LDS are often told to confess some sins to leaders such as Bishops. When did confession of sin to a Church authority become necessary to obtain forgiveness from the Lord? Can a man determine the degree of another’s repentance?

JOEL - This is from latter-day revelation from God:

"This is the duty of a bishop who is not a literal descendant of Aaron, but has been ordained to the High Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.
Thus shall he be a judge, even a common judge among the inhabitants of Zion, or in a stake of Zion, or in any branch of the church where he shall be set apart unto this ministry," (D&C 107:73-74)

By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins - behold, he will confess them and forsake them. (D&C 58:43)

Our Bishops have been blessed with a special gift from God when they are ordained, that helps them know what to do to help members of his congregation repent of their sins. Even though the Bishop can hear their confession and give them suggestions on what to do to repent, ultimately the obtainment of forgiveness is a personal thing between the sinner and God.

SCOTT - Doesn’t D&C 42: 25-26 contradict Matthew 18: 21-25? [true repentance - [LDS] - does not permit making the same mistake again vs. [Bible] forgive one 77 times).

JOEL -
"But he that has committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive;
But if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out." (D&C 42: 25-26)

These scriptures are in reference as to how the Church is to deal with a member who commits the same serious sin twice.
Speaking of those who commit a crime against another, Jesus said:

"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican."(Matt 18:15-17)

Speaking of the consistantly disobedient, Paul said:

"And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.(2 Thes. 3:14)

So following what Jesus and Paul said as far as the health and safety of the Church is concerned, we should cast such people out from our congregation. This only applies to those who repeat the most serious of sins (murder, rape, child abuse, etc.). For the general safety of the other church members it is important to keep these types of people who repeat these crimes from associating with us. I think any other church or any community for that matter would agree with this.
But as individuals we are supposed to forgive everyone "seven times seventy" as Jesus told us, no matter what they do to us.

SCOTT - How come the Bible teaches that forgiveness comes through faith in Christ (who already suffered enough in our stead on the cross) while Latter-day Saints believe that forgiveness comes through fasting, praying and suffering enough ourselves?

JOEL - You make it sound as if we don't believe that faith in Christ is important for forgiveness. We believe that faith is the most important component for forgiveness, along with those other things. Without faith that Christ will forgive, a person would feel it is a waste of time to even try to repent for their sins.
Remember that we also believe the Bible to be the word of God and everything Jesus said about forgiveness in it.
But our other scriptures teach this as well. In the Book of Mormon, Nephi links repentence of sins with faith:

"And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." (2 Nephi 9:23)

And Alma said:

"And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized unto repentance, through faith on his name." (Alma 9:27)

Enos obtained forgiveness through faith:

"I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins. Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.
And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.
And I said: Lord, how is it done?
And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. (Enos 1:2-9)

Apostle Richard G. Scott said:

"Whether the violation be great or small, the solution is the same: full repentance through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement with obedience to His commandments." (Richard G. Scott, "Peace of Conscience and Peace of Mind," Ensign, Nov. 2004, 15)

Apostle Marion G. Romney:

"True repentance, followed by baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, brings forgiveness. Such repentance is impossible without faith in the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ." (Marion G. Romney, "Repentance," Ensign, Nov. 1980, 47)

Every believer in Christ be they Mormon or non Mormon goes through some kind of suffering when they commit sin. This is expected from a faithful Christian as they feel true remorse for what they have done. And fasting and praying helps make us humble before God so we can know through His spirit what we should do to repent and know that we have been forgiven.

SCOTT - Romans 1:25 - Jesus is a created being in Mormon theology - why worship him of these verses? Why do LDS even believe He is a created being, when he was co-creator?

JOEL -
"And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 1:23-25)

This is talking about wicked men who worship creatures, idols, and other people rather than the Creator, who is Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus is the spiritual and physical son of God the Father. Exactly how He acquired these conditions we don't know for sure. But the essence of who Jesus is was never created. He always existed in some form(intelligence, spirit, etc.) and was always destined to be our God, both before and after the world was created by Him and our Heavenly Father.
When Jesus visited the people in the Book of Mormon He said:

"Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name." (3 Nephi 9: 15)

SCOTT - Why is there the inclusion of the word "epistle" in the Book of Mormon? Thats an anachronism because of the etymology of the word.
(in the History of the Church, Smith said that there were no Greek/Latin words on the plates)

JOEL - There are in fact a few other Greek words found in the translation of the gold plates(eg. synagogue, Christ), and even a french word (adieu). The Book of Mormon was translated into a language that would be read and understood by the Bible believing people of Joseph Smith's time. It would be read by people who were already familiar with the language of the Bible, so Joseph Smith may have decided to use the Greek form of a word in some instances so that it would be more understandable to people who were already familiar with the Bible.

SCOTT - How come Alma 3: 6-9 states that intermarriage with the Lamanites would bring the "curse" of a dark skin upon their seed while the July 17, 1931 revelation encourages intermarriage and that who intermarries with the Lamanites would have their posterity become white?

JOEL - At that point in time in the Book of Mormon the Lamanites were a wicked people and God did not want his chosen people to marry them because of their wickedness, so He placed the mark on them so the Nephites would know to stay away from them(verse 8).
That is not the case in these latter-days. The descendents of the Lamanites today are no more wicked than white people, so there is no reason to not inter-marry if they want to.
This 1831(not 1931) "revelation" you mentioned was written from memory by William W. Phelps who heard it from Joseph Smith. It is not included in our scriptures, so it is not "official" LDS doctrine, even though there is basically nothing wrong with what was said in it. No doubt Joseph Smith felt that if whites married indians(Lamanites) it would help bring about the fullfillment of the Book of Mormon prophecy about the Lamanites becoming a "white(pure) and delightsome people" (2 Ne. 30: 6)

Our Church leaders have in the past 100 years, however counceled against inter-marrying for certain reasons. Here is what LDS Church President, Spencer W. Kimball taught:

"Now, the brethren feel that it is not the wisest thing to cross racial lines in dating and marrying. There is no condemnation. We have had some of our fine young people who have crossed the lines. We hope they will be very happy, but experience of the brethren through a hundred years has proved to us that marriage is a very difficult thing under any circumstances and the difficulty increases in interrace marriages. A couple has not committed sin if an Indian boy and a white girl are married, or vice versa. It isn't a transgression like the transgressions of which many are guilty. But it is not expedient. Marriage statistics and our general experience convince us that marriage is not easy. It is difficult when all factors are favorable. The divorces increase constantly, even where the spouses have the same general background of race, religion, finances, education, and otherwise. We are unanimous, all of the Brethren, in feeling and recommending that Indians marry Indians, and Mexicans marry Mexicans; the Chinese marry Chinese and the Japanese marry Japanese; that the Caucasians marry the Caucasians, and the Arabs marry Arabs."

As you can see, Church leaders do not condemn inter-race marriage, they just want to make sure that a marriage is successful and is not jeopardized by differences in cultural backgrounds.

Scott - In LDS theology, the doctrine of theosis/deification says that humans can become gods. Isn't this a logical fallacy? We are finite beings, so how can we ever progress to become an infinite being?

JOEL - You start from a false premise. We are not finite beings. We don't "progress" from a finite being to an infinite being. We have always existed in some form in the eternal past(as an intelligence or spirit), during our mortal life, and into the eternal future after we die. Our mortal condition is finite; but our souls are infinite.

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