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by Betty Smith on May 7th, 2004

Betty Smith

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Why do Mormons believe that God has a body without having seen Him?

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Answers. 19 helpful answers below.

  • by Anonymous on May 10th, 2004

    Anonymous

      Joseph Smith saw him.  See Joseph Smith History 1:17  http://tinyurl.com/2brlg

      More to the point, perhaps, is the revelation received by Joseph Smith on 02 April 1843, and recorded in D&C 130:22  http://tinyurl.com/2qe3x

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  • by DDW1984 on December 29th, 2004

    DDW1984

    Have you seen your brain? (NO) Then how do you know its there?

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  • by the Otter on April 15th, 2008

    the Otter

    Charles Sampson stated that “There are more positive and assuring ways that one can know of who and how our Heavenly Father is,” and he couldn’t be more correct. I don’t believe that God has a body because somebody else saw him, although that testimony *is* a pretty good start.

    The Church of Jesus Christ teaches people to seek confirmation of truth through the power of the Holy Ghost. I think the words of the Savior’s Apostle (and successor as President of the Church) Simon Peter are extremely appropriate here:

    “[W]e made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. … [T]here came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

    “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.”
    (2 Peter 1:16-19, http://tinyurl.com/5qc6lq)

    Just as Peter and his associates heard the Father testify “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” so heard Joseph Smith Jr. those same words. But as Peter explained, even hearing the voice of God Himself is not as powerful a witness as “a more sure word of prophecy [that] arise[s] in [our] hearts.” This “more sure word of prophecy” is the power of the Holy Ghost, the only means by which man can “know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5, http://tinyurl.com/6gdohk).

    This is the reason that most Latter-day Saints would give for believing—even knowing—that God has body: it’s a result of the “more sure word of prophecy.”

    HTH!

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  • by Glenn Blaylock on April 17th, 2005

    Glenn Blaylock

    (Response to David Hedrick below.)

    Those that claim that God is just spirit refer to verses such as John 2:24 "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth"neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."

    Now I would ask, how do we worship God in spirit if we are physical beings? The answer as I am sure most other Christians will agree is that our physical forms house our spirits. It is through the subjugation of the carnal desires of the flesh to the will of the spirit that we worship God in spirit. How does this in any way exclude God from also having a physical body that houses His spirit?

    Another verse that people use to deny that God has a physical form is 1 Cor. 15: 50 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." However, those same people must then ignore Luke 24:36-44

    36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
    37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
    38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
    39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
    40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
    41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
    42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
    43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
    44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

    In most of His post resurrection appearances that are recorded in the gospels, Jesus went out of His way to show that He had a physical body. However, in the above verses, Jesus specifically says that it is a body of flesh and bone, not flesh and blood. There must be something about the perfected resurrected body that does not require blood. Thus it is able to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Now then, given all of the effort that Jesus went to to prove that he had a physical body after His resurrection, there is not one verse stating that He laid that body down again after he finished his ministry. So, He must still have it. If, as the majority of Christianity believes, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are all the same being and Jesus has a physical body, then God has a physical body.

    On the other hand, if Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not the same being as we believe, then we need more evidence before we can say that the Father has a body. Thus the visitation and later revelation to Joseph Smith that my brother cited. I think that I pretty well answered pacella2's objection to visits by the Saviour between His ascension and the second coming in my answer to question #8 below. So, I won't go into that again here.

    ****************************
    David,

    It would be nice if you would read the entire answer before you criticize. If you had, then you would have noted that I only claimed that the verses from Luke support the Father having a body if you believe that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one being. If, on the other hand, as is the case with both of our religions, you don't believe that they are one, then you do need more evidence before you can draw any conclusions. Thus, the need for Father and Son to appear to Joseph Smith so that They could clear up the confusion.

    As for no one having ever seen God, I will give you a few scriptures.

    Genesis 32:24-30
    24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
    25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
    26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
    27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
    28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
    29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
    30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

    Exodus 33:11
    11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

    Here are two accounts of prophets that saw God face to face and lived. So, it is not impossible for Joseph Smith to have seen the Father. Now, I know that others can interpret these passages differently. We, however, choose to take them quite literally.

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  • by Charles Sampson on July 9th, 2004

    Charles Sampson

    Sometmes seeing is not always believing...hence Drinking Dano's vision.
    There are more positive and assuring ways that one can know of who and how our Heavenly Father is.

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  • by Anonymous on October 22nd, 2005

    Anonymous

    Read the WHOLE BIBLE not just the odd verse! Romans 8-

    God IS a Spirit Housed In a IMMORTAL GLORIFIED BODY!
    As NOW is Christ Jesus as he became like Him.

    & HOW ELSE CAN YOU WORSHIP HIM OTHER THAN IN SPIRIT?

    For that Argument you would have to be dead to worship him,

    When you understand who YOU are & who HE is, then it all makes sense.
    He is the Father of our Spirits we are his spirit children.

    I Believe in a REAL-GOD not a MIST.

    I Believe Christ is a Resurrected being & I Believe He will Resurrect Us ALL.

    I Do not believe God created us to be Greater than HIM, for an Immortal is greater than Spirit - Satan will remain spirits & not be ressurected that is their forefit for disobeying God & being cast out Before the Fall.

    Did Adam walk & talk with God in the Garden before the fall?

    = to Walk you need Legs, to Talk you need a Mouth & to Hear you need Ears!

    Were Adam & Eve / You & I, created in the image & likeness Of the Gods?
    (Gen 1:26-27)

    (Gen 5:3) Adam had a son Funnily enough he was 'In his own likeness & image.'

    = Do we need to explain this one?

    Moses saw Gods Feet = (Exodus 24:9-10) & Face = (Exodus 33:9-11)

    Paul saw God & His Son (Jesus) sitting at His Right Hand (Hebrews 1:3)

    Stephen also saw 2 personages at the same time Next to each other
    (Acts 7:55-56)

    All the New testament writers write of Jesus Being Gods SON, even Christ himself called upon his father both in prayer & conversation he talked about Him not himself!

    (Matthew 3:16-17)
    At the Batism of Jesus there were 3 seperate beings...
    (1) God The Father a voice from Heaven...
    (2) Jesus The Son...
    (3) The Holy Ghost in the sign of the Dove.

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  • by ella0minnow0pea on July 27th, 2008

    ella0minnow0pea

    I have a very simple answer to this question: We believe our scriptures, which teach that you go to earth to recieve a body, and to be tried, so that we can become as our Heaveny Father. Who, as it says, has a body. And as our whole religion hinges on the testimony of Joseph Smith, if you don't believe he saw God in the flesh, why are you even Mormon?

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  • by ldsrchristians on January 4th, 2009

    ldsrchristians

    umm, maybe because Genesis says he created us on his own image??? plus Jared's brother saw his finger.

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  • by CurtisAndWilbur on July 29th, 2008

    CurtisAndWilbur

    I've never seen His body, but you probably haven't seen His spirit either.

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  • by dumdum on October 10th, 2009

    dumdum

    Why do others believe in a God that does not have a body? Because each is allowed to believe in what they wish regardless of evidence or lack of - it's called faith. +5

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  • by philosopher-saint on July 27th, 2008

    philosopher-saint

    That's the 'beauty' of "belief", especially inna free country: one can choose to believe in invisible bodies, flying saucers, aligned chakras, benevolent ex-wives...*anything*! Too cool, eh? ;-)

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  • by daveHogan on February 16th, 2010

    daveHogan

    why do you care? Something tells me you hate Mormons

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  • by TenLostTribes on February 16th, 2010

    TenLostTribes

    In response to Mister IT has a Liahona equipped COAT--

    Alma 31:15 is about what the apostates say about Christ. God the Father does indeed have a spirit but with a body (D & C 130:22). You've misquoted both of your sources--that's dishonest!

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  • by Joseph Smith was a fraud and Eisegete on January 4th, 2009

    Joseph Smith was a fraud and Eisegete

    Because this is what justifies thier false doctrine. Without this, thier religion falls.

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  • by Borderlinux on January 4th, 2009

    Borderlinux

    They read it on the internet. It must be true!

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  • by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on October 10th, 2009

    Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here

    Apparently there's been a mistake!
    .
    Both the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith tell us that God is a spirit!
    .
    THE BOOK OF MORMON:
    “Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God...that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.”
    —Alma 31:15, Book of Mormon
    .
    JOSEPH SMITH:
    “...The Father being a personage of spirit, glory and power: possessing all perfection and fulness…”
    — Doctrine and Covenants, 1935 edition, Lectures Fifth of Faith, Section V, p. 52-53
    .
    So there you crazy Modern Mormons go again - going apostate from what the Early Mormons taught and believed! Need prove of a Great Apostacy by today's LdS Church - well there is it!
    .
    As for me I'm going with The Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith on this one!

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  • by John Cox will be back April 6th 2013 on October 10th, 2009

    John Cox will be back April 6th 2013

    Why does anyone believe in God at all without seeing Him?
    But Mormons believe that God has been seen, many times which are recorded and most likely some times which are not.

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  • by whew4 on February 17th, 2009

    whew4

    While I totally agree with the other LDS posters here, I shall approach this subject from another angle. In the very early point of Jesus ministry, he said to his disciples, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."(Matt.5;48) Then we find written in Heb.5;8,9.."Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" Now Lk.24;36-44 has already been brought up, but here we find that Jesus, after his resurrection has a physical body of flesh and bone. Now when Jesus ascends into heaven to be with the Father he still has his Resurrected body, now glorified. He told us The Father was perfect in Matt.5;48. And Heb.5;8,9 said Jesus BECAME PERFECT by the things which he suffered. Now If the Father is a spirit, and Jesus has a Resurrected, Glorified, physical body of flesh and bone, which is more perfect? How can anything or anyone be more perfect, when perfection is the ultimate? If Jesus has a Resurrected, Glorified, physical body of flesh and bone, and he is as perfect as the Father, would not the Father also have to have a Resurrected, Glorified, physical body of flesh and bone? According to the Bible, as I have shown. Think about it my friends! whew4

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  • by TenLostTribes on February 16th, 2010

    TenLostTribes

    Because we believe the testimony of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Matthew 16:21, 26:32, Luke 24:6, 1 Nephi 10:11, 2 Nephi 26:11, Mosiah 16:7, as well as countless other scriptures testify that Jesus Christ took up his body after he had died. God the Father has a body of flesh and bones (see D & C 130:22). Also, it's called belief because you have faith not because you know.

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