Aaron: Provided you’ve heard the couplet ‘As man is, God once was; as God is, man
may be,’ do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner
in a past mortal probation, like us? Guest: “Yeah.” Aaron:...Learning to become what
we can become? Guest: “Honestly, yeah, I think so.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been like us in
the past, like a sinner, kind of progressing to perfection and godhood like we are now?
Guest: “No, because he was the only perfect man to walk the earth, but he’s like us
because he could die.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been like us, in
the sense that he was a sinner in a past mortal probation? Guest: “Yeah, yeah I do.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner in
a past mortal probation when he lived his life? Guest: “No way! Heavenly Father is
perfect!” Aaron: So he was always perfect? Guest: “There’s no way for him to commit
sin. He is as always perfect as he was, as he used to be.” Aaron: He never sinned in
the past, though? He didn’t have to become a god like we... Guest: “No, he’s not
like us.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have once been like us,
like a sinner who’s progressing into perfection, into godhood, just like we’re progressing
into perfection and godhood? Guest: “Sure, it’s very possible. I mean, it says also
that with God’s one eternal round - I think it’s the same process that keeps going on,
on and on and on through eternity. And so yeah, it’s very possible that he was just
a normal man like us that spent some time in the world.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner in
a past mortal probation? Guest: “Um, I do! I think that making mistakes is an essential
part of the learning process. So, if you follow logic and reason, then I think that’s definitely
a distinct possibility. Sure. It doesn’t make him any less powerful or anything.”
Aaron: Does it bother you that you’d be worshipping a god who was once like us, in
the sense that he was a sinner? Guest: “No, it makes me more comfortable, actually. In
the sense that we have hope to overcome. If he could overcome, and be as great as he is,
then certainly we have hope to overcome all our trials, and sinful natures as well. So...”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner in
a past mortal probation? Guest: “That’s a difficult question. Um... I believe it’s
possible. You mean God the Father? I view him as maybe a... similar to Jesus. Lived
a perfect life, and later became exalted.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father was once a sinner? Guest: “I
don’t know. He’s like us, so, yes. There’s a lot more to that than just what’s up front.”
Aaron: Does it concern you that you’d be worshipping a god who once a sinner like us?
Guest: “Actually, (*****Can’t understand this part*****) Aaron: So it encourages you
in your worship that we can become gods, just like he became god, even though we’re sinners
and maybe he was too? How does that work? Guest: “No, where he’s at now, that’s
all that matters.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father was once a sinner like us?
Guest 3: “Yeah I do... I think that. I think so yeah.” Aaron: How does that make you
feel? Guest 3: “Awesome that I’m able to become a god.” Guest 1: “We have great
potential.” Aaron: So it’s an encouragement that he was once like us and that we can do
what he did, in terms of progression? Guests in agreement: “Yeah”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner like
us? Guest: “I have no idea what to think of that.” Aaron: Kind of up in the air?
Guest: “Yeah.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner like
us? Guest: “Um, at one point, before his progression, yeah I’d say it’s maybe possible,
but I don’t think there’s anything I’ve ever read or heard that’s reliable that
would say that, but I think it’s a possibility.” Aaron: How does it make you feel that maybe
you’d be worshipping a god who was once like you in the sense that he was a sinner,
perhaps, possibly? Guest: “Um, it would make sense to me, knowing that it’s not
unreachable to be like that, that he was once like we are.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner like
us? Guest: “I don’t believe so. I don’t believe he was.” Aaron: Perfect like Jesus?
Guest: “Yes.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner like
us? Guest 2: “You know, that’s one of the teachings I like. It’s not just a Mormon
teaching. Like Protestantism, before there’s perfectionism (***IS that what he said??***),
it’s just something Mormonism borrowed. And that’s one thing that I think really
attracts me to Mormonism is the whole, how we can become like god. And, God being a sinner,
that’s really complicated because if there was a Savior then, and his sins were washed
clean through that Savior, then he wouldn’t have been a sinner. Kind of like us. If we
repent of our sins, then we become clean, so it’s a complicated question. But yeah,
I’m not gonna... I don’t know enough about it really. I’m not going to say I would
be shocked or horrified by it if that was the case. If God had done anything wrong,
I wouldn’t be shocked or horrified by that.” Aaron: Fair enough. Guest 1: “I agree with
what he said. I can’t add anything more to that.” Aaron: How does it make you feel?
How does it affect your worship and your view of God that he perhaps could have been a sinner?
Guest 2: “Well, if he ever was a sinner, it would have been a long time ago, and he
has definitely progressed past that, obviously. And I don’t know the steps he would have
had to take, to do to progress past that or exactly what happens. Just like I don’t
really know exactly what happens after this life. So, it doesn’t affect my worship in
any way, just because I don’t know enough about it. Really I don’t - complicated stuff
like that, I just don’t know enough about it to let it distract me. I just try to focus
on the more simple stuff, of just trying to live better everyday, because that’s really
what the teachings are, is just ‘try to be better the next day than you were the day
before.’”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner in
a past mortal probation? Guest: “Uh, I don’t.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner like
us? Guest: “A sinner like us? Um, you know, I’ve heard a lot of things about that. And
I’ve learned that ****who??*** did say that, so I’d say that God experienced many things,
just like the Savior did, so...” Aaron: Kinda up in the air? Guest: “Yeah, to what
extent? I don’t know. You know that’s something our church really focuses on - we
try to focus on what we’re doing here in this life, and about Jesus Christ.” Aaron:
How does it make you feel, and how does it affect your worship
that you could be worshipping a god who was once a sinner, perhaps? Guest: “How does
it make me feel, and how does it make me worship? What?” Aaron: How does it affect your worship?
Guest: “You know, it’s not something we try to focus on in our worship. We do believe
that we have the potential to become like Heavenly Father, but I think what we are trying
to focus on now is to be good Christians and good disciples of Christ.”
Aaron: Do
you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner in the past? Guest:
“Well, before he received his exaltation, he lived on a world, and it’s possible.
But he also he could have been a Savior on his world, as Jesus is on this world, and
therefore he could have lived a sinless life and therefore, not have. We don’t have his
record; we don’t have information about his life, so therefore we don’t know.”
Aaron: It’s kind of up in the air. Guest: “Yeah. There’s no doctrinal statements
from the church about his life.”
Aaron: Do you believe it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner in
a past mortal probation? Guest: “Yeah.” Aaron: How does that make you feel, and how
does it affect your worship? Guest: “Um, it doesn’t affect my worship in any way.
There’s some things I don’t quite understand, that we don’t have doctrine on, but I have
faith that the things I DO know are true - that have been revealed. Everything will be revealed
in time, so...”
LDS missionaries singing Mormon hymn: “Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven, Traitors
and tyrants now fight him in vain, Mingling with God's he can plan for his brethren, Death
cannot conquer the hero again.“
Aaron: Do you think it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner in a past
mortal probation? Guests: “Absolutely.” “Yes.” “He went through the same things
we did, he knows what we’re going through, and he obviously lived his life right since
he became a god, so...” “He became our Heavenly Father.” “He’s one of the greatest
parents that ever lived.” Aaron: So, how does that make you feel, and how does it affect
your worship of God? Guest 2: “Makes me feel really good because Heavenly Father went
through the same things we did, he saw the same things we had to go through, so he’s
been there, he knows and all he wants to do is for us to come and live with him again.”
Guest 1: “It assures me that I can always do better, and become like unto God, like
the scriptures tell to. And that’s absolutely an inspiration to live my life more according
to the ways of the church. Because obviously that’s where we all want to eventually get.”
Aaron: Do you believe that it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner
in the past? Guest: “I believe in eternal progression.” Aaron: What does that entail
for you? What does that mean? Guest: “I believe that everything is matter and spirit,
and therefore God probably was a sinner, he probably repented of his sins, and somehow
he made his way up there where he is right now. If he sinned or not, that’s not my
concern.” Aaron: How does it make you feel, how does it affect your worship? Guest: “My
worship? Kinda makes me feel more closer to him, in a way. I know that he felt the same
things I’m feeling right now while I’m alive, he went through similar things that
I’m going through right now, and I’d eventually, through practice and perfectning myself and
whatever skills I need to develop, I can eventually become like him. It gives me hope for the
future, you know?”
Aaron: Do you believe that it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner
in the past? Guest 2: “I would have to study more, and
see what is written about that.”
Aaron: Do you believe that it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner
in the past? Guests: “Yes.” “Yes, I believe so, too.”
Aaron: How does that make you feel? Guest 1: “Um, that we can become like him.”
Aaron: That we can become like him? Guests: “Yes.” “Yes.”
Aaron: Do you believe that it’s possible that God the Father could have been a sinner
in the past? Guest: “I don’t think so. I don’t need to know that. No. Um, nah.”
Aaron: Do you believe God could have been a sinner in the past? Guest 1: “I know he
was a man, with a physical body. He probably strived as I am, today. I don’t consider
him a sinner. I don’t know that. He had his own judges.” Aaron:
He had his own judges, you say? Guest 1: “I would think so.” Aaron:
What does that mean, I’m sorry. Guest 1: “I think he had his own tribulations to
go through.” Aaron: But you’re not sure whether those tribulations included sinful
temptations? Guest 1: “Oh, I’m sure they did. I’m sure, to become Heavenly Father,
he had to go through tribulations. If he was a sinner or not, I don’t know.”