[ Quote ]

Heavenly Mother

 

Was there a Heavenly Mother? Most antagonists try so hard to find a good criticism in regards to some doctrine that has been taught by the church, in that they could only find it not biblical or foreign to Christianity which leads them to conclude cult teachings of the LDS church. But the question is clear, was there a Mother in Heaven? Were there any documents found to support Her existence?

A post by JM Janice Barlow
From a group "Somewhat Civil Christian/LDS Discussions"
Which is owned and run by non-LDS antagonists.
More likely a criticism rather than a discussion.

Note in Advance, this is not a direct response to JM Janice Barlow since it seems she has no ground to make a good point in discussions. Rather this will be my opinion regarding this study. For an update, I would like to add Eliza Lino Abaya's (Our INC friend) plea that she attempted to open up this topic. I would want to delay this article for the next month's issue, but a request was brought up that she would want to attempt to debunk my opinion. Let's see how it ends...

I haven't planned in escaping anything on your claim. Do you think so?
I ask you to have your standing regarding this topic,
and yet you just posted senseless comments and screenshot
that you don't even know
how it was said.

Ok, so let's get started. This topic is also found in Gospel Topics Essays titled Mother in Heaven. You can check out to learn about it.

1. How did this Heavenly Mother theory begin? What's the proof?

This is not just the first time we engage in this study. Here is a list of an outside source that talks about the nature or existence of the Mother in Heaven -

These were just sources that talk about the same topic. It's not necessarily the same subject or study, but rather I just showing this article to help us understand that this is not just an LDS theology or doctrine, rather it already exists in some other teachings. It may be in or outside Christendom, but the point here was, it was there already before the LDS introduce its Teachings. You may wonder, did I consider this study as accurately Biblical? No, I don't, but as I have said always in this post, I remain neutral, my ground is to stay in the middle of the study whether it is authentic or not. I don't want the reader to think that I am doing this just in my side of opinion, but rather I am doing this to make it known that somehow this certain study does exist not just in LDS teachings but rather anciently.

So, I will include some of it here and let's consider some common ground in our study about it. So here's the list of what I do think will help us learn about the nature of God and the Maternal being we call Mother in Heaven -

2. Does the Heavenly Mother Theory Sustainable?

There's no evidence that it was taught by former prophets or perhaps Joseph Smith made any attempt to discuss the nature of Heavenly Mother. However, though uncertain, the scriptures have fragments about this topic, and most leaders addressed Heavenly Father and Mother as Heavenly Parents.

Take for example the Archontics, who have this kind of belief -

The Archontics held that there were Seven Heavens, ruled by the Demiurge surrounded by Archons begotten by him, who are the jailers of the souls. In the eighth heaven dwells the supreme Mother of light. (Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archontics)

Of course, we can't sustain that. First, no biblical records. Second, Archontics were separatists from the teaching of Early Christianity, which means, most of their practices were against the former.

But the question remains, does the Heavenly Mother Theory voidable just because others are teaching it against biblical records? My straight answer is, No. First of all, we don't believe in a close canon, we believe Revelation is necessary for every dispensation of time. This means, some things need to be revealed from time to time, so the mysteries will be unfolded. 

3. Biblically, where can you find that?

To be fair, there's no exact word for word that we could find as exactly as "Heavenly Mother". Not in any standard works, but rather understanding textual exegesis to learn about its existence, for instance, during the creation, the scripture gives us a hint about the nature of God and gender.

Genesis 1:26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So, to assume God or gods (as how it was said) were supposed to be without gender, then there's no reason to create a being in their image that has a difference. That scripture alone remains a mystery of God's nature.

Also, other scripture addresses us that we are God's literal offspring. Here's part of it -

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. - Acts 17:28-29

And suppose it's a false notion,
then can you give me the right
biblical standards that it isn't false?
If you can provide it then let's conclude.
If not, so what's the use of bubbling
with your ideology?

The Word was written in Genitive Masculine Singular "Τοῦ γένος" or "His offspring", and in other simplest terms, "His Children". In Merriam-Webster Dictionary Offspring is meant by this (The first and second Meaning were identical) -

Definition (1 a) from Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Definition (1 b) of the same source.
With the words "born of a Parents".

So, we have the definitions and the bible says it as literally as it is. So the question will be -

  • How did God being the Father could create or make man in his/their image with Male and Female while everyone understood that gender doesn't exist?
  • What's with the Male and Female all about? And why does it says it was created in their image?
  • And by standard definition, why are we calling some being a Father if there's no such thing as Paternal/Male? Why not call it just the word parent which is the neuter gender?
The male cannot produce without the opposite and procreation, but I won't go through this topic since it has a different approach to light-minded readers. No offence, but so true while our understanding was limited to just sex and science. 😂!

A question that doesn't
have any answers.
How are you gonna
reconcile to that Eliza?

Anyway, speaking of Science. There were creatures actually that can produce another form of life, or should we say can produce or duplicate themselves without going through the process of procreation. This is called parthe​no​gen​e​sis. They do exist mostly on some reptiles (note: just saw one somewhere on the web, but I don't have any further study yet for reptiles, need more research for this one), some sea creatures, some insects, and plants. They can produce life on their own without a male, or even a male was just an option for procreation. Seems weird, yeah I know, but this parthenogenesis does exist. So, the question is, Why God can't create humans that way? Why would God let women suffer for childbearing and create a gender that could even question man and woman's chastity? Yes, God can do all thing whatever he wants, so why makes it more complicated to have this much different understanding when it all ended up senseless and sexless? I don't think this was the case of Science (=) equal Theology. That seems awkward to a Heavenly Father with both male and female gender or nature to produce children.

Will, in regards to this matter Marion G. Romney said during his talk about "Testimony" during Conference Report, April 1948

I believe he is the Father of my spirit and the Father of your spirit. I believe we were born to him and to our mother in heaven. I do not know the process, but I do know how we are born to our fathers and mothers in this earth and that is the way I think about it. I feel that there is a similar relationship between him and me that I feel toward my earthly father, or that I did feel toward him when he was here. I have always thought about God in this way. I believe I was born to him as a spirit child in the spirit world before I was born here, and what I say about myself—and you will pardon the personal reference—I feel about every other human soul that lives in the earth. I believe we all lived with him before we came here.

So it's fair enough, we don't know how it works or how they got us as their spirit children, but one thing is certain, we have Heavenly Parents.

4. Alright, so you LDS people worship also the Mother in Heaven just like praying to her same as How do you offer a prayer to Heavenly Father?

Our belief regarding this matter is neutral as I have said since we don't have any official declaration or notices that say anything about worshipping the Mother in Heaven. Then we all just stick to what had been written. Gordon B. Hinckley made the following statement during his talk titled "Daughters of God". He says this -

And now, speaking of prayer, I touch on another matter. Last April, I spoke to the regional representatives of the Church, as I have done for a number of years on each occasion when they have come for general conference. These are training meetings where the regional representatives get information that they may carry with them across the Church. There is nothing secret or hidden about what is done there.

However, recently I heard that someone had secured a copy of my talk, looking upon that as a singular accomplishment, as if it had been given in a secret and sinister manner, designed to keep it from the world. This is nonsense.

I am therefore on this occasion going to take the liberty of rereading that portion of the talk which pertains to a matter over which some few women of the Church appear to be greatly exercised. I give it to all, in this forum, because of the activities of a few who evidently are seeking to lead others in the paths which they are following. I speak of those who advocate the offering of prayers to our Mother in Heaven. I quote from that earlier address:

“This [practice] began in private prayer and is beginning to spread to prayers offered in some of our meetings.

“It was Eliza R. Snow who wrote the words: ‘Truth is reason; truth eternal / Tells me I’ve a mother there.’ (Hymns, 1985, no. 292.)

“It has been said that the Prophet Joseph Smith made no correction to what Sister Snow had written. Therefore, we have a Mother in Heaven. Therefore, [some assume] that we may appropriately pray to her.

“Logic and reason would certainly suggest that if we have a Father in Heaven, we have a Mother in Heaven. That doctrine rests well with me.

“However, in light of the instruction we have received from the Lord Himself, I regard it as inappropriate for anyone in the Church to pray to our Mother in Heaven.

“The Lord Jesus Christ set the pattern for our prayers. In the Sermon on the Mount, He declared:

‘After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.’ Matthew 6:9 italics added here and in following references.)

“When the resurrected Lord appeared to the Nephites and taught them, He said: ‘After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.’ 3 Nephi 13:9

“While He was among them, He further taught them by example and precept concerning this practice. The record states that ‘He himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.’ 3 Ne. 17:15

“Furthermore, He said: ‘Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.’ 3 Ne. 18:21

“On another occasion, ‘Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said:

“‘Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world.

“‘Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.’ 3 Ne. 19:19–21

“And so I might continue with other specific instances from the scripture. Search as I have, I find nowhere in the standard works an account where Jesus prayed other than to His Father in Heaven or where He instructed the people to pray other than to His Father in Heaven.

“I have looked in vain for any instance where any President of the Church, from Joseph Smith to Ezra Taft Benson, has offered a prayer to ‘our Mother in Heaven.’

“I suppose those … who use this expression and who try to further its use are well-meaning, but they are misguided. The fact that we do not pray to our Mother in Heaven in no way belittles or denigrates her.”

That is the end of the quotation from the talk I gave earlier, to which I may add that none of us can add to or diminish the glory of her of whom we have no revealed knowledge.

From the Hymn titled 
"O My Father"


5. Conclusion
So in conclusion, as my opinion goes. It is safe to say that we don't know anything yet about the nature of God and gender in eternity. If only fathers/males existed, then what are the mothers for? I have a firm belief in Eternal Family and it's mine to keep it. But yes, I do believe everyone male and female were created in the same being as the Father of our spirit, their likeness (which is Male and Female) and images as how you see me and as I see you as the same being as a god. If you disagree then why is it there biblically in the first place?

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