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The
TRUTH
About
"The
God
Makers"
Gilbert
W. Scharffs
A response to an inaccurate
portrayal of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Copyright
© Gilbert W. Scharffs 1986 and
1989
All Rights
Reserved
The
views and interpretation of LDS doctrine and history in this book reflect the
understanding of the author and are not necessarily the official views of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In a society where the
degradation of man was (and is still) being proclaimed, humans defined in lowly
terms, and Deity described as an impersonal, abstract concept, the heavens were
opened and God and his Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and taught him
eternal truths. This led to the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
These
restored principles included a positive perception that the nature of man is
good rather than evil, and that all human beings are of God's species and are
literally God's sons and daughters, created in his image with an unlimited
potential of achieving growth, joy, eternal families and perfection. God further
revealed to the first Latter-day Saint prophet that this goal was made possible
only through his Son Jesus Christ's sinless life, suffering, crucifixion, and
resurrection, and by following his commandments and teachings.
What a
profound contribution to the edification and uplifting of the human race! These
revealed ideas were not new but were part of an eternal plan and were taught in
holy writ since the creation of the world. Somehow over the centuries these
godly concepts became lost and misinterpreted.
The Savior himself taught this
doctrine of the nature of man when he was about to be stoned for claiming to be
the Son of God. Christ said to his tormentors, quoting their own scripture, "Is
it not written in your law, I said. Ye are gods?" The Lord then proclaimed this
concept to be true (John 10:34-35). The psalmist had centuries earlier declared,
"I have said. Ye are gods and all of you are children of the most high" (Psalms
82:6). Paul also testified: "We are the offspring of God" (Acts 17:29). The
scriptures also say: "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords"
(Dent. 10:17). The Apostle Peter declared, "Be partakers of the divine nature"
(2 Pet. 1:4). And the Apostle John added, "We know that, when he shall appear,
we shall be like him" (I John 3:1-2). The psalmist also proclaimed, "Thou Lord
art high above the earth; thou art exalted far above all gods" (Psalms
97:9).
Numerous Christian leaders throughout the centuries have supported
this idea, including Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, and C. S. Lewis, who said,
"We live in a society of possible gods and goddesses." Yet some, including the
authors of two anti-Mormon movies called "Temple of the God Makers" and "The God
Makers," and a book by the same title, accuse Latter-day Saints of being
non-Christian and satanic for maintaining this and other basic biblical
beliefs.
My book is a response to the hundreds of inaccurate and unfair
statements made about my church—a church that proclaims the divinity of
God and his Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, and man and woman's noble
birthright with its ultimate eternal possibilities.
-G. W. S.
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