The Narrow Path Ministries

karenprtlnd wrote:1. I believe that Dr.Tanner was not familiar with the small antiquated out of print out of use publication referred to as "Achieving A Celestial Marraige" that Mr. White had referred to. It is usual to tend toward agreement with other LDS scholars on all things you personally may be unfamiliar with.

I understand him to be a leading LDS scholar and mainstream LDS apologist. I think you misunderstimate (thanks to George Bush for that wonderful word) his familiarity with this key LDS document.

karenprtlnd wrote:2. I disagree with the fundamental assumption that "An Apostasy had occurred" which is the LDS approach to an awaited "Restoration" which is said to be now, the LDS Church. DR.Tanner is of this main MTC school for instance. This approach, I feel, is fundamentaly weak at best.

By this, I take it that you're not really SLC mainstream "orthodox" LDS. If so, that explains a lot. I don't suspect a liberal Christian to speak for my tradition. I take it then that you are defending something beyond the basic LDS doctrine, which is ok, but not exactly pertinent to the hope that we understand and debate the truth of the LDS doctrine itself. Names and labels do matter for serious and consistent discussion, and it sounds like we probably should call your belief something beyond LDS for this topic. May I coin the term neo-LDS?

karenprtlnd wrote:3. I disagree that, when Joseph Smith was of written as having said that "God was once an exalted man",ie the Elder K. Follett Funeral Sermon, that he meant: that since we are this form, shape, and function, and are said to have been created in the "image of God Himself", that God, the Father of Jesus Christ is probably not in the shape of a...... horse, for instance, but a man like unto us. It is hard for me to invision God The Father in an earthly family, as we are in now as mortal man. It just does not reduce well. Infinity. I believe in the First God The Father, and The First Son who I believe is Jehovah who became Jesus who became Jesus The Christ.

OK, I can accept that you have your own views much as I do of my own tradition, but I think it's clear what he and his followers took it to mean after listening to Dr. Tanner.

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karen wrote:Mr.Whites connecting ideas and profane conjectures against an administration he knows absolutely nothing about, gets nowhere. Its audience YOU. not me.

I'm no James White apologist, but I understand he spent the better part of his early career studying and debating LDS and spending time each year in SLC talking with and debating and evangelizing officials and members. So, I don't think it's fair to say he knows absolutely nothing about the administration.

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karenprtlnd wrote:But he's never been part of it either, or had to endure being a member under it, that you know of. Have you, or has anyone that you know of.... and for how long.

Certainly -- I have colleagues who have been LDS for all their life.