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Another classical charge against Joseph Smith is:
THE THREE HEAVENS THEORY.
These below are passages taken from "saints in shock" a web page that is
delighted and devoted to explain "our" doctrines.
There are two places in the Bible that LDS have turned to support their view of
the 3 degrees of glory. Let's deal with them first. The first is I Corinthians 15:40,
which says that there are bodies celestial and bodies terrestrial. In the Joseph Smith
translation the word telestial is added, so that gives us the three.
(There is no manuscript evidence for such an addition to I Cor. 15:40, and the remainder
of this article will show that such an addition conflicts with the other passages, even
LDS ones.
LDS like to cite the reference in I Cor. 15:41 to variations in glory in the sun, moon and
stars, as a picture of our future levels of glory. But in verse 39 it refers to FOUR
different kinds of flesh as an illustration. Hmmm. Maybe the illustrations are given for
some other reason than to give a NUMBER.
Note that there are NO passages in the Bible, Book of Mormon or Pearl of Great Price that
teach "three heavens"; only Doctrine and Covenants does, and only in sections
76, 78, 88, 131 and 137.)
First of all I'd like to better explain "our" doctrine too. We believe that
there are 2 different places in the eternity, don't be shocked, I will clarify my
position. There is a places for the glories and one place where no glory exists. This
perfectly fits what is found in the Bible. Let's analize first the 3 degrees of glory and
the bold declaration of Sharon:"Note that there are NO passages in the Bible that
teach "three heavens"; only Doctrine and Covenants does.
WEll we have to take a closer look at this declaretion of the Master Himself, I am using
here the name Master because He taught the true doctrine or not?
John 14:2-4
In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you.
(here the Lord saying :" if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you." Is making sure that people should understand His point. Btw
The Father's house should be The Heaven, or not?
John 14:3
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
John 14:4
4 � And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
So we have the Master's declarations that in his Father's house there are MANY Mansions.
Many in english it means surely more than two or am I wrong? You could say that many means
more than three, usually, and you are totally right! Infact if you read better doctrine
and covenants you will see that even in the celestial kingdom there are 3 different
places, one for the family, another one for the angels and another one where is not
specified. With this on mind is pretty simple to imagine that probably in the other two
places: terrestrial and telestial there could be even be the same division.
The words of Jesus:"And if I go and prepare a place for you" are clear if in the
heaven there are many mansion he is going to prepare one place, otherwise he doesent need
to prepare anything, that is it, no choice.
Paul taught the same doctrine, or better i should say that he was just referring to a
wonderfoul experience that he had 2 Corinthians 12:2
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or
whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third
heaven.
I am really sorry for Sharon because if Paul mentions a third heaven it is pretty clear
that at least there are two more, otherwise the word "third" has no meaning. So
at this point is pretty easy to say that the Bible teaches that there are at least three
heavens. To mantain the contrary it means that people should go again in the kindergarten
to learn again the meaning of the words (Many mansions) or mathematichs for the meaning of
the word "Third".
Sharon also mantains:"There are two places in the Bible that LDS have turned to
support their view of the 3 degrees of glory. Let's deal with them first. The first is I
Corinthians 15:40, which says that there are bodies celestial and bodies
terrestrial." Let's go to analyze this wonderfoul passage
But some [man] will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
1 Corinthians 15:36
36 [Thou] fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
1 Corinthians 15:37
37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it
may chance of wheat, or of some other [grain]:
1 Corinthians 15:38
38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
1 Corinthians 15:39
39 All flesh [is] not the same flesh: but [there is] one [kind of] flesh of men, another
flesh of beasts, another of fishes, [and] another of birds.
1 Corinthians 15:40
40 [There are] also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the
celestial [is] one, and the [glory] of the terrestrial [is] another.
1 Corinthians 15:41
41 [There is] one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of
the stars: for [one] star differeth from [another] star in glory.
1 Corinthians 15:42
42 So also [is] the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in
incorruption:
Sharon took in consideration only the verse 40, i don't know why but if you want to better
understand the whole picture you have to start from the very beginning. The beginning is
the question:"But some [man] will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body
do they come? "
So Paul was teaching regarding the resurrection of the body. In the verse 38
explains:"But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own
body. " Clearly is referring at what kind of body God will give according to his
works. and going on speaking regarding "bodies" the scripture
clarifies:"But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own
body." It is true that here it doesen't mention the word telestial that is disturbing
Sharon so much, but it is true either that in the next verse the scripture declares:"
41 [There is] one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of
the stars.
Paul here is clearly quoting 3 different sections, or not? Remember He had a first hand
experience he was up at the third heaven. So I am sorry for Sharon, the Bible clearly
support the idea that there are 3 heavens and sure one hell. If Jesus manteins that in His
Father's house there are many mansions, why I have to follow the wrong idea that there is
only one, specially when we have the second wittness from Paul that he was right there in
the THIRD Heaven, mantaining different is like to say that Jesus and Paul were lying, or
not?
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