The Gospel According To Starbucks™ Coffee Shop

By Eric Hoffman

The other morning after exiting Starbuck’s™ coffee shop, I was greeted by the traditional “Way I See It” commentary written on the side of my Grande size paper coffee cup. The “Way I See It” comments have been an ongoing thing for Starbuck’s for a few years now, which entail comments, points of view, or quotes by all kinds of different people around the world. Typically the commenter’s who are quoted on the cup have a pretty secular and liberal world view. The comments are rarely interesting to me nor carry any profound meaning or thought (at least the ones I have read). But, this one really grabbed my attention. As I rolled the cup over to get my daily fill of liberalism, I was greeted by this:

“Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imagination for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure.”   --Bill Scheel, Starbucks™ customer from London, Ontario. (He describes himself as a modern day nobody.)

A few things I want to address regarding Bills world view. First off I would like to know why Bill considers himself a nobody while at the same time considering humans to be great enough to conquer some of life’s toughest problems. If Bill considers what he wrote to be true, then why would he consider himself a "nobody"? It appears that he thinks man kind is great enough to overcome life’s catastrophes. But, at the same time excludes himself from this great world of ours because he is no more than a “modern day nobody.”

In addition I find it interesting that Bill thinks we as human beings should call upon ourselves in moments in crisis. This reminds me of the author and self-help motivational speaker, Dr. Wayne Dyer, who’s philosophy teaches that if one is lost to seek for himself and find himself. Correct me if I am wrong here, but if you are the one lost and confused why would you ask the one who is lost and confused for direction? Seems illogical. I imagine people like Bill who think God is nothing more than a possible myth is the same type of person who is joined in arms on “National Prayer Day.” Or supporting those lost in the 911 tragedy encouraging those who have lost family and friends with comforting phrases like, “Our prayers are with you and your loved ones.”

Lastly, I would like to end on what my response to “The Way I see It #247.”

“I find it interesting that people in our world today only call on God in times of catastrophes rather than everyday.”

Although Starbucks™ does not officially represent these sayings and slogans on their cups, they definitely are partial to their views. If you don’t believe me, send Starbucks™ a “Way you see it” containing a Bible verse like, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  –John 14:6

Joseph Smith A God of This Generation

By Steve Redinger

This month while browsing the internet I was shocked to find the following teachings from early LDS history:

"Shortly after Joseph Smith’s death in 1844, Zina married Brigham Young. In May of 1846, Henry was sent on a mission to England. In Henry’s absence, Zina began to live openly as Brigham’s wife and remained so throughout her life in Utah. Henry seemed to struggle with this arrangement and later wrote to Zina, “...the same affection is there...But I feel alone...I do not Blame any person...may the Lord our Father bless Brother Brigham...all is right according to the Law of the Celestial Kingdom of our God Joseph.
This can be viewed at this link

The 10 Commandments in the Bible say that there is to be NO gods before Jehovah God. Yet Joseph Smith was recognized by members of his church to be such a god aside an apart from the true and living God.

Looking deeper I found another LDS teaching from early LDS history showing Joseph Smith claimed to be a god before the Biblical God--- President Joseph Smith’s remarks at the April Conference of 1844 were as follows:

"God made Aaron to be the mouth piece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be a god to you in His stead, and the Elders to be mouth for me; and if you don’t like it , you must lump it". (Teachings of Joseph Smith, Compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith pp 362-363 -April 8, 1844 DHC 6:318-320)

Brigham Young reinforces this idea when he states:

"No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith. He (Joseph Smith) reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven.”  (Journal of Discourses Volume 7; 289)

This teaching lives on as Herber C. Kimball also reflects the same belief about Joseph Smith when he states:

"You call us fools; but the day will be, gentlemen and ladies, whether you belong to this Church or not, when you will prize brother Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Living God, and look upon him as a god.”  (Journal of Discourses 5:88)

Taking this to the same level, it seems that certain historians have concluded that Joseph Smith was thought to be an actual Godhead member, that is the Holy Ghost. Smith's savior-like role may have later escalated to pathological proportions. According to Heber C. Kimball, Smith "many times" said:

"Would to God, brethren, I could tell you who I am! Would to God I could tell you what I know! But you would call it blasphemy, and there are men upon this stand who would want to take my life."

Smith may have come close to revealing his secret identity when he declared in August 1842, according to the record of Franklin D. Richards, that:

"the Holy Ghost is now in a state of Probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has." If Smith had referred to himself as some Mormons at the time believed, he may well have considered martyrdom as the best conclusion to his mission."

One might therefore view Smith's death as an inevitable extension of his Messiah complex. Even Smith's reported comment--"I am going like a lamb to the slaughter" (D&C 135:4)--has Messianic overtones (Isa. 53:7; Acts 8:32). I would therefore argue that Smith's death was both martyrdom and atonement. According to Smith family tradition, Joseph told his mother:

"I go as a lamb to the slaughter, but if my death will atone for any faults I have committed during my life time I am willing to die."

We Will Become Like Him

By Eric Hoffman

If you have had the pleasure in sharing the gospel with a Mormon then you will more than likely be able to relate to this article. If you have not, then may this be a helpful tool for you in sharing your faith with Mormons.

When discussing certain theological aspects surrounding the Mormon faith one must be aware of how to scale the language barrier. What I mean by this is Mormons may use very orthodox sounding points of view, but in reality their words have an entirely different meaning. Mormons often like to offer very ambiguous answers to very direct questions. An excellent example for this is when you ask a Mormon if it is true that they will become gods after they die. They typically answer this with, “We will become like God.”

The problem with this answer is that it fails to define what “like” means. “Like” him how??  Does a Mormon merely mean that they will become perfected in his love and sin will no longer reign in their body?  Does it mean they will become the very image that God intended for us when he created us, being perfect and lifting His name in glory while ruling over the angels in His kingdom?  Or does it mean they will become a god just like God the father and rule over a creation of their own, where their creation will worship them, just as they worshiped their Heavenly father?  In reality Mormon theology teaches the latter of these three possibilities. . In fact, a widely used LDS publication called “Gospel Principles” discusses this very topic. In chapter 47 it reads:

• They will live eternally in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (see D&C 76).


• They will become gods.


• They will have their righteous family members with them and will be able to have spirit children also. These spirit children will have the same relationship to them as we do to our Heavenly Father. They will be an eternal family.


• They will receive a fulness of joy.


• They will have everything that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have--all power, glory, dominion, and knowledge. President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: "The Father has promised through the Son that all that he has shall be given to those who are obedient to his commandments. They shall increase in knowledge, wisdom, and power, going from grace to grace, until the fulness of the perfect day shall burst upon them" (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:36).

Mormons will purposely avoid this due to the fact that they know that is far from any type of traditional orthodox Christianity. Becoming like God is much more appealing to the possible convert who is receiving the missionary discussions. When sticking to the ambiguous term of “becoming like him” they are more able to turn to the bible and use common proof texts that are taken completely out of proper context.

Mormons will often point to John 10:34 which reads:

“Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”

Jesus was quoting here from Psalm 82. Does this really support the LDS teaching of multiple gods and that they can (if worthy) become one themselves? I can tell you right off the bat that Mormon apostle, James Talmage understood the correct context and wrote about it in his book “Jesus The Christ.”

James Talmage writes:

"In Psalm 82:6, judges invested by divine appointment are called 'gods.' To this scripture the Savior referred in His reply to the Jews in Solomon's Porch. Judges so authorized officiated as the representatives of God and are honored by the exalted title 'gods.' Compare the similar appellation applied to Moses (Exo. 4:16; 7:1). Jesus Christ possessed divine authorization, not through the word of God transmitted to Him by man, but as an inherent attribute. The inconsistency of calling human judges 'gods,' and of ascribing blasphemy to the Christ who called Himself the Son of God, would have been apparent to the Jews but for their sin-darkened minds."  (James Talmage, Jesus the Christ, page 501)

So clearly Talmage squashes the idea that Jesus was supporting the idea of people becoming gods. I would think most Mormons would consider Talmage some what of an authority.

For further support Mormons will often turn to 1 Corinthians 8:5 which reads:

“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many and lords many).”

Out of it’s context this verse would seem to support the idea that there are more than one god in existence. But this verse is simply pointing out that many things are called “gods,” but there is a difference between being called a god and actually being a god.

So the next time a Mormon tells you that he will become "like" God, make him or her explain what they mean by "like." I assure you these verses will come up. But proper context is extremely important when dialoguing with the LDS.

"Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me."   -Isaiah 43:10