How we see it…

First we will talk about the nature of these writings, then the creation of Adam, then the role of Adam, then the Adam God controversy.  

ABOUT THIS WEBSITE:

What religion are the authors of this website? Several have contributed to this site, but it is mainly operated by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nate Richardson & Christian Ziebarth are the key contributors, but insights from others are also shared. Does this website want my money? No, everything (articles, books) on this site is free, no subscriptions emails etc. required. Is the purpose of this site to bash? This site aims to raise awareness of prophetic teachings, and to offer solutions to challenging topics. The authors do not wish ill relations with any group. They hope these messages are seen as a olive branch. Yes certain views are endorsed and others discouraged, but the authors do not believe in persecuting others for having different beliefs. If you’re someone who wants to learn the finer points of the doctrines about Adam, chances are you’re a good chap who just wants to get closer to God. The authors have friends from various groups and belief systems. Often these groups can work together to contribute pieces of understanding, even while agreeing to disagree on certain points. What is written on the subject of the Adam God controversy? Plenty of books have been written promoting the perspective of Adam as God the Father, but few have been written promoting the perspective of the Church today, namely that Adam is a son of God, but with a divine calling. Perhaps Mark E. Peterson’s “Adam, Who is He?” is the only book to do this. A few essays have been done promoting this perspective such as that of Eldon Watson and Ward Vincent Coon. We hope this research will serve to largely expound upon these brief works. Though there are several opinions and possibilities out there, these writings are dedicated to showing evidences for the theory advanced by the Church today.  

CREATION OF ADAM:

What does it mean that we are children of God? This is literal. Scriptures and prophets say we are “literal offspring of deity.” (1909 1st Presidency Statement). The genealogy of Luke 3 is clear: Adam was the son of God. When we call Christ the “Only Begotten,” that is in another sense, indicating a priesthood calling, and points to the unique circumstances of His birth. Was Adam born naturally or from clay? Naturally. The book of Moses also uses the phrase ‘dust of the earth’ when referring to how all the rest of us were born. It veils a sacred topic, and it alludes to the nature of our bodies, made to live specifically on this earth. Are Adam & Eden real or allegories? Many scriptures indicate that Adam is a real single person and that Eden was the real place on this Earth where he fell. The fall occurred just after the creation, and is not an allegory of transitioning from pre-mortality to mortality. What does the literal parenthood of God imply about Darwinian evolution theory? Many scriptures and prophets of the restoration have denounced evolution as a false and pernicious teaching of man. Evolution says mankind came from the beasts below, religion says mankind came from the Gods above. Your opinion is up to you, but make no mistake, these two messages cannot co-exist. The Latter-day Saints and the Baptists have been leading voices in the fight against evolution. But recently several writers in the church have advocated evolution. A detailed point-by-point response to their claims in fields of religion and science has been written by the team of this website.  

ROLE OF ADAM:

Is Adam a bad guy? No. Joseph Smith revealed that Adam is “The Ancient of Days” and is surrounded by angels, participating in judgement. Latter-day Saints see the Fall as a step in the right direction, however paradoxical. What is the official view of the church on Adam? Go ask them. But in short, it’s that Adam is our brother, one of many who need to be saved by Christ, but that he has a high calling in the priesthood. He is the first man, and first flesh also. Is the “Ancient of Days” the same as God the Father? To many yes, but not necessarily in the Latter-day Saint view. The Saints see many beings involved in roles helping to carry out the will of God. Is Adam a god? Depends how you define god. The D&C lists several, including Abraham, who are already enthroned Gods. Does Adam preside in the priesthood? Adam holds the keys over this earth. All who come after him get keys from him. In this sense, Christ receives authority from Adam. This is not to be confused with the actual person of the God and Father of Christ. Sometimes in priesthood lingo, your superiors are referred to as your ‘father’ like ‘father Abraham.’ Brigham and others referred to Joseph as their ‘father.’ Since Adam is our ancestor, and has priesthood authority, he can be seen as our ‘father’ on several levels. A few quotes indicate that Christ is above Adam in priesthood. The temple also indicates Christ (as Jehovah) being above Adam (Michael). One possibility is that Adam presides over this world, whereas Christ is the savior of several. The role of president and savior are two separate roles. Are titles used for the gods rigid? Depends. Historically Jehovah was sometimes called God the Father. Today the church designates the term Jehovah specifically for Christ. The Father and Son are united in their mission.

Are Saints allowed to talk about controversial teachings about Adam? I would hope so. Clearly it wouldn’t be appropriate to go into deep and controversial doctrines at church meetings these days. The danger is when you openly advocate views contrary to those of the church. But freedom of thought is allowed (and encouraged). If you believe in Adam as God the Father (which we don’t), expect disfellowship from the church if you promote that view, as it is not aligned with the current mission and teachings of the church. But generally speaking, we aim to create a safe place to discuss all teachings of the prophets, and reasoning about the same. Could there be more to this topic than meets the eye? There almost certainly is. We rely on scripture, and we trust that God can expound upon scripture as He sees fit. Sometimes there are apparent contradictions. To what extent God employed Adam to carry out His plan may remain a mystery until God sees fit to reveal more on the subject, which, given the current state of the church, could be a while. Did Brigham Young teach that Adam is God the Father? Apparently, sometimes yes, other times no. Perhaps he used the term ‘god’ flexibly. Perhaps we misunderstand him. Perhaps he didn’t get everything right. We hope to highlight many of his forgotten teachings, and offer suggestions for how to deal with the more controversial ones. Is Adam the father of Jesus? Only along the maternal line. Is Adam the God we pray to? No. Adam prayed to the same God we pray to. But ancestors may play a role in carrying out the will of God in our behalf. Did Adam have another mortality before this life? Mortality is a one-time experience. Is Adam the Holy Ghost? The Church teaches that we don’t know the identity of the Holy Ghost. But it’s an interesting possibility. Does a person go through mortal life repeatedly? This idea is refuted by several scriptures and teachings of modern prophets. Claims favoring this idea are extrapolated from speculation and rare utterances. Mortality is a test, and it works very well, you don’t need to retake the test. We come to Earth to get a body, and we get to keep that body forever in the resurrection. The experiences we have in this life will forever bless us as we continue to live, have new experiences, and enjoy life as children of God. Being born again is about a spiritual awakening and commitment to follow God. As we gain experience, our lives will increasingly resemble that of our exalted Heavenly Parents.