text: why do people say mormons don't believe jesus is god? i have heard the statement "mormons don't believe jesus is god" several times, yet in the book of mormon it says otherwise.  helaman 8:22-23 ...yea they (the prophets) have testified of the coming of christ, and have looked forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come.  and behold, he is god, and he is with them, and he did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come.  2 nephi 11:7 for if there be no christ there be no god; and if there be no god we are not, for there could have been no creation.  but there is a god, and he is christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time.  if people continue to say this is it false witness, or is it due to ignorance, or is there another reason? we know some intriguing details about christ - that he once was man (or like man, though only begotten son of god), that he was divine, that he died and resurrected and sits on his throne with the father, with whom he is one. one can speculate on analogies between christ and the father, but we know essentially nothing about the "history" of god the father except that he is eternal. lorenzo snow, a president of the church, once said "as man now is, god once was: as god now is, man may be." this controversial passage is clearly applicable to christ, a god who became mortal for a time and yet was still and is still god. his work made it possible for us to become as he is, in a limited sense, for we can receive glorious resurrected bodies (phil. 3:21; 1 cor. 15:40-45), we can become "joint-heirs with christ" (romans 8:14-18), we can "put on the divine nature" (2 peter 1:4-10), and we can become "like him" (1 john 3:2). indeed, christ even went so far at to say, "ye are gods" (john 10:34), in reference to the divine potential of human beings. while he and the father are the one true god, whom we will always worship, he does want us to become more like the father (matt. 5:48) and that possibility is there because of christ. thus, thinking of christ and our relationship to him, what lorenzo snow said is accurate. however, it appears that lorenzo snow's quote also applies to the father, indicating that he also experienced a period of mortality, but we know nothing specific. but before you let the idea of "god once being like man" offend you, remember that it is explicitly true about christ himself. if christ were the same being as god the father, then it would also be true of the father as well, so non-lds critics who accept the doctrine of the trinity shouldn't get so upset. of course, we believe that god and christ are separate individuals, one in purpose, heart, and mind. but, in the spirit of pure speculation, let me ask if it is possible that christ, during his mission on the earth, was doing that which he had seen the father do? in john 5:19, christ said "the son can do nothing, but what he seeth the father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the son likewise." some people have speculated on what is meant by john 5:19 and on what lorenzo snow meant, but we do not know and i get very nervous when people pretend they know. certainly there are many difficult and foolish questions which can be asked in this arena. the important point is that god, christ, and man are of the same "species," and that man has divine potential to become more like christ and the father (e.g., see romans 8:14-18; 2 peter 1:4-10; 1 john 3:2). this concept was understood by the early christians, as i show at "http://www.jefflindsay.com/ldsfaq/fq_theosis.shtml".   knowing who christ is makes me very suspicious of anyone who says that we will become exactly like him. the bible teaches that we can become "joint heirs" (rom. 8:14-18) and can become "like him" (i john 3:2) and indeed, need to become like him (matt. 5:48) and be one with him (john 17:21-23). stronger still, paul in philippians 2: 5-7 seems to urge us to pursue that goal, not through puffery, but through humble service:   "let this mind be in you, which was also in christ jesus:  who, being in the form of god, thought it not robbery to be equal with god:  but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant...."  however, i sense a world of difference between the "small g" gods that christ mentioned (john 10:34) in speaking of the potential of humans (my view) and god the eternal father, who is the one and only everlasting god (see also i cor. 8:5,6). the reference to humans as potential "gods" is clearly meant in a limited sense, but the word god uses nevertheless is "gods." obviously, 