A major pillar of Mormon belief is their concept of [[theosis|deification]], which they refer to as the "Doctrine of Eternal Progression." In opposition to the Trinitarian dogmas of the [[First Ecumenical Council|First]] and [[Second Ecumenical Council|Second]] [[Ecumenical Council|Ecumenical Councils]], Mormons believe that [[God]] the Father, whom they refer to by the Old Testament Hebrew term "Elohim"<ref>LDS Bible Dictionary, Entry "God," at http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bd/g/43.</ref> (which, translated into English literally, means "gods") as a way to refer to God the Father separately form His Son, Jehovah/Yahweh, who Mormons believe incarnated on Earth as Jesus Christ. Mormons also refer to God the Father as "Heavenly Father" as Mormons believe that He is literally the father of the human spirit. Mormons believe that all human beings are literal spirit children of God and lived with Him in Heaven before being born on this Earth. (It should be noted that this LDS doctrine of "pre-existence" of spirits, by which we all are alleged to have existed "spiritually" in heaven prior to our birth on this earth, was specifically condemned by the [[Fifth Ecumenical Council]].) Thus, Mormons believe the difference between is not one of kind -Created v. Uncreated- but of degree -Fallen v. Perfect and Eternal. Because of this Mormons believe that through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ all people can be made perfect and be made like God by God, i.e. they can become gods. This is laid out in one of Joseph Smith's "revelations" known as Doctrien and Covenants section 132, verse 20 which says: "Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them."
Having attained to "godhoodFor a casual observer," this "Elohim" and his wife were enabled may seem similar to create and populate their own universe--namely, ours--with spiritual offspring who, by coming to earth and taking on human flesh, embracing and fully living the Mormon religion, and "enduring to the end," could themselves acquire "godhoodChurch's teaching of [[theosis]]," where they in turn could begin but this process anew. is most emphatically ''not'' so:
For :'''First''', there is a casual observerdefinite distinction in the Church between God and mankind, this may seem similar between the Creator and His Creation. God is eternal, and existed for eternity prior to (and entirely separate from) His creation (which, unlike its Creator, is ''not'' eternal), until the incarnation of the pre-eternal Word of God, the Church's teaching Second Person of the [[Holy Trinity|Most Holy Trinity]], as Our Lord [[theosisJesus Christ]]. This was a unique union between God and His creation, which never existed before. Mormonism, on the other hand, teaches that man and God are of the same "race" and men have the potential not just to achieve complete union with God but this to become gods as He is now. :'''Second''', the Orthodox Church clearly teaches that the Most Holy Trinity has ''always'' existed precisely as one God: "the Trinity, One in Essence, and Undivided." Mormonism, on the other hand, teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one in purpose, power, and perfection but most emphatically are ''not'' so: one in essence or hypostasis (as the Orthodox Church teaches). They are three completely individual beings and "gods," say the Mormons, and not "one" in substance. Mormons thus reject the Trinity.
:'''First''', there is a definite distinction in the Church between God and mankind, between the Creator and His Creation. God is eternal, and existed for eternity prior to (and entirely separate from) His creation (which, unlike its Creator, is ''not'' eternal), until the incarnation of the pre-eternal Word of God, the Second Person of the [[Holy Trinity|Most Holy Trinity]], as Our Lord [[Jesus Christ]]. This was a unique union between God and His creation, which never existed before. Mormonism, on the other hand, teaches that only matter and intelligence are truly eternal (not God), and that ''all'' of their "gods" essentially "evolved" in the same fashion, from physical matter.:'''Second''', the Orthodox Church clearly teaches that the Most Holy Trinity has ''always'' existed precisely as one God: "the Trinity, One in Essence, and Undivided." Mormonism, on the other hand, teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one in "purpose" only, and most emphatically ''not'' one in essence or hypostasis (as the Orthodox Church teaches). They are three "gods," say the Mormons, and not "one" in anything except a common purpose and mindset. Furthermore, say they, there are potentially billions of "gods" beyond the three they acknowledge as belonging to this world. All of this is diametrically opposed to Orthodox Christian teaching.:'''Third''', Theosis is a unification between God and mankind, not the creation of an entirely separate deity (or dietiesdeities).
Mormonism's designation by Orthodoxy as being "[[heretic|heretical]]"--instead of "[[heterodox]]," as is the case with the Roman Catholic and most major Protestant faiths--stems primarily from their spurious doctrines on the Holy Trinity and the nature of God, together with various other specious beliefs.
Mormons have a very difficult time understanding why Orthodox and other Christians deny that they are Christian. The simplest answer to this question is that the Mormon god is simply ''not'' God--at least not the God worshipped worshiped by Orthodox Christians (and other Trinitarians). This does not mean that the Mormons are necessarily immoral or wicked people, simply that they worship a god completely dissimilar different from the God worshiped in the Christian Trinity.
===Attaining to "Godhood"===
