Ancient Technologies: Resurrection and Immortality

Some of the most cutting-edge goals of modern science are actually extremely old technologies.  For example, the ability to live forever and the ability to bring back people from the dead is almost 2,000 years old.


Perhaps God will choose to use modern science and technology, like DNA sequencing or other tools, as one of the means to assist in resurrection, but He certainly does not need to, and has not used them in the past.  


In this post, below, I've compiled a few references about Jesus Christ's resurrection, which is the center point of Christianity, including the Mormons, or the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.  None of these references suggest or hint at them being a parable or analogy as an inspiration for later science.   Numerous early Christians were tortured, beaten, then continued preaching this same message--that Jesus came, died, and was resurrected.  Those are hardly actions of people defending something that was nothing more than a symbolic myth or parable.


Of course, these references are in the realm of faith, not science, so they are not provable using the scientific method--although we do have plenty of circumstantial and anecdotal evidence.   But, I struggle to see how you can believe in the resurrection of Christ 2000 years ago and also subscribe to the transhumanist idea that we will eventually use technology improvements to accomplish the same thing.

Matt. 28:6 (See also Luke 24:6),  Mark 16:9

• 5And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

   6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

   7And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

   8And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

   9¶And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

   10Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.He is not here: for he is risen," 

• Luke 24:39  

  36  And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

   37But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

   38And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why dothoughts arise in your hearts?

   39Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

   40And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands andhis feet.

   41And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

   42And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

   43And he took it, and did eat before them.

•  John 20:20, 27-28

•  20And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

• 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

   28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

• Acts 1:3   

• 3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

• 3 Nephi 11:13-16

13And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

14Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

15And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

16And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

17Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

Many other people were also resurrected:


Matthew 27:52

52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

 53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

 3 Nephi 23:9

9Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?

 10And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.

 11And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not writtenthis thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?

 12And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.

 13And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should bewritten; therefore it was written according as he commanded.

Finally, He promised three of the Nephite apostles they would never die:

3 Nephi 28

7Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the powers of heaven.

8And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.

The ancient resurrection is a fundamental doctrine of Christianity and the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.


If the resurrection happened, how does God still need us to gradually use scientific means to eventually enable us to accomplish the same thing he's already done "many" times nearly 2,000 years ago?

Elder Oaks and Science, Revelation

Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke recently at Harvard about the basic principles of the LDS faith, in a way that I found very interesting.


Here are some excerpts, first about Jesus Christ and His role in both resurrection and eternal life:

Because of His resurrection all who have ever lived will be raised from the dead.  He is the Savior whose atoning sacrifice opens the door for us to be forgiven of our personal sins so that we can be cleansed to return to the presence of God our Eternal Father. 

And about the process of finding truth:

We seek after knowledge, but we do so in a special way because we believe there are two dimensions of knowledge, material and spiritual.  We seek knowledge in the material dimension by scientific inquiry and in the spiritual dimension by revelation.

Here's his quite interesting description of revelation, one of the "distinctive elements of our faith"

Personal revelation—sometimes called “inspiration”—comes in many forms.  Most often it is by words or thoughts communicated to the mind, by sudden enlightenment, or by positive or negative feelings about proposed courses of action.  Usually it comes in response to earnest and prayerful seeking.  “Ask, and it shall be given you;” Jesus taught, “seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7).  It comes when we keep the commandments of God and thus qualify for the companionship and communication of the Holy Spirit. 

I found it interesting to note this clear description of revelation as providing feelings or inspirations, quite different from the process of obtaining truth through scientific inquiry.

Historicity matters

I don't think this particular article has much to do with Transhumanism, but I came across this article:
"The Book of Mormon, Historicity, and Faith," by Robert L. Millet, that I feel makes a lot of sense.

A similar article by Elder Oaks is here.

For me, the idea that Jesus actually lived and was resurrected, and that Book of Mormon events actually happened, are important to my faith.

Differences are not just semantics

In a previous post about the differences, I don't want to dismiss the importance of actual challenges beyond semantics.  To summarize, here are key doctrines of Mormonism that seem to contradict assertions of transhumanism:

1)  Eternal Life requires spiritual obedience to commandments and God's grace and forgiveness, not advanced scientific discovery:  Doctrine and Covenants 14:7:  "And, if you ^akeep my commandments and ^bendure to the end you shall have ^ceternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God. (Also  D&C 6:13)

2) Resurrection is a result of, and patterned after Jesus Christ's resurrection, not man's scientific work, as I have already discussed in my doctrinal and logical response.

3) Final, Eternal Judgement based on benevolence or love for others, but also on proper performance of certain ordinances given by those with proper priesthood authority.

If, as transhumanism seems to suggest, the final, eternal judgment doesn't matter or won't require  dramatic, powerful intervention after we die, then why do we need obedience to certain commandments or ordinances, such as baptism, temple marriage, etc., that really have very little to do with increased benevolence?  Sure, baptism is a covenant to essentially be benevolent ("mourn with those that mourn"), but becoming benevolent posthumans certainly wouldn't require full immersion and certain proper words spoken by someone who has proper priesthood authority.  (See 3 Nephi 11:24-38).

The transhumanist emphasis on man's work seems to me a proud proposition that suggests we don't need God and that His commandments are not necessary or relevant.   If we can resurrect ourselves--or, incredibly, even grant ourselves forgiveness, eternal life and future creative ability--through scientific progress, who needs God or His commandments or ordinances?
 
Since pride is the "universal sin" and "The great stumbling block to zion"  that scriptures and modern prophets have repeatedly warned against, I'm more concerned that we have a tendency to become too proud, than that we might have a tendency to reduce our interest in scientific discovery.  Plenty of worldly pressures will encourage scientific progress to continue, regardless of religion.

However, few forces exist other than scriptural and prophetic warnings to restrain the unbridled pride that can lead to our downfall.  So, in my religious practice and belief, I'd rather emphasize our dependence on God, rather than our ability to do everything, including resurrection and eternal life, by ourselves.

Of course, that doesn't at all dismiss our need to work diligently to protect and preserve the earth, find cures for diseases, help the poor, etc.

More interesting, productive questions

If we want to really embrace and utilize science and technology to further God's work, here are some possible lines of inquiry that seem more productive to me than trying to enable resurrection and eternal life.  These are just possibilities.

• How can we reduce poverty around the world, and within the United States, especially in chronic inner-city poverty, without encouraging dependency?  The solutions might be technical, but probably also involve plenty of political and sociological sciences.
• How can we more effectively distribute vaccines, clean water, and other health-promoting tools that are already available so that more people throughout the world can access them?
• How can we use new media, Internet, and other technology tools to reduce misconceptions and promote the true understanding of Christ's teachings?
• What can we do to promote, create, and utilize clean sources of energy so that our planet can be preserved?  How can we refine recycling techniques to reduce costs and make the effort more profitable?
• What behaviors and foods, vitamins, and minerals can help us stay healthy, increase longevity?   
• Various kinds of medical and chemical research into curing and vaccinating against all kinds of diseases.
• How can we more effectively enable rapid and deep learning among a variety of learning styles?

The idea of this list is that we have plenty of work to do to accomplish God's work to love and care for others, to improve our health, increase life expectancy, and increase our benevolence.   If God needs us to use our own science and technology research to enable resurrection, we have plenty of work to do before we get to that point.

Many of these efforts are currently within reach, and we're making some real improvement in many areas, but are digressing in others.  Many of these also have current and very real ethical implications--let's discuss and make progress on those issues.

Let's use our active faith to discuss and solve current problems that will change lives and accomplish God's work to improve the human condition.

What difference does it make?

Lincoln asks what practical difference it makes whether we embrace logical and philosophical explanations for human effort making all kinds of good things happen. He promotes the active faith involved in Mormon Transhumanism as promoting good works.

It is a good and perhaps fundamental question. I do really like his thoughts about an active faith and the concept of fully utilizing technology and scientific opportunities, and promoting the best of human effort.

I'll try and describe here the difference it makes for me.

When it comes to the resurrection and atonement of Christ, I personally enjoy the feeling of faith and the awe at the miraculous and things that are not fully explained. I can more easily love and embrace the concept of "My Heavenly Father," than I can "posthuman capacity." Perhaps we're talking about the same thing, but it's just more tiring and less enjoyable for me to try and explain my entire faith scientifically or logically.

When I pray to my Father in Heaven, I like to imagine a real, tangible person who through some miraculous process I don't (nor do I try to) understand, loves and understands me just as he loves and understands the billions of other people who must be praying to Him as well. I love the feeling that "I am a child of God," and that my literal Spirit Father loves me so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son to enable His love and grace to overcome all my weaknesses and sins to allow me to eventually live with Him forever. I'll desperately need this mercy because I cannot possibly approach the perfection He envisions for me through my own efforts.

Even with His grace, I want to and need to work hard and do my best to develop my personal capacity, and I agree with the emphasis on stretching to reach for our fullest human potential. But, often I fail, or feel weak, or need help or inspiration from a source beyond my own, or I just feel I've reached the limits of my personal capacity. At those moments, I love feeling the comfort inside that comes when I ponder and pray and sense His infinite love for me. It's a special, loving peace that sometimes includes tingles or special emotions that are hard to explain. I feel comforted, loved, motivated to do better, and want to reach out to help others. Sometimes I have sudden ideas or thoughts that help people or help solve personal problems. At those times, I just want to enjoy and feel the miraculous wonder of His Mercy and Grace without trying to explain it all through logic and philosophy. It’s an unexplained, sometimes not fully logical, but emotional connection to not just the “Christ within me” but with a real, powerful and awesome personal Heavenly Father who loves me.

Yes, I love learning, scientific discovery, and using technology to do good. However, all the logical and scientific jargon about "positive futures," “posthumans,” "posthuman capacity" and "engineered resurrections" explaining how everything could work takes away a part of the peaceful, loving feeling I get when I wrestle with difficult issues in prayer as I pour out my soul to my Heavenly Father. Maybe it’s just semantics, but the semantics make a difference to me.

Put simply, I want to feel the love.
It's harder for me feel love from or for numerous unknown "posthumans" who happened to use their own genius to eventually develop the capacity to create other worlds.

Too much logic, philosophy and scientific explanation of miracles such as mercy, resurrection, and grace can rob me of some of those special feelings that are central to my religious experience.

Lincon Cannon response continued

In Lincoln Cannon's Blog he continues a response to some of my comments about the Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation.

First, let me share where we agree.   I fully agree that: 1) Science and technology have been and should be embraced by the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.  Scientific discovery is one important means of discovering truth.  2)  I see no problem with attempts at scientific understandings of, say creation and evolution, geology, biology and medicine, etc.  I agree that these discoveries may contribute toward "positive futures," and support our full efforts to embrace scientific progress toward improving the human condition and extending life.

Lincoln reinforces these points through several quotes from early church leaders about how knowledge, truth, and wisdom can come through science and the arts.  At the same time, he admits that science does not describe a means for all persons to be resurrected, even though he agrees that universal resurrection is a requirement in LDS doctrine.

Having thought about and re-read his response a few times, I feel we're actually not too far off of each other, except by emphasis and degree, and perhaps by language choice.  The effort to explain everything through logic and philosophy can grow tiring, however.

For example, he proposes that the resurrections occurring 2,000 years ago at the time of Christ may have happened because either other “posthumans” made it work, or our future descendents will eventually acquire the ability to use science to go back in time and change the past.  To me, that's a mind-twisting exercise with far-reaching tentacles that reminds me I'm grateful "Back to the Future" was just a fun movie.

What about the resurrection of Christ Himself?  Was that a feat of time travel and changing history? According to Christian doctrine, which Mormonism strengthens in the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ was a real person, who thousands of witnesses saw die and buried.  Then, after he was resurrected within less than 36 hours after being buried, numerous witnesses saw that he was risen and ate with, saw, touched him personally, and listened to his teachings.  After that, hundreds of these witnesses lost their lives defending their testimonies that this actually happened.   It wasn't just some "Christ in us" force that we all have inspiring us. He was a real person that many people knew, saw, and felt.  The Book of Mormon and latter-day revelation could not be more clear about that point.

I’d rather just enjoy some miracles, particularly this most important one, as miraculous.  I don’t feel this exercise of faith is superstitious just because I don’t make an effort to explain it scientifically.  I can find plenty of evidence in my own feelings, and in other historical witnesses to back up my faith without creating a full explanation for how it happened. 

In sum, here are the key views that I hold from LDS doctrine, which I feel still contradict the concept of transhumanism, even after Lincoln’s second response

Resurrection requires faith, and is controlled and ordered by God’s moral judgments of people's behavior, not their access to scientific knowledge or technology. The LDS embracing of technology and science does not extend to resurrection, and scientific knowledge is not currently close to a real solution for resurrection for all, particularly for persons whose remains have been completely obliterated.  Lincoln shares some of the same quotes I used about resurrection being a priesthood ordinance.  I interpret those statements as reinforcing the idea of resurrection being an orderly event based on the moral and loving behavior of those being resurrected, and also reminders that science and technology are at most minor aspects of the means of resurrection.

Exaltation or Eternal Life, requires faith, and involves sin, mercy and grace, and is available only to the righteous.  Lincoln suggests that: ". . .the Affirmation suggests the same nearly universalist perspective on salvation. Personally, I hold to a nearly universalist perspective on salvation, and observe a naturally enforced correspondence between benevolence and empowerment at play in the universe and our interaction with it." 

If his “universalist perspective on salvation,” means that almost everyone will attain Eternal Life with God, or exaltation, that concept contradicts several scriptures about God’s judgment, and the pattern of the Book of Mormon in which the more part of the people were destroyed.  It also contradicts much of my life experience with many people who don’t have any real interest in striving for eternal life.  Thankfully, though, I'm not the judge, and I do hope and work towards the goal of everyone reaching eternal life.

Finally, I just feel that this emphasis on explaining everything scientifically and logically may be intellectually interesting, but does not contribute much to our path to be like Him, and it ignores feelings, emotion, and faith that are vital components of religion.