Revisiting Transfigurism

This is an edited transcript of a presentation about Mormonism as a religious Transhumanism that I gave, via my avatar Ahman Hax, at Extropia in the virtual world of Second Life. And it is a revised version of a presentation that I gave in Second Life previously. The occasion for this second presentation was a meeting of the Second Life Transhumanists.

Hello everyone. My first life name is Lincoln Cannon, and I’m president of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. I’m also a proud member of the World Transhumanist Association, as are all voting members of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. Before getting started, I’d like to thank Giulio for organizing this opportunity to present to you. I’d also like to thank Khannea for her expert assistance with a virtual makeover of my Second Life avatar.

My presentation, today, is on Mormonism as a religious Transhumanism. I’ll begin by providing, briefly, some background information on Mormon origins and denominations. Subsequently, I’ll show that Transhumanism is compatible with at least some religious forms, as illustrated by parallels between basic Transhumanist ideas and an authentic interpretation of Mormon metaphysics, theodicy, eschatology and soteriology.

Finally, I’ll use these parallels as a basis from which to launch analysis of the relative compatibility of other religious forms, such as Christianity, with Transhumanism.

Please understand that not all Mormons will fully agree with everything I present. Like Transhumanists, Mormons sometimes disagree with each other. For evidence of this, you need look no further than the divergent perspectives of prominent American politicians, Harry Reid and Mitt Romney. Reid is one of the highest ranking Democrats in the United States government, and Romney was recently a Republican contender for the presidency of the United States, yet both are Mormon.

Be assured, however, that my presentation will reflect an authentic Mormon view, supported both by Mormon tradition and by Mormon canon, as well as the sincere commitment of many individual Mormons, whether familiar with Transhumanism or not.

Mormon Origins and Denominations

Mormonism originates with early nineteenth-century American, Joseph Smith. Joseph, as he liked to be called, claimed to communicate with God through visions and other experiences, beginning in his adolescence and continuing throughout his life. In 1830, Joseph published the Book of Mormon, which tells of interactions between God and ancient inhabitants of the American continent, including a visit from the resurrected Jesus Christ. Soon after publishing the book, Joseph founded the Church of Christ as a restoration of the original Christian church.

Following years of violent persecution, Joseph was killed by a mob in 1844, and the already-strained church fractured. In time, Brigham Young emerged as the recognized leader of the majority of Mormons, who he led across the plains and mountains of the American west to settle in the valleys of what has become the State of Utah. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was incorporated in 1851, and today consists of over 13 million members around the world.

Simultaneously, most Mormons that did not follow Brigham eventually coalesced around the leadership of Joseph Smith III, the oldest surviving son of Joseph Smith. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in 1860, changed its name in 2001 to Community of Christ, and today consists of over 200,000 members worldwide.

In addition to these major Mormon denominations, there are numerous small denominations, such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which continues to practice polygamy, unlike most other Mormon denominations.

Mormon Metaphysics

There is no Mormon metaphysics.

More precisely, Mormonism does not rely on the immaterial. “All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure.” Spirits, whether of humans, non-human animals, or even whole worlds, are organized from light, which “was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” This light is a primal “intelligence,” “which is in all things, which give[s] life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God … who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.”

God does not create the world from nothing. Rather, “God had materials to organize the world out of chaos – chaotic matter, which is element” The physical world extends and empowers the spiritual world. God creates “all things … first spiritual, secondly temporal.” Together, “the spirit and the body are the soul.”

“Spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; and when separated, [we] cannot receive a fulness of joy.” Indeed, “they who have [bodies], have power over those who have not.” The dead only have experience “in the abstract” and look “upon the long absence of their spirits from their bodies as a bondage.”

Additionally, Mormonism does not rely on the supernatural. “All [worlds] have a law given; and there are many [worlds]; for there is no space in the which there is no [world] … and unto every [world] is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions.” Even the miraculous “cannot be in contravention of natural law, but [is] wrought through the operation of laws not universally or commonly recognized.” “The whole story of [our] progress is the conversion of ‘miracles’ into controlled and understood events.”

Mormonism’s materialism and naturalism situate it squarely in the empirical world of modern science. Certainly, respect for objectivity and acknowledgment of symbolism should inform Mormon interpretation of canonical texts and spiritual experiences, just as an open-minded restraint from secular dogmatism should inform skeptics’ interpretation. However, Mormons do adhere to a metaphysics (or perhaps a lack of metaphysics) that is fundamentally consistent with that of many Transhumanists.

ike Mormons, although more explicitly in deference to the scientific method, Transhumanists generally reject or ignore appeals to the supernatural or immaterial. Even so, many Transhumanists share Mormons’ faith in a material spirit, although described in different terms as trust in the possibility of substrate independent consciousness, which they often recognize as a basis for the feasibility of futures including mind uploading and computed worlds.

Mormon Theodicy

Mormon theodicy, its explanation for the mutual existence of God and evil, parts with theologies that postulate a monolithic God of absolute omnipotence.

While God is powerful, the possible is limited. “Element had an existence from the time [God] had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and reorganized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning and can have no end.” Likewise, “intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” “The spirit … is not a created being; it existed from eternity, and will exist to eternity.”

God did not create the world from nothing, rather God emerged “in the midst of spirits and glory” and being “more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance … The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. [God] has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted.” Consequently, God’s power becomes distributed among all who become gods, of whom it is written, “they have all power.”

Evil arises from the tension and conflict between wills, desires and laws. There is no absolute good or evil. “That which is wrong under one circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another. God said, ‘Thou shalt not kill;’ at another time … ‘Thou shalt utterly destroy.’ This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted – by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which [we] are placed.”

To overcome evil, God calls us to be saviors, of whom Jesus Christ “is the prototype or standard of salvation.” “Through the Atonement of Christ, all … may be saved.” Jesus teaches, “love one another, as I have loved you.” On the one hand, he says, “if ye ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” On the other hand, he asks, “if ye love me, keep my commandments.”

Like the Apostle Paul, we are called to “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in [our] flesh for [Christ’s] body’s sake, which is the church.” This is “Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning [everyone], and teaching [everyone] in all wisdom; that we may present [everyone] perfect in Christ Jesus.”

Mormon theodicy appeals to a distribution of God’s limited power among emergent divine persons that organize and reorganize the world in which they find themselves, as they seek to unite in compassion for each other. This view resonates with philanthropic, consequentialist, and democratic principles expressed in the Transhumanist Declaration.

Moreover, the common Transhumanist view of evolution, where technological evolution eventually supersedes biological evolution, corresponds with the Mormon view of eternal progression, where each of us, including God, first emerges within an environment before working to organize it. Both Mormons and Transhumanists generally recognize that the evils in our world, the misery and the pain, reflect our limited power to reconcile conflict among and between our individual wills, anatomical desires, and communal and environmental laws.

Eschatology

Mormon eschatology, its view of the future, begins by identifying our time as one of rapid progress and extraordinary challenges, and proceeds to a millennial paradise and beyond to godhood in worlds without end.

We now live in an epoch known as the “dispensation of the fulness of times,” when God is building upon past knowledge and power to inspire and endow us with yet greater knowledge and power. “Nothing shall be withheld, whether there be one God or many gods, they shall be manifest … and also, if there be bounds set to the heavens or to the seas, or to the dry land, or to the sun, moon, or stars … all their glories, laws, and set times, shall be revealed.”

“And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.” “The work of the preparation of the earth, and of its inhabitants, is pressing forward with a rapidity that we who are taking part in it do not realize.”

The millennium is imminent, “even at the doors.” “In that day whatsoever [anyone] shall ask, it shall be given.” Mortals “shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye,” transfigured to immortality by “a power which belongs to [the] priesthood.” Immortals will receive “an ordination to hold the keys of the resurrection” and have “power to raise the dead.” Resurrected immortals will have “spirit in their bodies, and not blood” and they will vary one from another “as one star differs from another star in glory.”

Immortals inhabit “worlds without end” of diverse kinds and degrees. “This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal,” “a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things … are manifest, past, present and future.” Its inhabitants will receive a white stone “whereby things pertaining to a higher order of [worlds] will be made known.”

Such persons “are gods … all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come … and they shall overcome all things.” They have “entered into power, glory, might, and dominion, and are gathering around them thrones, and have power to organize elements, and make worlds, and bring into existence intelligent beings in all their variety, who, if they are faithful and obedient to their calling and creation, will in their turn be exalted in [the] eternal [worlds] of the Gods.”

Mormon eschatology clearly parallels a common Transhumanist view of the future.

The Fullness of Times parallels Moore’s Law and Ray Kurzweil’s description of the Fourth Epoch. Transhumanists generally recognize that we live in a time of accelerating change. We observe computers doubling in power at predictable intervals, and we observe similar exponential change in other technological fields, such biology and miniaturization.

As Mormons attribute the rapid change to increasing knowledge and power with which God has inspired and endowed us, Transhumanists attribute this to the recurrent application of existing technology to facilitate and expedite engineering of new technology, guided by the possibilities presented to our imaginations by advancing science.

Additionally, the Millennium parallels the Technological Singularity. Many Mormons and Transhumanists expect that a time of dramatic change is imminent, with unprecedented risks of disaster and war, as well as opportunities for indefinite life extension, material abundance, and eventually diverse forms of immortality.

Finally, godhood in worlds without end parallels the simulation hypothesis of Nick Bostrom’s Simulation Argument. As the argument goes, if we ever use advanced computing power to simulate a significant number of worlds indistinguishable from our own, we are almost certainly already living in such a computed world, as are the neohumans computing our world, and so on in possibly infinite regression.

Thus, Transhumanists that trust in our eventual capacity and willingness to create a significant number of computed worlds are, in different words, sharing the Mormon faith in eventual godhood in worlds without end.

Soteriology

Mormon soteriology, its doctrine of salvation, focuses on happiness in spiritual and physical progression that is attained through both grace and works, according to our individual wills and desires, balanced within a context of community and environment.

“Happiness is the object and design of our existence.” “[We] are, that [we] might have joy.” In worlds without end, all “enjoy that which they are willing to receive,” and “in [God’s] presence is fulness of joy.”

The grace of God “give[s] to all life, and breath, and all things,” without which we “cannot say that [we] are even as much as the dust of the earth.” The light of Christ “is in the sun … the moon … the stars … and the earth also … and the light which shine[s], which give[s] you light, is through [God] who enlighten[s] your eyes, which is the same light that quicken[s] your understandings.”

In this context of grace, “we are saved, after all we can do.” “Faith without works is dead,” and faith “is not only the principle of action, but of power … in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven, or on earth.” All “should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.”

Our discipleship of Christ, our will to truth and friendship in eternal reconciliation with each other as a community, is central to salvation. We must “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”

This love should extend not only to the living, but to the future and the past. “Turn the heart of the [parents] to the children, and the heart of the children to their [parents].” “These are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the [ancestors] – that they without us cannot be made perfect – neither can we without our dead be made perfect.”

Full happiness is eternal progression in spiritual and physical exaltation. “If there were a point where a [person] in … progression could not proceed any further, the very idea would throw a gloom over every intelligent and reflecting mind. God … is increasing in knowledge, power and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end. It is just so with us.” “The glory of God is intelligence.” “The elements are the tabernacle of God.” “Spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy.”

In the day of transfiguration, the living “shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality … shall not have pain while … in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world … and for this cause … shall have fulness of joy.” In the day of resurrection, the dead will be “restored unto [their] perfect frame, bone to … bone, and the sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and the body to be united … that they might receive a fulness of joy.”

Mormon soteriology focuses on eternal spiritual and physical progression in individual happiness balanced with communal goodness, brought about both through our own efforts and through powers beyond our individual capacities. This view resonates with philanthropic, cautionary and liberation principles expressed in the Transhumanist Declaration. Moreover, the Transhumanist pursuit of better minds and bodies through mental and physical enhancement corresponds with the Mormon pursuit of happiness through both spiritual and physical progression.

Religion and Transhumanism

These parallels between Mormonism and Transhumanism may serve as a launching point for analysis of the relative compatibility of other religious forms with Transhumanism. I’ll briefly share my perspective on the relative compatibility of Transhumanism with the broader Christian tradition.

However, please keep in mind that any attempt to discuss the Christian tradition broadly permits only vague generalizations that will not apply to each particular Christian denomination. Please note, too, that although I will contrast Mormon and Christian perspectives, most Mormons consider themselves Christians.

In the category of metaphysics, some Christian denominations espouse immaterial and supernatural views of God, miracles, spirits and heaven. Although this presents reconciliation challenges that Mormonism does not face, it does not necessarily render them incompatible with Transhumanism. I can imagine Transhumanists from these faith traditions generally embracing the materialistic and naturalistic assumptions of science, while simultaneously allowing for mysterious exceptions.

In the category of theodicy, some Christian denominations face the formidable challenge of reconciling their faith in an absolutely omnipotent God with the evils we experience in the world and with substantial evidence for biological evolution.

Mormonism, which posits an emergent God that operates within limits to seek greater empowerment, still faces some challenges in explaining why a powerful God, even if not omnipotent, does not do more to combat evil. But this is a challenge it shares with any Transhumanists that trust in our ability and willingness to produce computed worlds in the future.

In the category of eschatology, some Christian traditions claim that revelation from God has ceased, and therefore may find it relatively difficult to identify divine action in the scientific and technological advances of our day and in the future.

However, there is historical precedent among Christians for faith in an engineered resurrection, such as that advocated by Nikolai Federov, and eventual participation in godhood, as advocated by numerous early Christians, including Silvanus, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Cyprian, Athanasius, Basil the Great, Maximus the Confessor, and Augustine.

In the category of soteriology, some Christian traditions hold to faiths that explicitly disavow our ability, and even the morality, of physical progression. Mormonism, on the other hand, holds explicitly to a faith in eternal progression of both spirit and body, which is relatively easy to reconcile with Transhumanism. However, as I alluded to before, there is sufficient historical precedent in broad Christian thought for embracing concepts better aligned with Transhumanist ideas.

To wrap up this topic, I’ll mention that James Hughes, in a document entitled “The Compatibility of Religious and Transhumanist Views of Metaphysics, Suffering, Virtue and Transcendence in an Enhanced Future,” explores in more detail these same general categories of potential compatibility between Transhumanism and religion, and provides evidence of compatibility with a variety of religious forms, particularly Buddhism.

Conclusion

Reflecting Mormon compatibility with Transhumanism, the Mormon Transhumanist Association affirms, in its own words, the Transhumanist Declaration:

1. “We seek the spiritual and physical exaltation of individuals and their anatomies, as well as communities and their environments, according to their wills, desires and laws, to the extent they are not oppressive.

2. “We believe that scientific knowledge and technological power are among the means ordained of God to enable such exaltation, including realization of diverse prophetic visions of transfiguration, immortality, resurrection, renewal of this world, and the discovery and creation of worlds without end.

3. “We feel a duty to use science and technology according to wisdom and inspiration, to identify and prepare for risks and responsibilities associated with future advances, and to persuade others to do likewise.”

I’m a Transhumanist, today, principally because my Mormon faith led me to it, and continues to provide deeply moving reasons to engage actively in the Transhumanist endeavor with you. Before encountering Transhumanism, my associates and I were already persuaded that our faith mandated the application of technology to the work of human exaltation, and we nearly organized as the Foundation for Immortality and Resurrection Science and Technology.

Fortunately, however, we discovered Transhumanism at the right time, and chose to align ourselves accordingly. We founded the Mormon Transhumanist Association on 3 March 2006 and affiliated with the World Transhumanist Association on 6 July 2006.

Some have criticized Transhumanism as a quasi-religious cult, to which many Transhumanists have responded with stern denial – too stern, and revealing. I do not share in the denial. In the Mormon tradition, we seek to recognize God in all that is good, by definition – not hypothetically. I do not hesitate to say that I see God at work in Transhumanism.

Indeed, if Transhumanism substantially affects the world for the better, it will do so only subsequent to our trust in the power of its meme and our faith in the strength of its spirit. The risks before us are too great and the opportunities too wonderful to confront with anything less than the best we can muster, both sharply rational and sublimely emotional. In the words of Pragmatist philosopher William James:

“The capacity of the strenuous mood lies so deep down among our natural human possibilities that even if there were no metaphysical or traditional grounds for believing in a God, men would postulate one simply as a pretext for living hard, and getting out of the game of existence its keenest possibilities of zest.

Our attitude towards concrete evils is entirely different in a world where we believe there are none but finite demanders, from what it is in one where we joyously face tragedy for an infinite demanders’ sake. Every sort of energy and endurance, of courage and capacity for handling life’s evils, is set free in those who have religious faith. For this reason the strenuous type of character will on the battle-field of human history always outwear the easy-going type, and religion will drive irreligion to the wall.”

Thank you for your time and interest.