Finding Transhumanism in the Scriptures

The Mormon Transhumanist Association in Africa recently invited me to speak. Because of their strong motivation and inspiring work, their membership has been growing rapidly. My understanding is that, since inception about a year ago, the African area of the association has grown to around 200 members. Below is a lightly edited transcript of my sermon, which I delivered to them remotely.

Friends, it’s good to be with you today.

What I’d like to do is speak with you about the scriptures. In fact, I’d like to read the scriptures with you today. If you have your scriptures, I encourage you to get them because we’ll be looking at them together. So if you could grab your Bible and your Book of Mormon, we’ll be using those.

What I’d like to read about in the scriptures together is the Gospel of Christ and how it relates to transfiguration, to the ideas that we teach and proclaim and share here at the Mormon Transhumanist Association.

Become Christ

If you would, let’s turn together, first of all, in the New Testament of the Bible to the First Epistle of John, chapter 3. That’s where I’d like to start. Right there at the beginning of the chapter, let’s read the first two verses together.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:1–2)

Think about that for a moment. Think about what it says. Think about what it implies about the relationship between us and Christ.

It says that when Christ appears, we will be like Christ. Imagine what kind of change is required for that to happen. Imagine the kind of people we will be when that happens.

All throughout the New Testament, this idea is taught – this idea of transformation or transfiguration, of profound change. We must become as Christ is. We must become Christ with Jesus.

Do the Works of Christ

Let’s move on to the second passage of scripture. This one is in the Gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 12.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things.” (John 14:12)

Again, I invite you to think about the words that are written here by John. What’s he saying? He’s saying that we should do the works of Christ and even greater works than those that are talked about in the New Testament.

This is Jesus speaking in this passage. He says that whoever believes in him will do the works that he has done. And they will do even greater things.

This extends the same message we received in the First Epistle of John, where we’re told that when Christ appears, we will be like Christ. How will we be like Christ? This scripture tells us we will be like Christ because we will do the works that Jesus showed us, and even greater things.

That’s a stunning idea. It’s a big idea – one that should sober us, cause us to reflect, to think about what potential we have, but also how far we have to go.

Create Heaven on Earth

Let’s go to another passage of scripture. This one is in the Book of Revelation, or the Apocalypse of John, which is the last book of the New Testament. We’ll go to chapter 21 and start at the beginning, verses 1 through 4.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” (Revelation 21:1–4)

In this passage, John is describing the future of Earth – this place where we now live – when it has been transformed and become a heaven, and God lives on Earth.

How will God live on Earth? Well, we’ve already read in other passages of scripture that when Christ returns, we will be like Christ. So, when Christ returns, we will be God with Christ, with Jesus.

We will be like Jesus. We, as God with God, will live on Earth. This will be our heaven transformed.

It’s a beautiful idea – an idea worthy of our hope and worthy of our work. It’s an idea not just about power, but about compassion. It’s about becoming the kind of people who, as the scripture says, will wipe every tear from the eyes of our family and our friends and everyone else. It’s about seeing their suffering and helping to relieve it, about becoming the kind of people that Jesus Christ exemplifies.

When we do that, this Earth will become our heaven. And God will dwell here with us.

God Inspires Technology

Let’s turn to the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews. We often call it the Book of Hebrews. We’ll look at chapter 11, verse 7.

We sometimes wonder how we will achieve these great prophecies of the future – that we will become like Christ, that heaven will come to Earth, and that Earth will become heaven. Hebrews 11 has something to say about that.

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.” (Hebrews 11:7)

When Noah heard the prophecies of the future, when Noah was confronted with the challenges of his day, he was inspired. He was moved by the Spirit of God.

And in his inspiration, what did he do? He built. He created. He used the technology of his day – with inspiration of God – to build a boat, an ark, and save his family from impending disaster.

We, today, find ourselves in a similar situation, confronted with the challenges, the risks, and the potential disasters of our day. We have been inspired by God to act, to become like Christ. How do we do that?

Well, it starts with prayer. It starts with inspiration. It starts with revelation.

But it proceeds from there to action, and from action to building and creating and using all the means God has given us. And that includes technology. We must use the technology of our day, as Noah used the technology of his, to create and build so as to save our family and friends and our world from potential disaster.

Change to Avoid Destruction

There’s another scripture related to this idea that’s important. I’d like to turn with you to the Book of Jonah in the Old Testament, going to Jonah, chapter 3. Jonah was a prophet called by God to go to Nineveh and proclaim the word of God. We’ll read what the scriptures say about him – Jonah 3, starting with verses 3 and 4, then skipping to verse 10.

“Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, ‘Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.’”

“When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened.” (Jonah 3:3-4, 10)

How often do we hear of prophecies of destruction, of the end of the world, of terrible things – of frightening things, of tempests and earthquakes and fires and destruction and death and hell? How often do we hear these dark ideas? And yet these are not our fate.

We read in Jonah that Jonah was called by God to tell the people of Nineveh they would be destroyed. But they changed.

They repented. They became better people. And they were not destroyed.

Confronted today as we are by dark ideas and terrible risks, we too have the opportunity to change, to repent, to be better people, to create and to build better relationships, to use the means God has given us —- including technology —- to make the world better. If we do that, we have this scriptural precedent, this promise, that we will not be destroyed.

Despite great risks, like Nineveh, we can repent. We can change. And we can overcome.

Resurrection to Diversity

Let’s talk a little bit about what that future might look like in more detail. We’ll read together again in the New Testament, Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 15. We’ll go to verse 35 to start.

“But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’ How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as He has determined, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body. Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another, fish another. There are also heavenly bodies, and there are earthly bodies. But the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another. And star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:35–44)

As we think about overcoming the risks of our day and the future that awaits us, some of us might think that future will be the same for everyone, that there’s only one way we can become like God, only one way our bodies might be. This scripture says otherwise. It says that in the resurrection there will be many kinds of bodies – bodies like the sun, like the moon, like the stars. And star differs from star in splendor.

The resurrection of the dead to immortality will be a resurrection to diversity. And in that diversity, we will be beautiful.

We need not worry that everybody will be the same, living in a boring heaven where everything is just one thing. We have the opportunity to look forward to something beautiful, different, changing, and dynamic. Eternal life is not a boring, same-old-things life. It is a life of diverse beauty.

Resurrection to Embodiment

Let’s read more about that in Luke 24, starting in verse 36. Keep in mind the context: this is happening after Jesus died.

“While they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself. Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it, because of joy and amazement, He asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate it in their presence.” (Luke 24:36–43)

When we think about resurrection to immortality and all of the diversity of those bodies, we can keep in mind this passage. It reminds us that all those diverse, beautiful, immortal bodies are flesh and bone and tangible and embodied. We’re not talking about mere metaphors. When we talk about the eventual resurrection of our bodies, the bodies of our family and friends, and the bodies of all humanity, we’re talking about a literal embodied body, an immortal resurrection.

Jesus exemplifies that here to his disciples. His immortal body can be touched and felt. He says it is a body of flesh and bone. And he eats with his disciples to demonstrate he is as real as they are.

The resurrection to which we aspire is as real as the life we are living now – not just metaphors or abstractions, but flesh-and-bone resurrection to immortality.

Heal the Sick and Raise the Dead

Let’s go to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 10, verses 7 and 8. Jesus is speaking and tells his disciples:

“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.’” (Matthew 10:7–8)

We’ve been talking about resurrection to immortality, to embodied immortality. But Jesus doesn’t expect us to wait around for that. Jesus has an audacious, big idea. He tells his disciples to work to heal the sick and even to raise the dead.

I don’t know how to do that exactly. I doubt any of us knows. Yet Jesus commands us to do so.

We have a lot to learn and a lot of work to do. And we had better get started. We can start by doing what we can to heal the sick. And while we’re doing that, we must learn how to raise the dead.

Transfiguration

More on that subject from 1 Corinthians 15, starting in verse 51.

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’” (1 Corinthians 15:51–54)

What a promise. What a vision – that this work of Christ, to which he commands us to heal the sick and raise the dead, will lead to a day when the dead will rise and the living will be transformed from mortality to immortality.

Perhaps you and I will be there. Perhaps we will participate in this transfiguration from mortality to immortality. Perhaps our friends and our family will as well. That is the end toward which we are called to work: to heal the sick and to raise the dead.

But if by chance we die before that day comes, we can yet have consolation that we will be raised from the dead to immortality and enjoy this new heaven on Earth with our loved ones. We could die. We don’t know our fate.

But we don’t work for death. We work for life. We work to heal. We work to raise the dead, to overcome that awful monster of death and hell, to join the work Christ calls each of us to do: to become Christ with Jesus and transform this Earth into heaven.

Faith to Action

One more scripture from the New Testament: the Epistle of James, chapter 2, starting in verse 14.

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:14–19)

We’ve talked about many big ideas —- about healing the sick, raising the dead, transforming our bodies and our world into immortality. There’s a temptation to do nothing, to relax, and wait on God to do all the work. But remember, that’s not what God has asked us to do.

Over and over in the scriptures, God invites us, even commands us, to participate in this work of transformation. We are called to change, to repent, to work, and to create and build and make that better world of prophecy. That is our faith, that such a world is possible. But as James tells us, our faith is vain if we do not work in accordance with it.

More Blessed

Now let’s go to the Book of Mormon for one more passage: 3 Nephi, chapter 28. As context, this is the appearance of Jesus to people in the Americas. He is talking to His disciples there – the 12 he calls to teach the gospel of Christ in the Americas. Starting at verse 1.

“And it came to pass when Jesus had said these words, He spake unto His disciples, one by one, saying unto them: ‘What is it that ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?’ And they all spake, save it were three, saying, ‘We desire that after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may speedily come unto Thee in Thy kingdom.’ And Jesus said unto them, ‘Blessed are you because ye desired this thing of me. Therefore, after that ye are seventy and two years old, ye shall come unto me in my kingdom, and with me ye shall find rest.’

“And when He had spoken unto them, He turned Himself unto the three, and said unto them, ‘What will ye that I should do unto you, when I am gone unto the Father?’ And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto Him the thing which they desired.

“And He said unto them, ‘Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me. Therefore, 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. And 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.’

“‘And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow, save it be for the sins of the world. And all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me while the world shall stand. And for this cause ye shall have fullness of joy, and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fullness of joy. And ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one. And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me, and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men because of me.’

“And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, He touched every one of them with His finger save it were the three who were to tarry, and then He departed.” (3 Nephi 28:1–12)

This is one of my favorite passages of the Book of Mormon. Jesus is speaking with His 12 disciples. He asks them, “What do you want? What do you desire?”

Most of them – nine – say they want to go to heaven after they die. Jesus tells them they are blessed for this desire.

Three of them, however, don’t speak because their desire is different. And they’re worried Jesus won’t like it.

But Jesus discerns their thoughts. He understands their desire. And he tells them they are more blessed for this desire.

Did you get that? The three disciples are more blessed than the others for their desire. And what is that desire? They desire to live their life without dying, so they can continue teaching the gospel of Christ for as long as the world stands.

These three disciples saw a vision of the potential of humanity and the potential of Earth —- of the transformation that is coming. And they wanted to participate in every moment. They wanted to work. They wanted to express their faith through action.

They wanted to become like Christ. And Christ tells them they are more blessed for this desire. He tells them they will have the opportunity to work, to proclaim the gospel of Christ, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to participate in the work of God until Christ returns.

And in that day, when Christ returns, they will be like Christ. Christ is like God. And Christ and God are one.

In other words, these disciples would become like God and one with God. They would never die. They would work to change the world. And for that desire, Jesus tells them they are more blessed.

We’re gathered together as Mormon transhumanists because our desire is to participate in the transformation of this world —- of our bodies, the bodies of our friends and family, the bodies of all humanity —- into heaven and into immortality, so that when Christ returns, we will be like Christ. As Mormon transhumanists, we are gathered because our desire is the same as the three Nephite disciples’ desire: that we might live and work to proclaim the gospel of Christ, to act with power on the gospel of Christ.

I tell you that for this desire, we are more blessed, just as Jesus tells his disciples in the Book of Mormon. If he were with us today, I trust he would say the same. We are more blessed because we wish to work, to proclaim the gospel, to live, and to participate in the transformation of our bodies and our world into heaven and into godhood.

Thank you for reading the scriptures with me today. I hope you’ve felt inspiration, as I have, when reading these passages. I invite you to share these scriptures with your friends and family and talk about how they inspire us to participate with Jesus in the transformation of our bodies and our world into heaven and godhood.