Parables
Parables on this site are narratives intended to provoke contemplation and channel action toward a better future. Lincoln treats myths and visions as postsecular parables that integrate religious imagery with scientific and technological ideas. He emphasizes usefulness over literal truth, describing parables as forthtelling prophecy that can co-create the future interactively. The topic lists articles relevant to parables, including artwork, scriptural retellings, and visionary essays on Kolob, Christ, cyborgs, and human apotheosis.
This is a list of articles that Lincoln Cannon has written about parables, myths, and visions. A full archive of all articles that Lincoln has published since 2005 is also available. You may also search for articles and other content that's available on any of Lincoln's websites.
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Witnesses to the Creative Power of Prophecy
In his poignant personal essay, โHope, Fear, & Creation: Living in Response to Prophecy,โ my friend Don Bradley shatters the brittle glass of fatalism that often encases religious futurism. Weaving the heartbreak of losing his son, Donnie, with the historical rigor of his research into Joseph Smith, Don crafts a ... -
The Cyborg of Temple Square
In the heart of Salt Lake City, not far from where the spires of the Salt Lake Temple pierced the night sky, Eli Cannon worked in solitude. His mechanical fingers moved with precision over a holographic interface, adjusting security protocols for the temple. A monument of faith and advanced engineering, ... -
Creating Kolob
Often, while pondering the intersection of Mormonism and Transhumanism, I find my thoughts wandering to the grand myth of Kolob. In Mormon scripture and cosmology, or perhaps simply in Mormon theology in the functional sense, Kolob is esteemed as the star nearest the throne of God. When I think about ... -
Eternal Christ
In that day, when all the world is taxed and pregnant with prophecy, babies who will be Christ are born. Sublime messengers herald the good news to those who kept watch during the night. And they spread the word. Some wonder and ponder in their hearts. Many are troubled. Children ... -
What If It All Works Out?
What if the best prophecies are fulfilled? What if the worst are avoided? What if, by the grace of God, we make heaven on Earth? What will that look like? Such questions come from one of my favorite professional anthropologists, Jon Bialecki. He has been studying and writing about Mormon ... -
Return of Christ
This is an edited transcript of my presentation at the 2018 Conference of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. I talked about the Return of Christ. I touched on how it relates to Transhumanism. But my focus was on some foundational theology that leads to what I believe is a more robust ... -
A Vision for Mormon Transhumanism
I envision the role of Mormon Transhumanism in context of an analogy. Two thousand five hundred years ago, humanity was evolving into a new way of thinking. It was expressed in part by transition away from polytheism. Zarathustraโs teachings had spread throughout most of the civilized world. And the Persian ... -
Myths and Visions of Mormon Transhumanists
This is a transcript of my talk at the 2015 Conference of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, held yesterday in the Salt Lake City Public Library. The conference attracted about 75 attendees in person, and about 900 visitors to the live stream on Transfigurism.org. Keynote speakers were Ralph Merkle and Kristine ... -
A Mormon View of the Judeo-Christian Creation Story
I recently read news of a creationist museum using billboards featuring cartoon dinosaurs. Yes. Thatโs religious dinosaurs using cartoon dinosaurs to preach fictional dinosaurs. It prompted, with a friend, an interesting discussion regarding interpretation of the Judeo-Christian creation story. He claimed that the LDS Church (the largest Mormon denomination, of ... -
Mythology as Atonement
While listening to speakers at church today, I considered my internal reactions to the various ideas and feelings expressed. At times I was inspired, at times indifferent, and on occasion annoyed. Consideration led me mostly to familiar explanations, ranging from degree of shared perspective to volume of persons near me. ... -
10 Parallels of Mormon Thought to Engineering Vision
Next week, Iโll have the opportunity to meet with several Mormon scholars to discuss parallels between Mormon thought and engineering vision. The meeting has been organized by Scott Howe, of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, on behalf of Richard Bushman, who is the Claremont Colleges Howard W. Hunter Chair of ... -
The Apotheosis of Pride
While searching for God, I saw in the distance a great crowd of persons, convulsing as if to implode. Wondering, I approached and saw them pushing, pulling, and climbing over each other, exerting an almost superhuman effort to move higher into the crowd. To my horror, I also saw what ...