A 1904 book by Nels L. Nelson, that barely scratched the surface on the cosmos and the gospel.
IF scriptural references to the cosmos in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints are to be taken literally, then man’s physical science is pitifully off
the mark in accuracy.
Here are 9 scriptural highlights:
1. Take planets, for example. There are
mortal planets, that can die; and there are immortal ones. This very concept
would astound scientists.
According to
D&C 88:25-26:
25. “And
again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial
kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and
transgresseth not the law—
26. Wherefore,
it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the
power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it.”
So, the
Earth is currently in a mortal state, but will die before it is quickened, made
immortal and is an abode for the most righteous of God’s children. How many
planets out there are still mortal? Unknown, but this seems significant. Man’s
scientific understanding is that planets and stars have limited lifespans, but
God seems to have made a way for them to exist forever and forever.
2. The Earth is a “she,” the moon is a
“she” and our sun is a “he.” Thus, gender exists among stars and planets.
D&C 88:45:
45. “The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her
light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their
wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God.”
So, does this mean that the Earth can produce planets as offspring, the
Moon too, and yet the Sun not? Certainly our understanding is limited here, but
the term “Mother Earth” appears correct. And, assuming it takes a union of a
male and female planet to produce offspring, then that must be how
planets and stars are created. (Again, we lack detail, but man’s science is
light years behind the cosmic truth of God.
3. Our sun will NOT ever run out of energy, as it is sustained
by a link to greater stars.
Facsimile 2 in the Book of Abraham:
“Fig. 5. Is called in Egyptian Enish-go-on-dosh; this is one
of the governing planets also, and is said by the Egyptians to be the Sun, and
to borrow its light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash, which is
the grand Key, or, in other words, the governing power, which governs fifteen
other fixed planets or stars, as also Floeese or the Moon, the Earth and the
Sun in their annual revolutions. This planet receives its power through the
medium of Kli-flos-is-es, or Hah-ko-kau-beam, the stars represented by numbers
22 and 23, receiving light from the revolutions of Kolob.”
So, while gravity may hold planets and stars in orbit, there
clearly is another chain of energy, invisible to man, that maintains the power
of stars and planets in the universe.
4. The Earth abides the Celestial law of
God, but it clearly does not like the sins of mankind, who live on it.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 88, verse 25
states:
"The earth abideth the law of a celestial
kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the
law—."
LDS Church Scriptures
also states that the Earth is groaning under the weight of sin by mankind.
Doctrine and Covenants section
123, verse 7 states:
"The whole earth
groans under the weight of its (mankind's) iniquity."
To
groan is in response to pain or despair, based on dictionary definitions and so
could man’s sins be the cause of so-called “Climate Change,” earthquakes,
volcanoes and the like? Perhaps.
5. Light is light. The same light that shines forth
from the sun is the same light that sparks our understanding of spiritual
matters.
D&C 88: 6-13:
6. “He
that ascended up
on high, as also he descended below
all things, in that he comprehended all
things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of
truth;
7. Which truth shineth.
This is the light
of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the
power thereof by which it was made.
8. As also
he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which
it was made;
9. As also
the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made;
10. And the
earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.
11. And the
light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth
your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
12. Which light proceedeth
forth from the presence of God to fill the
immensity of space—
13. The light which
is in all things, which giveth life to
all things, which is the law by
which all things are governed, even the power of
God who sitteth upon
his throne, who is who is in the bosom of
eternity, who is in the midst of all things.”
Again, these verses
highlight how little man really knows about light and the universe. Yet, it is
clear that God, Christ and Celestial beings can produce an unending and
infinite amount of light, to sustain the universe forever and ever. And, it may
be as simple as when God needs more matter, it produces more light; stops that light
and it becomes matter and thus there is an unending supply of that too. It may
be that simple.
6. There was NO "big bang," as the universe has always existed.
Eternity is forever and we, as mortals, cannot grasp that endless concept.
Whenever one tries to ponder eternity, the mortal mind rebels and lets one know it can't comprehend that idea.
However, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "That which has a beginning will surely have an end, take a ring, it is without beginning or end -- cut it for a beginning place and at the same time you have made an ending place ... so it is with God." ("Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 181.)
Thus, there has always been a God.
Our God, the Father, has his own Father and so forth backward into eternity. There is a plurality of endless Gods.
There's no "Big bang" needed here -- that's man's cop out for understanding.
Somehow, a "God" has always existed. If not, there will be an end.
The universe has always been here in some degree.
Joseph Smith also stated that "God himself could not create himself." And, he stated that the spirit of man has always existed.
(Joseph Smith Teachings, page 354.)
Somehow God can stop light and create matter. Since he can likely also produce endless light, there's endless matter around. He just adds "intelligences," when needed to the mix, to create life, though there may be life to some degree in all matter.
7. God is the master of time and space.
The
author knows little of the mathematical nature of Einstein's theory of
relativity, but he believes to God much of it is not a theory, it is practical
way God does important things.
For example, look at Facsimile No. 2, the Figure one explanation from the Book
of Abraham and you find this startling material: "Kolob, signifying the first
creation, nearest to the Celestial, or the residence of God. First in
government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time.The measurement
according to celestial time, which CELESTIAL TIME SIGNIFIES ONE DAY TO A CUBIT.
One day in Kolob is equal to a thousand years, according to the measurement of
this earth ..."
Interchanging a day (time) with a cubit (physical measurement) is
time/space inversion. (And this scripture was written long before Einstein came
alone.)
To God then, does time becomes a short physical measurement -- one step or
less?
Perhaps.
Also, the above verse states one day in Kolob equals a thousand years on earth.
Does that mean that the theory of relativity's time dilation effect is used by
God to better serve his purposes? Does it mean that no one in the Pre-Earth
life waits more more than a week to be born, because time is moving faster on
Earth?
If so, the author perhaps waited just over 30 minutes in the Celestial realm to
be born after his mother was born.
If Kolob is traveling near the speed of light, time moves much more slowly there than on Earth. Thus, our earthly test can be done in a fraction of time and it is not just h
--Now the author is certainly not the first LDS Church member, or leader to touch on relativity and the gospel, just one of the more passionate on the subject.
The book, "Science and Mormonism" did.
Also, the church's last general patriarch, Emeritus Patriarch Eldred G. Smith, talked about time dilation and and our time in mortality in his April 1966 General Conference talk, "Can You Abide Two Hours?" (Improvement Era, June 1966, pp. 512-513.
-If you would like to read Patriarch Smith's talk, go to:
http://scriptures.byu.edu/gettalk.php?ID=1461
(-NOTE: This kind of material in the Book of Abraham --plus its feel of being "scripture" -- make any dispute/debate on the Book of Abraham's origin meaningless to myself. The proof of divinity is in its content!)
8. There are "kingdoms" everywhere and there is no space where there is not one.
Doctrine and Covenants 88:36-38:
36. "All kingdoms have a law given;
37 And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.
38 And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions."
So, there are at least 9 planets in our solar system and apparently all are part of a kingdom. All are useful to God and all have specific laws given. (God's universe is one of order.)
"Outer Darkness" is where sons/daughters of perdition will end up and that may well be the empty, dark space between galaxies?
But, there is no empty of a kingdom kind of space per se in outer space.
9. A Celestial Kingdom may well be on the surface of a star.
Doctrine and Covenants 130:6-9:
6 "The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;
7 But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.
8 The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.
9 This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s."
A "sea of glass and fire" sure sounds like a star.
And, while the traditional view of hell in Christianity is a hot place amidst fires, the truth may actually be the opposite. Hell will be a cold, lightless place, while heaven will be a golden place full of flaming glory and plenty of heat.
-These are just some of the Gospel truths, relating to the cosmos, contained in LDS Scripture.
NOTE: This article and all of the NighUntoKolob blog are NOT an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are the author's conclusions and opinions only.
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