Evolution And Mormonism

[cdowis]

The problem is not whether or not I am sure about myself, but your inability to identify defining characteristics.

Let's say that "humaness" has to do with relatedness (i.e. following a family tree). The narrowest time that all humans were related Biblically could be defined as Noah's family after the flood. Only there is quite a bit of evidence that there was no human bottleneck of the magnitude implied by the flood in the Bible, nor within the number of generations implied by the Bible. An Adam-Eve bottleneck within 2000 years of Noah can not be identified.

All humans seemed to be part of a small group about 100,000 years ago. So I will pick the people that belonged to this small group as the original human settlers.

If you are going to unconditionally accept homo sapiens as 100,000 years ago, then we have no common ground for discussion. The Bible, the BOM, the scriptures will be dismissed out of hand, and there is no point in this discussion.

Just declare yourself victorious and we go our separate ways.

I have no problem accepting a chronology of the creation taking billions of years, including plants and animals, but the chronology of homo sapiens must be assumed to be an unsettled issue for the purpose of this discussion.

Your choice.

[CASteinman]

Our DNA can be traced directly to God Himself- we are his literal offspring.

Actually, DNA is a bit of a problem in this regard. In fact, I would say the existence of mitochondria suggests (strongly) the notion of long-term evolutionary processes.

Every time I think about this I wonder: Does God have Mitochondria?

[cdowis]

I agree that extreme caution is warranted when making any sorts of claims.

As I have already demonstrated however, we already know that at least a portion of our "software" came from natural, non-living entities (viruses). There is no evidence, in fact, that anything that exists on earth did not come from natural sources.

The LDS do not accept a creation by "poof". It is all through natural sources, but we may disagree on how this came about. Panspermia seems to fit our view of the creation of plants and animals, but not necessarily exclusively.

[cdowis]

Adam and Eve were formed from Gods DNA just the same as we ourselves are formed from our parents DNA. Our DNA can be traced directly to God Himself- we are his literal offspring.

And I always thought Jesus Christ was the Only Begotten of the Father. You are over your depth here.

[Stone holm]

And I always thought Jesus Christ was the Only Begotten of the Father. You are over your depth here.

No I believe the correct statement is that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, meaning mortality. Adam was not mortal at birth, he was pre mortal until the fall.

[Rob Osborn]

Actually, DNA is a bit of a problem in this regard. In fact, I would say the existence of mitochondria suggests (strongly) the notion of long-term evolutionary processes.

Every time I think about this I wonder: Does God have Mitochondria?

We are created in Gods image. I take that to mean that God too has DNA. How could we be copys of Him of we do not share the same pieces?

[CASteinman]

We are created in Gods image. I take that to mean that God too has DNA. How could we be copys of Him of we do not share the same pieces?

I was not merely talking about DNA. I was specifically referring to mitochondria and other similar organelles. Their origin and separate DNA and its simpler structure are indicative of evolution.

[BCSpace]

I was not merely talking about DNA. I was specifically referring to mitochondria and other similar organelles. Their origin and separate DNA and its simpler structure are indicative of evolution.

To Primary children, we equate our fathers being the fathers of our physical bodies with God the Father being the Father of Jesus' physical body (Primary 1: I Am a Child of God, (2000), 13–14). I think this is a prime indication that God has DNA, mitochondria, and all the same organelles we have and that God Himself is a Homo Sapiens. After all, God was once a mortal man who lived on another word as is the doctrine.

I can certainly handle God's physical body being the result of billions of years of (Divinely directed) evolution on another world.

[thesometimesaint]

You need to make that your sig line, hehe I have seen it a jillion times.

The evidence is all there, you just have to actually have a little faith and open your eyes to the literal mountains of evidence.

My avatar is the best signature line I can have.

I have faith, probably less than a grain of mustard seed. I haven't moved any mountains recently.

There is no mountains of evidence for ID/creationism. In fact that idea is just a rehashed version of reactionary US Protestant Christianity.

See http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/comdesc/default.html#evidence

[thesometimesaint]

To Primary children, we equate our fathers being the fathers of our physical bodies with God the Father being the Father of Jesus' physical body (Primary 1: I Am a Child of God, (2000), 13–14). I think this is a prime indication that God has DNA, mitochondria, and all the same organelles we have and that God Himself is a Homo Sapiens. After all, God was once a mortal man who lived on another word as is the doctrine.

I can certainly handle God's physical body being the result of billions of years of (Divinely directed) evolution on another world.

Some 80% of our DNA is dedicated to just the life functioning of a single cell. I can't begin to imagine the DNA of an organism that is eternal.

Edited March 19, 2013 by thesometimesaint

[Stargazer]

Actually, DNA is a bit of a problem in this regard. In fact, I would say the existence of mitochondria suggests (strongly) the notion of long-term evolutionary processes.

Every time I think about this I wonder: Does God have Mitochondria?

Perhaps midi-chlorians.

[Stone holm]

Some 80% of our DNA is dedicated to just the life functioning of a single cell. I can't begin to imagine the DNA of an organism that is eternal.

But it glows!

[thesometimesaint]

But it glows!

The DNA or the organism?

[Stone holm]

The DNA or the organism?

Hm? Profound question, I would guess it is the intelligences that compose the organism and each would have some DNA, so I guess you would need glowing DNA as well. Did the Prophet Joseph say that the two Beings glowed from an internal source or was it just reflected off Their outward appearance?

[ERayR]

But it glows!

For those who study it they say the human aura glows.

[Stone holm]

For those who study it they say the human aura glows.

How about the animal auras?

[ERayR]

How about the animal auras?

Don't know Don't care

[Nathair/|\]

How about the animal auras?

Anything with an animus.

[Stone holm]

Anything with an animus.

Great I just knew I glowed!

Edited March 20, 2013 by Stone holm

[Nathair/|\]

Great I just knew I glowed!

It's said that the aura grows as one develops spiritually and that the Buddha's aura was large enough to fill the earth. If this is true, then YHWH's must be large enough to fill the universe, which has some interesting implications for how He gets things done. That's another topic, though.

I haven't yet taken the time to learn how to see an aura, but I have felt them on several occasions and I have acquaintances (whom I don't believe would lie about such a thing) who tell me they can see them.

[mfbukowski]

1. Math and science

2. Worship of God

3. Understand the universe with our (2?)-pound brains.

(And I am a strong evolutionist)

Yeah that's the problem. It's the best we can get out these two-pounders.

[Stone holm]

It's said that the aura grows as one develops spiritually and that the Buddha's aura was large enough to fill the earth. If this is true, then YHWH's must be large enough to fill the universe, which has some interesting implications for how He gets things done. That's another topic, though.

I haven't yet taken the time to learn how to see an aura, but I have felt them on several occasions and I have acquaintances (whom I don't believe would lie about such a thing) who tell me they can see them.

Actually, they must come in negative as well, because quite frankly although i have sensed a strong Spiritual aura from a very few people in my life, but I have felt a strongly negative aura many times -- and in one case that I can remember it made my skin crawl and my secretary felt it as well -- we couldn't get the prospective client out of the office fast enough to suit either of us. I remember once as Bishop we had a guy wander into the Church a couple times asking questions and I had a similar reaction, not quite as strong, but pretty strong. We used to call it "vibes" though not "auras". I also knew a person who claimed to be able to see auras as well, can't say that I have ever visualized anything like that though.

[thesometimesaint]

Don't know about aura's but a few minutes of listening to someone you get pretty good at sizing people up.

[Ahab]

Actually, they must come in negative as well, because quite frankly although i have sensed a strong Spiritual aura from a very few people in my life, but I have felt a strongly negative aura many times -- and in one case that I can remember it made my skin crawl and my secretary felt it as well -- we couldn't get the prospective client out of the office fast enough to suit either of us. I remember once as Bishop we had a guy wander into the Church a couple times asking questions and I had a similar reaction, not quite as strong, but pretty strong. We used to call it "vibes" though not "auras". I also knew a person who claimed to be able to see auras as well, can't say that I have ever visualized anything like that though.

I think it's more common to see that than you may think. The "aura" is also referred to as a person's "countenance", and just about everybody we see appears to be some shade of light and darkness. People who are very dark are more rare, though, because most people have at least a little light emanating from them. I'm sure you've seen at least a few people who fit the "glowing" description. There are also places you can go to see more of those who are dark, though, like in prisons or other places with people who commit evil acts are more predominant.

[Stone holm]

I think it's more common to see that than you may think. The "aura" is also referred to as a person's "countenance", and just about everybody we see appears to be some shade of light and darkness. People who are very dark are more rare, though, because most people have at least a little light emanating from them. I'm sure you've seen at least a few people who fit the "glowing" description. There are also places you can go to see more of those who are dark, though, like in prisons or other places with people who commit evil acts are more predominant.

I have heard that dark spirits tend to hang around battlefield or areas where much blood has been shed. Being a Civil War buff and visited many such places, have never felt that...but I may just be insensitive.