My time thinking about transhumanism and religion has essentially boiled down to an exercise where I try to identify the natural methods a God would use or like to see used to fulfill a prophecy. I would say few of the prophecies fulfilled in the history of the people of God have occurred “miraculously”, but have mostly been the unfolding of a series of causes and effects of people’s decisions. As such, I believe that most of the events that will result in the paradisiacal state of the Millennium will be the result of the personal decisions and actions of billions of people.
“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44)
Gladly, I also associate a post-Singularity world with the Millennium, one free of death and pain, full of learning and industry. We are in the midst of worldwide technologically-enabled revolution with a whole smattering of examples of private individuals voluntarily finding solutions to problems that once only the government could tackle. This is possible because of the networks of communication and activism and the free libraries of knowledge that have popped up after the invention of the computer and the Internet. This means that individuals can now know more about all of history and every subject and find out about what’s happening right now almost anywhere in the world. One of the prospects I’m most excited about in this better world is to let go of institutions that consolidate and monopolize power without individual consent.
An area where Gospel doctrine excels is in promoting a standard that collective decisions should be made “by common consent” (D&C 26:2) ... “of one accord” (Phili. 2:2). No form of earthly government today has accomplished this. Many would say that the privately corporate structure of church administration today, entwined as it is with federal regulations and tax codes and lobbying practices, has also gotten in the way of common consent. Regardless of whether Brother Joseph would be happy or not, I look forward to better days.
Here is how some sources describe the better days:
“For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver.” (D&C 45:57-59)
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Rev. 11:15)
Of course, these could mean a lot of things, but one thing that seems clear to me is that people, all people, good people, will lead their own lives in peace. No longer will prisons and taxes be the driving force behind a government mandate. No longer will red-tape dispensers ensnare voluntary actions and silence the views of the meek. All will be strong, all will thrive. I don’t see this happening suddenly. I think it IS happening gradually, and the exponential nature of the growth of freedom through access to communication and energy technology will become more clear over the next few decades.
Whether our real future resembles that of scripture, or something completely different, I think we should be confident that we’re already on the path as a species towards a beautiful future, one marked by individuality AND connectedness, where free individuals are empowered AND enabled to empower others. I encourage us to explore this future without reservation.
