In the technologically advanced world that we live in more and more people are searching for “The Holy Grail”. Not the cup that King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table scoured all of Britain for, but the idea of a scientific “Holy Grail” that would transform all who utilized it into a super-form free from death and illness. The idea of transcending one’s own flaws and becoming immortal has been the base of many religions throughout mankind’s history, but in those religions to transcend usually meant death now Transhumanists are offering a life on earth free from expiry. The organization and implementation of transhumanistic ideas by The Mormon Transhumanist Assciation would allow any desiring human to become free from death, but many such as The Catholic Church and Francis Fukuyama feel that by doing this the human race would be defying bioethical ideals set by the United States Government and the Divine Will of God.
Mormonism is a religion of the Judeo-Christian tradition that advocates discipleship of Jesus Christ that leads to creative and compassionate works. On the other hand, Transhumanism is a mostly worldly ideology that advocates ethical use of technology to expand human abilities. However, Mormonism and Transhumanism advocate remarkably similar views of human nature and potential. (Association, 2010). The Mormon Tranhumaist Association believes that both Mormonism and Transhumanism share in large the same ideals. “We believe that scientific knowledge and technological power are among the means ordained of God to enable such exaltation, including realization of diverse prophetic visions of transfiguration, immortality, resurrection, renewal of this world, and the discovery and creation of worlds without end” (Asso...
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...ligions that would not allow transhumanistic views to muddy the water about a life after death.
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Humanists had been calling for reform in the Catholic Church long before Martin Luther penned his Ninety-Five Theses. Humanism was an intellectual and cultural movement of the Renaissance that emphasized the expansion of mans’ capacities. “[Humanism] was an attempt to discover humankind’s own earthly fulfillment. . . [it] developed an increasing distaste for dogma, and embraced a figurative interpretation of the scriptures and an attitude of tolerance toward all viewpoints” (Sporre 310). This perspective could not differ more from the Church’s strict reliance on tradition. People’s outlook on the world changed, but the Church continued on with what had previously worked. It soon became clear that reform in the Church was not in the foreseeable future, so people decided to take matters into their own hands. As humanism spread throughout Italy and northern Europe, more and more people agr...
The. 1987 Lopez, Kathryn Muller. Read Daniel: Negotiating The Classic Issues Of The Book. Review & Expositor 109.4 (2012): 521-530. ATLASerials, a Religion Collection.
...leased from prison, Mathews continued his quest for religion by seeking Joseph Smith of the Mormon society, under the alias Joshua the Jewish Minister. The two had a heated discussion of resurrection and reincarnation. On the other hand, Matthews claimed to be both God and the reincarnation of the apostle Matthias. However Matthews his meeting with Smith was unsuccessful because both prophets believed the other was of the devil. Matthews’ s religious journey albeit chaotic and aberrant now serves as subconscious guide for how new religious movements and cults in present day America.
Imagine that you are able to teleport to the not too distant future. In this world you discover that disease and poverty are no longer causes for human suffering, world hunger has become eliminated from society, and space travel is as easy as snapping your fingers. Cryonics, nanotechnology, cloning, genetic enhancement, artificial intelligence, and brain chips are all common technologies at a doctor’s office. You gasp as a friendly sounding electronic voice cries out, “Welcome to the future Natural!” You are unsure of whether being called a Natural is an insult or not, so you feign a half-hearted hello at the posthuman in front of you. Getting over the initial shock you ask the posthuman, “Who are you?” The posthuman gives an electronic sounding chuckle and shakes his head. He replies, “I am a Posthuman, and you Natural, are in Utopia. Welcome.”
...stitute. (1999 йил 01-01). HUMANISM TODAY . (R. B. Tapp, Ed.) Retrieved 2012 йил 12-01 from Humanist Institute: http://www.humanismtoday.org/vol13/larue.html
Terry Tempest Williams is fully aware that she is contradicting the church when she writes “women have no outward authority,” yet she still chooses to take part in a ritual of healing that can only be performed by the men. Williams, however, does so in privacy and in the “secrecy of the sisterhood.” The word secrecy hints at the idea of doing something which is not accepted and against certain beliefs of today’s church. She was born and raised in a home of devout Mormons who follow the traditional beliefs of their faith. She acknowledges that the Mormon Church places great importance on obedience. In college she began to question her faith and today would not consider herself an “orthodox Mormon,” although Mormonism still has an impact in her life and work. In her writing, Williams continually contradicts the values of the Mormons.
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Smith states that we cannot describe the essence of religion, although he goes on to describe it himself. Smith states that today, religion is not merely a “set of abstract, ‘frozen’ doctrines” (Ward, 2008:10), but a matter of a personal living faith in the transcendent. Though each unique religion may have differing rituals, doctrines and beliefs of what exactly the transcendent is, the common thread is the experience of and faith in a transcendent reality, whatever it may be.
After much haggling and several smoke-filled back room discussions, an agreement was reached. The Church would maintain it’s jurisdiction over "the mind" for that is were the personality and soul "truly" resides and science could have the body, which is just a "machine for the mind" and upon death, would become simply an empty vessel. Furthering the rift, more recent science has discovered that specific diseases can be "cured" through specific medicinal formulas or drugs. This "magic bullet" mentality spread throughout medicine and science.
Warner Bros. Pictures, 2001. DVD. The. Cortez, Marc. A. Theological Anthropology: A Guide for the Perplexed.