About God - Part 1

Prophets or Evolution - An LDS Perspective

Chapter 4

About God the Father

Part 1 of 2

Heavenly Father, hear our prayer,

We seek thee in supplication,

We come to thee in our despair,

For thou cans't grant us they salvation.

Our lives are safe in Thy affection,

We dwell within Thy love Divine,

O Father, render Thy protection,

Maintain and guard us ever Thine,

Heavenly Father

Heavenly Father, Hallow'd name,

O keep us from all temptation,

Deliver us from evil's shame,

Thy kingdom come in Jubilation,

We search for life with new endeavor,

Our hearts are eager for rebirth,

Thy love and power endure forever,

Thy glory shines in Heaven and earth,

Heavenly Father, Amen

Heavenly Father, hymn, sung to the music of Ave Maria;

Mormon Tabernacle Choir: The Lord's Prayer Vol. 2

Introduction

One of the very unique things about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is that the church clearly teaches that Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct personages. The church, in very, very clear terms, does not support the Nicene Creed, which was written by learned, but spiritually inept and uninspired, scholars.

Heavenly Father is the "creator and governor of the Universe" (President Gordon B. Hinkley). The church does not teach that God the Father is a spirit that fills the Universe, but rather that He is a Man, glorified and perfected.

The Savior was the firstborn son of God the Father. The Savior is the Father of heaven and earth, because He created this earth and its associated heavens.

To clarify, God the Father (Heavenly Father) is the Father of our spirits, and God the Son (Jesus Christ) is the Father of heaven and earth. Both have separate bodies of flesh and bones.

The Holy Ghost is God's testifier and messenger and is a spirit and does not have a physical body.

Understanding God the Father

Let us start our journey into "About God the Father," with a story about a cat.

Suppose you had a website which had complex scientific information on it. While you were working on your website one day, one of your cats jumped up on the table where you were working. The cat was fascinated by the cursor moving up and down and across the screen. Suppose it even tried to grab the cursor as you playfully moved it around the screen.

As the cat was sitting on the computer table suppose this question came across your mind: "What would it take for me to teach this cat how to write an article for my research website?" You would have been very busy and would have welcomed some help writing articles for your website.

Suppose you thought about what it would take to give the cat the skills needed to contribute an article to your website.

First, you would have to teach the cat the English language. Second, you would have to teach the cat the technical subject matter of your website. At that point the cat would have to do its own research, such as reading scientific journals. Then the cat would have to come up with new ideas and prove its ideas were consistent with the many discoveries you already knew about.

Then the cat would have to write an article. Thus, you would have to teach the cat how to type into a word processor.

Next, you would have to teach the cat HTML code (HTML - HyperText Markup Language is the language of the Internet) so it could upload its articles onto the Internet.

However, as you playfully moved the cursor around the screen, and as the cat reached to grab the cursor on the screen, you noticed that the cat did not comprehend the relationship between your movement of the "mouse" on the table and the movement of the cursor on the screen. Thus, you shook your head and decided that it would be easier and quicker to write your own articles rather than try and teach your cat the necessary skills.

Many times those of the older generation have heard a phrase similar to this: "My cat (or dog) thinks it is human."

Actually, a cat is not capable of comprehending the mind of a human being, thus it is impossible that a cat "thinks" it is human. A more accurate statement would be this: "My cat (or dog) 'thinks' we humans have the same intelligence as cats (or dogs)."

Indeed, since a cat cannot comprehend how humans think, cats must think we humans have the same intelligence as cats, but are much bigger and walk funny because we only use two legs to walk.

Cats cannot comprehend that they cannot do what we are doing (such as writing an article for the Internet); partly because they have no clue what we are doing or why we are doing it.

Our behavior must appear strange to them, but still they must look at us as having their level of intelligence because they cannot comprehend an intelligence level higher than their own.

Gaps in Intelligence

Let us look at this discussion in terms of "gaps in intelligence." The "gap in intelligence" between a cat and a human is huge. The cat is at the bottom of this huge gap.

This is a key concept: Being at the bottom of the gap, the cat cannot comprehend the intelligence of the human being who is at the top of the gap.

Humans, on the other hand, being at the top of this gap, are well aware of the mental limitations of cats and dogs and other animals. A human would not expect a cat to write a technical article, including new concepts, for a scientific website.

We can thus conclude that any living entity that is at the bottom of a huge gap in intelligence cannot comprehend the intelligence of the being at the top of the gap, nor can they comprehend the size of the gap.

The last part of the prior sentence is very important to understand. A cat cannot comprehend the size of the gap in intelligence between a cat and a human because the cat is at the bottom of the gap and cannot comprehend anything higher than the bottom of the gap.

To take this a step further, if cats could comprehend what is on photographs of the galaxies in the Universe, they would still think they (i.e. cats) were the highest level of intelligence in the Universe because they cannot comprehend any intelligence higher than their own. They are stuck at their level of intelligence no matter what they are exposed to.

In summary, the being (e.g. cat) at the bottom of the gap cannot comprehend the intelligence of the being (e.g. humans) at the top of the gap, and the being at the bottom of the gap cannot comprehend the size of the gap between itself and the being at the top of the gap.

And most importantly, the cat has no clue a gap even exists, thus a cat "thinks" it has the same intelligence as a human.

Let us now talk about a situation where humans are at the bottom of a huge gap.

When Humans Are At the Bottom of the Gap

Many philosophers, both professional and amateur, have pondered the beginning or "first cause" of all things. When and where did the Universe begin? Who was the first sentient being (i.e. who was the first intelligent being who was aware of its existence)? Etc.

Here is what President Brigham Young, the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, said about this issue:

"Many have tried to penetrate to the First Cause of all things; but it would be as easy for an ant to number the grains of sand on the earth. It is not for man, with his limited intelligence, to grasp eternity in his comprehension ... It would be as easy for a gnat to trace the history of man back to his origin as for man to fathom the First Cause of all things, lift the veil of eternity, and reveal the mysteries that have been sought after by philosophers from the beginning.

What then, should be the calling and duty of the children of men? Instead of inquiring after the origin of Gods -- instead of trying to explore the depths of eternities that have been, that are, and that will be, instead of endeavoring to discover the boundaries of boundless space, let them seek to know the object of their present existence, and how to apply, in the most profitable manner for their mutual good and salvation, the intelligence they possess. Let them seek to know and thoroughly understand things within their reach, and to make themselves well acquainted with the object of their being here, by diligently seeking unto a super-power for information and by the careful study of the best books."

Brigham Young, second president of the LDS church

President Young talks about the "first cause of all things," meaning the events which led to the creation and formation of God¹.

President Young is essentially saying that the gap in intelligence between God and a human being can be compared to the gap in intelligence between a human being and a gnat.

By using his comparisons, it would be just as impossible for a gnat to comprehend the size of the gap between itself and humans; as it would be for a human to comprehend the size of the gap between himself or herself and God.

Ponder that carefully.

A person should not take this quote further than it was intended. President Young was well aware that we are the spirit children of the Creator of the Universe, but he wanted to make it clear that we humans are in no position to advise God, but that we would be wise to take counsel from His hand (see the second paragraph of his quote above).

As this is being written, astronomers think that the average galaxy in the Universe has about 100 billion stars. It is currently thought there are about 100 billion galaxies.

When was the last time a being of our intelligence designed and built a rotating galaxy, from scratch, which contained 100 billions stars? How would we create the billions of stars in a single galaxy? How long would it take us? Where would we get the materials? How would we form them prior to igniting each star? How would we ignite them? How would we get the billions of stars to rotate around the center of the galaxy we are creating? How could we keep the galaxy in balance so that it doesn't fall apart? How could we create tens of billions of such galaxies?

If humans could travel at the speed of light, it would take us about 100,000 years just to travel from one side of our galaxy to the other side. The life expectancy of a human is 72 years. The length of time to simply travel across a galaxy is very contrary to what you see in the science fiction movies, but it is true. So how could we create 100 billion stars spread out over a spiral galaxy that is 100,000 light years in diameter? And that represents just one galaxy.

Because modern science does not know how to build a rotating spiral galaxy with 100 billion stars; rather than admit that each galaxy must have been built by intelligent beings, modern science takes the easy way out and says: "the creation of the Universe and every galaxy was an accident." An accident???

President Brigham Young made the above quote several decades before astronomers even knew other galaxies existed.

While we humans are at the top of the gap in intelligence, when comparing our intelligence to that of a gnat, we humans are at the bottom of the gap when it comes to comparing our intelligence to that of God. And these two gaps are roughly the same size according to the above quote!! It is important to understand that because we are at the bottom of this latter gap, when thinking about man versus God, this means we cannot comprehend the size of the gap between us and God.

Because we cannot comprehend the intelligence of the being at the top of the gap, or the size of the gap, it also means that we humans tend to think of God as having the same intelligence as mortals, meaning humans. In other words, just like cats think humans have the same intelligence as cats, we humans frequently think that God has the same intelligence as humans. But He doesn't have our intelligence!!

We sometimes even go so far as to "judge" God as not knowing what He is doing or we feel that God cannot do what He wants to do. Rest assured; Heavenly Father knows what He is doing. It is we humans who don't always know what He is doing or why He is doing it.

Just like a gnat has no clue why a human being hops into their car, we humans cannot conceive why God allows certain things to happen on this earth.

Those who push the theory of evolution cannot comprehend the mind of God. Furthermore, they cannot comprehend the size of the gap between humans and God. Furthermore, they cannot comprehend that there is a gap.

In fact, they do not even believe God is necessary or exists. This is nonsense. Could an explosion create a fully functioning super-computer? Yet, human DNA, as will be seen in future chapters, is far more complex than any super-computer.

Perhaps all of this is why Isaiah said the following:

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:8-11

The purposes of God for this planet are far beyond our limited intelligence. How much less is our limited intelligence able to comprehend all that goes on in the Universe!!

Yet what we do on this planet has eternal ramifications. We have to make many choices based on what is in our heart because we cannot intelligently comprehend everything that God has in mind for us. This life is really a test of our hearts, more than it is a test of our minds.

God sees the eternal picture and He sees our earth life as being very short. But yet this earth life is a junction in the road. A very important junction!! Wouldn't taking the correct fork in that junction (which includes taking our families and others with us) be far more important than anything else on earth?

"No matter how far you've gone down the wrong road, turn back."

Turkish Proverb

According to LDS doctrine, we humans have both a spirit and a physical body. Our spirits existed first, and our spirits are literally the "spirit children" of God, our Heavenly Father. This means that God has an interest in our future, as any Father would have in his children.

God's perspective of our earth life is vastly different than our own. We only see the ice cream, the broken arms, how much money is in our wallet, when we have to be at work or school, etc. God sees an entirely different picture of us than what we see. He sees our future and our potential in the eternities.

The Mural

Suppose there was a huge mural that was a mile wide and one thousand feet high, personally painted by the hand of God. Suppose it was an incredibly detailed and complex painting with millions of figures on it that symbolically represented all of the categories of the events of all intelligent life in the Universe.

The mural does not represent the individuals in the Universe, but rather it represents the categories of individuals and key turning points for the individuals in the Universe.

It would be similar to a woman painting a mural depicting the major events she has witnessed in her life; such as her birth and her education in grade school, middle school, high school and college; her marriage, the birth of her children; her children's education in grade school, middle school, high school and college, etc. Her mural would include the marriage of her children; the birth and hobbies of her grandchildren; the jobs of her husband and others in the family; the hobbies of her family, their church activities, etc. etc.

But the mural this section is talking about is painted by God and has the details of the education, life and judgment of all of His children. But not down to the level of individuals; except for very singular individuals such as the Savior of this world. This painting details the progression and regression of all intelligent beings in the Universe, from the time they are born as spirits to the time they become like God (or they are eternally stopped from the path to becoming like God). In this painting you would see the long, long path of those of God's children who eventually prove themselves and become like Him.

On this mural the entire history of mortal life on this earth life would be represented by several very small circles. The main circle, from our current perspective, is one small circle which would represent, not just the planet we live on, but it would represent many planets in the Universe which have the same purpose as our earth.

This small circle (representing a planet with a special purpose) is one of many junctions where the children of our Heavenly Father go into the circle (i.e. onto the planet), but there are several lines coming out of the circle. The lines coming out of the small circle represent the different "directions" that resurrected humans go after Judgment Day. This earth life is a junction in the long road our spirits and bodies will take.

Some of those who come out of this earth will eventually become like our Heavenly Father. Certainly the Savior, Adam and the dispensation heads are such examples. But there will be many others who achieve this goal.

But there will also be some who have lived on this earth who will follow a very different path and may hit a permanent dead end and never again have a chance to progress towards living with, and becoming like, their Heavenly Father. There may be many permanent dead-ends on this mural. However, these are things that have not been revealed to the prophets or have not been made public by the prophets.

The mural would reflect all possible ending states, meaning all possible eternal outcomes, of the children of God.

The vast, vast majority of the painting on this mural would no doubt symbolize events we have never conceived, nor have the prophets said anything about them.

Now suppose there was a black, solid sheet of plastic put in front of this mural, two inches from the mural, such that we could not see the mural at all. However, suppose there is one pinhole drilled in the black sheet of plastic that we could see through. It is drilled directly above the small circle representing this earth life.

We could see perhaps 5 or 6 square inches of this huge mural if we really strained our eyes. All of the information we could see would represent what the prophets of all ages have taught. The rest of the mural represents the things the prophets have not been taught about or the prophets are not allowed to talk about (e.g. the great revelation of the brother of Jared).

Would understanding this small section of the mural qualify any of us to say that God does not know what He is doing relative to this earth?!! No it doesn’t, but yet we tend to judge God in many ways.

"He is the Supreme Controller of the universe. At his rebuke the sea is dried up, and the rivers become a wilderness. He measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meteth out heaven with a span, and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure, and weigheth the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance; the nations to him are as a drop in a bucket, and he taketh up the isles as a very little thing; the hairs of our heads are numbered by him, and not a sparrow falleth to the ground without our Father; and he knoweth every thought and intent of the hearts of all living, for he is everywhere present by the power of his Spirit -- his minister, the Holy Ghost.

He is the Father of all, is above all, through all, and in you all [see Ephesians 4:6]; he knoweth all things pertaining to this earth, and he knows all things pertaining to millions of earths like this."

Brigham Young (1998-1999 Priesthood/R.S. Manual - page 30)

Anyone who looks through a telescope on a dark night knows that the Universe was not created by beings who have our level of intelligence. They would also know that the Universe was not created by an accidental explosion.

Humans do not have the same intelligence as God any more than a gnat can pass an advanced calculus exam or write a technical article for a textbook for nurses.

Just like a cat must "think" humans have the same intelligence as cats, we humans tend to "think" God has the same intelligence as humans. But such a thought is nonsense.

The fact is that our spirits are the literal children of God and we have infinite potential. We can become like God.

What May Be Another Key Issue

There is plenty of evidence that the Universe and human DNA were not formed by a long series of accidents. The intelligence of human beings and the majesty of the Universe are two of the most powerful evidences for "intelligent design," meaning the existence of God.

If there was a Big Bang, it was a carefully designed event with carefully designed results.

But no matter how much evidence you show people, some of them continue to believe in the theory of evolution. The evidence makes no difference to them. Why?

One reason has already been mentioned, some people want to behave like monkeys. This is why Korihor had so much success.

But a second reason might be pride.

The underlying reason why some people love the theory of evolution may be that they are full of pride and refuse to admit that there is a being in the Universe who is more powerful and more intelligent than they are. They want to believe that they are the most intelligent beings in the Universe.

Thus, they ascribe everything great and wonderful in the Universe as being the result of a long series of accidents. This leaves them as the most intelligent creatures in the Universe and protects their pride. They don't like competition.

God, of course, has the ability to demonstrate his greatness and glory publicly, thus proving to all people that He exists and that His power and glory and intelligence far exceed our own. So why hasn't He done that? Some day He will. He has already done that to Moses, as will be discussed in the next chapter.

But why hasn't God shown this same vision to the world's most fanatical evolutionists? It would be really impressive and some of them might even switch over and become creation scientists.

But such is not in the plan for this earth. We are here to be tested. The scriptures use the term "probation" to describe why we are here on earth.

It must be understood that Moses was a believer. The vision did not change the beliefs of Moses. It was not designed to do that. It was designed to reward Moses for his faith and works and for other reasons.

The atheists claim that God does not show them of his power and glory because He doesn't exist. He does exist, but it would take away the "free agency" of the atheists if they were shown "signs" that God lives and is powerful and glorious.

Actually, atheists are shown plenty of signs (such as the majesty of the Universe and the complexity of human DNA); they just refuse to believe they are not the most intelligent creatures in the Universe so they ascribe everything they cannot do to pure accident.

To the evolutionists, everything in the Universe was created by scientists or by accidents. This claim is designed to stroke the ego of scientists, but it is not true. Truth is of no interest to many scientists.

This is from the Book of Mormon:

23 For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those that repent of their sins, and hearken unto my words.

Helaman 7:23 [Nephi, son of Helaman]

This is another example of the Book of Mormon anticipating the atheistic and naturalistic doctrines of the theory of evolution.

When God shows Himself, and/or His power, to a strong believer it is because the strong believer has already exercised his or her free agency to believe and worship God. The vision is not to convert them from being an unbeliever into being a believer (with rare exceptions, but even in these cases the people may have been strong believers in the premortal world); it is to reward them for their strong faith and works.

In short, God does not show himself to the wicked because it would take away their free agency.

Atheists and naturalists exercise their faith in themselves and in science. God does not stand in their way as they lead themselves, like the blind leading the blind, into strange paths.

In the book of First Nephi, a vision is given to the prophet Lehi, and then to Nephi. Nephi talks about the symbolic quest of people who are seeking the truth about God.

An iron rod is provided to the people who are seeking the truth. This iron rod represents the word of God, whether from the scriptures, the living prophets or personal revelation. At the end of the iron rod is the "tree of life," which represents the love of God.

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.

1 Nephi 8:10-13 [Lehi]

Along side the river of water was the "iron rod" or "rod of iron." The iron rod led to the tree of life. Those who held onto the iron rod were eventually led to the tree of life.

Here is the reason for the iron rod:

23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

1 Nephi 8:23-24 [Lehi]

The mist of darkness, no doubt includes, among many other things; the philosophies of men, false doctrines and false science and certainly includes the theory of evolution.

Some people in the vision refused to grab onto the iron rod and entered into a "strange building." Others grabbed onto the iron rod and later let go because they became distracted and they are drowned in filthy waters. Yet others partook of the fruit of the tree of life and were then ashamed because of public opinion and they fell away:

32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

1 Nephi 8:32-34 [Nephi describing Lehi's vision]

The perspective provided by the scriptures of the LDS church, and its living prophets, simply cannot be compared to the perspective provided by the theory of evolution.

The perspective of the church is glorious and motivating. It shows us that we are literally the children of a Great God and that some day we can live with, and associate with, that Great God. Not only is it a glorious concept, it is true.

The perspective of the theory of evolution is dark, giving humans no insight into our existence before or after this earth life. To evolution we have no purpose to life and no existence after death.

To evolution, humans are the highest creatures in the Universe. Since we do not have the ability to create galaxies or a Universe; evolution (and other theories of the scientific establishment) claims the Universe and human DNA were formed by a long series of accidents.

To science, everything can trace its ancestry to accidents. No God or Supreme Being or supernatural events are allowed to be discussed.

Are we children of a glorious God or are we descended from apes? It is a simple, yet profound, question. But the answer has clearly been given by our Great God to his chosen prophets.

Footnote 1: When people think about the "first cause" of all things they think about the theory of evolution and the "evolution" of God. Thus, they think of events (i.e. evolution) which happened on some distant planet long, long ago. The problem with thinking that God was created by evolution on some distant planet is that there were no stars prior to God. If there were no stars prior to God, then there were no planets prior to God. Thus, thinking about the "first cause" of all things, and the formation of God, there could not have been any solid planets, or even matter or light (from stars), prior to the formation of God. Thus, the claim by Brigham Young that "it would be as easy for an ant to number the grains of sand on the earth" as it would be for us mortals to comprehend the "first cause" of all things, is perfectly logical. The theory that God formed after the Big Bang is scientific nonsense. The theories that the Big Bang happened by a long series of accidents has absolutely zero scientific evidence or solid scientific theory behind it. It is pure imagination invented by scientists to create a "naturalistic" explanation for the creation of the Universe and thus to avoid a discussion of God. An accidental Big Bang is as scientifically absurd as thinking the moon is made of Swiss cheese. How did cows make the moon, meaning what were they standing on? How could planets and stars have existed prior to God creating them?