Joseph Smith on Naturalism

Joseph Smith

naturalism mormon authorities harmonization transhumanism

This day I have been walking through the most splended part of the City of New York. The buildings are truly great and wonderful to the astonishing of every beholder, and the language of my heart is like this: “Can the great God of all the Earth, maker of all things magnificent and splendid, be displeased with man for all these great inventions sought out by them?” My answer is no. It cannot be, seeing these works are are calculated to make men comfortable, wise, and happy. Therefore, not for the works can the Lord be displeased; only against man is the anger of the Lord Kindled because they Give him not the Glory.

“Letter to Emma Smith,” History of the Church, pages 78-79, Deseret Book

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More from Joseph Smith

[The Gentiles] will make wonderful improvements in machinery of every kind, especially implements of husbandry for the working of the land and raising grain, saving a great deal of labor to the saints in building up the kingdom. The Lord will inspire the Gentiles to do this, but they will not acknowledge his hand in it, nor give him the glory …

Friendship is one of the grand fundamental principles of “Mormonism”; [it is designed] to revolutionize and civilize the world, and cause wars and contentions to cease and men to become friends and brothers.

God was once as we are now, and is an exalted person, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret.

Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God. But we cannot keep all the commandments without first knowing them, and we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know unless we comply with or keep those we have already received.

The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge.