Videos

Dorothy Deasy interprets the Lucan Transfiguration account as an “action parable” with profound implications for transhumanism. She argues that transfiguration should be understood not merely as physical enhancement but as spiritual and communal transformation—a call to reshape society toward justice, inclusiveness, and compassion. As biotechnologies advance, Deasy contends that religious and humanist transhumanists bear a responsibility to ensure these developments benefit all people, guarding against exploitation and advocating for ethical standards that protect the marginalized and the voiceless.

Kathy Wilson reflects on her journey from traditional Mormonism toward a broader mystical worldview, arguing that religious belief systems should be capable of expanding alongside scientific discovery. She finds alignment between Mormon doctrines—such as eternal progression, intelligence as “light and truth,” and the metaphysical nature of restoration events like angelic visitations—and metaphysical concepts explored by scientists like Amit Goswami and Lynn McTaggart. Wilson praises the Mormon Transhumanist Association for thinking “out of the box” about resurrection, transfiguration, and the possibility of extending human life through technology, seeing these explorations as responsible engagement with Mormonism’s more unconventional beliefs rather than passive acceptance of doctrine.

Lincoln Cannon opens the 2012 MTA conference by articulating its core purpose: bringing together two things many consider diametrically opposed—science and religion, technology and spirituality. He contends that these domains are not merely compatible but mutually reinforcing, made for each other in their best manifestations. Drawing on Doctrine and Covenants 88’s exhortation to seek learning “by study and also by faith,” Cannon frames the conference as a modern continuation of Joseph Smith’s School of the Prophets, combining wisdom and inspiration to explore what it means to be human.

Mike Perry presents “Christian Atheist Universal Immortalism,” a philosophy combining the ethical framework of Christianity—enlightened brotherly love—with the belief that death can be overcome through scientific means rather than supernatural intervention. Perry argues that while Christian atheism provides a satisfying moral framework, it remains “deathist” in its acceptance of mortality; universal immortalism adds the commitment that all sentient beings should eventually gain salvation and eternal life through technological means such as cryonics. He views Jesus as a pioneer transhumanist immortalist whose command to “heal the sick and raise the dead” should be taken literally as our technology advances, and proposes that resurrection may be achieved through his “minibodies” theory rather than quantum archaeology, acknowledging that information may be irretrievably lost but that multiple authentic timelines could still be realized.