Timelines and theological implications

[Moksha]

Did you know that star systems with planets were formed and died out before our own star system came into being?

Didn't want to muddy Pam's thread with this thought, but what theological implications might this hold in terms of there being a one and all encompassing atonement? Or in terms of our own Creation Story?

[Justice]

I see none. I believe all creations in this eternity rely on Christ's atonement, just like those who lived on this earth before Christ's atonement, or those who lived after.

Eternity is an interesting thing to ponder. Trying to understand how God views it compared to how we view it takes a lot of meditation.

[Moksha]

Planets coming and going before the Earth was created must suggest Creation as a process rather than an event.

[Justice]

Yes. Many false beliefs arise from the interpretation that "In the beginning" in the Bible refers to the first of all creations of man. That was not the intention. We learn through modern revelation that it is in reference to the beginning of this heaven and earth.

[Vanhin]

I see it much like Justice does. I think I am too fixated on the Book of Moses, but to me it teaches that one after another a world, including heavens and earths, come and go by the power of God through His Only Begotten, and that the inhabitants of those worlds have been entering their exaltation long before ours. What then of Christ being the first to be resurrected (Acts 26: 23; Col. 1: 18; Rev. 1: 5)? I think He was the first in this world or earth to be resurrected. Clearly the Book of Moses is describing others before this earth receiving "immortality and eternal life" and that this has been going on "endless[ly]".

I thought the Guide to the Scriptures was interesting on this point.

Jesus Christ was the first person to be resurrected on this earth (Acts 26: 23; Col. 1: 18; Rev. 1: 5). (Guide to the Scriptures: Resurrection)

Regards,

Vanhin

[Clarity_over_agreement]

Infinity is a concept that we humans cannot grasp. Perhaps the knowledge of planets and star systems before ours was brought to light in order to help us on process the idea of eternity.

[Moksha]

Infinity is a concept that we humans cannot grasp. Perhaps the knowledge of planets and star systems before ours was brought to light in order to help us on process the idea of eternity.

Maybe, or perhaps learning about the Universe is an important part of successful eternal progression. When we were primitives we thought as primitives. When we became men of science we began to understand.

Edited February 18, 2010 by Moksha

[FunkyTown]

Maybe, or perhaps learning about the Universe is an important part of successful eternal progression. When we were primitives we thought as primitives. When we became men of science we began to understand.

And then we got in to string theory and realized we really don't understand anything.

The universe can't be comprehended on the largest or tiniest levels. It's only here, in the middle, that we can.

[mrmarklin]

We know that the concept of time changes as we leave this mortal coil. There are some hints of it in Einstein's work on relativity.

Remember that in Moses, God states that "all things are before Him". That covers a lot, and implies that time as we know it may be irrelevant.

My personal belief is that all revelations about the "pre-existence" and Saviors, etc only apply to this world. It would be very egocentric to assume that we are "it". The references to "all things" and "the beginning" were made to very primitive peoples whose understanding of the universe and even the earth's would be very limited so we have to look at those sayings in the context of the times they were given.

[CrimsonKairos]

There is also the concept of individual units of progression.

By that I mean our world and the attendant spiritual beings that minister to it could be compared to a "ward" in the Church. Does the Bishop of one ward hold correlation meetings with leaders from other wards on a regular basis?

No, each ward is separate with its own programs and leaders and there is no need to know what a ward halfway across the world is doing for mutual this week.

Why would we need to know of the prophets, scriptures on and visitations of Christ to other worlds than our own? We have all we need for our salvation right here.

[Moksha]

No, each ward is separate with its own programs and leaders and there is no need to know what a ward halfway across the world is doing for mutual this week.

Still, it would be interesting to know if the term for High Priests in the language of the Beezelcrobs roughly translated to, "The Sleepers".

[CrimsonKairos]

Agreed.

[Blackmarch]

Did you know that star systems with planets were formed and died out before our own star system came into being?

Yep.

God is eternal.

Didn't want to muddy Pam's thread with this thought, but what theological implications might this hold in terms of there being a one and all encompassing atonement? Or in terms of our own Creation Story?

I'd like to point out that Genesis really doesn't talk about the formation / creation of the rest of the universe, beyond our planet/ solar system... and leaves quite a bit open in that regards....

It actually leaves a lot open even in regards to the physical creation of earth.