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LDS Eternal Progression

Eternal Progression, Degrees of Glory, and the Resurrection: A Comparative Cosmology

LDS Eternal Progression

Introduction
This article seeks to present a new and comprehensive cosmology as seen from an LDS viewpoint, but using the best of non-LDS sources for greater understanding. Cosmology is defined as “the study of the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe”, but in religious terms it is more properly an understanding of how man, god and religion fit into the origin, purpose and destiny of the human soul within the universe. LDS people call this “Eternal Progression” within The Plan of Salvation. Joseph Smith’s view of eternal progression added a lot to the existing cosmology of Catholicism and Medieval Christianity, but the many works cited in this paper add immensely to the general LDS view, and may clear up some contradictions in the prevailing LDS view of the afterworld.

Note

This article is under construction. Check back for updates!

1. Our Solar System has an orbit within our galaxy much like our planet orbits our sun. This orbit brings us through many varying energy densities which essentially control the progression or evolution of our planet and its inhabitants. The progression of mankind and people individually cannot be fully understood outside of the context of of physical cosmology–because they are synchronous.
2. The fractal (micro/macrocosm) or law of relative relationships is the key to understanding ourselves, our earth/ solar system, galaxy and the universe. The majority of ancient and esoteric cosmologies seek to use symbols to typify the fractal patterns of our galaxy–patterns existing in the respective levels of; the atom, the human body, the planet (body), the solar (body) and the galaxy. The patterns are often summarized in the religious use of the numbers 1,2,3,7, & 12 and their corresponding shapes (sacred geometry). The religious use of these numbers & symbols loosely summarizes very complicated concepts of physics which govern the major divisions of our earth & galaxy. Thier use also serves as a pattern or outline to understanding cosmology.
3. The number one. One symbolizes the Father; the universal natural law or the infinite & intelligent unifying field which unites all matter and intelligence in our galaxy and the universe. This all encompassing principle which Hebrew religion called “The Most-High God” & His Power/Spirit. Many high beings seek to mimic and speak in the name of this highest principle. Differing religious systems use different words and concepts to explain this symbol of first cause… but agree that it is the all-highest, eternal or first created principle of intelligence in the universe.
4. The number two. Two symbolizes the fundamental duality of the aforementioned unity (or “The Father”). Relative relationships of this duality include corporality & spirit, seen & unseen, positive & negative, masculine & feminine, father & son. Every atom and inhabited body (planet, sun, etc) in our galaxy contain this duality; which we will call physical and spiritual dimensions– a visible, particle-like core and an invisible, wave-like energy shell. In the case of bodies large enough to house consciousness these are the planetary body, and its electromagnetic field wherein non-incarnate intelligence dwells.
5. The number three. The Trinity/Godhead, symbolized by the Father-Mother-Son or Father-Son-Spirit or three realms of glory, etc. Each of two aforementioned dimensions naturally tend to separate into three divisions each, which we will classify as quantum levels, “kingdoms”, “realms” or “glories”. A few physical examples of these divisions are the three states of matter and the three electron orbitals (not counting ground state). Most modern Christian descriptions of heaven use this pattern to divide the heavenly regions of the earth. The LDS three degrees of glory spoken of in D&C 76 dualistically speaks of these divisions. Although classifications vary greatly, each earth and each heaven or spirit word contain these divisions.
6. The number seven. The seven archangels, dispensations or Elohim. On a much greater scale, the galaxy contains seven divisions of energy/light which we will term as densities, “glories” or progression levels. Every sphere in the Galaxy (planet or sun) progresses up and down through these levels sequentially. The seven periods or energy levels of the atom are a fractal of these states. Density boundaries are equivalent to the Hebrew and Christian “harvest” seasons and described in greater detail by Hindu and Buddhist cosmologies. Also symbolized by the Elohim, Archangels and creative periods. Some uses of LDS Telestial, Terrestrial and Celestial glories seek to represent levels three, four and five of these seven divisions.
As an example of how these divisions pertain to earth and mankind, we could summarize by stating the earth has two dimensions; the material world we live in and the spirit world which houses our consciousness when we die. Each of these dimensions tends to divide into three somewhat arbitrary divisions or glories. As the earth and its heavens orbit the galactic core (along with all their inhabitants) they progress through the seven energy densities, evolving/progressing from a state of lower/fragmented intelligence into what are often classified as gods, higher beings or unified planetary consciousness/intelligences. The various terms such as ‘heaven’, ‘resurrection’, ‘god’, ‘celestial’, ‘angel/archangel’ used by mystics and religion to explain these divisions and processes can be very confusing and misleading for reasons we will explain.


Is Religious Cosmology Man-made or Revealed?
The advocacy group “Survival International” suggests that as of the year 2010, there are at least 100 uncontacted indigenous tribal peoples living world-wide. The pictures below were taken by airplane in 2010 of a tribe living near the Peruvian / Brazilian border which officials in the civilized world have known about and monitored since at least 1910. Groups such as Survival International fight for these group’s right of self-determination and try to uphold policy enforcing no-fly zones and no travel zones which leave the groups in peace until they purposefully seek contact with the outside world for themselves. It is obvious from pictures such as these and other encounters that these tribes are frightened and negatively affected by encounters from the outside world. (Even marginal contact often introduces disease which decimates these types of tribal populations) It is a bit amazing to think that there are dozens of these isolated unevolved groups living in the midst of such a connected, advanced, technological world. (consider this YouTube video for instance)

The implications of this on the idea that man is alone in the universe should be obvious. Could mankind really be the only advanced life in the multiverse? Does anyone really believe there are not sophisticated civilizations which exist in the heavens or other dimensions, watching over, protecting, and studying us on our evolutionary journey of self determination and progression? Isn’t it probable that advanced life in our galaxy looks at earth’s inhabitants with the same pity, compassion and respect for self determination, as our technologically advanced world looks on these aboriginal tribal groups?

Uncontacted primitive tribe living in Brazilian rain forest photographed in 2010

Uncontacted primitive tribe living in Brazilian rain forest photographed in 2010 (red & black is body paint). Many such groups exists which are totally unaware of the advanced world around them.

In the following article I suggest that most of the world’s religious and scientific advancement is very likely result of inspiration passed to man from advanced extra-dimensional groups in the heavens. These groups seem to have carefully and subtly worked within our superstitions and religious traditions to telepathically pass information which might help us individually and as a planet to one day join the galactic community–without frightening us or violating our right to self-determination. However, because of the contradictory aspects of channeled/revealed literature and near-death experiences, it also seems evident that any such interaction happens in a subjective metaphysical realm where the cultural beliefs and expectations of the individual are strangely meshed with completely unique and new information which seems to be passed to them. Such ideas might seem a bit crazy… but then again you might think about what the aboriginal people in the above pictures thought when they tried to tell their friends about their unbelievable encounter with a low-flying helicopter.

Law of witnesses
LDS people like to talk about the law of witnesses spoken of in 2 Cor. 13:1 which says that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established”. I believe this common-sense concept applies to all truths revealed to man by higher dimensional groups. The highly organized, and strictly governed groups in the heavens, which religion’s typically associate with “God”, subtly reveal truths through the subconscious of witnesses to each respective class of people on earth according to their existing traditions and ability to receive offered information. So not only have heavenly truths been shown to multiple witnesses within Israel or the earth’s major religions but those heavenly truths are also revealed through multiple separate secular witnesses and thus on to the world at large. In Mormonism we call the religious witnesses, prophets, seers or revelators; although the generally accepted term in most of Western society for a religious witness is a “clairvoyant”, “channel” or “mystic“.  As I have combed the world’s revealed texts for cosmological information, I have found a handful of works which have been especially helpful in piecing together a cohesive view which expands and makes sense of the piecemeal and often ambiguous descriptions of cosmology found in LDS scripture.

Most Mormon’s see Joseph Smith (1805 to 1844) as the ultimate modern witness to heavenly beings, and the only true modern revelator of religious cosmology. However, this article will seek to prove that there are many more modern cosmological witnesses outside of Mormonism than in it. For instance, John Ballou Newbrough’s work (1828-1891) claimed to receive a book of scripture from light-beings which is larger than Joseph’s Book of Mormon & D&C and contains far more detailed cosmological information. He was followed by another in the seer and mystic John Sebastian Ward (1885-1949) whose channeled works on the Spirit world correspond closely to Joseph Smith’s revelation of heaven found in D&C 76. Yet an earlier forerunner was Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) whose exhaustive works likely influenced Joseph’s theology. There are many more skilled adepts and scientists in each major division of the world who were parts of the inspired religious reformation movements, religious great awakenings and industrial/technological revolutions. A few of the most popular of the Second Great Awakening were Siyyid Shírází (Founder of Bahá’í Faith; 8 million adherents), Mirzā Ghulām Ahmad (Aḥmadiyya Muslims; 20 million adherents), Hong Xiuquan (prophetic icon of Chinese millennialism)

In the last few decades it seems most modern individuals producing ‘revealed’ works have considered themselves part of the “new age movement”. One quite modern example was Don Elkins, whose strangely original works pioneered much of new age cosmology and like the Newbrough, Blavatsky and the Theosphical Society, did a fantastic job of harmonizing the worldviews of ancient eastern and western prophetic or mystic works. All of these individuals taught controversial cosmological concepts which are in many cases validated by modern consensus oriented scientific inquiry. All of these prophet/seers (called mystics in modern terms), claim to have been taught by light-beings or angels (or “Jesus” if this was their religious tradition), as well as seeing “heaven” and channeling large literary works. Works which give strikingly similar accounts of eternal progression, the constitution of heaven and a new theology—greatly advancing the prevailing ideas taught in Catholicism and medieval Christianity. Each of these individuals work’s mirrored larger cultural changes in social and industrial thought and development. By piecing together the evidence given by all their accounts, I’ll attempt to construct picture of the afterlife which seems to harmonize the views of many major earthly religions with each other as well as with scientific findings. And I believe that future consensus oriented scientific inquiry will eventually iron out the misconceptions and distortions of the world’s religious views and bring the world into a general unity of belief and understanding concerning the metaphysical realms and the ways in which higher dimensional being communicate in those realms.

The plan of salvation

standard simplistic LDS view of eternal progression

Identifying misunderstanding
Like most large religious sects, the LDS church is typically a little narrow minded as to what revelations or prophets it accepts or believes. Because of this, LDS theology has not advanced much past the cosmological ideas of Joseph Smith and the early nineteenth century. In teaching our view of cosmology, LDS missionaries commonly use the above diagram, which although somewhat corresponding to the accounts of other modern mystics in a simplistic sense– ends up distorting the available picture of revealed Christian cosmology. It suggests that the degrees of glory seen in Smith’s D&C 76 revelation, are different spheres or planets of sorts, completely separate from earth or the spirit world to which men pass after corporeal resurrection. A careful reading of Joseph Smith’s revelations, in comparison to other given revelations shows this is not quite the case (we will cover this misunderstanding in detail much later). The illustration and prevailing view also ignores Smith’s view of earth’s future status as a “terrestrial kingdom” during the millennium, or the earth’s future status as a “celestial kingdom” (LDS Terms to be described later). The illustration also perpetuates distorted views concerning the ‘Spirit World’ being a two-divisioned, disembodied realm where the majority of people on earth wait for an extended period of time until the “resurrection”, which will occur at the beginning and end of the millennium (which again is a gross oversimplification.) I have attempted to create some diagrams of my own to better show the complexity of available revealed Christian cosmology. However, I have been met with frustration realizing that they will also inevitably introduce confusion and misunderstanding in people’s minds. It is simply too difficult to properly depict the complexity of the modern mystic accounts of dimensional divisions in pictures so I will try to draw on as many examples in physics as possible. Hopefully they will help people get at least one step closer to the picture of reality as described by the many witnesses.

A less simplified view of LDS cosmology based on LDS theology. Events like the “fall, flood and second coming” are archetypes based on Judeo-christian worldviews which use partially mythological events to teach important symbolic truths.

Cosmology
The first step to understanding modern channeled Christian cosmology or “eternal progression” is to have at least a general understanding of the earth’s progression or orbit within the galaxy. Since man’s progression is said to follow that of the earth’s evolution, an understanding of cosmology gives a framework for us to better understand earth’s origins and destiny. Many LDS scriptures show this is supposedly often the first step taken by higher beings in educating mystics/prophets, and was among the first concepts shown to Moses (Moses 1:4,33–38), Abraham (Abr 3:2–21), Enoch (Moses 7), the Brother of Jared (Ether 3:25) and others. Joseph Smith purports to have introduced a very basic version of this cosmology in the Pearl of Great Price (see facsimile 2). In his channeled works (footnote: it is important to note that Joseph’s works were channeled, not translated), Joseph Smith suggests that there is a physical and spiritual hierarchical order to the universe where stars/planets gravitationally and energetically rule over the evolution of other stars/planets and the higher dimensional rulers of those systems rule over the inhabitants of the governed bodies as well. Abraham states in Smith’s Pearl of Great Price that he,

2 …saw the stars, that they were very great, and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God; and there were many great ones which were near unto it;
3 And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.

In the notes written by Joseph Smith for the hypocephalus (facsimile 2) we get more detail stating that “Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of God.” Is “first in government, the last pertaining the the measurement of time”. Abraham is further taught that Kolob has a binary or sister sphere of sorts called Oliblish by the Egyptians that “stands next to Kolob”, being “the next grand governing creation near the celestial or the place where God resides. …which is equal with Kolob in its revolution and in its measuring of time”. The account suggests these bodies are either governing masses in the center of our Milky Way galaxy, or a binary system composing one of the “twelve fixed stars” described below. The power and gravitational influence of these bodies is then traced down through two more “stars” called Kli-flos-is-es, or Hah-ko-kau-beam which then pass their power onto Kae-e-vanrash which in turn “governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars, [including]… the Moon, the Earth and the Sun in their annual revolutions.” In Joseph Smiths personal notes to the hypocephalus and “Alphabet of the Egyptian Language”, he goes into a bit more detail naming the “twelve fixed stars” (of which Kolob belongs) and “fifteen moving planets”, as well as giving what seems to be a slightly different explanation of some of the aforementioned spheres…

“Oliblish, Enish-go-on-dosh, and Kaii-ven-rash, are the three grand central powers that govern all the other creations, which have been sought out by the most aged of all the fathers, since the beginning of the creation, by means of the Urim and Thummim: The names of the other twelve of the fixed stars are: Kolob, Limdi, Zip, Vusel, Venisti, Waine, Wayoh-ox-oan, oansli, Shible, Shineflis, flis, os. The Egyptian names of the fifteen moving planets are: Oanisis, Flosisis, floese, Abbesels, Eleash, Subble, Slundlo, Carroam, Crashmakraw, obblesisim, Izinsbah, missel.

“Kli flosisis signifies Kolob in its motion, which is swifter than the rest of the twelve fixed stars; going before, being first in motion, being delegated to have power over others to regulate others in their time” (J.S. Alphabet of the Egyptian Language)

Comparison of Earth\’s nearly circular orbit around the Sun to Our Solar System’s more elliptical orbit around the Galactic Core in our Milky Way Galaxy. In reality the orbital path more resembles a serpent as it helically spirals or zig-zags above and below the galactic equatorial plane.

Comparing this to what we currently know of our Galaxy, its not easily understood what Joseph Smith was getting at (or if this is a feasible astronomical model at all). But although this cosmological model may at first seem a bit far-fetched, it in fact has more witnesses to its general validity in both John Newbrough’s work and in Hindu and eastern cosmology. Just a few decades after Joseph Smith, Newbrough independently wrote a cohesive and highly illustrated cosmology consisting of our solar system orbiting through our Milky Way galaxy in a circuit, in his book Oahspe, A Sacred History of the Higher and Lower Heavens on the Earth.

1. First, the earth plieth in a circuit around the sun, which circuit is divided into four arcs called spring, summer, autumn and winter.
2. Second, the sun, with his family, plieth in a large circuit [around the center of the galaxy], which is divided into one thousand five hundred arcs, the distance of which for each arc is about three thousand years or one [harvest] cycle.
3. During a cycle, the earth and her heavens fall in the spiritual regions of hundreds of etherean worlds, where dwell Jehovah’s high-raised angels, whose Chiefs have to do with the management of worlds.
4. During the time of a cycle, the earth is therefore under the control and management of such of Jehovah’s angels for the resurrection of man of the earth. (Oahspe 9/1.1)

Like Joseph Smith’s work, Newbrough’s work suggests that as our Solar System orbits the Galactic core, we pass by higher dimensional “etherean” worlds or “governing” systems which are inhabited by higher dimensional beings who subtly govern the inhabitants of world who pass within their domains. Newbrough’s works contain hundreds of pages which detail the histories, philosophies and tactics of these extra-dimensional beings. And the picture they paint is surprisingly similar to Joseph Smith’s and many ancient religious myths which integrate religion into the movement of our solar system’s as it orbits around the milky-way galaxy. Just as a single rotation around the sun can be separated into 4 seasons, 12 months, 52 weeks and 365 days; so also did the ancients try to give names to the corresponding orbital periods of the solar system moving in the Galaxy. An example is given below

The differing worlds of dimensions of ancient Norse Cosmology.

1. And thou [speaking to an officer of the current governing “god” of earth] shalt dwell in thy kingdom seven years and sixty days, and the time shall be called the first dawn of dan, and the next succeeding shall be called the second dawn of dan, and so on, as long as the earth bringeth forth.
2. And the time from one dawn of dan to another shall be called one dan’ha; and four dan’ha shall be called one square, because this is the sum of one density, which is twelve thousand of the earth’s years. And twelve squares shall be called one cube, which is the first dividend of the third space, in which there is no variation in the vortex of the earth. And four cubes shall be called one sum, because the magnitude thereof embraceth one equal of the Great Serpent. (Oahspe 07/2.6)

The Zodiac, Precession of the Equinoxes & their Effect on Earth
Both Newbrough’s and Smith’s works suggest that in ancient times, higher beings came to earth and taught men a general understanding of astronomy & astrophysics and their relationship to galactic rule. The idea of a “great celestial serpent” is found in many ancient cultures and generally seems to describe the Galactic Orbit of our Solar System following a sinusoidal or possibly helical pattern as it dips above and below the galactic equatorial plane. These motions relate to Earth’s precession of the equinoxes as well as the precession or axial wobbling of our sun. (The sun wobbles and travels in a slight helical pattern because of the gravitational effects of Jupiter and the other large planets; seen from the side this orbital path would look like a stretched spring or partially coiled flying serpent.) What makes Oahspe, the Law of One and Joseph Smith’s mystic works unique is the picture they paint of how these well understood astronomical phenomena affects the earth and its inhabitants. Their works agree, first in suggesting that just as the earth experience’s periodic “conjunctions” with other larger planets in its orbit around the sun, our solar system also experiences conjunctions with far larger star clusters as it orbits the galactic core. These star clusters not only subtly affect our solar system gravitationally and electromagnetically, they also rule us spiritually as they contain “gods”, archangels or unified planetary consciousnesses who “have to do with the management of worlds” (Oahspe 9/1.3). This gives a bit more insight to Joseph Smiths hypocephalus where “god”, who is associated with a celestial body (throne) is said to rule earth from/by the fixed star known in a certain Egyptian dialect transliterated as ‘Kolob’. This idea of course, is not limited to Mormonism, Star Wars and other science fiction but exists in some form in the astrology of many ancient cultures. The following is another excerpt from Oahspe which gives a more detailed account of earth’s galactic orbit and how it relates to “heavenly” government.

04/7.2. And Jehovah caused the earth, and the family of the sun to travel in an orbit, the circuit of which requires of them four million seven hundred thousand years. And He placed in the line of the orbit, at distances of [approximately] three thousand years, etherean [celestial] lights, at which places, as the earth passes through, angels from the second heaven come into its corporeal presence. As ambassadors they come, in companies of hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands, and these are called the etherean [celestial] hosts of the Most High.
04/7.3. They come not as single individuals; nor do they come for a single individual mortal.
04/7.4. And Jehovah gave this sign to man on earth; which is to say: In the beginning of the light of dan’ha, the spirits of the newly dead shall have power to take upon themselves the semblance of corporeal bodies, and appear and talk face to face with mortals. Every three thousand years Jehovah gave this sign on earth, so that those, who learned the powers and capacities of such familiar spirits, could bear testimony regarding the origin of man on earth. || Jehovah said: And when it shall come to pass in any of the times of dan’ha that these signs manifest, man shall know that the hosts of the Most High come soon after. Let him who will become wise, enumerate the great lights of My serpent, for in such times I set aside things that are old, and establish My chosen anew. ||
04/7.5. In the time of the earth, when man was brought forth from mortal to immortal life, the earth passed beyond se’mu [interstellar organic debris]. The angels of heaven remained with corporeal man, but not in the semblance of mortals, but as spirits; and by virtue of their presence, strove to make man wise and upright before Jehovah. Upon the earth the number of such angels was millions. To these angels Jehovah spoke:
04/7.6. Behold the work you have taken in hand! It was commanded to you all, to partake of all the fruits of the earth except of the fruit of the tree of life, which is of the knowledge of the earth and heaven, lest you lose your inheritance in etherea.
04/7.7. Behold, you now have sons and daughters on the earth; by your love to them you have become bound spirits of the lower heaven. Until you redeem them in wisdom and power even to the sixth generation, you shall not rise again and inherit My emancipated heavens.
04/7.8. To which end you shall be co workers with one another in system and order. In My name you shall become an organic body and known as the heaven of the earth, or lower heaven, which shall travel with the earth.
04/7.9. And I will allot to you a Chief, who is wise in experience in founding heavenly kingdoms; and he shall appoint from among you, officers, messengers, ashars, asaphs, and es’enaurs [angel leadership positions], and you shall be numbered and apportioned to your labor and places, like in My other lower heavens on other worlds.
04/7.10. He who is Chief shall be called God of this heaven and the earth, which are now bestowed to his making.
04/7.11. And God shall have a Council and throne within his heavenly city; and the place shall be called Hored, because it is the first kingdom of God in this firmament.
04/7.12. And God shall rule on his throne, for it is his; and his Council shall rule with him; in My name they shall have dominion over angels and mortals belonging to the earth.
04/7.13. And God shall appoint Chiefs under him who shall go down and dwell on the earth with mortals; and the labor of these Chiefs shall be with mortals for their resurrection. And these Chiefs shall be called Lords, for they are Gods of land, which is the lowest rank of My commissioned Gods.
04/7.14. And God and his Lords shall have dominion from two hundred years to a thousand or more years; but never more than three thousand years [a Dan]. According to the regions of dan (light) into which I bring the earth, so shall the terms be for the office of My Gods and My Lords.
04/7.15. And God and his Lords shall raise up officers to be their successors; these officers shall be appointed and crowned in My name by God and his Lords.
04/7.16. At the termination of the dominion of My God and his Lords, they shall in these, My bound heavens, gather together all those angels who have been prepared in wisdom and strength for resurrection to My etherean [celestial] kingdoms. And these angels shall be called Brides and Bridegrooms to Jehovah, for they are Mine and in My service.
04/7.17. And in the time of dan I will send down ships from etherea to God, his Lords and the Brides and Bridegrooms; by My etherean [celestial] Gods and Goddesses, these ships shall descend to these heavens to receive God, his Lords and the Brides and Bridegrooms, and carry them up to the exalted regions I have prepared for them.
04/7.18. All those who ascend shall be called a Harvest to Me, through My God and Lords. And the time of My Harvests shall be according to each dan, which is two hundred years, four hundred years, six hundred years, and five hundred years; and these shall be called My lesser cycles, because they are the times of the tables of prophecy which I give to My servants.
04/7.19. But at no other times, nor in any other way, shall My Harvests ascend to My emancipated worlds in etherea. For each and every dan’ha I have created seven dans, and to each dan given six generations of mortals.

Oaspe as well as other channeled texts also detail the spacecraft and dimension shifting technology which these higher beings use in covertly guiding and governing the affairs of earth. The Law of One, a more modern cosmological work channeled by Don Elkin, goes into great detail to explain the rules of non-intervention these beings are bound by, in order to preserve man’s rights to self-determination. These texts also explain the way in which communication and travel between the various dimensions is bound by laws of physics relating to the earth’s 11 year solar cycle and the position of our solar system within its Galactic orbit.

Illustration comparing the divisions of earth’s Gregorian Solar Calendar with the divisions outlined in Oahspe and ancient mythologies of the Galactic Calendar. These divisions are the ‘Times and Seasons’ mentioned in the Bible and the LDS D&C. Just as the earth’s seasons are caused by our planets position in the solar system combined with our earth’s axial tilt, so also are solar seasons dependent upon our solar system’s position in the galaxy combined with our Sun’s ‘axial tilt’ and position in the galactic plane.

<!– add another illustration that is a closeup of a square made on the above illustration. so in a small portion of the universe orbit we zoom in on the earth going from one of these “fixed” star systems to another. make its orbit a sinusoidal wave like oahspe shows, and explain that it is spiraling and show how it moves through the dimension, and perhaps even how it splits or activates new dimensions… –>

Additionally, Oahspe and the Law of One suggest that as the earth travels through the Galaxy, it passes through regions with differing energy density, which actually affect the consciousness and intelligence of mankind in general. This concept linking energy or light in the galaxy with intelligence and consciousness of mankind is also taught in Mormonism in the Doctrine and Covenants.

7 Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made….
11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—
13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. (D&C 88:11–13)

Oahspe and the Law of One go into far more detail on the specifics of how the intensity of interstellar cosmic energy reaching the earth affects human consciousness and behavior. It suggests that most ages of enlightenment as well as ages of apostasy and intellectual darkness are caused by the amount of intergalactic energy reaching our solar system.

38/7.6. The prophets of old divided time into cycles of three thousand years, with slight variations. And they found that at the beginning of these periods of time, a certain impulse came upon the people, causing them to try to be better and wiser—even as the same feeling is manifesting itself this day in many nations.
38/7.7. The scale then rises for four hundred years, more or less; and, after that, wars and epidemics come upon the people. They then begin to decline, especially in virtue and peace, but the general intelligence suffers little for about another six or seven hundred years. After which time, they destroy their libraries and records, and reduce themselves to ignorance and vice. Then a darkness follows of one thousand or more years, with slight intermissions. And after that, for six hundred years the corporeal senses [intellect] begin to ascend. Self conceit comes upon them; they think they are the beginning of wisdom on earth. Then comes another cycle of light. Angels descend from the unseen worlds. New revelations crop up in every quarter. Inspiration comes upon mortals, and they go to the opposite extreme, becoming superstitious and obedient to unseen influences.
38/7.8. Such, then, is the general character and behavior of man during a cycle (dan’ha cycle). And he rises and falls in all these particulars as regularly as the tides of the ocean.
38/7.9. These revelations are chiefly made so that man can begin to comprehend these things, and learn to classify them so as to rise in wisdom and virtue, and thus overcome these epidemic seasons of cycles.
38/7.10. As previously shown, there are positive and negative forces continually going to and escaping from the earth. Without these no creature could live on the earth. The negative imparts to man his corporeal growth, as well as his corporeal desires, passions, and so on.
38/7.11. According to the quantity and quality of the corpor solutions in the firmament and their precipitations to the earth, so will man be affected and inclined to manifest. These influences are easily discernible by some persons. As one is depressed by a dull day; another inclined to drunkenness and fighting. A bright day inspires man with energy… (Oahspe 38/7.6-11, Cosmogony)

This is incredibly similar to the concept of Yugas convolutedly put forth in the Hindu epic Mahabharata from around 300 BC. In it, Rishi Suka teaches the times & seasons of the Gods, referred to as the Yuga.

The Rishis, measuring time, have named particular portions by particular names… A year (of human beings) is equal to a day… of the gods. The division (as regards the gods) consists in this: the half year for which the sun travels from the vernal to the autumnal equinox is the day of the deities, and the half year for which the sun travels from the latter to the former is their night. Computing by the days and nights of human beings about which I have told thee, I shall speak of the day and night of Brahman and his years also… Four thousand years (of the deities) is the duration of the first or Krita age. The morning of that epoch consists of four hundred years and its evening is of four hundred years. (The total duration, therefore, of the Krita yuga is four thousand and eight hundred years of the deities). As regards the other yugas, the duration of each gradually decreases by a quarter in respect of both the substantive period with the conjoining portion and the conjoining portion itself. (Thus the duration of the Treta is three thousand years and its morning extends for three hundred years and its evening for three hundred [3600 years])

In the other yugas, duty, ordained in the Vedas, is seen to gradually decline by a quarter in each. Sinfulness grows in consequence of theft, untruth, and deception. In the Krita age, all persons are free from disease and crowned with success in respect of all their objects, and all live for four hundred years. In the Treta, the period of life decreases by a quarter. It has also been heard by us that, in the succeeding yugas, the words of the Vedas, the periods of life, the blessings (uttered by Brahmanas), and the fruits of Vedic rites, all decrease gradually…  The learned say that these twelve thousand years (of the deities) constitute what is called a yuga. (Mahabharata 12:231)

Just a cursory look at the Hindu Yuga source material gives the impression that these convolutedly related to the same ancient cosmology expressed in the Mayan calendar. With 144,000 Yuga Sandhya equaling the 144,000 days of the Mayan Baktun (equaling 394.26 tropical years), and the 71 Mahayugas Manvantara cycles of the Tzolk’in (72×260).

[add a law of one quote here illustrating the same point. That the “logos” (law of one terminology for a governing celestial body) dictates progression of consciousness on earth ]

The following illustrations visually depict the theorized “arcs” or regions of reinforcing or cancelling galactic energy patterns described in the preceding verses.

The Oahspe text contains many supposed ancient illustrations (channeled in 1882) of astronomic regions though which the earth passed in its galactic orbit which purportedly affected human behavior and consciousness, the pattern in this illustration (left) is surprisingly similar to the reinforced wave patterns of toroidal energy flow (right); a theoretical field pattern existing in the galaxy. The blue equatorial circle could very roughly symbolize our solar system’s orbit around the galactic core. Line nodes would represent reinforcing waves which create areas of high energy density.

Much of the Christian idea of “harvest” (Rev 14:15) comes from this same concept of Galactic “Times & Seasons”. Suggesting that higher beings in our galaxy seek to help people on earth progress in the same way that a gardener tends his garden. There are cosmically induced “winters” where the earth travels through un-energetic or thick nebulous regions of galactic dust which inhibit earth from receiving much of the higher wavelengths of energy on the electromagnetic spectrum (God’s spirit in religious terms), which mankind’s body and spirit rely on for intelligence and connectivity with each other and the rest of creation. These beings plant the “seeds” of civilization in the autumn (such as Moses to Christ), clear the weeds during winter (such as the dark ages), pour down inspiration during spring (such as the renaissance to present) and gather the fruit during summer (coming millennium). The higher off-planet beings who aid the earth transmit most orally communicated information first to the upper realms of earth’s spirit world where it filters down through multiple realms of that dimension before passing on to our dimension in the material world (see D&C 76:86–88).

18/6.21. Is a summer on the earth not half a time? And the winter half a time? And the two, one full time? So also I created for atmospherea [the spirit dimension] a dan (cycle) of four hundred years, and a half time of two hundred years. And in seven times and one half time I created one dan’ha.
18/6.22. For thousands of years I sent My Gods to teach these things, so that My angels could know the times of My resurrections. Does a farmer not have knowledge of the resurrection of spring, when I cover the earth over with new growing things, which I raise up out of the earth? How much more knowledge should My angels have of My spring times, in atmospherea [earth’s spirit world], when My archangels come to gather in My harvests of emancipated souls?

There are several other cosmic influence dictated by our position in the galaxy, explained in Oahspe’s cosmology which we don’t have time to cover in this article. These include the 11 year solar cycle affecting the ability to travel and communicate through space. There are many activities which can occur only with the collapse of the sun’s magnetic field during solar max (references coming soon). These cycles as well as regions of nebula and gas clouds also affect man’s ability in the spirit world to raise or be resurrected between realms or kingdoms (references coming soon). The realms or kingdoms of the spirit world are also raised or lowered depending on these galactic conditions (references coming soon).

[Add a few paragraphs here showing how the highly fragmented Hindu, Buddhist and Mayan cosmological belief systems and calendars each sought to literally or figuratively describe the “arcs” or discs of the solar system’s orbit through the galaxy. Name specifically a few of the most popular. End with a chart showing how they fit with Christian Harvest cycles, Mormon cosmology ideas and how Oahspe contains the most detailed and believable framework for tying them all together with modern scientific/astronomical observations.]

To Go No More Out. Reconciling Reincarnation & Resurrection

resurrection

Five times in the Book of Mormon, and once in the New Testament we are introduced to the phrase “to go no more out”, which I suggest may be telling us much more than we might initially guess. In fact, the restorationist texts, The Gospel of the Holy Twelve suggest that the phrase (as well as a few other cryptic references to a type of reincarnation) might be a remnant of one of the many “plain and precious truths” that the Book of Mormon tells us were eradicated from the Jewish canon & theology by pre-exilic Jewish reformers. This misunderstanding and bias against the concept of reincarnation was then carried on by early western Christianity. In this article I’d like to through these phrases and use a few restorationism texts to speculate as to how they might help to reconcile the doctrines of reincarnation and resurrection.

Alma 7:25 reads:

25 And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless, that ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the world began, having your garments spotless even as their garments are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out.

This principle seems simple enough. The righteous gain rest in the kingdom of heaven, where they “go no more out”. But lets look a little closer and then think of the implications. Alma exhorts his people here to not only be righteous enough to be permitted to attain the kingdom of heaven, but it is his prayer that they might have garments spotless enough that they can enter the kingdom of heaven, and like Abraham, Issac and Jacob, go no more out. This implies that all but the most righteous, who enter the kingdom of heaven, stand the chance of entering and in some way going back out.

Lets look at the phrase again as it is given in the book of Revelation:

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Rev. 3:12)

It’s not hard to see there is some deep symbolism portrayed in these verses. We see that ‘going no more out’ has to do with ‘overcoming’ the world. It has to do with getting a new name or identity which is the name of God. It has to do with obtaining a heavenly city; the new Jerusalem. There are three other references to “going no more out” of the kingdom of heaven in the Book of Mormon, but before looking at more LDS scripture, lets first take a look at the insights the restorationist book The Gospel of the Holy Twelve (which supports my points but isn’t necessarily required to get there). Like a few other modern channeled revisions of the New Testament, the book claims to be a “restored” version of the New Testament Gospels which were channeled to a Reverend Ouseley from angelic beings who claimed to have found and translated the text from a early Christian manuscript found in Tibet. It’s a spurious text, but insightful none the less.

1. As Jesus sat by the west of the Temple with his disciples, behold there passed some carrying one that was dead to burial, and a certain one said unto him, Master, if a man die, shall he live again?
2. And he answered and said, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the Good, the Beautiful, the True, if a man believe in me he shall not die, but live eternally. As in Adam all die, so in the Christ shall all be made alive. Blessed are the dead who die in me, and are made perfect in my image and likeness, for they rest from their labours and their works do follow them. They have overcome evil, and are made Pillars in the Temple of my God, and they go out no more, for they rest in the Eternal.
3. For them that have done evil there is no rest, but they go out and in, and suffer correction for ages, till they are made perfect. But for them that have done good and attained unto perfection, there is endless rest and they go into life everlasting. They rest in the Eternal.
4. Over them the repeated death and birth have no power, for them the wheel of the Eternal revolves no more, for they have attained unto the Centre, where is eternal rest, and the centre of all things is God.” (HT 69:1-4)

Regardless of whether this text is true, it weaves together some pretty interesting symbolic wording.  Here the term “to go no more out” is used to uniquely merge the hindu/buddhist idea of Saṃsāra, and the wheel of Dharma with the Christian concept of resurrection and eternal salvation. As I’ll attempt to show in the rest of this article, there are several interesting phrases and concepts in Christian scripture and Mormon theology that could be used to reconcile the idea of reincarnation with the concepts of resurrection. Its a concept that’s not only ubiquitous in near-death experiences and modern channeled texts, but also prevalent in Jewish Kabbalah texts such the Zohar.

As long as a person is unsuccessful in his purpose in this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, uproots him and replants him over and over again. (Zohar I 186b)

All souls are subject to reincarnation; and people do not know the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He! They do not know that they are brought before the tribunal both before they enter into this world and after they leave it; they are ignorant of the many reincarnations and secret works which they have to undergo, and of the number of naked souls, and how many naked spirits roam about in the other world without being able to enter within the veil of the King’s Palace. Men do not know how the souls revolve like a stone that is thrown from a sling. But the time is at hand when these mysteries will be disclosed. (Zohar II 99b. See this article for many other references)

The LDS Premortal life and Reincarnation

The idea that there might be some truth to the doctrine of reincarnation, should be easier for Mormons to consider than most Christians. In fact, the mainstream Mormon doctrine of premortal life actually teaches a loose form of reincarnation that most LDS members don’t see. Although Mormon doctrine concerning the matter generally tries to shy away from specifics, it distinctly teaches that each human being “lived before they were born as spirit offspring of a heavenly father [and heavenly mother]” (see gospel topics). So from a certain perspective, that makes earth-life a re-embodied or second cycle of progression–in fact in Abraham 3:20–26 mortal life is referred to as a “second estate”. This scripture also suggest that mankind’s previous cycle of life included a type of agency that allowed certain souls to progress faster than others.  From one perspective, it might almost seem that the Mormon doctrine of pre-existence might be a way of slowly bridging the theological gap between eastern religious views of reincarnation and western Christian views which strongly oppose the idea of any previous life before birth.  Some LDS leaders such as Brigham Young have even specifically taught that this former spiritual birth in the “premortal existence” was accomplished by sexual reproduction.

“[God] created man, as we create our children; for there is no other process of creation in heaven, on the earth, in the earth, or under the earth, or in all the eternities, that is, that were, or that ever will be.”  (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:122. see here for more references)

Although many traditional Christians deride Mormonism for these teachings, it seems possible that LDS doctrine is simply seeking to bridge a theological gap to reincarnation by using veiled terms to suggest that people, (1) lived a conscious life previous to their current earth life and (2) were physically/spiritually born to a different set of parents in that life. Both of these principles are entirely shared by the doctrine of Reincarnation. Years after Joseph Smith, Brigham Young expanded the LDS premortality doctrine to suggest that couples who are exalted to God status are responsible for creating the ‘spirtis of men’.  But from one perspective one could speculate that LDS church leaders were inspired to introduce aspects of this teaching in veiled and ambiguous language simply because of the strong bias western Christianity has developed (possibly reaching all the way back to disagreements between Jewish sects such as the Sadducees and Pharisees) against even considering reincarnation as a possibility in the scheme of eternal progression. It also might be important because the doctrine tends to promote wild speculation and certain types of excuses for bad behavior.

Within the LDS concept of premortal existence, we might further speculate that the “gods/parents” of whom we are spiritually begotten, might actually have been exalted mortals such as Abraham, who D&C 132 says gained the right of the “continuation of the lives” (D&C 132:22) and “continuation of the seeds for ever and ever” (D&C 132:19).

In fact, by translating the scriptural word αἰῶνος or aiōnos as “age” instead of “world” (as many modern translations do), scriptures used to support random predestination or foreordination, such as Ephesians 1:4 which speak of premortal election “before the world was”, might actually be metaphorically referring to events occurring “before the current age”. (This will be more important as we look at scriptures concerning future resurrections. see Matt 13:39,49; 24:3; 28:20, Heb 9:26, 1 Ne 14:22, Moses 6:7). Even scriptural events which seem to clearly allude to a separate premortal realm or planet, such as Abraham 3:22, might actually be interpreted to support some type of reincarnation of life in a previous cycle of ‘this world’ when one considers scriptures supporting the ancient belief that our current earth has gone through repeated cycles of destruction and re-creation such as the following.

The end [shall] come when the earth shall pass away. And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new. (Ether 13:8–9)
And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.” (Moses 1:38)
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:6–7)

26 Wherefore, [earth] shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding [the earth] shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power [energy level] by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it. [after the telestial earth ‘dies’ and terrestrial dimension emerges on the higher plane for terrestrial spirits to be born into]  27 For notwithstanding they die, they also shall rise again, a spiritual[ized or higher dimensional] body. 28 They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your [physical] bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your [physical] bodies are quickened.
32 And they who remain shall also be quickened [or resurrected]; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place [on earth], to enjoy that which they are willing to receive… (D&C 88:2–32)

It seems possible, that all this cryptic symbolic language might simply be using an ambiguous “premortal life” to teach the concept that the eternal progression of souls is a lot more lengthy and complex than many suppose. There are a few verses in the New Testament which could be used to suggest that at least a portion of the Jewish people held to some form of this idea of cyclical rebirth of prominent individuals across certain “ages” or master cycles. Look at Matt 11:13–15 for instance which says, “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, he [John the Baptist] is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Another example is found in Matt 17:10–12, “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things, But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not… [speaking] of John the Baptist.” Even if we suppose that Elias/Elijah is just a title/function that John the Baptist assumed, its hard to not see a Jewish belief in reincarnation in scriptures like John 9:2 which says “And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” It certainly seems possible that Judeo-Christian scriptures supports the idea that some of the most noble souls (among those who haven’t exited the Saṃsāra wheel yet) are reincarnated as key figures or even as the father of nations and cultures–becoming the head of entire people’s who reincarnate at given times and seasons or intervals of human history.

The Urantia Book, another spurious channeled text generally against the idea of reincarnation, suggests that it does occur, but never within a single dispensation.

 “A mortal never returns to his native planet during the dispensation of his temporal existence, and if he should return during a subsequent dispensation, he would be escorted by a transport seraphim of the universe headquarters group.” (The Urantia Book, 39:4.15)

In fact the LDS first resurrection itself could possibly be construed as supporting a type of Millennial reincarnation of the righteous depending on your interpretation of the scriptures. In D&C 101 a detailed description of the Millennium is given where we are told there will be infants (birth) but no death,

28 And in that day Satan shall not have power to tempt any man.
29 And there shall be no sorrow because there is no death.
30 In that day an infant shall not die until he is old; and his life shall be as the age of a tree;
31 And when he dies he shall not sleep, that is to say in the earth, but shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up, and his rest shall be glorious. (D&C 101:28–31. see also D&C 45:58)

Bruce R. Mckonkie clarified that these infants will be born through natural birth as mortals—and are not to be resurrected until they reach the “age of a tree” and are “changed in the twinkling of an eye” (Mormon Doctrine, p.496-497). Now why would there be mortals and birth in the immortal, paradisiacal millennium? And is there any scriptural indication that these blessed millennial mortals never lived a previous mortal birth? I submit that there is not. For all we know, many who “come forth in the morning of the first resurrection” will come forth by mortal birth just as others “fly through the air with Jesus” (D&C 76:102; 88:96-98; 109:75; 1 Thes 4:17). In fact some significant modern channeled texts seem to suggest that the eschatological nature of the resurrection at Christ’s coming is laced with metaphor. And that the transition of the earth to a millennial terrestrial glory will occur as a natural evolutionary and cosmic process.

63.27 Questioner: I will make this statement, and you correct me. What we have is, that as our planet [is] spiraled by the action of the entire major galaxy… the [terrestrial] vibrations become more and more pronounced. These atomic core vibrations begin to create more and more completely the [appropriate] core vibrations [of the] the [terrestrial] sphere and the [terrestrial bodies] for inhabitation of that sphere. Is this correct?
Response. This is partially correct. To be corrected is the concept of the creation of [terrestrial bodies]. This creation will be gradual and will take place beginning with your [telestial] type of physical vehicle and, through the means of bisexual reproduction, become by evolutionary processes, the [terrestrial] body complexes. (Law of One 63:27)

What’s more, some text suggest that most of the supernatural references to flying through the air to meet Jesus are descriptions of events occurring primarily to spirits in the earth’s heavens (or higher dimensions) as the veils which divide the heavens temporarily drop and spirits who are ready to ascend to the higher, more physically real levels of heaven are permitted to do so. (see Oahspe, book of resurrections) In the next section I will show how the Christian word and concept of resurrection might actually be a dualistic term which symbolically references both mortal re-incarnation as well as the traditional belief of heavenly ‘physical’ incarnation.

LDS Eternal Progression

The Second Death and Telestial Resurrection as a reference to Reincarnation

31 And also they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.  32 And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received. (D&C 88:31–32)

The word biblical word resurrection comes from the Hebrew יְקוּמ֑וּן / yekumun or Greek ἀνάστασις, εως, ἡ / anastasis, which literally mean to stand up, awake or rise again. As such it stands as the antithesis or reversal of the biblical concept of the fall from immortality or spiritual death.

The Bible, LDS Pearl of Great Price and endowment actually presents a narrative similar to the Eastern concept of a souls descent into Māyā (duality or illusion). The drama symbolically points to the idea that an eternal aspect of Mankind (symbolized by Adam), existed with God before his earthly or mortal body was created (cycle 0). Later, his eternal spirit was veiled in flesh or placed in a body God created for him in a paradisiacal immortal earth (cycle 1). It was also then separated into two aspects (man and woman). Because of sin, this divided mankind then falls from this immortal (or spiritual) eternal abode in God’s partial presence and becomes a mortal living in a fallen earthly hell subject to death, sin and the temptations or illusions of the devil (cycle 2). In this mortal cycle mankind goes through many different stages of priesthood and changing laws to awake or rise again back through the various layers of redemption, resurrection and unification. To reverse the effects of the three cycle fall, Christ came to help show us how to rise from the death and sin of this temporal earth and return to live immortally and eternally with God once again— and eventually to attain complete moksha or unity with him (John 17:11–22).

Another verse in the Gospel of the Holy Twelve follows this same line of thinking to suggest that the word resurrection might actually be have dual metaphorical meaning in Christian scripture. One which corresponds to Eastern religious traditions.

2. As all creatures come forth from the unseen into this world, so they return to the unseen, and so will they come again till they be purified. Let the bodies of them that depart be committed to the elements, and the Father, who reneweth all things, shall give the angels charge over them, and let the presbyter pray that their bodies may rest in peace, and their souls awake to a joyful resurrection.
3. There is a resurrection from the body, and there is a resurrection in the body. There is a raising out of the life of the flesh, and there is a falling into the life of the flesh. Let prayer be made For those who are gone before, and For those that are alive, and For those that are yet to come, for all are One family in God. In God they live and move and have their being. (GHT 94:2-3)

Here we see a dual use of the word resurrection; using it to refer to both reincarnation in addition to a somewhat traditional meaning. “Resurrection from the body” or “raising [it] out of the life of flesh” being a type of resurrection referred to in the traditional Christian interpretaion as well as Alma 40:15–18 and ubiquitously used in the channeled text Oahspe. (see my article Cosmology for more details on heavenly ascension/resurrection). And “resurrection in the body” or “falling into the life of the flesh” which seems to be referring to reincarnation.

What I would like to suggest by using LDS scripture, is that part of the “resurrection of damnation” (see John 5:29) is being forced to cycle between spiritual and earthly hell (telestial glory) through reincarnation. Whereas spirits worthy of the “resurrection of life” (John 5:29, Mos 16:11, 3 Ne 26:5, D&C 19:6–12) escape the second death and are freed from the cycle of rebirth “to go no more out”.

The Book of Revelation teaches that those who are redeemed to “go no more out”, also escape the “Second Death”. Following the scriptural phrase “second death” through its multiple uses seems to suggest it might also be a dualistic term which actually refers to to both spiritual hell (at death) and mortal reincarnation (at the time of resurrection). so in one case it may refer to those telestial glory souls who at the time of resurrection return to the telestial earth by rebirth (D&C 76:84 defines a telestial resurrection as hell. ). Rebirth on earth separates souls spiritually from God, just as death reunites the righteous to Him (Alma 12:16). When the righteous die, they pass to paradise, being “taken home to that God who gave them life” (Alma 40:10). However, the wicked who do not overcome the desires of the flesh and sin, take part in the resurrection of damnation where instead of rising to higher more blissful levels of heaven they are “cast out” and resurrected or reborn to earth to pay the karma for their acts and desires.

 24 And now, my son, this is the restoration of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets—
3 …it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good.
5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.
15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all. (Alma 40:24, 41:3-15)

Read these verses from the Book of Revelation concerning the resurrection. I submit that the “lake of fire” is the telestial glory (both fallen earth life, and the telestial glory/hell of the spiritual realm). Those not in the Book of Life (a symbol of those who have attained a terrestrial or celestial glory and are escaping the rebirth cycle of Saṃsāra), are cast into “the lake of fire” to experience the “second death”.

13 And the sea [group 1] gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [group 2] delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And [those still found in] death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire [samsara].

Revelation 21:8 explains the type of individuals who experience the “second death” in a bit more detail,

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:8)

Compare this to D&C 76’s words on those of the telestial resurrection, where it speaks of telestial souls who “suffer the wrath of God on earth” (v. 104; the rebirth cycle of Saṃsāra), as well as those who “suffer the vengeance of eternal fire”, those same souls who end up in prison/hell between incarnations.

103 These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.
104 These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth [reincarnation].
105 These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire [damnation at death]. (D&C 76:103–105)

So those who attain a Celestial Glory, go no more out, or in other words they remain in heaven nearly indefinitely to reign with God in a state of nearly nirvanan peace. However, terrestial souls reincarnate, but far less often than telestial souls, and have part in the first resurrection, (once again, resurrection being a dualistic term veiled with its own cryptic symbolism referring to those worthy to be raised to heaven OR reincarnated during the latter-day Golden Age of the cycle when earth attains a terrestrial glory) . Hell-bound or telestial souls, on the other hand, will come forth after this symbolic millennium, in the resurrection of the unjust to continue their cycles of mortal experience after the Golden Age has collapsed and war comes back to give them the miserable conditions needed to learn their needed lessons. Only the “sons of perdition” or those who refuse to learn the lessons of telestial justice and willingly choose to follow Satan (selfishness) after all possible cycles of progression have passed will not be redeemed from the wheel of “second death” (see D&C 76:37).

A few more references from the Gospel of the Holy Twelve

The scriptures seem to be symbolically veiled and cryptic when referring to the time frame between resurrections as well as the exact nature of those resurrections. But Christian, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist scriptures seem to make clear that their prophetic authors saw the history of the world divided into cycles, times, seasons and ages. (D&C 43:18)  To some resurrection and rebirth is an individual thing occurring over and over in the same age. To others it is more broad, occurring only into different worlds. In Mormonism, I hope I have shown that there seems to be scriptures supporting both ideas. Concerning the latter, we are taught in Ether, “the end [shall] come when the earth shall pass away. And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new. (Ether 13:8–9) And as God tells Moses, “And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.” (Moses 1:38) The goal of all Christ’s followers however, is not to be born again of the earth (telestial reincarnation) or even simply born of the water (terrestrial resurrection in a future cycle of the present or some other temporal world), but to be born again of the Spirit to live “eternally in the heavens (or a celestialized earth which has become like unto the heavens) with God.

In chapter 59 of the Gospel of the Holy Twelve we find another of many clarifying verses which shows the dispensational or cyclical nature of restoration:

11. For they who know the Godhead, and have found in the way of Life the mysteries of light and then have fallen into sin, shall be punished with greater chastisements than they who have not known the way of Life.
12. Such shall return when their cycle is completed and to them will be given space to consider, and amend their lives, and learning the mysteries, enter into the kingdom of light. (59:11-12)

Here are the rest of the scriptures given in the Gospel of the Holy Twelve teaching this new view of the resurrection

1. JESUS sat in the porch of the Temple, and some came to learn his doctrine, and one said unto him, Master, what teachest thou concerning life?
2. And he said unto them, Blessed are they who suffer many experiences, for they shall be made perfect through suffering: they shall be as the angels of God in Heaven and shall die no more, neither shall they be born any more, for death and birth have no more dominion over them.
3. They who have suffered and overcome shall be made Pillars in the Temple of my God, and they shall go out no more. Verily I say unto you, except ye be born again of water and of fire, ye cannot see the kingdom of God.
4. And a certain Rabbi (Nicodemus) came unto him by night for fear of the Jews, and said unto him. How can a man be born again when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born again ?
5. Jesus answered, Verily I say unto you except a man be born again of flesh and of spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and ye hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth.
6. The light shineth from the East even unto the West; out of the darkness, the Sun ariseth and goeth down into darkness again; so is it with man, from the ages unto the ages.
7. When it cometh from the darkness, it is that he hath lived before, and when it goeth down again into darkness, it is that he may rest for a little, and thereafter again exist.
8. So through many changes must ye be made perfect, as it is written in the book of Job, I am a wanderer, changing place after place and house after house, until I come unto the City and Mansion which is eternal.

4. Nevertheless if any be sick among you, let them send for the presbyters of the church that they may anoint them with oil of olive in the Name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith, and the going out of power, with the voice of thanksgiving, shall raise them up, if they are not detained by sin, of this or a former life. (92:4)

… I say, unto you there is no death to those who believe in the life to come. Death, as ye deemed it, is the door to life, and the grave is the gate to resurrection, for those who believe and obey. Mourn ye not, nor weep for them that have left you, but rather rejoice for their entrance into life.
2. As all creatures come forth from the unseen into this world, so they return to the unseen, and so will they come again till they be purified. Let the bodies of them that depart be committed to the elements, and the Father, who reneweth all things, shall give the angels charge over them, and let the presbyter pray that their bodies may rest in peace, and their souls awake to a joyful resurrection.
3. There is a resurrection from the body, and there is a resurrection in the body. There is a raising out of the life of the flesh, and there is a falling into the life of the flesh. Let prayer be made For those who are gone before, and For those that are alive, and For those that are yet to come, for all are One family in God. In God they live and move and have their being.
4. The body that ye lay in the grave, or that is consumed by fire, is not the body that shall be, but they who come shall receive other bodies, yet their own, and as they have sown in one life, so shall they reap in another. Blessed are they who have worked righteousness in this life, for they shall receive the crown of life. (94:1-4)

23. As in the inner so in the outer: as in the great so in the small. As above, so below: as in heaven so in earth. We believe in the Purification of the soul: through many births and experiences. The Resurrection from the dead: and the Life everlasting of the just. The Ages of Ages: and Rest in God forever.— [Amen]. (96:23)

19. And this by ascent of the soul into the spirit and the descent of the spirit into the soul. Who cometh from heaven, and is incarnate of the Virgin ever blessed, in Jesu-Maria and every Christ of God: and is born and teacheth the way of life and suffereth under the world rulers, and is crucified, and is buried and descendeth into Hell. Who riseth again and ascendeth into glory; from thence giving light and life to all. (96:19)

8. Put ye not off from day to day, and from cycle to cycle and eon to eon, in the belief, that when ye return to this world ye will succeed in gaining the mysteries, and entering into the Kingdom of Light. (65:8)

Joseph Smith’s views on reincarnation were a bit ambiguous, but he specifically clarified that he did not believe in the idea of being reborn from animal to human, and that many who profess to be reincarnated famous religious figures are likely being led captive by evil spirits. I agree with those statements, but have a funny feeling that Christian scripture is helping us take baby steps in reconciling all the religious ideas of the world’s great religion into the true view of reality.

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The Unity Perspective

Another channeled work gives an idea which I believe is remarkably helpful in reconciling eastern and western views of reincarnation and resurrection. This work expands upon the concept of group consciousness and an underlying unity among human consciousness. A concept which is touched on repeatedly in LDS and Biblical Scripture (refs.) but generally only explained in detail in Christian mysticism and esotericism.  The idea is that we as human beings often see ourselves as completely separate from one another, but that Higher beings looking down on us, see us as different aspects of the same being. As an example, if an individual cell within us had conscious thought, it might see itself as completely separate from its fellow biological cells. However, from the brain’s perspective, those cells are all simply different aspects of One being controlled within bounds by the brain through the nervous system. One cell might die away and another take its place, but the purpose and memory of that cell is stored in the brain—not just the cell. As the organism grows and the cells divide and multiply they grow further and further apart in location and function and these semi-conscious cells might come up with all sorts of crazy explanations to explain where they came from and where they go after death. But the truth is that their lack of knowledge of the unity that binds them prohibits them from even coming close to understanding the full picture.

In the Law of One and many other esoteric texts, mankind IS ONE organism, symbolized by the biblical Man Adam or the Hindu Manu/Atman. As he divides himself, veils and partitions are created between his progeny to give himself more evolutionary choices to experience himself. The “ego” of new age authors is a concept of separation of self from the whole, for the purpose of creating conflict and drama. But to follow our analogy to the body, the brain (highest beings) do not see these imaginary divisions… their higher perspective sees the unity of the whole organism.

Firstly, you must understand that the distinction between yourself and others is not visible to us. We do not consider that a separation exists between the consciousness-raising efforts of the distortion which you project as a personality and the distortion which you project as an other personality. Thus, to learn is the same as to teach… (LoO 1.10)

Opposing views

The channeled Urantia Book while partially disagreeing with the the idea of reincarnation tells of the damage this teaching did to Vedic peoples…

…of all the contaminating beliefs… none was so stultifying as this belief in transmigration—the doctrine of the reincarnation of souls—which came from the Dravidian Deccan. This belief in the weary and monotonous round of repeated transmigrations robbed struggling mortals of their long-cherished hope of finding that deliverance and spiritual advancement in death which had been a part of the earlier Vedic faith. This philosophically debilitating teaching was soon followed by the invention of the doctrine of the eternal escape from self by submergence in the universal rest and peace of absolute union with Brahman, the oversoul of all creation. Mortal desire and human ambition were effectually ravished and virtually destroyed. (94:2.3)

Although many, if not most, modern channeled works speak of reincarnation there are many religions and modern channelled texts such as Oahspe which are adamant about the falsity of the idea of individuated consciousness re-entering the womb, except for instances of demon obsession.  To illustrate here are a few quotes, which echo the views held by many religions.

As I have quickened the seed of the first born, so will I quicken all seed to the end of the earth. And each and every man-child and woman-child born into life will I quicken with a new spirit, which shall proceed out of Me at the time of conception. Neither will I give to any spirit of the higher or lower heaven power to enter a womb, or a fetus of a womb, and be born again.  (Jehovah 6:21)

Suffice it, these spirits lost all sight of any higher heavens than to dwell on the earth; they knew no other. And they watched about when children were born, and obsessed them, driving hence the natural spirit, and growing up in the new body of the newborn, calling themselves re-incarnated; and these drujas professed that when they previously lived on earth they were great kings, or queens, or philosophers.  And they taught as their master, Osiris, the false, did: That there was no higher heaven than here on the earth, and that man must be re-incarnated over and over until the flesh became immortal. Not all of these spirits drove hence the natural spirit; but many merely engrafted themselves on the same body; and whilst such persons lived, these spirits lived with them and dwelt with them day and night; not knowing more than their mortal companion. And when such person died, behold, the druja went and engrafted itself on another child, and lived and dwelt with it in the same way; and thus continuing, generation after generation. (Wars 51:11-12)

O man, beware of angels who say: In heaven there is no organization, nor God, nor Holy Council, nor discipline, nor order, nor teaching, nor self-denial, or,  Who say: There is no God, no Jehovih, no government in heaven, or, Who say: There is no bondage after death; no place or condition of suffering, or, Who say: When thou diest thy spirit shall enter paradise and dwell in perpetual ease and glory.  Who say: Heaven is an endless summer land, with silvery rivers and golden boats for all, or, Who say: Eat, drink and enjoy thyself for the gratification of thine earthly passions, for when thou art dead thy path shall be straight to glory.  Who say: Heap up riches, for there is no punishment after death, or, Who say: Turn not thy thoughts into thine own soul to discover thy ungodliness, for when thou art dead thy spirit shall revel in bliss, or, Who say: The angel world is a place of progression without self-abnegation and good works, or, Who saith: Behold me, I am from the highest, most exalted sphere, or from a far-off star, or, Who saith: I have visited the planets, or, Who saith: Resurrection cometh by reincarnation–first a stone, then lead, then silver, then gold, then a tree, then a worm, then an animal and then man, or that a spirit re-entereth the womb, and is born again in mortality, or, Who saith: Blessed art thou; for a host of ancient spirits attend thee–thou hast a great mission.  For all of these are the utterances of the angels of the first resurrection. And though they may inspire great oratory and learned discourses, yet they are flatterers, and will surely lead thee into grief.  (Discipline 3:19-32)

Joseph Smith also seemed to echo similar views that those professing reincarnation are often possessed of demons; speaking of a traveling minister Robert Matthews he said,

“He said that he possessed the spirit of his fathers, that he was a literal descendant of Matthias, the Apostle, who was chosen in the place of Judas that fell; that his spirit was resurrected in him; and that this was the way or scheme of eternal life—this transmigration of soul or spirit from father to son.
I told him that his doctrine was of the devil, that he was in reality in possession of a wicked and depraved spirit, although he professed to be the Spirit of truth itself; and he said also that he possessed the soul of Christ. (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 Vols. 2:307)”

It certainly seems reasonable that this is often the case. That many channeled works are in fact deceptive spirits of the lower heavens feeding people’s egos with fabricated stories and bologna. However, there seems to be credible sources and valid global religions which hold this view and are not so easily discounted. I’v spent a lot of time trying to reconcile these very different predominate views and it occurs to me that, like most things, it is a difference in perspective.

In my opinion it all boils down to misconceptions in personality and ego.  As many biblical and religious texts allude to, and the law of one makes clear, those in the higher realms make little to no distinction between an individual and his close associates, or more especially one family.  Those in a family unit are seen as one individual or one individuated consciousness.  So although we see a huge distinction between ourselves, our parents, and our children, those in the higher densities do not.   Take these words in the Law of One material for example…

Firstly, you must understand that the distinction between yourself and others is not visible to us. We do not consider that a separation exists between the consciousness-raising efforts of the distortion which you project as a personality and the distortion which you project as an other personality. Thus, to learn is the same as to teach…

So in their perspective, one could say that we are reincarnated through our posterity or progeny.  As these groups raise to higher densities and are redeemed in unity, they form a collective consciousness where the thoughts and experiences of all are shared, and thus you could consider them reincarnated versions of each other.  So much as Mufasa and Rafiki said to Simba in the Lion King, our parents live in us and vise-versa.  The bible echo’s this idea of unity with the statement in Acts 17:28, speaking of God and ourselves it says, “In him we live and move and have our being”.  Thus we could say that all mankind is a reincarnation of Adam, the first man.  Or that we are all fragments of God, who has multiplied himself in an effort to know himself, which is essentially what parenthood is all about. I believe there is a great amount of both biblical and Mormon literature that symbolically seeks to teach this important principle.  The “sealing” or binding together in Mormon temples is essentially symbolically teaching the principle explained in detail in Oahspe, that in order to ascend or be redeemed, a group must redeem their progeny to at leas the 6th generation. This is because this is the only way to at-one or atone the division caused by the fall of man.  Mankind falls when they are divided, and is only saved when they are again re-united.  There are important psychological implications to this as well, in the ways that the experiences and characteristics which we demonize, desire or fear are perpetuated in our progeny. One who hates or fears homosexuals, or apostates, or whatever other thing will by design have a child, grand child or one of their future posterity with that trait or characteristic, and neither will be able to ascend to the higher heavens until they are reconciled.  Like Buddha and Jesus taught, we must overcome desire and fear in order to overcome. Through shared consciousness the “hater” ancestor will vicariously experience the thoughts and life of his progeny until he is purified and learns love, harmony and balance.

So it seems possible that with this line of thinking we can reconcile both the reincarnative and non-reincarnative doctrines.

Bringing it Together

-Show how if you understand a unity perspective, then someone who believes themselves to be the “reincarnated whoever” Its true even if it’s not true.  If you can reach through space and time and connect with dead people’s consciousness and break down the divisions between you where you can see each others thoughts, then who is who is only a matter of perspective.

-I believe the christian concept of “spiritual possession” is trying to teach this concept… quote js. and oahspe..

-but what if someone claims to be the reincarnated moses or buddha but obviously is not in a accord with anything jesus stood for.  Delusion is when someone thinks they are breaking through divisions and veils in order to head toward unity when in fact they are building additional ones and increasing separation.  It’s easy for the brain to spot delusion… an often difficult for individual cells–try not to judge unlovingly or you will likely be doing the same thing.  Lower man’s job is to divide. Lower religions job is to divide–growth spurs division.

-show that the christian concept of resurrection may be through birth or apparition. (people will have children in millennial new jerusalem, live to age of tree, etc..). Either way, resurrected states are more “unified” states of being so they break back through the divisions

-show that there are two resurrections.. “a resurrection in the body and a resurrection from the body”  I believe “from the body” is a type of apparition or translation in spirit to higher dimensions (like the general christian view), but “in the body” is reincarnation into the next grand cycle of the earth when it raises to a terrestrial glory.

-I believe that the LDS doctrine of family sealing and eternal progeny (D&C 132:19–32) is teaching a type of eternal reincarnation.  That families are sealed so that they can gain the “faith” or subconscious knowledge which governs our eternal progression which will allow them to be reincarnated into the same family structures in the next age (terrestrial/millennial age of earth.)        Through sealing, our loved ones will not be far in the next life if it is still what we really want.

-I believe the idea of celestial marriage where you will be “gods” who have “continuation of the seeds” or eternal progeny in the next life is teaching the idea that— just like in this life there are certain individuals like Abraham or Genghis Kong or the European Hasberg Line who literally have millions of descendants and maintain prominent ruling classes for thousands of years— that those who are most “righteous” (not by Mormon standards but by the collective consciousness of humanity or god’s standards) will be chosen to be those key historical figures in the next cycle.

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Talk about Oahspe and how it has another possible interpretation of this. If the kingdom of God is a high heaven, Oahspe talks about how individuals in these heavens are constantly ‘falling’ back toward earth and seeking selfish earth things… but those who graduate to “etherean” or celestial worlds escape the earths gravity completely and have little threat of falling.

5 other accounts of “to go no more out”…. “who did sin that this man was born blind”, born again symbolism… wicked will inherit death… “mortal realms are only place death is inherited!…so of course they will be born again… people here in this mortal realm for different reasons as taught in creation drama, some are deceived, and some fall because they don’t want to leave their brides, and some fall simply to help…

etc..

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Note that D&C 76 says of those in the Telestial Realm”,

106 These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work;

Note that the D&C defines the “dispensation of the Fulness of Times” as starting with Joseph Smith and ending with the Coming of Christ. Thus those of the telestial ream are resurrected (reincarnated to earth?) at Christ’s coming. (see D&C 88:95–102)

Also D&C 43:18

18 For the day cometh that the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven; the heavens shall shake and the earth shall tremble, and the trump of God shall sound both long and loud, and shall say to the sleeping nations: Ye saints arise and live; ye sinners stay and sleep until I shall call again. (D&C 43:18)

D&C 43:18 sure seems to suggest this. Look at its wording as it suggests that entire nations play a part in cyclical resurrection,

18 For the day cometh that the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven; the heavens shall shake and the earth shall tremble, and the trump of God shall sound both long and loud, and shall say to the sleeping nations: Ye saints arise and live; ye sinners stay and sleep until I shall call again. (D&C 43:18)

This verse bares striking resemblance to the Eastern idea of cyclical rebirth of nations across certain “ages” or master cycles. Think of how much better sense certain aspects of the doctrine of resurrection make when we interpret the resurrection or “rising again” of cultures as a systematic cycle of rebirth during certain eras.

100 And again, another trump shall sound, which is the third trump; and then come the spirits of men who are to be judged, and are found under condemnation;
101 And these are the rest of the dead; and they live not again until the thousand years are ended, neither again, until the end of the earth [end of the age in many biblical translations]. (D&C 88:100–101)