In another media stunt to ridicule Mormonism, a recent TV show paired biologist Richard Dawkins with Killers lead singer and song-writer Brandon Flowers for a meaningless debate on Mormonism in particular and religion in general.
I'm a big fan of Flowers and like Dawkins mind, despite its narrowness and passionate hate for all things that can't be detected in a microscope.
But, come on! Brandon is a punk-rocker, not a theologian and has never professed to be one. Nor is he a historian or a linguist. Nor has he professed to be any of these. Not only that, as is clear from the history of his lyrics, like me, Flowers has only recently come back to the church, which means for years he might not have even cracked open his Book of Mormon or Bible. Logically, no matter how intelligent he is, how gifted of an artist he is, he still has a high school boy's knowledge of his religion. He most likely came (in his case returned) to Mormonism for the same reasons we all do: through individual revelation, Mormonism answers...
1. Where did I come from?
2. Why am I here on earth?
3. What will become of me after this life is over?
As Coke Newell suggests in Latter Days, "the answers to the three preceding questions [are] the reason three hundred thousand people a year in 160 nations convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" (as of 2000). Coke Newell goes on to say "I converted in 1976 at the culmination of a winding, yet upwardly inspiring--and to me, completely logical--journey from atheism to Native American thought to Zen". Like Newell, though born into Mormonism, I followed pretty much the same route to belief. But, I'm not here to make you the next Mormon, necessarily. I just hate bigotry in any form, and if I was capable of doing it, I'd defend Islam or Hinduism just as hard.
What would have made the debate fair is obvious:
A. Brandon Flowers debates an atheist singer-songwriter.
B. Richard Dawkins debates a prominent Mormon scientist.
C. At the very least, Richard Dawkins debates a prominent Mormon theologian.
If Dawkins debates me, it clearly won't be fair. I probably have less knowledge of the church at this point than Flowers for pretty much the same reasons. But when has anyone ever been fair to Mormons? At least no one is burning down my house, tar and feathering me, or taking my land (yeah, I know, it belonged to the Indians first anyway--my wife and children, all Navajo, often remind me of that).
Still, I'm feeling like David right now. Brandon, below are some lyrics for you free of charge. Read them, use them if you'd like. And whatever you do, don't forget to follow your own advice: "Don't break character / You've got a lot of heart". We love you. Punk rockers and Mormons alike.
And Richard, it's tempting to use your nick name, but I won't, I'll fight fair, since I'm already breaking my religion by wanting to fight at all. What can I say, I'm only human. Call me up sometime you big, gorgeous Goliath of a mind. I'm well aware my intellectual and evolutionary self doesn't have a chance in hell against you. But if I continue to live right, my spiritual-self just might lay your intellect out flat on the ground gasping for air. Win or lose, I never knew until now, but as Brandon would say, I was "battle born."
Richard Dawkins and his whole damn
universe may decay
but this testimony is for real
and grows every day
in fecundity, encompassing everything
from Buddhism to the Big Bang.
“As man now is, God once was;
as God now is, man may be"*
Maybe you can clone a sheep,
stitch a few strands of DNA together,
fling a rocket ship to Jupiter and back,
but your puny rational mind
will never encompass the entirety
of a system it is part of.
“As man now is, God once was;
as God now is, man may be"*
Revelation is the third eye
otherwise we are fish in a fish tank
looking out of the glass
at the room around us
believing we know all that is
and there is nothing beyond
“As man now is, God once was;
as God now is, man may be"*
Richard Dawkins and his whole damn
universe may decay
but my soul is forever
and grows every day
in fecundity, encompassing everything
from Buddhism to the Big Bang
I am and I will carry on
creating world of my own some day.
“As man now is, God once was;
as God now is, man may be"*
Richard, your science may not be able to encompass religion in general and Mormonism in particular. But my religion can encompass your science. Because of this, your thoughts, no matter how ingenious, are finite, limited, and most likely will not fully stand the test of time without being modified either by you or by scientists who come after you. But because "as man is, God once was" and because "as God now is, man may be" everything man has learned or will learn will fit within the scope of my religion providing it's true. Our understanding of the universe may change with time and education--in fact it has to for us to grow and become like God--but the three fundamental truths of Mormonism--1) that we existed prior to this life as spiritual beings, 2) that we chose to come to earth to gain knowledge (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual), 3) that we continue to evolve towards perfection both in and after this life--these are eternal and all encompassing, which is why I can read scientific text, Buddhist or Hindu texts as avidly as I read Mormon text. If it is good or true, it will not contradict my religion. I simply might not have the intellect yet to comprehend how it fits. As cocky as I am--me, poor little David against you big Goliath--I am humble enough to realize my limits, intellectual, or otherwise. I am humble enough to realize there are parts of the universe out there that exist even though I can't see them. Are you? And if not, how can you call yourself a scientist? Isn't exploration of the unknown the heart and soul of the sciences? Maybe, just maybe, part of that universe isn't accessible through a microscope or telescope. Maybe it takes a soul. You have one. By means science cannot prove, I can promise you have one. Use it, see what you can find.
Galaxies await to unfold. Enjoy.
Afterward
I'm actually a fan of Richard Dawkins, and so I hope that he and anyone else reading this post caught the mixture of jest and earnestness. Although I sincerely believe basic Mormon doctrine, I fear making it to the Celestial Kingdom (our highest realm of heaven) because how fun can it be to live in a place where everyone believes the same thing? What's left to debate? Truth is, I love to argue. At least in this way, Richard, you and I are brothers. Reader, bring it on--be ye Dick or not. There. That ought to guarantee I don't go to the big white room reserved for all the really special people. That way Richard and I can continue this debate for eternity.
*“As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be" --Lorenzo Snow, Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1898–1901.
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