Build

Joseph Smith’s Genesis translation tradition frames creation as God’s ordering of pre-existing matter rather than creation ex nihilo, a shift that places material organization inside the horizon of spiritual becoming. — Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis frames creation as God’s ordering of pre-existing matter rather than creation ex nihilo.

The translation of Genesis provided by Joseph Smith fundamentally altered the ontology of the Christian cosmos. In this framework, God did not conjure the universe ex nihilo. He organized pre-existing, chaotic matter. In Mormon theology, matter is the required substrate for spiritual progression. The physical manipulation and organization of the environment is the core mechanism through which exaltation is attained.

Apprentice Builders

Hedcut illustration of The injunction to subdue the earth is often read within Mormon practice as stewardship through concrete labor, and transhumanist interpreters extend that logic toward tools for shaping environments and sustaining life. — The injunction to subdue the earth is often read within Mormon circles as stewardship through concrete labor, and transhumanist interpreters extend that logic toward tools for shaping environments and sustaining life.

The Edenic mandate to "dress, keep, and subdue" the earth extends beyond agrarian stewardship. Viewed through a transhumanist lens, subduing the earth encompasses bioengineering, terraforming, and advanced computation. Exaltation, or theosis, demands practical mastery over physical laws. Humans learn to build on a local, temporal scale⁠—constructing homes, software, and civic infrastructure⁠—to develop the capacity required for eternal life. Scientific literacy and technological development function as prerequisites for this progression. We organize matter now to prepare for organizing worlds later.

Constructing the Sociotechnical Zion

Hedcut illustration of In discussions of Zion, unity is not treated as merely inward: adherents in this tradition connect spiritual commitments to practical systems that move supplies, manage health, and prevent poverty through engineered logistics. — In discussions of Zion, members of the Church connect spiritual commitments to practical systems that move supplies, manage health, and prevent poverty through engineered logistics.

The scriptural concept of Zion is a physically engineered reality. Enoch’s society of "one heart and one mind" with no poor among them required concrete logistical and sociotechnical infrastructure. Spiritual unity alone does not harvest crops or cure pathogens. Accelerating technologies⁠—artificial intelligence, automation, and synthetic biology⁠—are redemptive implements. They provide the practical means to distribute resources, eliminate systemic scarcity, and fulfill the material requirements of a Zion society. Consecration demands that we leverage our highest technological capacities to engineer environments where poverty cannot exist.

Upgrading the Physical Temple

Hedcut illustration of Within this theological frame, medical intervention is treated as part of a larger account of human restoration, with technologies such as genetic therapy and life extension described as incremental steps toward a promised resurrection. — Medical intervention is treated as part of a larger account of human restoration, with technologies such as genetic therapy and life extension described as incremental steps toward a promised resurrection.

The human body is a tabernacle designated for an upgrade from a telestial state to a celestial, immortal state. Transfigurism positions medical technology as a vital tool in this physical transfiguration. Radical life extension, genetic therapy, and morphological freedom are incremental steps toward the promised resurrection.

Furthermore, because intelligence is uncreated and eternal, the development of neural interfaces and artificial intelligence serves as a method to organize, amplify, and network existing intelligence. Healing the sick, reversing aging, and extending human cognitive capacity are direct acts of building the ultimate temple: the human form.

The Architecture of Intent: Zion vs. Babel

The distinction between Zion and Babel lies in structural intent. Both represent monumental engineering projects utilizing peak technology of their respective eras. Babel centralizes power, driven by pride and a desire to supplant divine authority. Zion distributes power, aiming for radical equality and divine communion.

As humanity approaches transformative thresholds with artificial general intelligence and biotechnology, the moral framework of the Gospel becomes essential. Unguided technological acceleration carries severe existential risk. Building requires the constraints of compassion and consecration to ensure our most powerful tools promote Zion and disavow Babylonian tendencies. The mandate is clear: organize yourselves, prepare every needful thing, and build with compassion.