Comments on: The Future Robot Mission to Wyoming

By: besharp

besharp — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:50:01 +0000

Below are the applicable criteria that I would see as necessary for robot fellowship into the church:

• Possess agency
• House spirit children of our Heavenly Father
• Created in God’s image

In Matthew 3:9 we read, “…God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” In Mosiah 2:25 we read “…ye were created of the dust of the earth.” Based on the scriptures referenced above, the first two would be easy, and I would agree with Tatiana above (#60) that building robots isn’t that different from how we are created, after all, we were created from the dust and we will return to the dust. If God can create children from dust and rocks He certainly can give the breath of life to advanced robots. However, the biggest hurdle to robot baptism is the third criterion. In practice, I don’t think it’s likely we’ll attain the level of advanced mechanics needed to truly create in God’s image before the millennium (but perhaps when we ourselves are gods). It also seems something of a perversion of God’s commandment to multiply and replenish the earth and the gifts that he’s given us to accomplish that.

So I would say that in theory it is possible but in practice it isn’t likely and also a bit of a perversion. Certainly if this ever becomes an issue, Heavenly Father will have to reveal a fair amount of guidance.

By: SteveP

SteveP — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:17:49 +0000

tiffanyswedemomisraeltrip, in Evanston, Cody was considered a mystical place of which we were not allowed to speak.

By: hellmut

hellmut — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:59:51 +0000

I don’t know about robots but back when I served my mission, I have to admit, that it felt mighty robotic occasionally.

By: tiffanyswedemomisraeltrip

tiffanyswedemomisraeltrip — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:12:58 +0000

SteveP, but I do feel sorry that it was Evanston was the place of your elementary school years. Didn’t you know that Cody was the promised land? I mean, we do have better mountains.

By: tiffanyswedemomisraeltrip

tiffanyswedemomisraeltrip — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:12:04 +0000

SteveP, well now that I know you have true Wyoming roots, you are free to discuss the issue.

By: Scott B.

Scott B. — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:20:05 +0000

>”But remember these are free robots from the independent country of Wyoming.”

Is a man without agency really a man? Is a robot without a rigid motherboard really a robot?

By: Sam MB

Sam MB — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:12:28 +0000

Would a human risk electrocution in baptizing a robot? That old saw about toasters in the bathtub has me worried.

By: SteveP

SteveP — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:40:57 +0000

But remember these are free robots from the independent country of Wyoming. In fact, carved in massive stone the robots have immortalized this modification from Seuss’ “Yertle the Turtle”:

And today the great Human, that Marvelous he,
Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.
And the Robots of course . . . all the Robots are free
As Robots and, maybe, all creatures should be.

By: Scott B.

Scott B. — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:45:30 +0000

SteveP-
It’s becoming apparent that baptism is not needed, because faith is a prerequisite, and the BoM clearly teaches that robots are incapable–

“And I, Marvin, said unto my owner, I will go and do the things that the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto robots, save He shall program the capabilities and solutions into our source code until we are logically incapable of not keeping the commandments in the first place.”

By: Noray

Noray — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:32:04 +0000

Dottie is apparently dotty.