“By the speed of thought”

Last updated on: October 31, 2018 at 10:15 pm by Dan Peterson

“By the speed of thought” 2018-10-31T22:15:03-06:00 Dan Peterson

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A peaceful landscape, not directly relevant but serene (Wikimedia Commons public domain image)

I can say with regard to parting with our friends, and going ourselves, that I have been near enough to understand eternity so that I have had to exercise a great deal more faith to desire to live than I ever exercised in my whole life to live. The brightness and glory of the next apartment is inexpressible. It is not encumbered so that when we advance in years we have to be stubbing along and be careful lest we fall down. We see our youth, even, frequently stubbing their toes and falling down. But yonder, how different! They move with ease and like lightning. If we want to visit Jerusalem, or this, that, or the other place—and I presume we will be permitted if we desire—there we are, looking at its streets. If we want to behold Jerusalem as it was in the days of the Savior; or if we want to see the Garden of Eden as it was when created, there we are, and we see it as it existed spiritually, for it was created first spiritually and then temporally, and spiritually it still remains. And when there we may behold the earth as at the dawn of creation, or we may visit any city we please that exists upon its surface. If we wish to understand how they are living here on these western islands, or in China, we are there; in fact, we are like the light of the morning. . . . God has revealed some little things, with regard to his movements and power, and the operation and motion of the lightning furnish a fine illustration of the ability of the Almighty. (Discourses of Brigham Young, 380)

Compare these quotations from John Burke, Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God’s Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015):

It was more like flying than walking. We were talking while suspended in midair. There is no weight or gravity in Heaven, so there’s no need to touch the ground. (Dr. Richard Eby, cited at 135)

It is possible to move by the speed of thought. You have to go somewhere and just like that you’re there. But there is a mode to move slowly. You have the sensation of moving which in itself is delightful. When you ride down a scenic road, you can look out and see the scenery whereas travelling by thought you wouldn’t see that because right away you’re there. But to travel, you see, you learn as you travel, oh it’s delightful to learn. . . . And then you just appear to be floating through space. . . . While we don’t have any wings we just float through space. (cited at 135)

There is no distance, as we know it here on earth. I seemed to be far from things and yet near. If I wanted to be somewhere else in Heaven I just had to think it, and I was there. (Dean, cited at 136)

Clearly, Brigham Young knew whereof he spoke.

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