{"chapter_no":"8","chapter_title":"The Beauty of Created Things is Self-Evident","book_id":"5","book_name":"Truth Management","subchapter_no":"0","page_no":"746","page_number":"1","verses_count":0,"total_pages":4,"page_content":"

 <\/p>

Chapter 8<\/p>

The Beauty of Created Things is Self-Evident<\/h1><\/p>

 <\/p>

The simple faith of a child is the hope of mankind—A knowledge of ancient dinosaurs teaches us
about time and our own mortality—Man of the last 6000 years is the main production run of the earth's
design.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

 <\/p>

 <\/p>

Who, might we ask, is the best representative of the hopes and dreams of civilization? A
young child who is still learning about life and who knows very little of the vast knowledge of
the society he or she was born into, who easily believes in God, who believes in miracles, and
who is not the least bit surprised if a kitten on TV talks on occasion if the situation demands? Or
do we prefer the fully-grown man or woman of society who is well-educated and often very
skeptical, and who has learned just enough about the world to deny the existence of God, to
doubt that miracles occur, and to reject the words of all who have seen and born testimony of
God throughout the ages? He or she it is who scoffs at the notion of organized religion and who
avoids the ongoing battle between good and evil, and the battle between religions and the other
philosophies of the world, assured in his or her own thinking, and not wishing to be bothered by
such things. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Does the child who instinctively believes in God do so simply because he or she has not
yet had the opportunity to be \"properly\" educated by society? <\/p>

 <\/p>

And what about those of us who are older and still believe in these \"foolish traditions\" of
our fathers? Aren’t we overlooking long-held conclusions of science about the history of the
earth? Shouldn’t we, too, be skeptical of our faith?<\/p>

 <\/p>

We ask God in our hearts: What are we to understand about the progression of life forms
in the earth’s history and the findings<\/i> of historical artifacts<\/i> made by the scientific community?<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

In response, we may not get a clear answer to this question right away, but we might get
something just as good—a manifestation of peace in our hearts by our Heavenly Father through
the Holy Ghost with the assurance that our faith is well-founded and critical to our eternal well-
being.<\/p>

 <\/p>

A knowledge of the great dinosaurs of ancient times has added much to our human
existence in modern times. These immense creatures cause us to reflect upon time, our own
mortality, and the history of the earth. They represent a part of the veil, the ways of God we <\/span><\/p>

don’t yet fully understand; and, as an ancient class of beings, they stand behind the curtain that
separates us from a perfect knowledge of our own preexistence and that of the earth<\/span>. <\/p>

 <\/p>

When we tour dinosaur exhibits at museums, what do we see? Are we afraid of them
because of the implications their existence in the past might have upon our faith in God? If so,
there is no reason to be afraid. An animal is an animal is an animal, regardless of the time period
in the earth's history to which it belongs. The fact that animals have evolved, and the fact that the
physical body and brain of man has evolved over time is not an argument against its creative
design, but a testimony of it. Building into a life form's design the ability to adapt and survive in
the complex system of nature, with the countless variables it has, as well as the constant changes
in behaviors and habitats of plants, animals, and little creatures up and down the food chain, is
clearly in the best interest of an intelligent creator desirous to successfully implement life on
earth.<\/p>

 <\/p>

What are the acceptable norms in science of a testing period for a creation of a world like
ours? In other words, how much time is allowed for a world creator/designer/engineer to watch
as species of animals develop and interact with each other, and watch as early human prototypes
adapt and settle in to the environment over time? Laying aside the fact that time itself may not
even be relevant to a creator of a world like ours, are four billion years acceptable for such a
testing period? In that case, modern man of the last six thousand years would seem to be the
main production run of the earth's original design, along with modern animal and plant species<\/span>. <\/p>

 <\/p>

And aren't we overlooking something rather important? What about the significant
variable of an intelligent creator interacting every day with his creations? Science basically
assumes God doesn't exist. If God doesn't exist, then, of course, the findings of science should be
considered the apex of human knowledge. If God does exist, however, then these findings of
science are only a small part of the story. <\/p>

 <\/p>

So, taking science down the road a ways on the assumption that God exists, here are
some important questions to consider:<\/p>

 <\/p>

(1) What limits on technology has God left in place that filter out from man's knowledge
important contextual information about the earth and the universe? <\/p>

 <\/p>

(2) What important relics of past civilizations (like, for example, those referenced by the
Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Book of Mormon scriptural records) have been
intentionally destroyed by God (or made disproportionally easy or hard for archaeologists to find
relative to others) to keep us humble and to grow in faith? In the coming forth of the Book of
Mormon, for example, the plates were brought forward without the help of modern science to
locate them first. They were intentionally kept hidden from the world over many centuries to
serve the purposes of the Lord in these latter days. What else might He have kept hidden from us
for similar or other important reasons?<\/p>

 <\/p>

(3) What geological footprint does the power of God leave behind in the earth and upon
the small percentage of relics that archaeologists do find? <\/p>

All findings and conclusions of science must be evaluated in consideration of important
questions such as these.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Dinosaurs in their various forms are beautiful in design just like all of the animals created
by God that we see today. What was the fuller purpose in their creation? One can only speculate.
But surely, the Lord knew that men would grow in knowledge and seek to understand the history
of past civilizations, the history of the earth, and the history of the universe. If scientists would
have found a perfect six-century cutoff matching up closer to the known generations of the Bible,
where the transition from the Garden of Eden to man today was more clearly visible, that
certainly would make things easier for us. But isn't our purpose here to learn faith? Would there
be any purpose for the veil in that case? The murky history of the earth is not unlike the
murkiness of the veil that hides a view of heaven from us today. Faith trumps easy-to-obtain
physical evidence in the development of the human spirit and in the eternal progression of the
souls of men. We must therefore assume that the questions raised by scientific research of this
kind (and of other kinds) were intended to test our faith, just like the heat of the sun puts sweat
on our brow, and feelings of hunger and thirst during monthly fasts test our obedience and
endurance. Certainly, a little more revelation from God at this moment might clear up the issue
for good (and that type of revelation might even come about sooner than we think), helping us to
understand that, yes, everything was thought out, organized, and came to pass exactly as we have
been taught in our Sunday School classes. But let's assume that we already had such a knowledge
today. What then would be our next question? For surely, there are definitely other things that
trouble us, other questions about our existence here that are not yet clear. Is it necessary that all
murky areas of our life experience be cleared up before we are ready to believe? Is it only when
we know everything about heaven and earth that we will then be able to love God, love one
another, and obey the commandments? <\/p>

 <\/p>

And we might also ask this question to the philosophers of the world: What exactly
would be the manner in which a god, like the one of Judeo-Christian tradition, would go about
the development of his children in an earthly state as we have here? Would it make more sense to
not have a veil so that all things are 100% clear to everyone? In other words, is the concept of
faith a good one or a bad one in the development of our character as human beings? Is the
concept of a testing period here on earth—where one has free agency and can choose to obey or
disobey commandments established by God without a perfect knowledge of things—a good one
or a bad one? Is there a better method you can suggest to accomplish this goal? Certainly, the
presence of dinosaurs prehistorically on earth is not in conflict with the idea that man is here to
obtain a mortal body, to grow in faith, and to be tested; and certainly, their presence in ancient
times is not in conflict with the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that
we have today. <\/p>

 <\/p>

From a management standpoint as members of the Church, it's important for us to avoid
spending too much time in Sphere-3––the raw data and information layer. As managers, decision
makers, and information consumers, we need to organize the data presented to us in life and then
frame and prioritize the issues properly. The more important questions to ask ourselves are these:<\/p>

 <\/p>

Is the Bible true? <\/p>

Was Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem, and did He perform mighty miracles before the eyes
of the people? <\/p>

 <\/p>

Was He crucified and did He rise from the dead after three days? <\/p>

 <\/p>

Have angels appeared to man or not? <\/p>

 <\/p>

Is the Book of Mormon true?<\/p>

 <\/p>

Is the testimony of Joseph Smith true? <\/p>

 <\/p>

Are we led today by a prophet of God?<\/p>

 <\/p>

Are we happy when we follow the teachings of the Church?<\/p>

 <\/p>

Have any of us heard the still, small voice of the Spirit from time to time or felt the peace
and burning sensation in our bosoms?<\/p>

 <\/p>

Does the Spirit of God manifest itself every day within the rooms of all of the beautiful
Latter-day Saint temples located throughout the world? <\/p>

 <\/p>

These questions of Level-2 are formulated in our hearts and minds. The answers come to
us in the spiritual layer of Level-1 through direct revelation. Thus, the answers to our questions
about dinosaurs and fossils of the earth's history, and how they pertain to our faith in God, will
be obtained at some point through direct revelation. And, it is exactly this, revelation from God,
that makes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so special.<\/p>

 <\/p>

To quote from Doctrine and Covenants section 101:<\/p>

 <\/p>

Yea, verily I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all
things—<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by
which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof—<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are
in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

And all they who suffer persecution for my name, and endure in faith, though they are
called to lay down their lives for my sake yet shall they partake of all this glory.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

In conclusion, we might simply say this: The earth is beautiful; the beasts of the field, the
birds in the sky, and the fish of the sea are all beautiful; and most assuredly, man, woman, and
child—the family—are beautiful. This is plainly visible to all, and there is no scientific evidence
to the contrary. The beauty of created things and our ability to enjoy them we hold to be self-
evident<\/span>.<\/p>"}