Machines for Making Gods: Mormonism, Transhumanism, and Worlds without End

Machines for Making Gods explores the tensions between science and religion and how an imaginative group of young Mormons and ex-Mormons have found new ways of understanding the world. The Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA) believes that God intended humanity to achieve Mormonisms promise of theosis through imminent technological advances, such as cryonic preservation, computer simulation, and quantum archeology. This book highlights the differences between secular transhumanism and Mormonism and how religious speculation has opened up imaginative horizons to give birth to new forms of Mormonism, including a progressive branch and queer polygamy. It also reveals how the MTAs speculative account of God and technology has helped to forestall social pressure that comes with apostasy in much of the Mormon Intermountain West.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2022
Publisher: Fordham University Press

The Mormon faith appears to stand in stark contrast to aspirations to transcend the human through technological means, making it challenging to comprehend how these two concerns could coexist, let alone serve as a joint driving force behind a social movement. Machines for Making Gods delves into the intricate tensions between science and religion, exploring how an imaginative group of young Mormons and ex-Mormons have forged new pathways to understanding the world. The Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA) firmly holds the belief that God intended for humanity to fulfill the promise of theosis, as outlined in Mormonism, through imminent technological advancements. By drawing upon a nineteenth-century Mormon tradition of religious speculation, the MTA reimagines Mormon eschatological hopes as near-future technological possibilities. They envision advancements such as cryonic preservation, computer simulation, and quantum archeology as paving the way for the resurrection of the dead, the creation of worlds without end, and the ultimate attainment of theosis—becoming a god.

Addressing the significance of speculation in the anthropology of religion, Machines for Making Gods challenges prevailing debates about the relationship between secular transhumanism and religion. It highlights the distinctive differences that an explicitly religious transhumanism brings to the table. Through a comprehensive exploration of the conflicts and resonances between secular transhumanism and Mormonism, Bialecki demonstrates how religious speculation has expanded the horizons of imagination, giving rise to new forms of Mormonism, including a progressive branch of the faith and even the emergence of queer polygamy.

Furthermore, the book sheds light on how the MTA's speculative account of God and technology has played a role in mitigating some of the social pressures associated with apostasy in the Mormon Intermountain West. This fascinating exploration offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between faith, technology, and social dynamics, challenging preconceived notions and prompting us to reevaluate our understanding of the potential futures that lie ahead.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780823299362