Just some thoughts on resurrection and perfection.

Been a little absent from the blog, busier than usual with work and home stuff. I'm back today.

Now and then I go on Facebook for a few minutes, just to see what I've missed mostly with discussion groups that I belong to. (When I think of the hours and hours I spent in past years getting into arguments on the 'Book... oh heavens... I'm still recovering psychologically)

Anyway on one group I follow on Facebook, Q.Noor Sisterhood, someone posted a question about the afterlife: "We talk about how we will be resurrected to our perfect bodies but what color will our skin be? Will we all be the same color?" I know I know, this could get real racist real fast. Here's where we get into the potential for all kinds of rabbit holes as far as "doctrine" which is really just "interpretation" or "personal opinion." But I thought it was an interesting question and the responses were interesting and thoughtful. The consensus seems to be that everyone will look like they did on earth and that that's a good thing. (Obviously said consensus doesn't actually matter, since none of us actually knows.)

OK so then I went down a personal rabbit hole of reflection--the conversation was also about physical variances and disabilities, not just skin color--and the thought suddenly occurred to me: What if a state of eternal perfection means this: in a perfect world, we are all exactly how we're supposed to be, which will mean endless variety and diversity. What makes it perfect is that we all see and understand each other as God sees us.

"Sure, Eliza, I'm pretty sure I've heard that notion a zillion times before." But specifically I'm thinking about anything biological that we see in each other that makes us put up a roadblock from connecting with that person. That roadblock is our own fault. It doesn't mean the other person needs to be changed. How we look (skin, hair, etc.), how our bodies or limbs are shaped, how our brains work, all of these things are part of us as unique individuals, whether we were born that way or have been changed through surgery (for example organ transplants or gender affirmation or reassignment or whatever you want to call it--sheesh this post is full of rabbit holes!).

Of course we work on earth to change our hearts (our figurative hearts) to become better. I am not excusing any of us from our sins, our actions or our words. Alma 5 comes to mind as the ultimate self-examination of whether we are moving forward to our best possible selves. But I'm talking about physical characteristics, because physical resurrection for all people is central to LDS theology. So: perhaps aside from physical pain (which may come from chronic illness or other disability--although that's another rabbit hole we could go down because what if my own pain is part of who I am? and what if becoming stronger to withstand the pain is more important than eliminating the pain entirely? Mosiah 24:14-15), I wonder if in eternity, everyone's perspective of each other will change so that we see and understand each other as God sees and understands us.

In that case, my son who is autistic won't need to be "healed" of anything. (Plug for neurodiversity :) Perhaps even someone who is completely nonverbal will not need to be "healed" of that, because we will be fluent enough in everyone's communication methods that we will be able to understand each other’s hearts.

I'm not sure how that applies to a condition like blindness or deafness. Hmm. Will need to think on that one for a bit. Especially since I am neither of those things and don't actually have any intimate friends who are blind or deaf, so I can't speak to the experience itself, but I do know that a compromise on one physical sense leads to amplified capabilities of the other senses, which may be a unique gift that the recipient appreciates. OK I don't have an answer for that one. But if in this imaginary framework we did include blindness and deafness, then again, we would be fluent enough across communication styles that we would all be able to understand and appreciate each other.

So setting aside the fact that we need vital organs in order to live, which throws a wrench into my theory about how our bodies will stay the same--I guess vital organs are going to have to be an exception--I think about how much society has progressed in the past few centuries re: whose life is valuable just as it is, and how we have learned through research and experience how to better interact with people with mental and physical disabilities so that they can thrive and contribute just as they are.

OK now I'm thinking about how medication helps me and my son thrive and contribute just as we are... and how medical science helps lots of people thrive and contribute. How does that figure into my theory... rabbit hole #17

But anyway, perhaps in a perfect world which I think is how most of us imagine paradise, heaven or eternity however you want to name it, no one's skin color or body shape will need to be different. No one's limbs will need to be changed. No one's brain will need to be fitted into a "neurotypical" mold. Because the lens that our fellow humans view us with, will be made perfect. We will understand and accept each other. And we will all be free to be who God understands us and accepts us to be.