God and the Physical World

I teach world religions at a high school, and it is amazing to me how unique Mormonism is among the religions of the world, and how little philosophical credit it receives.

The doctrines and "theology" of Joseph Smith and Mormonism are by their very nature revelatory, and not "rational."  This doesn't mean they're illogical or irrational--but they are given by God, and when revelation is received, in instants or by process, it is not subject to review and reformatting by us.

The rest of the world has received its portion of revelation, but then, over time, people have sought to place logic and consistency above faith and revelation, and have therefore selected only those doctrines which seem to be consistent with their world view or rational program.  It is amazing that the doctrines we believe are so much more consistent than most other belief systems, and solve in a much more idealistic, realistic, and pragmatic way the great philosophical questions of man. (I also teach philosophy)

I do admit that Buddhism, for example, has few logical contradictions.  However, Buddhism has achieved this consistency by creating a system that completely denies physical existence.  That's the age-old technique of solving a problem by denying that it exists.  The real, physical, dirty, beautiful world is the philosophical problem.  We yearn for eternal, timeless, and consistent truth, and have created various philosophies on our own to get us there, but in this time and place, we are wholly inadequate for the task.

Let me give a few examples:
We have the common paradoxes: If God is omnipotent, can he make a rock so large He can't lift it?  Can He make a square triangle?  If He knows everything in advance, can He change His mind?  If God is a God of love, why did He create Evil?

These are questions that do not necessarily doubt God as we find Him in the Bible and other scripture, but they doubt our man-made philosophies about God.  Every major religious philosophy except Mormonism has taken God, and removed His Biblical (revealed) characteristics, and painted Him into a corner with rationalism.  He has become a "force" with no conscious thought, no ability to change and progress, no spatial location, etc.  I find very little difference between Nirvana, Brahman, the Trinity, Yahweh, and Allah.  I find that God, our Father in Heaven, as He has revealed himself from Adam to now, is quite different.

God has a physical body.  He is inside of time, space, and matter.  He did not create the universe, but worked within it to create everything we experience.  He did not create evil or good or, more importantly, choice, but placed us in a world where we could overcome it.  He cannot do 'anything whatsoever', but is still complete fullness.  He can know everything in advance and still change His mind.  He can listen.  He can have a conversation with His children.  And He can have a Son that is just like that.  And He can have others, too.

He isn't sitting there on an eternal ego trip waiting to be praised and loved by those in constant awe of His glory.

He is progressing through the universe with his children, who he defines as His glory. (Moses 1:39)