{"id":1756,"date":"2004-12-16T12:10:57","date_gmt":"2004-12-16T17:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"\/?p=1756"},"modified":"2004-12-16T12:20:29","modified_gmt":"2004-12-16T17:20:29","slug":"secular-knowledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/2004\/12\/secular-knowledge\/","title":{"rendered":"Secular knowledge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is secular knowledge a spiritual distraction?<\/p>\n

One of the most common criticism of space exploration is that it’s much too expensive. “Why are we sending all of that money into space when we have so many problems here on earth?” the argument goes. An identical argument can be made against a lot of basic research. Although much spending on scientific research can be justified by the economic or practical benefits that result from it, some simply can’t. It’s very unlikely that anyone will benefit from knowing what dark matter is.<\/p>\n

A similar argument can also be made on spiritual grounds; in fact, it’s already come up on The Thread That Would Not Die<\/a>. God wants us to be charitable to each other. We are to help the poor and visit the sick. We are to preach the Gospel, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead. Why are we wasting time trying to understand quarks and taking pictures of other planets<\/a>? Or, for that matter, theorizing about economics<\/a> or history or art? Sure, we have all of those quotes in the Teachings of the Prophets manuals about gaining knowledge and becoming educated, but most of those either refer to spiritual knowledge or justify education for its practical benefits. For the most part the prophets are silent about the idea that secular or scientific (or artistic or literary or historical) knowledge is innately valuable. So is it? Or is it just a distraction from the real spiritual work of mortal life?<\/p>\n

I think God wants and expects us to seek knowledge (all kinds), to make scientific inquiry, and to explore the universe. Here’s why.<\/p>\n