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Accepting the message of the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, that the atonement of Jesus Christ was for all of God's creations, is it possible that the atonement represented a fundamental change in the laws of physics?

For example, we know that the universe is not only expanding, but that the rate of expansion is increasing. Or, at least, it appears to be increasing. But really, where is the energy coming from to cause everything to accelerate? Suppose instead that the expansion is constant. Everything with which we measure time, especially before the time of Christ, is generally based on assumptions such as a constant rate of decay of radioactive isotopes and things like that. The trouble is, it is this same rate of decay, as well as the rate of cooling in the universe, that forces us to conclude that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.

Is is not equally possible that the rates of decay and cooling were much slower in the past, and that these rates have been speeding up exponentially? Perhaps because of the atonement? So that the further back in the past you go, the greater the error in measuring how long ago an event took place is going to be -- and that error will grow at the same rate as the apparent expansion of the universe? Thus, an event that appears to have taken place 2000 years ago might have occurred, say only 1900 years ago, or at least close enough for a reasonable margin of error. But an event that took place 2500 years ago might appear to have occurred 14,000 years ago. And one that took place 6,000 years ago might appear to have taken place millions of years before that.

Any assumption about the age of prehistoric horse remains is founded on the belief that things happen at a steady, constant rate. My own experience with everything in the world is that nothing happens at a steady, constant rate, whether it is the decay of radioactive isotopes or the laying down of sediments. Indeed, I suspect that it is possible, using modern archaeological methods, to prove that my own driveway is 14,000 years old.

skippy the dead wrote:I saw a hint of that in response to the ridiculous Mr. Ed's DNA thread, where cjcampbell posited that dating methods were inconclusive because - well, paraphrasing can't do it justice. Here was his reason:

Any assumption about the age of prehistoric horse remains is founded on the belief that things happen at a steady, constant rate. My own experience with everything in the world is that nothing happens at a steady, constant rate, whether it is the decay of radioactive isotopes or the laying down of sediments. Indeed, I suspect that it is possible, using modern archaeological methods, to prove that my own driveway is 14,000 years old.

In other words, this guy has figured out the secret of the universe all on his own, and all of science is terribly, terribly wrong.

*eyeroll*

The Nehor wrote:that allow anyone in never have been and never will be places of serious debate where all involved are equally intelligent

The Nehor wrote:You do realize that message boards that allow anyone in never have been and never will be places of serious debate where all involved are equally intelligent and all arguments come from some monolithic entity. I can hit any of a hundred anti-Mormon websites and find stupid arguments and then attempt to ridicule all the critics here based on them and show that in anti-Mormonism, all is permitted. Should I?

The Nehor wrote:You do realize that message boards that allow anyone in never have been and never will be places of serious debate where all involved are equally intelligent and all arguments come from some monolithic entity. I can hit any of a hundred anti-Mormon websites and find stupid arguments and then attempt to ridicule all the critics here based on them and show that in anti-Mormonism, all is permitted. Should I?