El Greco, Pentecost, 1596-1599, The Prado, Madrid.
Where Science Meets the Book of Mormon: Come Follow Me Lesson: October 7-13; 3 Nephi 17-19
Oftentimes, after I have posted a given blog, I have thought of additional ideas that I should have added. Usually, I don’t think of the extra material as being important enough for me to regret having not included it. However, this week’s essay is different. My mind has been so harrowed up the past three days over what I neglected to say in this week’s post that I have decided to post an addendum. Here is what I have added:
In around 34 A.D., when the events recorded in 3 Nephi 17:23-25 took place, the only lights of which humans were aware were fire-light, sunshine, moon-light, and lightning. Today there are dozens of known light sources. I am not going to list them all, but I refer you to the dizzying list of currently-known light sources at Wikipedia: “List of light sources.” Some of the sources on that list include: Nuclear and high-energy particle, Bioluminescence, Cathodoluminescence, Chemiluminescence, Cryoluminescence, Crystalloluminescence, Electrochemiluminescence, Electroluminescence, Mechanoluminescence, Photoluminescence, Radioluminescence, and Radioluminescence. Among the better-known light sources today are incandescent (filament) lights, fluorescent lights, blacklights, arc lights, halide lights, mercury-vapor lights, neon and argon lights, plasma lights, chemical lights (glow sticks), light-emitting diodes (LED), and lasers.
However, given the long list of light sources of which we are aware today, none, in my opinion, explain the lights associated with the spiritual events outlined in this week’s post. Although we are aware of many, varied light sources, most of which were unknown even one hundred years ago, I do not believe that the impressive list of extant light sources is exhaustive. I believe there are still types and sources of light that remain unknown today. Perhaps some of those as yet unknown light sources can only be discerned with spiritual eyes.
Trent Dee Stephens, PhD
A valuable addition. Thanks!