seeing the light in their eyes: observing the "Mormon" effect

So it turns out that ♥♥SCIENCE♥♥ currently shows that people actually can discern Mormons from non-Mormons on sight. Enjoy the article here. This is fascinating stuff because anecdotally, I personally have always felt I could recognize Mormons on sight (and have weird stories to back this up), and many other people I've talked to have felt the same way. Turns out, this may not be entirely unfounded.

Observe this excerpt:

Only headshots were shown and the faces had no adornments. What they found was both Mormon and non-Mormon subjects were able to identify who was a Mormon more often than would occur by chance.

Rule and his colleagues then tried to isolate which specific facial feature was betraying Mormons the most. In the end, it proved difficult to determine.

“Even when the researchers removed important features, such as the [hair, shape of the face, nose,] eyes or mouth, the subjects were [still] able to identify Mormons more often than would occur by chance.

 The article goes on to submit that the real determining factor that helps people discern Mormons from non-Mormons is skin texture. The authors quote multiple prophets who explain that Mormonism makes people beautiful, and wonder if that is the case.

They also note the phenomenon of "light in their eyes," the Mormony term for the "glow" that seems to emanate from practicing Mormons.

I do not believe skin texture is the answer here. To be honest, I would not be surprised if when they removed even skin texture from the faces--if all they left on the pictures they showed were blank spaces that were merely associated with the different people involved--they found that people could still identify which space was Mormon and which space wasn't. Sorry, that was a confusing sentence. In other words: I suspect skin texture probably does not have as much to do with it as they think it does. I suspect that the innate human ability to recognize light from darkness is the more likely thing that enables a person to distinguish between a Mormon and non-Mormon on sight.

But light and darkness aren't contained by facial features OR by skin texture. A person's light or darkness exists separate from the body, though they are associated with the body. The light or darkness of a person can leave when the person's body dies, which would not be possible if this "subtle body" were inseparably connected to the body. Incidentally, this is why remote energy work is possible: when do you a remote quantum touch session, for example, you can work on a person's subtle body even if the person's physical body is far away.

All people are instinctively able to recognize other people's subtle light or darkness, whether they consciously realize they can or not.

To me, that's what this study actually shows.

After all--plenty of Mormons have acne, but you can still tell if they're Mormon on sight. And plenty of Mormons are not that cute--but you can still recognize them right away. Looks are not really what people are recognizing here, as far as I can tell. Not even skin texture.

Light and darkness of the subtle body are real, observable effects. This light is often the most noticeable in Mormons, in my opinion and observation, because we actually have more light in our subtle bodies than the average person. Keeping God's commandments, as I've blogged before, actually literally fills us with light. This is true for all people, not just Mormons--the big difference is that Mormons A) understand more of God's commandments, thanks to more scriptures and more prophets to counsel them and guide them and B) tend to actually keep those commandments. I can't tell you how many Christians I know that say they love Jesus but don't keep the Sabbath day holy, for example.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are both aware of more commandments than the average Christian--think of the Word of Wisdom as just one example--and we are more expected to keep all the commandments. As we actually do keep the commandments and adhere to our end of the covenants we make through baptism and in the temple, we increase in personal light--and this light is apparently actually visible to people, both in and out of the Church.

This all reminds me so much of the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). Jesus, as well as the prophets since the Restoration, taught: we cannot live on borrowed light.

Interestingly, in my scripture study on the names of God, I came across James 1:17, which calls God "the Father of lights" (He is also called this in D&C 67:9). Consider the famous Biblical admonition to "let your light so shine" (Matthew 5:16). Consider the scriptural explanation that wickedness "taketh away light" (D&C 93:39). I invite you to consider the possibility that the ideas taught by these scriptures are plainer and more precious than we ordinarily think them to be.

I feel the scriptures imply over and over again--by "imply," I mean state very clearly and plainly that this is the case, even though we most often interpret the words metaphorically instead of literally--that when it comes down to it, we are truly and literally beings primarily made of light.

The closer a person is to God, the more light they have.

I feel this explanation intuitively makes more sense than the idea that skin texture is the factor that makes Mormons so clearly discernible on sight.

I will add quickly that my weirdest story of this--of recognizing a Mormon guy by his light alone--happened when he wasn't even facing me and was, in fact, wearing a suit. So I could literally see none of his skin at all. This was when I was fifteen or sixteen. I didn't know this guy was Mormon; I only knew that he seemed to glow to me, even from behind. We were at a political conference and I just thought--what is this? Why is that random guy glowing? In the end he recognized me first as a Mormon because of my YW medallion. When we met, he said, "Oh! I see you're LDS--me too!" and all of a sudden his glow made sense. It was a very strange experience, one that I will never forget, and one that to me is evidence that skin texture is likely not the defining feature that sets Mormons apart from non-Mormons.

forgiveness, standards, and spiritual membranes

Everything is energy. Everything is vibration; it's just that some things vibrate at a higher speed than others. All matter is simply energy at varying levels of density.

Cell walls and biofields are semi-permeable, to allow nutrients in and waste out.

The biofield, the energetic boundary around the body, is a semi-permeable membrane. It allows energy in and out. The body has semi-permeable membranes too--the mucus membranes in particular, such as those of the nose or mouth or eyeballs. Even the skin is semi-permeable. These physical semi-permeable membranes also allow energy in and out. This energy can be tangible, such as the energy that makes up the chair you are sitting on, or the food you are eating, or intangible, such as the thoughts sent in your direction or the thoughts you are thinking yourself.

A rendition of a human surrounded by the biofield.

I have been learning over the course of months that it is the semi-permeable nature of our various energetic/spiritual membranes and physical bodily membranes that makes it so important to guard our inputs. Our energetic inputs, in the form of thoughts and so forth, as I blogged earlier, but also our more physical inputs: the things we hear, the things we see, the things we wear, the things we eat. Everything we interact with interacts with our semi-permeable membranes and some of that energy--sometimes much of it or even all of it--can end up absorbed into our body or our energetic system.

To put it another way: everything we interact with leaves a physical change in our physical and subtle bodies.

The scriptural case for the literal recording of events in our bodies

Consider 2 Corinthians 3:3, which contains the imagery of Christian discipleship being "written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God" on the "fleshy tables of the heart."

The human heart.

This corresponds with Mosiah 13:11, in which Abinadi claims that he "perceives" that the commandments of God are "not written in your hearts" (referring to the hearts of the wicked priests of King Noah). This scripture stands out to me because this is exactly how I would describe the sensation I have experienced, of perceiving what is and is not a part of someone's energetic or even physical body.

In Jeremiah 31:33, Jeremiah explains that in the last days, the Lord would introduce a new covenant, and that the Lord would "put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts."

There are plenty more scriptures in all the Standard Works that agree at least literally with this idea of things being written on our hearts. The obvious implication is that the things we do and think and are become a literal part of our flesh that can be read.

The case for caution in energetic and material inputs

In my research, I discovered a common warning that comes along with frequent use of theta brain states: theta states often result in spontaneous manifestations of the things a person thinks about. As I have been spending more and more of my time in a waking theta state, I've felt much more aware of how many things have the opportunity to permeate my semi-permeable membranes, both spiritual and physical. I've been more and more discerning in my choices of environments and thought patterns because I don't want to accidentally manifest something horrible in my life just because I saw something about it on TV or something.

Image here.

PS, when we're doing it right, prayer can put the brain in a theta state. The more time you spend praying, like really praying (not that half-hearted stuff we kind of emit right before dinnertime sometimes when we're very hungry), the more likely you are to manifest the things you pray for or about. This includes the negative things we pray about--the things we don't want to happen. This is why it is important to frame prayers from a place of gratitude and humble requests of what we do want.

This ability to manifest anything that is floating around in our systems adds a level of seriousness to the things we surround ourselves with:

The music we listen to in the car.

The TV shows we watch at night.

The words we speak and hear throughout the day.

The books we read.

The pictures we see.

The food we eat.

The clothes we wear.

The thoughts we think.

The people or things we allow to touch our private parts.

Every thing we interact with or allow near--or especially in--our biofield or body has the opportunity to permeate our semi-permeable membranes and lodge there, causing good if it's a good thing or bad if it's a bad thing. Remember how the scriptures said that righteousness and discipleship can be written on the heart? So can sin.

Darkness, sin, and the importance of forgiveness

It is becoming increasingly clear to me that sin isn't just our actively negative actions against others--it's also our choice, conscious or subconscious, to not forgive those who have sinned against us. Consider D&C 64:9-10 (emphasis mine):

 9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to ^aforgive one another; for he that ^bforgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.

 10 I, the Lord, will ^aforgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to ^bforgive all men.

Picture from here.

Unforgiveness allows sin to remain literally "in" us, according to a plain-and-precious literal reading of this scripture. It is my observation that unforgiveness remains etched in our bodies, in the form of darkness and "spiritual burlap" that can only be removed by the act of conscious, out-loud, for-real forgiving.

Sometimes our unforgiveness isn't malicious; it's just not a priority. It just doesn't seem important. For example, when was the last time you consciously, verbally forgave a public official you disagreed with for his negative public policies that affect your life?

When was the last time you verbally forgave a nurse for keeping you waiting at the doctor's office?

When was the last time you verbally forgave a driver for cutting you off on your way to work?

Not just shook these things off and decided to let them go, but actually, consciously decided to forgive the perpetrator for their minor wrongs? (UPDATE: Note, when I say "verbally forgave," I do mean out loud, but not necessarily when the person who wronged you is physically present!)

So many times, these minor offenses, or offenses that don't seem aimed personally at us, can just slip under our radars as things we just need to let go. But it appears to me that in reality, these issues are still trespasses, they still cause a negative energetic shift in our bodies and spirits, and they still require our conscious, chosen forgiveness, or else in us there lies the greater sin.

Note that phrasing. It is not necessarily that we are the bigger or worse sinners; it is that there is sin lying in us. The sins which affect us, though perpetrated by others, no matter how small they are, somehow may remain "in" us, according to a literal read of the scripture.

The negative energy generated by these offenses can stick with us and affect us, even if they seem minor to us and not even a big enough deal to forgive. Even a minor trespass requires our forgiveness, if it affects us negatively in any way. Even a little bit of negative, or dark, or unclean energy is too much to keep with us: no unclean thing can enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Living at this level of consciousness and forgiveness does require a lot of energy (ha, ha). But literally. It does. I am definitely not a master at it yet because it does require a lot. It requires a very high level of consciousness and mindfulness to go through each day aware of every thing, good and bad, that enters the biofield--and then, not just be aware, but consciously forgive with love the trespasses that cause darkness in our space. (Side note: forgiveness doesn't mean accepting sin; it means accepting another of God's children, who has sinned. It is not saying that sin is okay, because sin is never okay. It is saying that you accept the sinner despite the sin.)

The good thing is, the more we forgive, the more energy we have floating around us to help us forgive even more.

Protecting the biofield against darkness

I've been pondering how it could be that Jesus or the prophets could live with their energy basically intact despite psychic attacks of negativity on their biofields. Just think of the hate and negativity spewed every day toward our beloved Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. Even otherwise good people openly and vilely abuse Their names and accuse Them of all sorts of false and horrible things. And yet, despite such attacks of darkness, They remain completely and only and wholly Light.

Prophets have got to be the next level of being out there as far as light in biofields goes, but of course, many prophets over history didn't keep their energies intact; think of David, who succumbed to sin, or the Brother of Jared, who forgot to pray for literal years. Clearly even big-P Prophets do not always operate at a high level of consciousness regarding their biofields.

Image here.

But it seems to me that when a person's inner soul is righteous enough, they generate enough light that their inner light prevents any darkness from entering their space. Instead of the biofield acting as a mere membrane for them, it is more like the glass of a light bulb, allowing the light of their righteousness to shine out, with no possibility of darkness entering. Consider John's description of God:

1 John 1:5

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

God's person, and Jesus's person, is light, with no darkness at all. This is the promise given to us if we will keep the commandments:

• Doctrine and Covenants 88:67 And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

Just look at that! I had to bold the whole thing! I couldn't even help myself! What a promise! If we can keep our eyes single to God's glory, what do we get?

- whole bodies filled with light
- no darkness in us
- full comprehension of all things

What an amazing promise!

Fascinatingly, my observations have been that health, emotional, spiritual, and physical, registers as literal light emanating from a person, while disease of an emotional, physical, or spiritual nature registers as darkness. It seems to me that complete personal righteousness leads not just to full comprehension of all things and a very radiant Self, but also to complete health.

Image here.

Conclusion

So, to bring this full circle:

We have to guard our semi-permeable membranes.

We have to understand that the guidelines in For The Strength of Youth are more than just cute ideas: they are relevant, they are important, they pertain directly to the cleanliness and light of our spirits and our eternal salvation.

Watching a rated-R movie fills our spaces with darkness and our bodies with darkness as images seep into us through our biofields and our semi-permeable eyeball tissue.

Listening to impure music allows the darkness of it to enter our bodies through the ear canal.

Eating food or using substances prohibited by the Lord's Law of Health, or Word of Wisdom, fills our literal bodies with darkness--it's actually worse than that because the things we ingest are the building blocks for our bodies... it's not just that we eat bad things and have darkness as a result; our bodies are made of darkness as a result.

Image here.

Participating in sexual activity with anyone (including the self) outside of marriage fills us with darkness; it's actually worse than that because sexual contact of any kind outside marriage, from what I have observed, creates distorted etheric cords with the other person or even the self (in the case of self-abuse). These fracture our souls and further drain us of light.

Dishonesty stains us with darkness.

On the other hand, things For The Strength of Youth encourages, such as honesty, service, self-reliance, chastity, tithing, and so forth, actually fill us with and maintain inner light and peace.

 The Gospel is not easy, but it is simple. My recent life experiences have led me to conclude that the scriptures are much plainer than they appear to be: much of what can be mistaken for metaphor is actually literally true, if you have the eyes to see it.