THE ETERNAL ASCENT OF MANKIND

 

THE ETERNAL ASCENT A UNIFIED THEORY PART 1

 

A Unified Theory of God, Intelligence, and the Cosmos

Written by Steve Streadbeck

Dedication

To Carol:

My eternal companion. Your patience, your love, and your quiet strength have carried this work from a private search… into a finished creation. Your faith has been the steady light by which I found my way.

Epigraph

“Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” — Doctrine and Covenants, Section 93, Verse 29.

 

 

Preface

For as long as I can remember, a single question has followed me through life. A question that refused to leave me alone.

How can the universe described by science… be reconciled with the universe revealed by God?

I was never satisfied with the idea that faith and reason must live in separate worlds. To me, truth is indivisible. So if God is real, then His reality must be compatible with the laws that govern matter, energy, and consciousness. And if science is real, then its discoveries must ultimately harmonize with the revelations of prophets.

This book is the result of decades of searching. Decades of studying, questioning, refining, and discovering. It is not a scientific textbook. It is not a theological sermon. It is something in between — a bridge between two worlds that were never meant to be divided.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ provides the doctrinal foundation. Modern physics provides the language and structure. Together, they reveal a universe that is not cold, random, or accidental… but alive with purpose, intelligence, and eternal progression.

If this book helps even one person understand their own eternal nature more clearly… or see God’s hand in the workings of the cosmos more profoundly… then the years spent writing it will have been worth it. 

Introduction: The Question That Unifies Everything

Humanity has always lived between two worlds.

One world is the realm of science — the measurable, the observable, the quantifiable. A world governed by laws that appear universal and unbreakable.

The other world is the realm of religion — meaning, purpose, identity, morality, and the deep intuition that consciousness is more than chemistry.

For centuries, these two worlds have been treated as opposites. As if one must be chosen at the expense of the other.

But this division is artificial.

If truth is eternal, then all truth — scientific or spiritual — must ultimately converge. The universe cannot be divided against itself, and the laws that govern matter must be the same laws that govern spirit. The intelligence that animates human consciousness must be related to the intelligence that governs the stars.

This book begins with a simple premise:

Science and religion are describing the same universe. They are simply using different vocabularies.

The restored gospel teaches that matter is eternal. That intelligence and spirit is eternal. That light, spirit, and life are one. That God did not create the universe from nothing — He organized it from eternal elements. And that consciousness is not a byproduct of matter… but a fundamental property of reality itself.

Modern physics, in its own language, echoes these truths. Quantum fields. Entanglement. Information as a foundational quantity. Energy that fills all space.

Two worlds. Two languages. One reality. And so our journey begins.

Chapter 1 — The Mystery of Existence

Every human being eventually confronts a moment of clarity, a moment when the routines of life fall away and a deeper question rises to the surface. Why do I exist at all?

Science offers one set of answers. Religion offers another. Philosophy offers still more. Yet none of these perspectives, standing alone, feels complete.

Modern physics describes a universe governed by elegant laws, fine‑tuned constants, and a structure that seems almost impossibly ordered. Biology describes life as an emergent phenomenon, arising from matter and energy. Philosophy insists that consciousness cannot be reduced to neurons and chemistry. Religion teaches that we are children of God, created with purpose and identity.

These are not competing explanations. They are fragments of a larger truth.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ provides a framework in which all these perspectives converge. It teaches that matter is eternal. That intelligence is eternal. That consciousness is fundamental. That God Himself emerged from eternal laws. And that human beings share the same eternal nature.

Existence is not an accident. It is not random. It is the result of eternal principles that govern both the cosmos and the soul.

To understand ourselves, we must understand those principles.

Chapter 2 — The Eternal Elements: Light, Spirit, and Matter

Joseph Smith taught a doctrine so profound that its implications reach into physics, cosmology, and metaphysics. He taught that light, life, and spirit are one. That light or spirit and matter are the two great primary principles of the universe. That they are self‑existent, co‑existent, indestructible, and eternal.

According to the restored gospel, everything in existence is composed of two eternal elements. Matter, the substrate of physical reality. And intelligence, the substrate of spirit and consciousness.

These two elements are not created. They are not emergent. They are not temporary. They are eternal.

Modern physics, in its own vocabulary, echoes this structure. Fermions form matter. Bosons carry force and energy. Quantum fields underlie both. Information appears to be fundamental.

This writing proposes that the prophetic term intelligence corresponds to a foundational energy‑information substrate, perhaps akin to the Higgs field, quantum information, or a deeper pre‑field reality.

All things, physical and spiritual, arise from the interaction of eternal matter and eternal intelligence.

 

 

Chapter 3 — Intelligence Prime: The Fundamental Identity of All Beings

If matter is eternal, and intelligence is eternal, then the next question is unavoidable. What is intelligence?

This manuscript introduces the concept of Intelligence Prime, the raw, unorganized, eternal substrate of consciousness. It exists in infinite gradations of strength. It possesses inherent duality. It is capable of joining, combining, and organizing. It is the foundation of identity. It is the source of agency.

Opposition is essential. Without it, no intelligence could distinguish itself from another. Without distinction, there could be no identity. Without identity, no agency. Without agency, no progression.

Lehi taught that there are things to act and things to be acted upon. In my framework, intelligence acts. Matter is acted upon.

Identity is eternal. Agency is eternal. Intelligence is the core of being.

Chapter 4 — The First Power: How God Emerged in Eternity

Early Latter‑day Saint teachings describe the emergence of God from eternal intelligences. They speak of fundamental particles of intelligence joining together, counseling with one another, and fusing into a unified will. This unified will became the First Power. God was produced, not created.

This is not creation from nothing. It is organization. It is the joining of intelligences into a coherent consciousness.

This document interprets this as a proto‑quantum event. Multiple intelligences entangling. Aligning. Forming a unified will. Becoming the First Power.

The First Power progressed line upon line, truth upon truth, experience upon experience, until He became all‑knowing and all‑powerful.

God is eternal, but His Godhood is the result of eternal progression.

Chapter 5 — The Eternal Laws: How Order Emerges from Intelligence

If God emerged from eternal intelligences, then He did so according to eternal laws. Law is not imposed on reality. Law is reality. It is the natural behavior of eternal elements.

Law governs matter. Law governs intelligence. Law governs God.

God’s power comes from perfect alignment with eternal law.

Modern physics reflects this truth. Conservation laws. Symmetry principles. Quantum behavior. Relativity. Entanglement. All of these are expressions of deeper, eternal principles.

Law is eternal, universal, and the foundation of divine and physical order.

Chapter 6 — The Quantum Universe and the Mind of God

Modern physics has revealed a universe far stranger, and far more spiritual, than classical science ever imagined. At the smallest scales, reality behaves in ways that defy intuition. Particles exist as probabilities, not objects.

Observation influences outcomes. Energy and matter are interchangeable. Fields, not particles, are the true foundation of existence. Space and time themselves are flexible, dynamic, and deeply interconnected.

These discoveries do not diminish God. They illuminate Him.

The restored gospel teaches that light is the glory of God. That intelligence is the fundamental substance of consciousness. That spirit is a form of refined matter. That all things are governed by eternal law.

Quantum physics, in its own vocabulary, describes a universe permeated by fields of potential, non‑ local relationships, and information that appears to be fundamental. It describes a reality where energy fills all space, and where the boundary between matter and consciousness becomes increasingly thin.

This text proposes that the prophetic term intelligence corresponds to a foundational substrate of reality — a universal informational ‑ energetic field from which consciousness and matter emerge.

The universe is not a machine. It is a living, intelligent system.

Chapter 7 — Quantum Entanglement and Consciousness

Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance.” Today, it is one of the most verified phenomena in physics.

Quantum entanglement reveals that two particles can become linked in such a way that their states remain unified, no matter how far apart they travel. A change in one is reflected instantly in the other. Distance does not matter. Time does not matter. Space does not matter.

This writing asks a profound question. What if consciousness itself is entangled with the universe… and with God?

This is not mystical speculation. It is a legitimate scientific inquiry.

Emerging research suggests that entanglement may play a role in biological systems. In the navigation of birds. In the communication of plants. In the efficiency of photosynthesis. And possibly even in the human brain.

If biological systems can maintain quantum coherence, then consciousness may not be confined to the brain. It may be a non‑local phenomenon — a field‑based intelligence interacting with matter.

The restored gospel teaches that intelligence is eternal. That light is the power of God. That spirit permeates all things. That God is present through His glory, which fills the immensity of space.

This paper proposes that the First Power — God — may have emerged through a primordial entanglement of intelligences, forming a unified will.

Consciousness is not isolated. It is interconnected, eternal, and fundamental.

Chapter 8 — The Architecture of Creation

The Book of Abraham teaches that the Gods did not create the universe from nothing. They organized it.

This distinction is monumental.

Creation ex nihilo — the idea that God made everything from nothing — is absent from scripture and incompatible with physics. Instead, the restored gospel teaches that matter is eternal. That intelligence is eternal. That elements cannot be destroyed. That God organizes pre‑existing materials.

This mirrors the scientific understanding that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Matter is a form of energy. The universe evolves through organization, not magic.

This manuscript emphasizes that the Gods counseled together. They planned the creation. They organized intelligences. They shaped matter. They established law. They formed worlds.

Creation is the organization of eternal elements according to eternal law.

Chapter 9 — The Big Bang and Eternal Cycles

Science describes a universe that began in a moment of expansion — the Big Bang. Religion describes a universe that is eternal, cyclical, and purposeful.

These views are not contradictory.

This book proposes that the Big Bang may have been one event in a much older cosmic cycle. That our universe may be one round among countless rounds. That life did not originate on this earth, but was placed here when conditions were ready. That God’s work extends across eternities and worlds without number.

Scripture teaches that worlds without number have been created. That as one earth passes away, another comes. That there is no end to God’s works.

Modern cosmology increasingly supports cyclic models. Eternal inflation. Multiverse theories. Bouncing cosmologies. Quantum vacuum fluctuations.

The universe is eternal, cyclical, and governed by laws that allow endless creation and progression.

Chapter 10 — Life Everywhere: Intelligence in All Things

Brigham Young taught that there is an eternity of life, an eternity of organization, and an eternity of intelligence from the highest to the lowest grade.

This is one of the most expansive doctrines in the restored gospel. It teaches that all matter possesses intelligence. That all things are alive in their own order. That the earth itself is a living being. That intelligence is the animating force of the cosmos.

Modern science echoes this idea. Information is fundamental. Systems self‑organize. Complexity emerges naturally. Life may be common in the universe.

This book argues that intelligence exists in degrees. The intelligence of a stone. The intelligence of plants. The intelligence of animals. The intelligence of humans. The intelligence of Gods.

Life is not an anomaly. It is the natural expression of eternal intelligence.

Chapter 11 — What Is Man? The Question of the Ages

Every civilization has asked the same question. What is man?

Not who is man — that is a question of identity. But what is man — a question of being.

The Psalmist asked, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” Descartes answered with, “I think, therefore I am.” Both statements point to the same truth. Consciousness is undeniable. It is the one fact no human can escape.

Modern neuroscience tries to reduce consciousness to neural activity. Yet the more we study the brain, the more elusive consciousness becomes. It is not a chemical. It is not a location. It is not a byproduct.

It is a fundamental property of being.

The restored gospel teaches that man is eternal. That intelligence is eternal. That identity is eternal. That agency is eternal.

These are not metaphors. They are descriptions of reality.

My paper argues that consciousness is not confined to the brain, but is rooted in Intelligence Prime — the eternal substrate of awareness that predates physical embodiment.

Man is an eternal intelligence, temporarily embodied, eternally progressing.

Chapter 12 — Spirit, Body, and Soul: The Divine Triad

Joseph Smith taught that the spirit and the body are the soul of man. This deceptively simple statement reveals a profound metaphysical structure.

Man consists of three components.

Intelligence — the eternal core, self‑aware and capable of choice. Spirit — a refined, organized form of matter that houses intelligence. And the physical body — a mortal structure that allows interaction with the physical world.

These three components form a unified being — the soul.

Modern physics teaches that matter exists in different states of refinement. That energy and matter are interchangeable. That information persists even when matter changes form.

This draws a powerful connection. Intelligence corresponds to fundamental information. Spirit corresponds to refined matter or energy. The physical body corresponds to coarse matter.

This triadic structure explains why embodiment is essential. Why resurrection is necessary. Why separation of spirit and body is a form of death. And why joy requires unity of both.

Man is a composite being whose fullness of joy depends on the eternal union of spirit and element.

Chapter 13 — The Self‑Identifying Intelligence

Among the countless intelligences that fill eternity, some possess a unique property. Self‑identification.

These intelligences recognize themselves. They exercise agency. They form preferences. They make choices. They progress. They develop individuality.

This is the essence of personhood.

This manuscript calls these Self‑Existing or Self‑Identifying Intelligences, and identifies them as the noble intelligences who become the spirits of men and women.

This aligns with the teachings in the Book of Abraham about noble and great ones. It aligns with the idea that intelligence is eternal. It aligns with the idea that identity is not created, but discovered.

Self‑identifying intelligences are capable of moral choice, spiritual growth, and eternal progression. They are capable of becoming like God.

Identity is not created. It is refined, expanded, and exalted.

Chapter 14 — The Purpose of Mortality

If intelligences are eternal, why do they come to earth?

This manuscript answers with clarity. To gain experience. To learn through opposition. To develop compassion. To refine intelligence into wisdom. To unite spirit and element. To prepare for eternal progression.

Mortality is not a test in the simplistic sense. It is a laboratory of becoming.

Opposition is essential. Without it, there is no growth. No agency. No meaning. No progression.

Lehi taught that there must be opposition in all things. Modern psychology agrees. Struggle produces resilience. Challenge produces growth. Experience produces identity.

Mortality is the crucible in which eternal intelligences gain the qualities necessary for exaltation.

Chapter 15 — The Degrees of Glory and Eternal Progression

The restored gospel teaches that the universe is structured according to degrees of glory. Celestial. Terrestrial. Telestial.

These are not merely destinations. They are states of being, corresponding to the degree of light and intelligence one has acquired.

Joseph Smith taught that a man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge.

This expands this into a cosmic principle. Intelligence grows line upon line. Light increases through obedience to law. Glory is the natural result of accumulated intelligence. Progression is eternal.

Physics echoes this truth. Systems evolve toward higher complexity. Information accumulates. Order emerges from law. Energy organizes matter.

The degrees of glory are not arbitrary assignments. They are the natural outcome of eternal law.

Eternal progression is the destiny of all intelligences, and glory is the measure of their light.

Chapter 16 — The Work and Glory of the Gods

The restored gospel teaches a doctrine unlike anything found in traditional Christianity. God is not alone in eternity. He is part of an eternal lineage of divine beings. Joseph Smith declared that God was once as we are, and that we may become as He is. Intelligence is eternal. Progression is eternal. Identity is eternal.

This script extends this doctrine into a cosmic framework. The First Power emerged from eternal intelligences. He progressed through law, experience, and embodiment. He became God through the accumulation of light and truth. And His children — the intelligences who followed Him — progress in the same pattern.

This is not mythology. It is the structure of eternity.

Modern science, in its own way, supports the idea of hierarchical systems. Galaxies form from smaller structures. Stars form from clouds. Complexity emerges from simplicity. Intelligence arises from organization.

My book applies this principle to divinity. Godhood is the natural culmination of eternal progression. And God’s work — His glory — is to bring His children into that same state.

Chapter 17 — The Plan of Happiness Across Eternities

If intelligences are eternal, and if God is an exalted intelligence, then the plan of salvation is not a temporary arrangement for one earth. It is an eternal pattern.

This revelation emphasizes that the plan is the same in every round of creation. It is the same for every world. It is the same for every family of Gods. It is the same across eternities.

The plan includes pre‑mortal existence, mortal embodiment, opposition and agency, redemption through a divine mediator, resurrection, judgment, degrees of glory, and eternal progression.

This is not a local system. It is a cosmic law.

Modern cosmology suggests that universes may arise in cycles. That physical laws may be universal. That life may be widespread. That consciousness may be fundamental.

This concept integrates these ideas into a unified doctrine. The Plan of Happiness is the eternal blueprint by which intelligences ascend toward Godhood.

Chapter 18 — The Fall, the Atonement, and the Restoration of Light

No doctrine is more central to the eternal ascent of intelligence than the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

This reference frames the Fall and the Atonement in scientific‑philosophical terms. The Fall introduced opposition, mortality, and experiential learning. Mortality introduced entropy, decay, and the necessity of renewal. The Atonement introduced a universal corrective force — a restoration of order, law, and light.

In this framework, sin is a deviation from eternal law. Suffering is the natural consequence of disorder. Repentance is the re‑alignment of intelligence with law. And the Atonement is the universal mechanism that restores equilibrium.

Physics reflects this pattern. Systems drift toward disorder. Energy must be added to restore order. Information can be lost but also recovered. Equilibrium requires external input.

Christ’s Atonement is the ultimate input of divine energy — the infusion of infinite light into a fallen world.

The Atonement is the cosmic law that restores intelligences to their eternal trajectory.

Chapter 19 — Outer Darkness and the Disorganization of Intelligence

This contains one of the most striking doctrinal insights in the entire book. Outer darkness is not a place of torture. It is a state of disorganization.

The sons of perdition reject law. They reject light. They reject progression. They reject identity.

In doing so, they sever themselves from the eternal structure that sustains intelligence.

This explains that their bodies are resurrected, but not glorified. Their spirits are stripped away. Their intelligence — the core of their being — returns to its native element. They lose self‑identification. They become unorganized intelligences once more.

This is not annihilation. It is disassembly.

Modern physics provides a parallel. Systems can lose coherence. Information can decohere. Structures can collapse. Order can dissolve into randomness.

Outer darkness is the dissolution of identity — the opposite of eternal progression.

Chapter 20 — Miracles as Reorganization of Intelligence

The miracles of scripture are not violations of natural law. They are expressions of higher law.

I use the example of Moses. A staff becomes a serpent. A hand becomes leprous and then whole. Water becomes blood.

These are not magic tricks. They are demonstrations of God’s mastery over matter, energy, intelligence, and organization.

If all matter is intelligent, and if God commands intelligences through law, then miracles are simply the rapid reorganization of intelligent matter according to higher laws.

Physics supports this idea. Matter can change state. Particles can transform. Energy can reorganize structure. Information can be re‑encoded.

Miracles are not exceptions. They are advanced applications of eternal law.

Chapter 21 — The Eternal Ascent of Man

This final chapter brings my entire manuscript to its climax.

If intelligence is eternal… If identity is eternal… If agency is eternal… If law is eternal… If progression is eternal… And if God is an exalted intelligence…

Then the destiny of man is clear. Man is destined for eternal ascent.

It emphasizes that the noble and great ones become Gods. That the path is the same for all intelligences. That exaltation is not a reward but a natural outcome of eternal law. That God’s work is to elevate His children to His own state. That there is no end to progression. No ceiling to intelligence. No limit to glory.

The universe itself is evolving toward greater complexity, greater order, and greater intelligence.

The universe is not merely a place where life happens. It is a school where Gods are made.