The Light of Christ

Mormons don’t seem to be alone in their belief that every human being has some sort of innate goodness within their soul. In the church we call it the Light of Christ. I don’t know what anybody else calls it, but I think we can all think of someone we have met or interacted with who just radiated sunshine and happiness. You’re probably thinking of someone like that right now. It makes me think of my baby sister. Other people who come to mind are Julie Andrews and Pope Francis.

So if we examine these shining, radiant individuals, what do they have in common? Can we prove that the Light of Christ is the source of the radiation? A contemporary study featured in Psychology Today in 2012 produced evidence that Mormons do, in fact have a certain glow about them that can be detected by Mormons and non-Mormons alike (although Mormons were better at detecting it). So was it the Light of Christ? The most scientific explanation is that Mormons have healthy skin because they live the Word of Wisdom. The brain detects the subtle differences in skin tones and it seems that Mormons are particularly “white and delightsome”. So maybe it is worth it to abstain from alcohol, coffee, tea and tobacco. That is, if you believe that the Light of Christ is only skin deep.

I believe there is such a thing as what Mormons call the Light of Christ. I don’t believe that Mormonism has a monopoly on it. Although some of the most Christ-like people I have known are Mormons, the fact is that at least half of the people I know are Mormons. On the other hand, many of the best Christians I know are from other faiths and some of them have no faith at all. So does the shining goodness observed in mankind come from Jesus? I’m not sure. It’s possible. More than what you believe or how many hours you spend praying or reading the scriptures, I think this mystical light comes from being happy and well-adjusted. I think I would like to have more of that light in my life, regardless of where it comes from. If I can get it from Jesus and his teachings then that’s great! If I can get it from watching Schindler’s List, then that is great, too. So while I don’t think that all light comes directly from Jesus, I’ll take all the light I can get.