Industrial Vs. Agricultural: Learning and Becoming

I don’t believe Christ intends for all people to be the same. Thus, unlike conventional education, science, and psychology, which seek to generalize their findings to all situations and all people, I believe Christ sees difference as good and essential. Were it not so, He would have created us all the same. Christ is unlike conventional education, science, and psychology, which have all bought into the fast-food industrial model; seeing people as objects on a conveyor belt, trying to pump out the same things repeatedly at the fastest rate possible.

In this example, the conveyor belt is the use and worship of methods. This methodology is how conventional psychology stereotypes, or gets to diagnosis. As though all people are the same, and meant to be the same; consequently, they receive the same fast-food industrial treatment. Education is no different. There is a curriculum that has been designed to treat all children the same. This system has been called into question for destroying children’s creativity (Ted Talks, Ken Robinson).

            On the other hand, I see Christ in the agricultural model, which seeks difference in nature. Christ is the ultimate farmer whose work is to create a fostering environment of fertile soil in which all people can grow to become what He intends them to become. His intentions for all of us are different as displayed in the diversity, beauty, and uniqueness of His creations. Additionally, the farmer sees most of the growth when He is away, unlike the industrialist or conventionalist who views themselves as the only agent of change. Thus, Christ accepts and embraces the fact that we participate in our becoming, and thus His work goes even beyond His own possibilities and enters the realm of ours.

God wants us to make choices in who we become. This life is a classroom which provides context for all of us to grow and develop into our greatest selves. This growth can only happen as we involve God in this process, as He knows us far greater than we know ourselves. Additionally, growth and becoming are the natural outcomes of helping others grow and become. God has given a multitude of gifts to all people (1 Corinthians 12; Moroni 10; D&C 46) for the purpose of serving others, not for self-interest or self-elevation.

Consider the following quote by President Utchdorf, living apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

“But while the Atonement is meant to help us all become more like Christ, it is not meant to make us all the same. Sometimes we confuse differences in personality with sin. We can even make the mistake of thinking that because someone is different from us, it must mean they are not pleasing to God. This line of thinking leads some to believe that the Church wants to create every member from a single mold—that each one should look, feel, think, and behave like every other. This would contradict the genius of God, who created every man different from his brother, every son different from his father. Even identical twins are not identical in their personalities and spiritual identities.

It also contradicts the intent and purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ, which acknowledges and protects the moral agency—with all its far-reaching consequences—of each and every one of God’s children. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are united in our testimony of the restored gospel and our commitment to keep God’s commandments. But we are diverse in our cultural, social, and political preferences” (lds.org, April 2013 General Conference).