Golden Records

13 billion miles away from us in the freezing, deep, bleak reaches of interstellar space is a spacecraft called Voyager 1 (one of two Voyager spacecrafts). This probe is currently the farthest human-made object from Earth. It is in the region of space between stars where galactic plasma is present. You can track its distance here.

Interestingly, on both of the Voyager crafts is a very unique and interesting artifact of interest to many, including the LDS faithful. Attached to the hull is a 12-inch LP, “called the Golden Record”. It is fashioned from gold-plated copper and mounted to the side of each Voyager. 

Voyager 1 and 2 were both launched by NASA with a  (For most references, including direct quotes, see the Wikipedia article on Golden Record)

Voyagers’ launch dates took advantage of a rare planetary alignment. In 1977, the giant planets — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune — lined up in such a way that a spacecraft could swing past all four in less than 15 years, stealing some gravitational oomph from each world as it went.

That lucky alignment happens only once every 176 years. When NASA’s administrator went to President Richard Nixon to ask for funding for Voyager, he allegedly said: “The last time the planets were lined up like that, President Jefferson was sitting at your desk. And he blew it.” Nixon approved the mission.

On the Golden record is a beautiful message from then President Jimmy Carter, which reads:

This is a present from a small, distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours.

It was developed as a sort of intergalactic message in a bottle. The hope is that some future alien civilization will find it and learn about Earth. Maybe they'll even use it to find us. And maybe, if we don't blow it, we'll be around to greet them. If not, this will act as a sort of voice in the dust. 

When I first heard about this Golden Record a few years ago I thought to myself - it sounds a lot like the Book of Mormon. Here are some of the ways the Golden Record and The Book of Mormon are similar - and different. 

First, their both Golden. Simple, but interesting. Both were put on the metal that they believed would be most able to withstand the weathering of time. As the Wikipedia article points out: 

The record is constructed of gold-plated copper and is 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter.^[3] The record's cover is aluminum and electroplated upon it is an ultra-pure sample of the isotope uranium-238. Uranium-238 has a half-life of 4.468 billion years. It is possible (e.g. via mass-spectrometry) that a civilization that encounters the record will be able to use the ratio of remaining uranium to the other elements to determine the age of the record.

Interestingly, both records were written and compiled for another time and another people. The writers of the Book of Mormon never benefitted from the book themselves, but were dedicated to its creation and survival. They wrote it as a voice speaking from the dust, but with a vision of us in the future who could turn to use it and adore it. The Golden Record is not for this world (although thanks to a recent Kickstarter campaign you can buy it soon).

Both records were created by the best and brightest of their day. The Voyager Golden Records were compiled by Carl Sagan, world-famous scientist and others. The Book of Mormon was written and compiled by the greatest prophets and leaders that lived during the time of its creation. 

If created today, it is likely Voyager would not use a record but some other advanced storage material. This would allow it to store more and do more. But the record was the best tech they had then, and is why they used it. Similarly the Book of Mormon was fashioned with the most advanced technology of its day. Many dispute that it would be impossible for these ancient civilizations to create metal work of the kind represented by the Book of Mormon. True, it would be difficult - perhaps this is why there's little archaeological evidence of metal work. But, it was lovingly created and would have been a technical marvel in its day.

Both records contain as much about their civilizations as was possible to include. The Golden record includes 115 images and a variety of natural sounds, such as those made by surf, wind, thunder and animals (including the songs of birds and whales). The compilers added musical selections from different cultures and eras, spoken greetings in 55 ancient and modern languages, other human sounds, like footsteps and laughter and printed messages from U.S. president Jimmy Carter and U.N. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. The record also includes the inspirational message Per aspera ad astra in Morse code, which roughly translates into: Through hardships to the stars

The collection of images includes many photographs and diagrams both in black and white, and color. The first images are of scientific interest, showing mathematical and physical quantities, the Solar System and its planets, DNA, and human anatomy and reproduction. Care was taken to include not only pictures of humanity, but also some of animals, insects, plants and landscapes. Images of humanity depict a broad range of cultures. These images show food, architecture, and humans in portraits as well as going about their day-to-day lives.

The Book of Mormon likewise contains a vast array of information about this ancient civilization - its people, their customs, their wars and conflicts, its currency, the travels of the people, the changing environment, and the spiritual condition of the people. 

Another similarity is that both records are in Heaven - one is billions of miles away, the other was taken back by Moroni. 

It is recorded that it took about a year for those responsible for putting together the Voyager Golden Record to compile its contents. This is with the full support of NASA and the U.S. Government. The Book of Mormon was translated in approximately 65 days. 

Included with the Voyager is a literal record to be played on a phonograph (which was included) by any aliens that might encounter the spacecraft. The package included a needle, a speaker and graphical instructions on how to play the record. Likewise, the Book of Mormon included the means of translation for the unlearned youth, Joseph Smith. 

Lastly, the Voyager Golden Record has a very specific purpose:

Carl Sagan said, "The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced civilizations in interstellar space, but the launching of this bottle into the cosmic ocean says something very hopeful about life on this planet."

It is a kind of time capsule, intended to communicate to extraterrestrials a story of the world of humans on Earth.

The Book of Mormon has a very different purpose: that of "convincing the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting Himself to all nations."

Both are unique, interesting, and beautiful. But, only one can bring men and women to Christ. And that's what makes it my favorite Golden Record.