Pre-Historic Man
Degrees of intelligence exist on a continuum from God on one end to the amoeba on the other. Would it be unreasonable to find fossils of man-like creatures that appeared to be less intelligent than man, but more intelligent than apes? During the sixth creative period, if prehistoric man-like creatures were living, how would Adam respond if he were asked if man had yet evolved? His answer would be no! (] Pre-Adamic hominids were not considered “men” by God, but this does not denigrate their existence. Our relationship to them and the animals is still somewhat of a mystery. The intelligence of spirits determines what kind of a body they will possess. We are told that celestial bodies will also differ from terrestrial and telestial bodies. [D & C 76:70]). The only proper way for God’s children to be born on the earth is as offspring of God’s children.
What does the future hold for these pre-Adamic “men” and “women” of lower intelligence who have filled the measure of their creation and obeyed the laws of the kingdom to which they belonged? (“And unto every kingdom is given a law, and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. [D & C 88:39-39.]) No matter what kingdom one belongs to, there need to be those standing on higher ground who are willing to impart of their wisdom and provide growth opportunities for those seeking their fellowship and help. There also needs to be opportunities to be a blessing and give direction to those with less understanding. Who will care for the animals?
What should one do with intelligences that were less than human but greater than apes—or would it be better to forbid such intelligences to exist? One may imagine that those animals we loved and cared for on the earth will want to be with us again in a kingdom of gory, but who will have time to care for the millions of unknown animals who will live in the forests of those kingdoms? One possible answer is the Cro-Magnon Neanderthal and other hominids.
Not having the intelligence to make celestial covenants and creations, they will find joy and growth in caring for animals under the direction of God’s children. In the economy of operation in God’s kingdom, hominids were a necessary creation! We should not regard them with anything but benevolence. They are our friends. In their pre-existence, they undoubtedly helped the higher animals learn survival skills. (See the chapter on instinct.) It was necessary that they precede Adam’s posterity so that they would not be abused and also to provide “missing links” to that man’s relation to God would be based on faith.
For some reason, many imagine that the creation of worlds, plants, and animals is God’s primary vocation. Then after gaining satisfaction from these endeavors, he created man and allowed him to live on one of his created worlds. But this idea is in conflict with God’s statement that his children are his work and his glory. (Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:39.) God’s primary vocation is making it possible for his children to find joy in doing the things he has done, including the creation of worlds and living things.
In order for a spirit child of God to function in the flesh, the spirit must be placed in a body with a brain that corresponds to its own intelligence. This is why the spirit children of God would never be placed in the bodies of a sub-human species. Pre-historic hominids who lived before the Garden of Eden were not intelligent enough to be the chosen vessels for God’s spirit children. When we compare the cranial capacity of Homo sapiens (1300 cc) to those who Homo erectus (900 cc) and Homo hablis (650 cc) we can see why this was the case. Even Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon were inappropriate vessels.
Eric Trinkaus of the University of New Mexico has shown that the Neanderthals (and probably their contemporaries in other parts of the Old world) were probably as unlike us behaviorally as they were physically. . . . Important behavioral changes are evident in the archaeological record. . . . All of this points to the emergence of a species possessing modern behavioral capabilities (and potential) from an ancestral species lacking, at least by modern standards, in some significantly human characteristics. (Scientific American, March 1984, p. 96.) (William E. Harris, From Man to God: An LDS Scientist Views Creation, Progression, and Exaltation [Bountiful, Utah: Horizon Publisher & Distributors, Inc., 1989], 35-37)