Gender in Terrestrial or Telestial Kingdoms or The TK Smoothie

Joseph Fielding Smith taught in his definitive Doctrines of Salvation that only celestial resurrected individuals will be able to procreate. He clarifies that individuals in the Telestial Kingdom would lack male or female genitalia, contrasting with those in the Celestial Kingdom, who would retain their reproductive organs for eternal procreation. This doctrine of salvation led to the term “TK Smoothie,” referring to the smooth, featureless appearance of those in the Telestial/Terrestrial Kingdoms, likened to a Barbie or Ken doll.

Doctrines of Salvation

PROCREATION LIMITED TO CELESTIAL BODIES. Some will gain celestial bodies with all the powers of exaltation and eternal increase. These bodies will shine like the sun as our Savior’s does, as described by John. Those who enter the terrestrial kingdom will have terrestrial bodies, and they will not shine like the sun, but they will be more glorious than the bodies of those who receive the telestial glory.

In both of these kingdoms there will be changes in the bodies and limitations. They will not have the power of increase, neither the power or nature to live as husbands and wives, for this will be denied them and they cannot increase.

Those who receive the exaltation in the celestial kingdom will have the “continuation of the seeds forever.” They will live in the family relationship. In the terrestrial and in the telestial kingdoms there will be no marriage. Those who enter there will remain “separately and singly” forever.

Some of the functions in the celestial body will not appear in the terrestrial body, neither in the telestial body, and the power of procreation will be removed. I take it that men and women will, in these kingdoms, be just what the so-called Christian world expects us all to be — neither man nor woman, merely immortal beings having received the resurrection.

Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines Of Salvation Volume 2, Pages 287-288
https://archive.org/details/JFSDoctrinesOfSalvation/page/n395/mode/2up

T.K. Smoothie

The TK Smoothie is when, according to Mormon doctrine, we go to the telestial or terrestrial kingdoms (not the celestial kingdom) and our sexual body parts are lost. We essentially become like Ken or Barbie dolls, and it’s just smooth down there.

Joseph Fielding Smith who, in his typical cavalier doctrinal musings, indicated that the heirs of the telestial kingdom (that’s the worst one, btw), would not be able to reproduce sexually. The logical conclusion for JFS, then, was to say that the people in the TK would not have male or female genitalia. One also needs to remember that the Mormon view of sexuality in heaven is quite liberal, and that those who go to the celestial kingdom (that’s the best one, btw) will be able to eternally pro-create (possibly a TK Smoothie in itself, but bear with me). In order to do that, they will need their genitalia. So, for JFS, those who go to the CK will have their genitalia and be free to use it for reproductive means, and those who go to the TK will not have their genitalia.

This raises the question: “What will they have then?” Enter the TK Smoothie. About 1 year ago at BCC, some lively discussion ensued in which someone mentioned a TK Smoothie. The TK Smoothie, I came to find out, is the crotch(al) area of a person doomed to the TK. Since it has no features, it will be “smooth,” much like that crotch(al) area of a Barbie doll or a Ken doll. Sound ridiculous? I think it is, and that’s what the TK Smoothie rule is for.

David J, Faith Promoting Rumor: The TK Smoothie Rule, December 18, 2006
https://faithpromotingrumor.wordpress.com/2006/12/18/the-tk-smoothie-rule/

Church leaders still allude to this as being doctrine. Russell M. Nelson, church president mentioned that our choices today will determine “the kind of body with which we’ll be resurrected.”

Mortality is a master class in learning to choose the things of greatest eternal import. Far too many people live as though this life is all there is. However, your choices today will determine three things: where you will live throughout all eternity, the kind of body with which you will be resurrected, and those with whom you will live forever.

Russell M. Nelson, Think Celestial! October 2023 General Conference
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/51nelson

Russell Nelson’s statement emphasizes that choices in mortality affect one’s eternal destiny, including the type of body one will have after resurrection. This aligns with the concept of the “TK Smoothie,” where those relegated to the Telestial Kingdom (due to poor mortal choices) lack reproductive organs, symbolizing a body of lesser eternal glory. In contrast, those in the Celestial Kingdom would retain their full physical capabilities, aligning with the LDS doctrine that resurrection reflects one’s spiritual and moral choices during mortality and that in the lesser kingdoms, resurrected bodies may likely be as smooth as Barbie and Ken.

Eternal Gender Identity

This does seem to go against what the church published in the Family Proclamation in 1995. They state that gender is essential to our individual eternal identity. Perhaps they only mean those in the celestial kingdom here?

Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

The Family Proclamation
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world

Gender Pronouns

Does genitalia reflect gender? If not, why all the fuss about respecting biological sex? If genitalia is removed in Telestial and Terrestrial resurrected beings, what pronouns would we use for them? Will the church support non-gender-specific pronouns that day? They still resist today, perhaps they are men of their times after all.

Official Church records reflect a member’s biological sex at birth. The use of preferred names and pronouns should be a matter left between individuals and their family, friends, and Church members. Local leaders should not determine or prescribe how members address an individual.

Church Participation of Individuals Who Identify as Transgender, Guiding Principles for Local Leaders
https://assets.churchofjesuschrist.org/1d/76/1d76991533df11efbaeeeeeeac1ed7e66fbf94a7/general_handbook_guiding_principles_for_local_leaders.pdf

What are your thoughts on the TK Smoothie and the church doctrine that only those in the Celestial Kingdom will need genitals since they will be the only ones deemed worthy to further procreate and create limitless spiritual babies? Does the logic follow or are they missing something? How does the prospect of losing your reproductive organs sit with you? Nelson has the cure, just think celestial! How does this relate to the gender issues in the church today? Is this all just too ridiculous? These old men consider themselves experts on life and the afterlife, and especially on issues of sexuality. What could go wrong!? They already invented eternal polygamy for those in the celestial kingdom, but remember the other kingdoms have no marriage or even gender, so the only way is the polygamous way. Consider sharing your I was a Mormon story at wasmormon.org.

• https://archive.org/details/JFSDoctrinesOfSalvation/page/n395/mode/2up
• https://missedinsunday.com/memes/other/tk-smoothie/
• https://faithpromotingrumor.wordpress.com/2006/12/18/the-tk-smoothie-rule/
• https://medium.com/@mormonzodiac/defending-the-t-k-smoothie-441ac5a14634
• https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/a95kty/til_that_the_term_tk_smoothie_refers_to_the/
• https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/51nelson?lang=eng
• https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/blog/2023/10/10/fair-questions-what-did-president-nelson-mean-by-the-kind-of-body-with-which-you-will-be-resurrected-in-his-general-conference-talk
• https://www.redbubble.com/i/sticker/T-K-Smoothies-by-itsaduckblur/129926507.EJUG5