Monday, September 22, 2008
Aren't we just animals ?
Reductionism and determinism (the ideas that force the use of the adjective "just")are nothing new. What's most dangerous about them is that they are as dangerous as any religion-Forceful and simple. Secularists too are prone to making things a bit too simple.
Scientists tend not to see things quite as simply as the above 3 groups. Humility is needed too- they are generally not happy with the word " just" in that description . Take Einstein ( whose recognised his limited vision but whose limited vision still set the scene for the current adventures with LHC "circlatron" ) .
Einstein said, roughly translated ,that we one have one choice "Either everything is a miracle or nothing is a miracle" .I am a practical environmental geochemist resolving land use conflicts but what would i know?
I agree after many years of studying ecosystem function and resiliance that freedom and dignity are not lost . The choice for all us is still to "care" ( what a fantastic objective!) . Wonder can lead to respect and to a feeling that the rights of men and animals are things we can act for.
The problem I see with choosing a deterministic worldview, as so many do, is that the "no miracle "position doesn't seem to be sustainable in terms of upholding our societies interest in others rights( the use of the word animal for example invokes interest in a legitimate biological connection and obligation, but many do not accept that we are all branches of the same big tree; or that "family first" is itself enough ) look up Punctuated equilibrium . "No miracle" has "not enough punch" long term ??
So in our public talk , increasingly talk of "Rights" seem to evaporate any level of real care in the face of a cold calculating self preservationist imperative logic. The increasing leverage for "me first " ideas is stiffling - promoting indifference to others , not the other way around.
Did you hear Greg Sheridan talk about the dangers of deterministic doctrines (DL) on QandA ABC TV recently? The evidence is not just scientific -its historic.( read what logic dictators in the last century used to kill people)
As a eco scientist, I recognise that cooperation is a wonderful feature of ecosystems. However , with our present knowledge of life it's clear the human animals function method and origins are still hidden- as they for most life . Humility about how all this came about is completely rational and sensible , as is a sense of wonder.
Most importantly, if the only way you can add value to the species in the tree of life is by connections, it seems you may still be without a value system that cuts deeper than simple rule crunching and crude determinism ( read something on the history of eugenics) . Cockroaches didn't get much of a go in Rwanda. Going on how Hilter / pol pot used the (DL)argument , even immediate family ( homo sapiens ) is not a close enough connection to make anyone care "enough" about "family". I have a feeling that the dear animals in our ecomias ( households) might not ( should they be asked) really think we humans are consistent enough with our ideas and actions to be considered part of "their" family ?
Why should you/ we care? is great question . As Dosteyevsky stated " if there is no God, there is no right or wrong". If we are right about a basis for caring even all the green talk on the far right , will go the way of hot air . If there are no rights except clad rights? What is there to say that men won't just choose to care about the animals they care about - demonstrating the level of hypocrisy that surrounds us . Dosty might have revised his words " if God does not care , why should we ?
Scientists tend not to see things quite as simply as the above 3 groups. Humility is needed too- they are generally not happy with the word " just" in that description . Take Einstein ( whose recognised his limited vision but whose limited vision still set the scene for the current adventures with LHC "circlatron" ) .
Einstein said, roughly translated ,that we one have one choice "Either everything is a miracle or nothing is a miracle" .I am a practical environmental geochemist resolving land use conflicts but what would i know?
I agree after many years of studying ecosystem function and resiliance that freedom and dignity are not lost . The choice for all us is still to "care" ( what a fantastic objective!) . Wonder can lead to respect and to a feeling that the rights of men and animals are things we can act for.
The problem I see with choosing a deterministic worldview, as so many do, is that the "no miracle "position doesn't seem to be sustainable in terms of upholding our societies interest in others rights( the use of the word animal for example invokes interest in a legitimate biological connection and obligation, but many do not accept that we are all branches of the same big tree; or that "family first" is itself enough ) look up Punctuated equilibrium . "No miracle" has "not enough punch" long term ??
So in our public talk , increasingly talk of "Rights" seem to evaporate any level of real care in the face of a cold calculating self preservationist imperative logic. The increasing leverage for "me first " ideas is stiffling - promoting indifference to others , not the other way around.
Did you hear Greg Sheridan talk about the dangers of deterministic doctrines (DL) on QandA ABC TV recently? The evidence is not just scientific -its historic.( read what logic dictators in the last century used to kill people)
As a eco scientist, I recognise that cooperation is a wonderful feature of ecosystems. However , with our present knowledge of life it's clear the human animals function method and origins are still hidden- as they for most life . Humility about how all this came about is completely rational and sensible , as is a sense of wonder.
Most importantly, if the only way you can add value to the species in the tree of life is by connections, it seems you may still be without a value system that cuts deeper than simple rule crunching and crude determinism ( read something on the history of eugenics) . Cockroaches didn't get much of a go in Rwanda. Going on how Hilter / pol pot used the (DL)argument , even immediate family ( homo sapiens ) is not a close enough connection to make anyone care "enough" about "family". I have a feeling that the dear animals in our ecomias ( households) might not ( should they be asked) really think we humans are consistent enough with our ideas and actions to be considered part of "their" family ?
Why should you/ we care? is great question . As Dosteyevsky stated " if there is no God, there is no right or wrong". If we are right about a basis for caring even all the green talk on the far right , will go the way of hot air . If there are no rights except clad rights? What is there to say that men won't just choose to care about the animals they care about - demonstrating the level of hypocrisy that surrounds us . Dosty might have revised his words " if God does not care , why should we ?
Sunday, September 30, 2007
A truly beautiful family
The members of the periodic table are indeed a very fine family--- by any measure . As you get to know them -you see, it not only shows you what makes them unique and able to share, but also just how wonderfully and efficiently they actually work together.
If you have the privilege ( As a Chemist or Physicist) of being invited into their home, you realise that only an amazing force and genuine fortune could get C,N and O ( let alone all the others ) to live and work so closely together!
From Time Magazine Nov 2006
Francis Collins ( Genome project) : The gravitational constant, if it were off by one part in a hundred million million, then the expansion of the universe after the Big Bang would not have occurred in the fashion that was necessary for life to occur. When you look at that evidence, it is very difficult to adopt the view that this was just chance. But if you are willing to consider the possibility of a designer, this becomes a rather plausible explanation for what is otherwise an exceedingly improbable event--namely, our existence.
If you have the privilege ( As a Chemist or Physicist) of being invited into their home, you realise that only an amazing force and genuine fortune could get C,N and O ( let alone all the others ) to live and work so closely together!
From Time Magazine Nov 2006
Francis Collins ( Genome project) : The gravitational constant, if it were off by one part in a hundred million million, then the expansion of the universe after the Big Bang would not have occurred in the fashion that was necessary for life to occur. When you look at that evidence, it is very difficult to adopt the view that this was just chance. But if you are willing to consider the possibility of a designer, this becomes a rather plausible explanation for what is otherwise an exceedingly improbable event--namely, our existence.
Isaiah's tight grip on Majesty?
How is it that these old words about hands and water still hold water in science theory and practice? How can this powerful rebuke to the pride of man and his knowledge of the big picture, still paint the same portrait of a thousand worlds away .
Which man can measure with his measure, the extent of the heavens Is 40:12
We can, it seems , still rightly rebuke the pride of others who "think they know so much " with these simple, but succinct words.
These blokes weren't to know that their mere roof and hands analogy of measurement would in epochs of much greater precision and decison still prove to describe the problem of measurement itself.
The roof of the Creators living room are still as far away as ever --from our understanding, if not always , our faith .
The Creator, it seems quite rational to suggest, only lets us see at any time in history, what he wants us to see?
As the whole passage suggests, this is quite within the limits of reason-- if only man would remember his place and specific measuring case in the space.
God, whoever he is, and through whatever medium he can move, seems amazingly capable of playing a game of very close engagement with his creation . If the aim though is to fix his place, he just moves again. Whatever happens, There is never Checkmate! Mate!
Which man can measure with his measure, the extent of the heavens Is 40:12
We can, it seems , still rightly rebuke the pride of others who "think they know so much " with these simple, but succinct words.
These blokes weren't to know that their mere roof and hands analogy of measurement would in epochs of much greater precision and decison still prove to describe the problem of measurement itself.
The roof of the Creators living room are still as far away as ever --from our understanding, if not always , our faith .
The Creator, it seems quite rational to suggest, only lets us see at any time in history, what he wants us to see?
As the whole passage suggests, this is quite within the limits of reason-- if only man would remember his place and specific measuring case in the space.
God, whoever he is, and through whatever medium he can move, seems amazingly capable of playing a game of very close engagement with his creation . If the aim though is to fix his place, he just moves again. Whatever happens, There is never Checkmate! Mate!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Knowing our place in the Universe
Humility, it seems to me , has always been recognised by those who observe others to be something admirable. Yet a few words in that context are often used as a cover for pride . Take some Programs on nature on TV that are pasted all over with the words "Wonder" but really hide the pride.( mclluhan would say "yes easy confusious"?)
How else do you explain New scientists strong denuncaition of its readers who dare suggest that "God might exist " Does every scientist have to be , by new scientists definition, an atheist - Clearly many scientists ( probably the majority) would not call themsleves that at all --so the impression created is NOT ACCURATE
Back to humility - People who are Competent and knowledgeable often say "just how little we know". Not a strong theme in new scientist, but a theme that works well for real wisdom and direction for science and life. Agnowledging the spaces, not trying to occupy them all as new scientist so often tries to do!
New scientist tries to celebrate a form of purely rationalist freedom - denying other forms of freedom by its very own worldview. It lives with a contradiction . So New scientist is very busy suggesting all that we know is a matter of process ( does it not?) ,
Changing the percieved nature of "the great force" ( big bang wimper or wellspring etc) provides entertainment and distraction from the reality that such adominating and clearly dumb assumption ultimately deadens real interest in life itself ( "its all meant to happen that way" ).
What deeper new science and scientists will Australians finally inherit from this often tainted form of wonder. Science is not an attractive career option to Australains -NS should be asking why . Some of us know why !
Worship of deterministic process amounts to admiring some mere morsel of creation?. Or worshiping a force that's so effective it can drive us up billions of golden steps towards where we are? It's a truly wonderful force really - whatever it is !
How else do you explain New scientists strong denuncaition of its readers who dare suggest that "God might exist " Does every scientist have to be , by new scientists definition, an atheist - Clearly many scientists ( probably the majority) would not call themsleves that at all --so the impression created is NOT ACCURATE
Back to humility - People who are Competent and knowledgeable often say "just how little we know". Not a strong theme in new scientist, but a theme that works well for real wisdom and direction for science and life. Agnowledging the spaces, not trying to occupy them all as new scientist so often tries to do!
New scientist tries to celebrate a form of purely rationalist freedom - denying other forms of freedom by its very own worldview. It lives with a contradiction . So New scientist is very busy suggesting all that we know is a matter of process ( does it not?) ,
Changing the percieved nature of "the great force" ( big bang wimper or wellspring etc) provides entertainment and distraction from the reality that such adominating and clearly dumb assumption ultimately deadens real interest in life itself ( "its all meant to happen that way" ).
What deeper new science and scientists will Australians finally inherit from this often tainted form of wonder. Science is not an attractive career option to Australains -NS should be asking why . Some of us know why !
Worship of deterministic process amounts to admiring some mere morsel of creation?. Or worshiping a force that's so effective it can drive us up billions of golden steps towards where we are? It's a truly wonderful force really - whatever it is !
Friday, September 02, 2005
The Resistant Step
THE RESISTANT STEP
Even when it knows the will of God, the ego, through long habit, resists, throws tantrums, and almost never fully obeys.But even in separation of consciousness from God, humanity has progressed.
What was once rare intelligence is now quite common. Instead of one or two geniuses of the past like Plato or Da Vinci or Raphael, there are now many hundreds of thousands of great scientists, philosophers and artists present on Earth.
But God has much greater plans for us and He is ending this epoch. He is reigning in His net. He is reshaping the fabric of our 3D existence. He is steering us back to Him now that we are at the brink of massive disaster from the numerous levels of war with hideous weapons, widespread terror campaigns, and the destruction of ecosystems and resources.
One might think He would do this by simply telling us and we would listen. Perhaps He might have giant loudspeakers in the clouds, booming His condemnations and instructions down to us from His heavenly throne.
In effect, this is exactly what He has done. He, being God, can use, and does use, the voice of any person, the pen of any hand, to give warnings, advice and correction. And He can send the message amplified into every home, and He does, via TV, radio and internet. (God always uses the least means necessary to achieve His goal.) And do we listen? The answer has been a collective NO! Greed and self-interest remain king.
So when man said NO, what did God do next? God has stepped up the ante with a very simple mechanism - He accelerated the Law of Karma, both in intensity and rapidity. Now we see the accelerating consequences - greater war, faster destruction of resources, greater humblings, and greater loss of control wherever force is out of alignment with God's Will. All the while, I can imagine God saying. "It is your choice. So long as you use My gifts to you for selfish greed, you will suffer greater and greater painful consequences. But I remind you - the reverse is even truer. Whenever you use free will to serve Me, to obey Me, to love one another, treasure each other, and help each other, your reward is vastly greater than you can imagine."
And this most serious game continues. All we experience, every single pain, every single fear, but also every single delight, every single heart opening, is purely the result of our sowing. As we sow, so we now do reap TEN-FOLD!
In this manner, we suffer and suffer to a greater and greater extent until we finally are so humbled we are on our knees imploring God, "Enough! Enough! Please help!" And God steadily invites, "Then surrender. Obey! Truly love one another as I love you. Your words are nothing without your actions, your obedience."
Then man argues with God, "That is not fair! Take my sins away. Make me a good man! Purify me! Fix up the world!"
And I can imagine God's answer. "Your hand is My hand. Your heart is My heart. I live in you. Allow Me to live freely in you, expressing through you, working through you. There is no rescue space ship. There is no magic wand except My life in your own hand. Clean up your own mess by allowing Me to work through you. I am the way, the truth and the life. Allow Me to live in you, work through you, love through you. OBEY! SURRENDER! I help you when you help yourself!"
Then man rants and raves and argues with God, "But you promised!" And God answers, "I already love you totally, as ever. My love is unconditional - without any conditions. It is yours for the asking. You have my total love, my total forgiveness; now love yourself; forgive yourself. Get on with the show, take responsibility and clean up your mess. And as you surrender and finally obey, all My angels will be drawn to you and give you immeasurable assistance. My promise to you has never been broken. My love for you is eternal. Together we shall make a heaven of our beloved planet Earth. Truly accept your divine nature, the truth that My son, Jesus, taught and demonstrated so fully and perfectly. Just how much trust did Jesus have to allow Himself to be killed on that cross? That is the level of love, trust and obedience I am inviting every one of you to finally surrender to. Or do you want more pain, more suffering, and more devastation of your planet by war, earth changes, and pestilence? It is truly up to you. I am your servant."-
James Fricker 2 Sep 2005
Even when it knows the will of God, the ego, through long habit, resists, throws tantrums, and almost never fully obeys.But even in separation of consciousness from God, humanity has progressed.
What was once rare intelligence is now quite common. Instead of one or two geniuses of the past like Plato or Da Vinci or Raphael, there are now many hundreds of thousands of great scientists, philosophers and artists present on Earth.
But God has much greater plans for us and He is ending this epoch. He is reigning in His net. He is reshaping the fabric of our 3D existence. He is steering us back to Him now that we are at the brink of massive disaster from the numerous levels of war with hideous weapons, widespread terror campaigns, and the destruction of ecosystems and resources.
One might think He would do this by simply telling us and we would listen. Perhaps He might have giant loudspeakers in the clouds, booming His condemnations and instructions down to us from His heavenly throne.
In effect, this is exactly what He has done. He, being God, can use, and does use, the voice of any person, the pen of any hand, to give warnings, advice and correction. And He can send the message amplified into every home, and He does, via TV, radio and internet. (God always uses the least means necessary to achieve His goal.) And do we listen? The answer has been a collective NO! Greed and self-interest remain king.
So when man said NO, what did God do next? God has stepped up the ante with a very simple mechanism - He accelerated the Law of Karma, both in intensity and rapidity. Now we see the accelerating consequences - greater war, faster destruction of resources, greater humblings, and greater loss of control wherever force is out of alignment with God's Will. All the while, I can imagine God saying. "It is your choice. So long as you use My gifts to you for selfish greed, you will suffer greater and greater painful consequences. But I remind you - the reverse is even truer. Whenever you use free will to serve Me, to obey Me, to love one another, treasure each other, and help each other, your reward is vastly greater than you can imagine."
And this most serious game continues. All we experience, every single pain, every single fear, but also every single delight, every single heart opening, is purely the result of our sowing. As we sow, so we now do reap TEN-FOLD!
In this manner, we suffer and suffer to a greater and greater extent until we finally are so humbled we are on our knees imploring God, "Enough! Enough! Please help!" And God steadily invites, "Then surrender. Obey! Truly love one another as I love you. Your words are nothing without your actions, your obedience."
Then man argues with God, "That is not fair! Take my sins away. Make me a good man! Purify me! Fix up the world!"
And I can imagine God's answer. "Your hand is My hand. Your heart is My heart. I live in you. Allow Me to live freely in you, expressing through you, working through you. There is no rescue space ship. There is no magic wand except My life in your own hand. Clean up your own mess by allowing Me to work through you. I am the way, the truth and the life. Allow Me to live in you, work through you, love through you. OBEY! SURRENDER! I help you when you help yourself!"
Then man rants and raves and argues with God, "But you promised!" And God answers, "I already love you totally, as ever. My love is unconditional - without any conditions. It is yours for the asking. You have my total love, my total forgiveness; now love yourself; forgive yourself. Get on with the show, take responsibility and clean up your mess. And as you surrender and finally obey, all My angels will be drawn to you and give you immeasurable assistance. My promise to you has never been broken. My love for you is eternal. Together we shall make a heaven of our beloved planet Earth. Truly accept your divine nature, the truth that My son, Jesus, taught and demonstrated so fully and perfectly. Just how much trust did Jesus have to allow Himself to be killed on that cross? That is the level of love, trust and obedience I am inviting every one of you to finally surrender to. Or do you want more pain, more suffering, and more devastation of your planet by war, earth changes, and pestilence? It is truly up to you. I am your servant."-
James Fricker 2 Sep 2005
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Graceware
Graceware
TITHE – The Solution to Poverty
(Jamesa1's interpretation of Louix Dor Dempriey's talk)
The full Law of Creation is:
"As you sow, so shall you reap 10-fold; and as you receive, so shall you return to God 1/10th."
This special return is called "tithe" and is essential to complete the cycle of God's Law.
As God gives lovingly and unconditionally - sunshine, rain, crops, children, etc., no matter what man is -- whether he is kind, rich or poor, honest or a cheat -- so must man's return giving be equally loving and unconditional.
Your tithe reciprocation must be given to God via the highest perceived channel, the neck in the hourglass that represents your connection to God. The recipient must be that which sources you most, be it church, spiritual teacher, or whomever you feel is the highest level of sourcing for you. It might even be a charity that you have given your whole heart and spare time to.
When the wisest, most loving, most humbled and most aligned receive tithe, they, in their wisdom, disperse that money energy with the most love and the most wisdom to assist the world.
By tithing we acknowledge and trust the greater wisdom of who is sourcing us. We trust the recipient will use that money far more cleverly and wisely for the world good than we ever could.
Tithe received by lesser than our highest source can only be distributed with less love and less wisdom and is less beneficial to the world, and so is less beneficial to our self.
Tithe disbursed over many charities is scattered sowing and results in scattered returns. (Only one recipient of those many charities is the wisest of those charities.)
Tithe given with any resistance, anger, resentment, etc. carries those qualities with it as money is inert, thus the universe then reflects that back to us in like manner, 10-fold! Bitter seeds sown reap bitter fruit 10-fold! The proof is the current world economy creating ever-greater poverty. Even though huge donations and tax collections are fed back to the needy, almost all donors (taxpayers) are reluctant and give with resistance because of greed, hoarding, lust, fear, hedonism and scarcity consciousness; and then imperfect governments disperse money imperfectly. Hoarding is one evidence of the absence of tithing. The essence of selflessness -- selfless giving, is what empowers love to create and to transform. The act of giving needs to be selfless and joyful.
Only when everyone in the world gives tithe joyfully to the most God-conscious individuals and churches that most source us, in full trust, will the world's poverty be eliminated. Then tithing will also eliminate much of the need for taxation. Herein lies the cure for poverty on this planet!
When should you give your tithe? As a donation in your will on your deathbed? After you have paid that last bill, had that holiday, paid the school fees, or paid the mortgage, etc.? NO! The giving directly back to God must come first. Tithe is the highest priority of all your payments. It must be that first 10% right off the top before anything. After receiving your pay, tithing sooner is better as it is an immediate expression of your thanks to God. Joyful immediate payment of tithe is an important physical affirmation of your gratefulness to God. As the giving from the universe is continuous and automatic, so must your giving back be too.
Your cash tithe must be calculated as 10% of gross salary as it is before any other payment. (Also, if tithe were on nett pay that would mean the wealthy on high tax rates would pay a lesser tithe fraction than those on low tax rates.)
Your tithe does not have to be limited at 10%. If you wish to give more, that is fine. The more you give, the better, and it is through giving that you receive. If you wish to give to charities, that also is fine, but that first 10% must be given as tithe to whoever sources you most.
Regards,
Jamesa1
TITHE – The Solution to Poverty
(Jamesa1's interpretation of Louix Dor Dempriey's talk)
"As you sow, so shall you reap 10-fold; and as you receive, so shall you return to God 1/10th."
This special return is called "tithe" and is essential to complete the cycle of God's Law.
As God gives lovingly and unconditionally - sunshine, rain, crops, children, etc., no matter what man is -- whether he is kind, rich or poor, honest or a cheat -- so must man's return giving be equally loving and unconditional.
Your tithe reciprocation must be given to God via the highest perceived channel, the neck in the hourglass that represents your connection to God. The recipient must be that which sources you most, be it church, spiritual teacher, or whomever you feel is the highest level of sourcing for you. It might even be a charity that you have given your whole heart and spare time to.
When the wisest, most loving, most humbled and most aligned receive tithe, they, in their wisdom, disperse that money energy with the most love and the most wisdom to assist the world.
By tithing we acknowledge and trust the greater wisdom of who is sourcing us. We trust the recipient will use that money far more cleverly and wisely for the world good than we ever could.
Tithe received by lesser than our highest source can only be distributed with less love and less wisdom and is less beneficial to the world, and so is less beneficial to our self.
Tithe disbursed over many charities is scattered sowing and results in scattered returns. (Only one recipient of those many charities is the wisest of those charities.)
Tithe given with any resistance, anger, resentment, etc. carries those qualities with it as money is inert, thus the universe then reflects that back to us in like manner, 10-fold! Bitter seeds sown reap bitter fruit 10-fold! The proof is the current world economy creating ever-greater poverty. Even though huge donations and tax collections are fed back to the needy, almost all donors (taxpayers) are reluctant and give with resistance because of greed, hoarding, lust, fear, hedonism and scarcity consciousness; and then imperfect governments disperse money imperfectly. Hoarding is one evidence of the absence of tithing. The essence of selflessness -- selfless giving, is what empowers love to create and to transform. The act of giving needs to be selfless and joyful.
Only when everyone in the world gives tithe joyfully to the most God-conscious individuals and churches that most source us, in full trust, will the world's poverty be eliminated. Then tithing will also eliminate much of the need for taxation. Herein lies the cure for poverty on this planet!
When should you give your tithe? As a donation in your will on your deathbed? After you have paid that last bill, had that holiday, paid the school fees, or paid the mortgage, etc.? NO! The giving directly back to God must come first. Tithe is the highest priority of all your payments. It must be that first 10% right off the top before anything. After receiving your pay, tithing sooner is better as it is an immediate expression of your thanks to God. Joyful immediate payment of tithe is an important physical affirmation of your gratefulness to God. As the giving from the universe is continuous and automatic, so must your giving back be too.
Your cash tithe must be calculated as 10% of gross salary as it is before any other payment. (Also, if tithe were on nett pay that would mean the wealthy on high tax rates would pay a lesser tithe fraction than those on low tax rates.)
Your tithe does not have to be limited at 10%. If you wish to give more, that is fine. The more you give, the better, and it is through giving that you receive. If you wish to give to charities, that also is fine, but that first 10% must be given as tithe to whoever sources you most.
Regards,
Jamesa1
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Mortals - forever confined to inner space?
( Online forum nationalforum.net.au)
My question If its in our minds, can we exorcise it? - the clay, acting as author ?
John Warren may be right about our minds natural ability to create and entrench god ideas in our worldviews and cultural heritage .
I get the strange feelng, though, listening to all this desire for a simple rationale for what is really still beyond us , that we are taking our limited understanding of ourselves a little too seriously; "if we say we know, when we still don't know,its wrong- Are we not for example asserting- we are and there is none other."
I'm reminded by the general tone of this discussion of those early Russian cosmonauts who, having arrived at space before all other comers, and as reps of the great reductionist culture of the 20 century declaring "He's not here , therefore He's not there".
Maybe, when we collectively behave like children, we should agree to wonder at the real limits of our knowledge, our arrogance instead of the more productive element of humility -scientific humility.
When we believe like children ( even as geochemists) paradoxically a few of us can still only wonder and be willing to consider the possibility of worship . Maybe too, if it is in the blood, maybe none of us can exorcise it? After all , whatever it is, its a strong force to work its magic so effectively all those eons. Who are we to presume control over its creative power .
My question If its in our minds, can we exorcise it? - the clay, acting as author ?
John Warren may be right about our minds natural ability to create and entrench god ideas in our worldviews and cultural heritage .
I get the strange feelng, though, listening to all this desire for a simple rationale for what is really still beyond us , that we are taking our limited understanding of ourselves a little too seriously; "if we say we know, when we still don't know,its wrong- Are we not for example asserting- we are and there is none other."
I'm reminded by the general tone of this discussion of those early Russian cosmonauts who, having arrived at space before all other comers, and as reps of the great reductionist culture of the 20 century declaring "He's not here , therefore He's not there".
Maybe, when we collectively behave like children, we should agree to wonder at the real limits of our knowledge, our arrogance instead of the more productive element of humility -scientific humility.
When we believe like children ( even as geochemists) paradoxically a few of us can still only wonder and be willing to consider the possibility of worship . Maybe too, if it is in the blood, maybe none of us can exorcise it? After all , whatever it is, its a strong force to work its magic so effectively all those eons. Who are we to presume control over its creative power .
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Did God create everything that exists?
The university professor challenged his students with this question:
Did God create everything that exists?
A student bravely replied "Yes, he did!"
"God created everything?" The professor asked.
"Yes sir," the student replied.
The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil
since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define
who we are then God is evil."
The student became quiet before such an answer.
The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students
that he had proven once more that Christian faith was a myth.
Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question
professor?"
"Of course," replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"
"What kind of a question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been
cold?" The students snickered at the young man's question.
The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the
laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.
Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits
energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.
Absolute zero (-460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter
becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not
exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no
heat."
The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"
The professor responded, "Of course it does."
The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not
exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can
study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white
light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color.
You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world
of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space
is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness
is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light
present."
Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?"
Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course, as I have already
said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity
to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the
world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."
To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does
not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like
darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of
God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, of love that exists
just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man
does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that
comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no
light."
The professor sat down.
The young mans name: Albert EINSTEIN
Did God create everything that exists?
A student bravely replied "Yes, he did!"
"God created everything?" The professor asked.
"Yes sir," the student replied.
The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil
since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define
who we are then God is evil."
The student became quiet before such an answer.
The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students
that he had proven once more that Christian faith was a myth.
Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question
professor?"
"Of course," replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"
"What kind of a question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been
cold?" The students snickered at the young man's question.
The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the
laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.
Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits
energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.
Absolute zero (-460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter
becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not
exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no
heat."
The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"
The professor responded, "Of course it does."
The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not
exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can
study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white
light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color.
You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world
of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space
is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness
is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light
present."
Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?"
Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course, as I have already
said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity
to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the
world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."
To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does
not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like
darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of
God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, of love that exists
just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man
does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that
comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no
light."
The professor sat down.
The young mans name: Albert EINSTEIN
