Spirit
is not invisible matter.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Friday, April 10, 2020
Scientific Bible
Looking
for the book that has yet to be written – a Bible perfectly in accord with
Science, but not the Science of the 21st Century, but the Science of
the last century of human existence.
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Lines of Demarcation
We
confuse our ability to think like a God with God – and project our limitations
into non-limitations for Him. To say that God knows all and does all is
essentially a meaningless statement in the sense that for something to have
meaning it must have lines of demarcation. We confuse our mental investigations
with God.
A.I.
A.I. – the attempt to prove that one form of intelligence can create
another form of intelligence.
If...Then...Else
. IF you think God knows everything, THEN you must think
you know everything, ELSE how do you know God knows everything?
Constraints of Reality
In
the grand scheme of things, God is the ultimate individual being possible in
our current Reality (Existence).
If God were a Tree
If
God were a Tree, what would be His Spirit? Think of God as a Tree and the Spirit
as the Shade of the Tree. Just like the Shade would not exist without the Tree,
even so the Spirit of God would not exist without God.
The
Spirit does not exist independently - it's a byproduct, just as the Shade of
the Tree is a byproduct of the limbs and leaves of the Tree blocking the light
rays of the sun.
Natural Life Of Jesus
The natural life of Jesus brings a sense of certainty to the prospect of a supernatural life.
God Manipulates
God
manipulates events, not minds. God sways men's minds through the manipulation
of events. God does not directly manipulate human minds.
Backward Mentality
Things
have beginnings. The idea of an eternal past in which God always existed in the
same form is a contradictory one. The eternal past implies that it moves
backward in time endlessly. If that was so, then there would be no starting
point from which to move forward in time. In other words, you can't get here
from there because there's no there there.
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Need to Know Basis
The
Spirit is not usually concerned with details. God knows all in Spirit. God is
not tedious. We think in facts. God does too but only what's relevant and
germane. I agree that God knows everything but He knows all in a spiritual
sense. He knows in the aggregate. He knows specific details that he needs to
know.
Consciousness
What
space does your mind occupy?
Does
your mind create your consciousness?
Can
your consciousness be destroyed?
A
human consciousness is a brand new creation!
Blanket Statement
Jesus
told his disciples (in reference to the Spirit) he would send a comforter once
he departed Earth. We have two analogies here, both using the concept of a
blanket: 1) a blanket can be called a comforter, in this sense the Spirit
serves as comfort in times of trouble and affliction and 2) the Spirit is used
as a blanket statement, i.e, covering lot of ground without giving out too many
details. An example of this would be the Spirit interacting with the Virgin
Mary to impregnate her. No details, just a result.
Hiding in Plain Sight
How
would you define spirit? The spirit is something that we all know but have not
felt the need to define. It is truly hiding in plain sight.
When did God take the Form of God?
The following is written in the spirit of
speculation.
If we
assume that God in His original and enduring state is one of non-materiality,
essentially in essence only mind, then it makes sense that when interacting
with humanity (and other beings such as angels for that matter) God would take
on material form. It also makes sense that this form would be human in
appearance. Here’s an example: In Genesis three angels (or messengers) are
spending time with Abraham. One of the three was designated as God (or Lord).
“Then
the Lord appeared to
Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting in the entrance of his
tent during the heat of the day. He looked up, and he saw
three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of
the tent to meet them and bowed to the ground. Then he said, “My
lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your
servant. Let a little water be brought, that you may wash
your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. I will bring a bit of bread
so that you may strengthen yourselves. This is why you have passed your
servant’s way. Later, you can continue on.”
“Yes,” they replied, “do as
you have said.”
“So Abraham hurried into the
tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour and
make bread.” Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice
calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it. Then
Abraham took curds and milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and
set them before the men. He served them as they ate under the tree.
“Where is your wife Sarah?”
they asked him.
“There, in the tent,” he
answered.
“The Lord said, “I will certainly come
back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a
son!” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.
“Abraham and Sarah were old
and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So
she laughed to herself: “After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old,
will I have delight?”
“ But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah
laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ Is anything
impossible for the Lord? At the
appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a
son.” (Genesis 18: 1-14 HCSB)
Here’s an interesting
passage in Galatians:
“I beg you, brothers: Become like me, for I also became like
you. You have not wronged me; you know that previously I preached the
gospel to you because of a physical illness. You did not despise or reject
me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you
received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.” (Galatians 4:12-14
HCSB)
Let’s do a thought
experiment. Over time as God developed a relationship with humanity, He
utilized his cadre of messengers in making contact. It was a form of a test or
apprenticeship. He was gauging which messenger was best at relating and conveying
His essence.
If God can assume the form
of an earthly human being (Re: Jesus), why He couldn’t also assume the form of
a celestial messenger? And not just one, but many with varying results?
(Stratification of messengers into two camps (good and evil) probably began
long before Garden of Eden. See last few chapters in the Book of Daniel.)
I’m suggesting that God
moved from a series of temporary theophanies to a permanent theophany. A
passageway as it were that was a conduit to humanity.
God Can Cope
It’s ironic to believe that God is unimaginably powerful, yet is unable to carry out His
plans unless everything is determined in advance; as if God
can't cope with contingencies.
Human
architects/builders carry out their plans and bring them to conclusion. They do
this even in the face of unexpected difficulties. Can God do any less? Of
course a tornado or earthquake can come along and disrupt a human architect’s
plans. Fortunately for the human race, God can handle tornadoes and
earthquakes with ease. Or anything else for that matter.
The Greatest Surprise of God
The greatest surprise of
God is the unique character and personality of the individual human being. In a
pre-determined world, God has no surprises.
Precisely because God is
in total control, He does not have to monitor the tedious and the mundane. The
tedious and mundane tend to take care of themselves.
Determinism is at odds
with the ethical process, which involves choosing or not choosing to be moral.
Determinism or Fatalism,
by definition, is a limited way of thinking.
The Only God We Need
It is axiomatic that a God
who is distant and unapproachable opens the door for another God who is near
and approachable. The former is an absolute God that is not relatable to limited
but intelligent beings while the latter is a God who is not absolute and is
therefore relatable to those same beings. The question is, if God is beyond
understanding, why seek to understand him? If God is a God we can understand,
then that’s the only God we need.
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
God on Auto-Pilot
If everything is
pre-determined by God and this happened many millennia ago, then is it fair to
say that God's Plan controls God? In other words, if you set your plane on
auto-pilot and there was no way of changing it, would you be in control of the
plane?
Moral Choices
It's never been our
intention to even imply that man's will is totally free. Is God's will totally
free? Isn't even His will constrained by His very Nature? Can He go against
what He inherently is? But what we do not imply, but actually state is that as
humans we can freely decide whether or not to make certain moral choices. And
as far we know we are making those choices using the faculties that God has
given us. And also, as far as we know, God is rightly holding us responsible
for those choices.
Bonus: The Adventures of AG & RG: A Theological Satire
Chapter 1
Our story begins a long time ago. The Absolute God (AG) was thinking he needed entertainment, a “very long movie” so to speak. To do the actual work, he created a lesser being, but only lesser relatively speaking. For this Relative God (RG) was quite competent to be an Absolute God (but not quite). The AG knew this so he said, “Son, I’m LOVE, and to fulfill my being, I’ve come up with a plan and it’s yours to carry out. Start by creating an infinite Universe. Only an absolutely limitless Universe is worthy of an infinite, absolute God. Next create beings like yourself, but not quite as powerful. Make 2/3 of them absolutely adore me and the other 1/3 absolutely not adore me. You’ll need them as helpers and anti-helpers. Next create human beings on the planet Earth.” “What’s a human being?”
“Well, that’s a good question. First of all it’s not an it. It’s a he or a she.”
“Two sexes. I think I see where you’re going with this. Reproduction, right?”
“You got it RG.”
“But, AG, won’t they quickly overpopulate this planet Earth?”
“Not if they die on a regular basis.”
“Die? What the heck is that?” the RG asked incredulously.
“To die is not to live.” The AG responded.
“So you’re telling me to create beings that will eventually die? I’m missing the point. I thought I was creating something of a more enduring nature.”
The AG had to suppress a laugh. “You’re not taking SIN into account.”
The RG felt like his head was spinning off. “I’m almost afraid to ask but what is this thing called SIN?”
“It’s a concept I’ve been toying around with but the best way to illustrate it is by example. Let’s say I tell you to blow up a planet and you refuse to do so on moral grounds. That’s a SIN.”
“Not blowing up a planet is a SIN?”
“Not obeying me is a SIN. Now do you see?”
“Oh, yes.” The RG was beginning to wonder what he had gotten himself into.
The AG continued, “Now SIN is going to cause death, destruction, misery, short selling of stocks, bigotry, racism, disease, murder, adultery, sexual inversion, predatory lending practices, frying of foods, sugar-laced carbonated drinks, delusionary cranks, bad teeth and bad breath. And that’s just the short list. So something will have to be done about it.”
The RG had to ask: “Why don’t we just program these humans to be incapable of disobedience?”
“Son, there’s no fun in that. No drama, no intrigue, no high adventure on the seas. You got to remember I’ve got a lot of time, I mean a lot of time to deal with. By the way, have you created time yet? Oh, well, I know you’ll get around to it. It’s just a matter of time. Ha. Ha.”
The RG resisted rolling his eyes. “So what do we do about SIN?”
“It’s not what we’re going to do but what you’re going to do. At some point, after a few thousand years of humans sinning all over the place, you’ll get a temporary demotion. You’ll be sent to Earth in the form of a baby (that’s a tiny human) and where you’ll age into an adult human. You'll have some tough moments, then die. After a short duration being dead, I’ll bring you back to life. “
The RG could hardly restrain his enthusiasm. “Just why will I be doing this?”
The AG started to tear up: “Son, it’s because I am LOVE and I want to see my creation brought out of the dismal swamp of SIN.”
“What’s next?”
“It’s downhill all the way. Blow up the Earth a few more times, then finally make everything perfect. Be sure to give me credit – then step down and I’ll take my rightful place. What do you think?”
“A beautiful plan, AG, but it’s somewhat time-consuming, to say the least. Why not just go straight to the end? I can create everybody in their final state and I can put all the correct memories in their heads. It would save a lot of time, death, suffering, pain and needless…”
The AG interrupted the RG, “That’s a thought, Son, but you’ve got to remember I need something to pass the time – what else have I got to do? You shouldn’t complain, though, you get to do all the work.”
The RG sighed and asked, “Well, what’s first?”
“Why don’t we kick things off with a BANG!”
Chapter 2
The AG (Absolute God) had
to admit he was almost impressed (let’s face it, it’s impossible to actually
impress an Absolute God). He was looking out at the vastness of the Universe
the RG (Relative God) had just created.
“I really like those comets. Lots of pizzazz, if you know what I mean; and the Horsehead Nebula, now that’s quite a sight. What made you think of that? You haven’t even created horses yet.”
“I sort of cheated on that one,” the RG replied, “I snuck a look at one of the Univac computer programming cards.”
The AG was almost impressed again. “Good work, Son. You’re obviously doing your homework.”
“Speaking of that, what’s with the computer programming? It’s almost like you’re planning everything in advance. Doesn’t that take some of the excitement out of it?” asked the RG.
The AG replied, “It does but I really have no choice in the matter. After all, I’m omniscient.”
“So what are you getting out of all this if you already know, think, feel, experience, etc. all that there was, is, and will be?” The RG couldn’t believe he had actually asked the question.
The AG took a few moments to reply. “Son, you keep forgetting. I’m LOVE and LOVE demands that I do things for LOVE.”
The RG wasn’t really sure if that reply answered his question, but he was smart enough not to pursue it any further. Instead he asked, “How about these slightly lesser beings that I created? What’s their purpose?”
“Simply put, they’re Programming Enhancers (PEs). Once every blue moon the program gets clogged up or some other impediment crops up. When it happens, all hell has the potential of breaking loose. For instance, about 13 billion years from now, Satan will be delayed in getting to Earth and tempting Eve. To make sure that he isn’t delayed too long and the temptation takes place as scheduled, one of Satan’s lieutenants will take his place in the Andromeda Galaxy so Satan can get to Earth on time. Trust me, you’ll be glad to have them at your disposal.”
“Even the bad ones?”
“You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.”
***
Yet another concern popped up in the RG’s mind. He asked, “Now if I’m understanding correctly, you are pretty much the Executive Producer and Writer while I’m the Director working with the script…” Before the RG could finish his thought, the AG interrupted…
“You’re getting it. Remember what Will will say someday, “All the World’s a Stage.”
“I like that” the RG said, “but to continue with my thought cum question, I also seem to be the star, after you, of course, of this production. If that’s the case, what I do need to do to get prepared for my role?”
The AG shot back, “Take acting lessons.”
“You’re right, of course,” the RG responded, “or how else can I show genuine emotion? Why in the world should I get mad at someone for screwing up if it was planned all along? After all, he’s only doing what he was meant to do. It’s not like he has a choice in the matter.”
“How true,” the AG replied, then added, “and you’ll find that good acting techniques are essential to your role.”
“Should I use method acting or some technique more naturalistic?”
“Natural ain’t going to work. Some of this stuff is so contrived even I am having a hard time swallowing it. And it’s my plan!”
***
The Absolute as it Relates to Relative and the Relative as it Relates to Absolute Seminal Seminar was nearing its conclusion. The RG spoke up,
“What about this Satan fellow? Sounds like he’s a little more important than the other SLBs (Slightly Lesser Beings). What gives?”
“Well, Son, he is. In fact, as power and influence goes, he’s third in line. You’ll find his hand in about every cookie jar out there and usually it’s there to steal the cookies.”
“Sounds like a real devil.”
“Devil? I like that description. Now that I think of it, I bet that’s where the phrase “devil’s in the details” will come from.”
“He does seem to be a rather active fellow. But let me ask you this. Since everything is planned out, what do I do? Do things happen automatically or do I have to get intimately involved from time to time?”
“Yes and yes.” The AG enigmatically replied. “Most things are like a boulder rolling down a steep hill. Once started, the ending is pretty much guaranteed. But there are exceptions to the rule.”
The RG didn’t like where the conversation was going. “What do you mean?”
“Well,” the AG replied, “think of the Big Picture as Point A to Point Z, with A as the Beginning and Z as the End. Embedded in the Big Picture are billions upon billions of little pictures, i.e., sub-point As to sub-point Zs.”
“Can you be more concrete?”
“You betcha. Take for example, Judas, the guy who’ll betray you when you get that demotion. Let’s say in the Judas timeline you have a sub-point (sp) H27, 692, which is the sp when Judas betrays you for thirty pieces of silver. Now let’s go back to sp G19, 543 (in Judas’ s timeline) where Judas is performing one of life’s mundane functions in the outhouse. At that moment, there’s a temporary malfunction (due to cosmic dust or whatever) in the EIPTTMD (Everything Is Planned To The Minutest Detail) program and a sudden storm erupts with devastating wind and topples the outhouse killing Judas. And when that happens the whole plan goes to hell in a hand basket. No substitute betrayer is ready to take over Judas’ role because the plan was considered perfect and an unexpected malfunction was not in the plan. But something has to be done because if sp H27,692 doesn’t take place then in the Big Picture of things even Point Z becomes dubious. And since Point Z is when I get all the glory due to me being LOVE, I wouldn’t be feeling too kindly about things, if you know I mean. And I think you do.”
As it seemed to be happening more and more often, the RG’s head was spinning. “So what do I do?”
The AG smiled invisibly. “Simple. Assign a friendly-to-us SLB to protect Judas at all times. Son, I see you still got a lot to learn. But that’s why I’m here.”
“I really like those comets. Lots of pizzazz, if you know what I mean; and the Horsehead Nebula, now that’s quite a sight. What made you think of that? You haven’t even created horses yet.”
“I sort of cheated on that one,” the RG replied, “I snuck a look at one of the Univac computer programming cards.”
The AG was almost impressed again. “Good work, Son. You’re obviously doing your homework.”
“Speaking of that, what’s with the computer programming? It’s almost like you’re planning everything in advance. Doesn’t that take some of the excitement out of it?” asked the RG.
The AG replied, “It does but I really have no choice in the matter. After all, I’m omniscient.”
“So what are you getting out of all this if you already know, think, feel, experience, etc. all that there was, is, and will be?” The RG couldn’t believe he had actually asked the question.
The AG took a few moments to reply. “Son, you keep forgetting. I’m LOVE and LOVE demands that I do things for LOVE.”
The RG wasn’t really sure if that reply answered his question, but he was smart enough not to pursue it any further. Instead he asked, “How about these slightly lesser beings that I created? What’s their purpose?”
“Simply put, they’re Programming Enhancers (PEs). Once every blue moon the program gets clogged up or some other impediment crops up. When it happens, all hell has the potential of breaking loose. For instance, about 13 billion years from now, Satan will be delayed in getting to Earth and tempting Eve. To make sure that he isn’t delayed too long and the temptation takes place as scheduled, one of Satan’s lieutenants will take his place in the Andromeda Galaxy so Satan can get to Earth on time. Trust me, you’ll be glad to have them at your disposal.”
“Even the bad ones?”
“You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.”
***
Yet another concern popped up in the RG’s mind. He asked, “Now if I’m understanding correctly, you are pretty much the Executive Producer and Writer while I’m the Director working with the script…” Before the RG could finish his thought, the AG interrupted…
“You’re getting it. Remember what Will will say someday, “All the World’s a Stage.”
“I like that” the RG said, “but to continue with my thought cum question, I also seem to be the star, after you, of course, of this production. If that’s the case, what I do need to do to get prepared for my role?”
The AG shot back, “Take acting lessons.”
“You’re right, of course,” the RG responded, “or how else can I show genuine emotion? Why in the world should I get mad at someone for screwing up if it was planned all along? After all, he’s only doing what he was meant to do. It’s not like he has a choice in the matter.”
“How true,” the AG replied, then added, “and you’ll find that good acting techniques are essential to your role.”
“Should I use method acting or some technique more naturalistic?”
“Natural ain’t going to work. Some of this stuff is so contrived even I am having a hard time swallowing it. And it’s my plan!”
***
The Absolute as it Relates to Relative and the Relative as it Relates to Absolute Seminal Seminar was nearing its conclusion. The RG spoke up,
“What about this Satan fellow? Sounds like he’s a little more important than the other SLBs (Slightly Lesser Beings). What gives?”
“Well, Son, he is. In fact, as power and influence goes, he’s third in line. You’ll find his hand in about every cookie jar out there and usually it’s there to steal the cookies.”
“Sounds like a real devil.”
“Devil? I like that description. Now that I think of it, I bet that’s where the phrase “devil’s in the details” will come from.”
“He does seem to be a rather active fellow. But let me ask you this. Since everything is planned out, what do I do? Do things happen automatically or do I have to get intimately involved from time to time?”
“Yes and yes.” The AG enigmatically replied. “Most things are like a boulder rolling down a steep hill. Once started, the ending is pretty much guaranteed. But there are exceptions to the rule.”
The RG didn’t like where the conversation was going. “What do you mean?”
“Well,” the AG replied, “think of the Big Picture as Point A to Point Z, with A as the Beginning and Z as the End. Embedded in the Big Picture are billions upon billions of little pictures, i.e., sub-point As to sub-point Zs.”
“Can you be more concrete?”
“You betcha. Take for example, Judas, the guy who’ll betray you when you get that demotion. Let’s say in the Judas timeline you have a sub-point (sp) H27, 692, which is the sp when Judas betrays you for thirty pieces of silver. Now let’s go back to sp G19, 543 (in Judas’ s timeline) where Judas is performing one of life’s mundane functions in the outhouse. At that moment, there’s a temporary malfunction (due to cosmic dust or whatever) in the EIPTTMD (Everything Is Planned To The Minutest Detail) program and a sudden storm erupts with devastating wind and topples the outhouse killing Judas. And when that happens the whole plan goes to hell in a hand basket. No substitute betrayer is ready to take over Judas’ role because the plan was considered perfect and an unexpected malfunction was not in the plan. But something has to be done because if sp H27,692 doesn’t take place then in the Big Picture of things even Point Z becomes dubious. And since Point Z is when I get all the glory due to me being LOVE, I wouldn’t be feeling too kindly about things, if you know I mean. And I think you do.”
As it seemed to be happening more and more often, the RG’s head was spinning. “So what do I do?”
The AG smiled invisibly. “Simple. Assign a friendly-to-us SLB to protect Judas at all times. Son, I see you still got a lot to learn. But that’s why I’m here.”
Chapter 3
About
a billion years have passed and since there are at least another 12 billion
years or so before Adam and Eve are created, the AG and RG find that they have
plenty of time to talk things out.
The RG speaks first, “What’s with the Univac? You don’t really need it, do you? After all, you have infinite brain power and infinite ability to utilize it.”
The AG replied, “I wondered when you were going to figure that out.”
“There you go again. You didn’t really wonder. You knew all along when I was going to, as you say, ‘figure it out’”.
“Yep, and I also knew when you were going to know that I knew it.”
The RG groaned. He didn’t want to go down that road again. “I’ve still got a headache from our last conservation six thousand years ago. But answer this question, and simply, if you can. What’s the Univac for if you don’t really need it?”
“It’s a learning tool for you. Since I’m 100% Spirit and I don’t actually have a brain that you can analyze and gather data from, I thought a Univac would teach you some valuable lessons.”
“Such as?”
“Such as the ‘The Three Laws of Being a Creator’.”
The RG was fascinated by this latest arcane bit of information. “What are they?”
“Law # 1 and you’ll thank me one day for this one: Never create a being more powerful than yourself.
“Law # 2: Install within your created beings the crazy notion that they actually have free will. Of course, the really, really smart ones will figure out they don’t have free will.
“Law # 3: If you must use Dijon mustard, use only Grey Poupon. Especially at celestial tailgating parties convened to watch SuperNova explosions.
“Now, Son, I think that’s enough conversation for now. Let’s talk again in 27,000 years. How about the Orion Constellation this time?”
The RG speaks first, “What’s with the Univac? You don’t really need it, do you? After all, you have infinite brain power and infinite ability to utilize it.”
The AG replied, “I wondered when you were going to figure that out.”
“There you go again. You didn’t really wonder. You knew all along when I was going to, as you say, ‘figure it out’”.
“Yep, and I also knew when you were going to know that I knew it.”
The RG groaned. He didn’t want to go down that road again. “I’ve still got a headache from our last conservation six thousand years ago. But answer this question, and simply, if you can. What’s the Univac for if you don’t really need it?”
“It’s a learning tool for you. Since I’m 100% Spirit and I don’t actually have a brain that you can analyze and gather data from, I thought a Univac would teach you some valuable lessons.”
“Such as?”
“Such as the ‘The Three Laws of Being a Creator’.”
The RG was fascinated by this latest arcane bit of information. “What are they?”
“Law # 1 and you’ll thank me one day for this one: Never create a being more powerful than yourself.
“Law # 2: Install within your created beings the crazy notion that they actually have free will. Of course, the really, really smart ones will figure out they don’t have free will.
“Law # 3: If you must use Dijon mustard, use only Grey Poupon. Especially at celestial tailgating parties convened to watch SuperNova explosions.
“Now, Son, I think that’s enough conversation for now. Let’s talk again in 27,000 years. How about the Orion Constellation this time?”
Chapter 4
It was raining outside the
old gas station at the corner of Main and Elm. It had been raining all morning
and no relief was in sight. It was a dreary day filled with sad memories and
even Goober had to admit he wasn’t as happy-go-lucky as usual. He was seriously
considering putting up the ‘Gone Fishin’ sign and moseying over to Floyd’s
Barber Shop for a rousing game of checkers.
Just then the lightning cracked, the thunder roared, the wind howled, and the screen door almost went flying off its hinges. Goober reacted instantly by scurrying behind the front counter where he crouched in fearful anticipation of Armageddon.
Armageddon never happened. Instead, the rain stopped, and the sun broke through the clouds. Birds started singing, squirrels began running to and fro, and butterflies dared to venture out among the flowers. The air was fresh and redolent with formerly burnt grass being resurrected from the throes of death. Brown began turning to green and the grey became blue. A rainbow could be seen on the eastern horizon.
Goober had a problem though. He had been ready to close up the store and go over to Floyd’s to play checkers. Now he had no excuse and it looked like he had no choice but to keep the gas station open. What should he do?
***
“Attention! Class.” The RG shouted out to the throng of mixed SLBs. “We’re flagging, people. Sure, it’s been 57,650 straight hours of situation comedy seminar, but remember, we’re superior beings.”
A voice came out of the crowd. “We need a break, RG, our wings are drooping.”
The RG responded, “OK, OK, but let’s finish this particular scenario first and we’ll take a good 1000 year break. I promise. Now, who can tell me what situation Goober is facing?”
A voice came booming across the light year long room. “A moral dilemma.”
“Good answer, Satan.”
“Call me Luke.”
“You’re jumping the gun, again, Satan. We know you want to play the role of Lucifer, son of the morning star, who comes falling down to earth in a blaze of glory, blah, blah, blah. We know you want to do it, and we’ll consider it, but don’t push it.”
Gabriel, a ‘good’ SLB spoke up. “Why do we have to attend classes with the ‘bad’ SLBs? Don’t you think they might have a bad influence on us?”
“Not really,” the RG said, “Remember, you’re programmed to be good and they’re programmed to be bad. Besides, if I were to separate you, I’d have to give every seminar twice, and while time is infinite, my patience is not.”
Then Satan added, “Yea guys, we’re a team. Every good deed deserves a bad one in return. Ha,ha,ha,ha…” The laugh echoed through the Sirius sector of the galaxy.
Gabe said, “You need to work on that laugh; not nearly diabolical enough.”
Another Good SLB, Michael, then asked, “Who’s this Goober fellow? Sounds like a real loser.”
“He’s a supporting character in a situation comedy that will debut in the mid- 20th Century on Earth.” The RG responded.
“Will it be popular?”
“So popular it will go on in reruns for eternity.”
The whole class collectively groaned.
The RG knew it was time to take that break. “OK, be back in exactly 1000 years and we’ll wrap up this seminar and start a new one.”
As the SLBs started to leave the RG shouted out, “And please… be careful out there!”
Just then the lightning cracked, the thunder roared, the wind howled, and the screen door almost went flying off its hinges. Goober reacted instantly by scurrying behind the front counter where he crouched in fearful anticipation of Armageddon.
Armageddon never happened. Instead, the rain stopped, and the sun broke through the clouds. Birds started singing, squirrels began running to and fro, and butterflies dared to venture out among the flowers. The air was fresh and redolent with formerly burnt grass being resurrected from the throes of death. Brown began turning to green and the grey became blue. A rainbow could be seen on the eastern horizon.
Goober had a problem though. He had been ready to close up the store and go over to Floyd’s to play checkers. Now he had no excuse and it looked like he had no choice but to keep the gas station open. What should he do?
***
“Attention! Class.” The RG shouted out to the throng of mixed SLBs. “We’re flagging, people. Sure, it’s been 57,650 straight hours of situation comedy seminar, but remember, we’re superior beings.”
A voice came out of the crowd. “We need a break, RG, our wings are drooping.”
The RG responded, “OK, OK, but let’s finish this particular scenario first and we’ll take a good 1000 year break. I promise. Now, who can tell me what situation Goober is facing?”
A voice came booming across the light year long room. “A moral dilemma.”
“Good answer, Satan.”
“Call me Luke.”
“You’re jumping the gun, again, Satan. We know you want to play the role of Lucifer, son of the morning star, who comes falling down to earth in a blaze of glory, blah, blah, blah. We know you want to do it, and we’ll consider it, but don’t push it.”
Gabriel, a ‘good’ SLB spoke up. “Why do we have to attend classes with the ‘bad’ SLBs? Don’t you think they might have a bad influence on us?”
“Not really,” the RG said, “Remember, you’re programmed to be good and they’re programmed to be bad. Besides, if I were to separate you, I’d have to give every seminar twice, and while time is infinite, my patience is not.”
Then Satan added, “Yea guys, we’re a team. Every good deed deserves a bad one in return. Ha,ha,ha,ha…” The laugh echoed through the Sirius sector of the galaxy.
Gabe said, “You need to work on that laugh; not nearly diabolical enough.”
Another Good SLB, Michael, then asked, “Who’s this Goober fellow? Sounds like a real loser.”
“He’s a supporting character in a situation comedy that will debut in the mid- 20th Century on Earth.” The RG responded.
“Will it be popular?”
“So popular it will go on in reruns for eternity.”
The whole class collectively groaned.
The RG knew it was time to take that break. “OK, be back in exactly 1000 years and we’ll wrap up this seminar and start a new one.”
As the SLBs started to leave the RG shouted out, “And please… be careful out there!”
Chapter 5
“How are those seminars
going?”
“As if you didn’t know; but just to play along, I’ll pretend we’re having a conversation where one of the participants doesn’t know everything that’s about to said.”
“Now you’re talking. The play’s the thing.”
“Frankly, the seminars are getting a little stale. I’m having trouble explaining the concept of WR (Whole Reality). The SLBs want to keep trying to distinguish between the real and the non-real. They can’t believe that everything is real and nothing is non-real. For them some things shouldn’t be real but you can’t have it both ways in a deterministic universe. Everything is real. Has to be or the thing just doesn’t work. So because they can’t fathom the concept, they tend to lose interest and I have trouble holding their attention. I don’t know if I can do another two billion years of seminars. Do you have any suggestions?”
The AG did an invisible shrug. “Quantum fluctuations.”
“What the heck are they?” the RG responded quickly.
“They’re a change of subject. Always good when the seminar goes south.”
***
“OK, class, let’s focus.” The RG’s irritation could be perceived in his voice. “Who will make a stab at the concept of WR?”
SLB 24XBC raised a wing. The RG said, “Go ahead, BC. Let’s hear what you’ve got.”
“WR is simply a way of explaining the ins and outs of a DU (Deterministic Universe). Everything, and I mean everything, by definition, is real in a DU. There can be no such things as accidental musings, stray thoughts, wild imaginings, or idle hands…” BC was suddenly interrupted by you know who.
“There goes my workshop.”
A big laugh ensued.
***
“How did it go this time?”
“A little better; we seem to be making progress on the WR concept. By the way, I think I’m almost ready to discuss in more detail your Method Of Operation, or MOO, as I like to call it.”
The AG raised an invisible eyebrow. “I like that acronym: MOO. It has a nice ring to it. Let’s save it for future use.”
The RG replied, “I like it too. It might make a good animal sound when we create animals on Earth.”
“Well, it does rhyme with kangaroo and caribou.”
“We’ll consider it when the time is right. Well, I need to get back to the seminar. Duty calls.”
***
The AG then left or did he? The RG could never be sure. But he was sure the only way to deal with the AG was to pretend the future was open and yet to be decided, even though it wasn’t. Maybe he was getting the hang of this absolute/relative thing. Only time would tell.
“As if you didn’t know; but just to play along, I’ll pretend we’re having a conversation where one of the participants doesn’t know everything that’s about to said.”
“Now you’re talking. The play’s the thing.”
“Frankly, the seminars are getting a little stale. I’m having trouble explaining the concept of WR (Whole Reality). The SLBs want to keep trying to distinguish between the real and the non-real. They can’t believe that everything is real and nothing is non-real. For them some things shouldn’t be real but you can’t have it both ways in a deterministic universe. Everything is real. Has to be or the thing just doesn’t work. So because they can’t fathom the concept, they tend to lose interest and I have trouble holding their attention. I don’t know if I can do another two billion years of seminars. Do you have any suggestions?”
The AG did an invisible shrug. “Quantum fluctuations.”
“What the heck are they?” the RG responded quickly.
“They’re a change of subject. Always good when the seminar goes south.”
***
“OK, class, let’s focus.” The RG’s irritation could be perceived in his voice. “Who will make a stab at the concept of WR?”
SLB 24XBC raised a wing. The RG said, “Go ahead, BC. Let’s hear what you’ve got.”
“WR is simply a way of explaining the ins and outs of a DU (Deterministic Universe). Everything, and I mean everything, by definition, is real in a DU. There can be no such things as accidental musings, stray thoughts, wild imaginings, or idle hands…” BC was suddenly interrupted by you know who.
“There goes my workshop.”
A big laugh ensued.
***
“How did it go this time?”
“A little better; we seem to be making progress on the WR concept. By the way, I think I’m almost ready to discuss in more detail your Method Of Operation, or MOO, as I like to call it.”
The AG raised an invisible eyebrow. “I like that acronym: MOO. It has a nice ring to it. Let’s save it for future use.”
The RG replied, “I like it too. It might make a good animal sound when we create animals on Earth.”
“Well, it does rhyme with kangaroo and caribou.”
“We’ll consider it when the time is right. Well, I need to get back to the seminar. Duty calls.”
***
The AG then left or did he? The RG could never be sure. But he was sure the only way to deal with the AG was to pretend the future was open and yet to be decided, even though it wasn’t. Maybe he was getting the hang of this absolute/relative thing. Only time would tell.
Chapter 6
“It’s time to talk a little
bit about UNA.” The RG started walking after he started talking.“Anyone here
ever heard of it before?”
Gabriel, always quick to retort, “Is it the word for the number ONE in the NANO (Neither Alpha Nor Omega) Parallel Universe”?
The RG slowed his pace a bit and acknowledged the loquacious SLB. “Now, Gabe, that’s really not that bad a stab at the answer. Wrong, but at least you’re trying. How about you, Satan? You’re usually ready with a quip.”
Satan, who was approximately 1.5 trillion miles away in the light-year long classroom, roared back, “UNA stands for Universal Nucleic Acid. By the way, what’s with you and the Big Guy’s penchant for acronyms? This isn’t it the United States Military, you know.”
The RG shook off Satan’s not unsurprising sarcasm and picked up his pace again. “That’s right. UNA: Universal Nucleic Acid. And where do we find it?”
“We find it wherever the Big Guy wants to control living beings down to their tiniest micro-particle. Big Guy as Big Brother as we Bad SLBs sometimes call him when he’s not around.”
“Now, Satan, surely you know the Big Guy is never not around. But I understand, your continuing sanity depends upon you fostering the delusion that you can actually be alone at times.”
“Alone but not lonely.”
The RG smiled and leaped a half-a-leap year to the middle of the room. He found that moving about helped him to keep his interest up.
Gabriel, always quick to retort, “Is it the word for the number ONE in the NANO (Neither Alpha Nor Omega) Parallel Universe”?
The RG slowed his pace a bit and acknowledged the loquacious SLB. “Now, Gabe, that’s really not that bad a stab at the answer. Wrong, but at least you’re trying. How about you, Satan? You’re usually ready with a quip.”
Satan, who was approximately 1.5 trillion miles away in the light-year long classroom, roared back, “UNA stands for Universal Nucleic Acid. By the way, what’s with you and the Big Guy’s penchant for acronyms? This isn’t it the United States Military, you know.”
The RG shook off Satan’s not unsurprising sarcasm and picked up his pace again. “That’s right. UNA: Universal Nucleic Acid. And where do we find it?”
“We find it wherever the Big Guy wants to control living beings down to their tiniest micro-particle. Big Guy as Big Brother as we Bad SLBs sometimes call him when he’s not around.”
“Now, Satan, surely you know the Big Guy is never not around. But I understand, your continuing sanity depends upon you fostering the delusion that you can actually be alone at times.”
“Alone but not lonely.”
The RG smiled and leaped a half-a-leap year to the middle of the room. He found that moving about helped him to keep his interest up.
Chapter 7
The Endless Seminars were
continuing. Of course, endless was not accurate in a purely semantic manner,
but was more indicative of an emotion. The SLBs were ready for some action and
there was some scuttlebutt that the RG was working on something called female
humans. One B(bad)SLB even made the comment: “I might even give up my wings for
some of that action.”
But let’s get back to the current seminar:
“Can anyone define absolute?”
“That’s easy. It means (and the SLB started down a list):
“Absolute (as adjective):
1. Free from imperfection; complete; perfect
2. Not mixed or adulterated; pure
3. Complete; outright
4. Free from restriction or limitation; not limited in any way
5. Unrestrained or unlimited by a constitution, counterbalancing, group, etc, in the exercise of governmental power, esp. then arbitrary or despotic
6. Viewed independently; not comparative or relative; ultimate; intrinsic
7. Positive; certain.”
“On the money XY; now, who would like to define relative?”
47GUI responded:
“Relative (as adjective):
1. Considered in relation to something else; comparative
2. Existing or having its specific nature only by relation to something else; not absolute or independent
3. Having relation or connection
4. Having reference or regard; relevant; pertinent
5. Correspondent; proportionate
6. (of a term, name, etc.) depending for significance upon something else.”
“Another good answer, UI; but it’s easy to see both of you went to dictionary.com for the answers. Didn’t I tell you that it’s bad form to use technology that hasn’t been created yet?”
Both XY and UI averted the RG’s stare. UI spoke up, “Sorry, Chief, but we were talking to Satan and he said knowing the future is not that big a deal. After all, it’s going to happen anyway, no matter what we know or don’t know, or what we do or don’t do. He had a fancy name for it. Fatalism, I think.”
The RG started walking toward Sirius, the Dog Star. “Ah, yes. Because we are meeting right now, then ten million years ago it was true that we would be meeting right now. And while that’s absolutely true, it’s not relatively true. Do you see the difference, XY?”
XY stuttered a little, then responded: “A little bit, Chief. We, as well as you, are relative beings. We have to deal with reality in a relative way. When we start dealing with reality in an absolute way, we’re doing that which we’re not equipped for.”
“Excellent answer, XY. Where did you get that answer from?”
“Do I have to tell?”
But let’s get back to the current seminar:
“Can anyone define absolute?”
“That’s easy. It means (and the SLB started down a list):
“Absolute (as adjective):
1. Free from imperfection; complete; perfect
2. Not mixed or adulterated; pure
3. Complete; outright
4. Free from restriction or limitation; not limited in any way
5. Unrestrained or unlimited by a constitution, counterbalancing, group, etc, in the exercise of governmental power, esp. then arbitrary or despotic
6. Viewed independently; not comparative or relative; ultimate; intrinsic
7. Positive; certain.”
“On the money XY; now, who would like to define relative?”
47GUI responded:
“Relative (as adjective):
1. Considered in relation to something else; comparative
2. Existing or having its specific nature only by relation to something else; not absolute or independent
3. Having relation or connection
4. Having reference or regard; relevant; pertinent
5. Correspondent; proportionate
6. (of a term, name, etc.) depending for significance upon something else.”
“Another good answer, UI; but it’s easy to see both of you went to dictionary.com for the answers. Didn’t I tell you that it’s bad form to use technology that hasn’t been created yet?”
Both XY and UI averted the RG’s stare. UI spoke up, “Sorry, Chief, but we were talking to Satan and he said knowing the future is not that big a deal. After all, it’s going to happen anyway, no matter what we know or don’t know, or what we do or don’t do. He had a fancy name for it. Fatalism, I think.”
The RG started walking toward Sirius, the Dog Star. “Ah, yes. Because we are meeting right now, then ten million years ago it was true that we would be meeting right now. And while that’s absolutely true, it’s not relatively true. Do you see the difference, XY?”
XY stuttered a little, then responded: “A little bit, Chief. We, as well as you, are relative beings. We have to deal with reality in a relative way. When we start dealing with reality in an absolute way, we’re doing that which we’re not equipped for.”
“Excellent answer, XY. Where did you get that answer from?”
“Do I have to tell?”
Chapter 8
“What I can’t understand,
AG, is this parallel universe concept. Doesn’t the term universe mean all there
is? Isn’t it the whole enchilada?”
“Yes and No, RG. Wrap your head around this. I’m the whole enchilada. I am the universe. But I’m also infinite, i.e., no end in sight. Once you start saying the universe is all things then I suddenly become second banana. So to rectify the situation I also gave you the ability to create parallel universes. That way no one universe can take precedence over the other.”
“I thought I only created one universe.”
“You did but I made sure there was a quantum loop in your equations. The universe you created just keeps repeating itself.”
The RG suddenly felt the need to sit down.
“Move over to my right side. I like you better there.”
“Yes and No, RG. Wrap your head around this. I’m the whole enchilada. I am the universe. But I’m also infinite, i.e., no end in sight. Once you start saying the universe is all things then I suddenly become second banana. So to rectify the situation I also gave you the ability to create parallel universes. That way no one universe can take precedence over the other.”
“I thought I only created one universe.”
“You did but I made sure there was a quantum loop in your equations. The universe you created just keeps repeating itself.”
The RG suddenly felt the need to sit down.
“Move over to my right side. I like you better there.”
Chapter 9
Before
we relate the proceedings of the Famous MOO Debate which happened in Star
Seminar 678987456231-A and which ended the seminar where RG spoke at length
(almost 96,000 years) to the entire population of SLBs (both good and bad), let
us first go back to the conversation between AG and RG that got the ball
rolling.
“OK, AG, since I’m asking,
it must mean that I was destined to ask at this moment, but it may not mean I
was destined to get an answer, since I haven’t got an answer yet: what is your
Method Of Operation, or MOO as I like to call it?”
“Son, I’ll get right to the point. My Method Of Operation, or MOO as you like to call it, is in a nutshell as follows: I dot all my i’s and cross all my t’s. I never leave anything to chance… even chance itself. I’m always ‘there’ wherever ‘there’ might be; the same with ‘here’. Get used to me. I’m not going away. I do listen to my creatures, but only because I enjoy hearing what I wrote. And finally, I just love it when a plan comes together.”
It was just what RG needed to hear. He felt now he had the intellectual ammunition he needed for a 100,000 year seminar.
***
The first 75,000 years or so of Star Seminar 678987456231-A went without a hitch. Everyone was on board following the broad outlines of AG’s Master Script. And they all enjoyed the more esoteric aspects of his MOO methodology. Here are some of the high points: Satan would finally rebel against RG, pulling away approximating 1/3 of the SLBs or ‘angels’ (...as they were more and more being called; Angel stood for Ambassadors for Nuclear Growth and Electron Living. Angels were pro-nuke but preferred not to get too close to atoms when they split.) In a cosmic fight so fierce at least one parallel universe was destroyed, Satan and his minions would be defeated by RG and his. It wasn’t really a fair fight since RG had 2/3 of the angels on his side. But as RG and Satan both later admitted, what’s fair about a deterministic universe (DU)?
For doing such a good job of leading his minions to defeat, Satan would be awarded a consolation prize he had long been campaigning for: he would be allowed to temporarily change his name to Lucifer, Son of the Morning Star. Lucifer would then make a grand entrance to Earth in a form of a falling star. He then would be given control of Earth itself. Satan was delighted with the temporary name change but had doubts about the Earth gig. “What am I going to do with an empty, wasted planet (it will be devastated in the afore-mentioned Cosmic Upheaval). I’m no homebody. I like to roam to and fro throughout the universe.”
The RG replied, “You can still roam from time to time. But you’re wrong about Earth being an empty, wasted planet. It may be now but in a few billion years, it’ll be teeming with life.”
“I’ve heard that rumor.” Satan retorted. “You’re going to create some frail creatures called humans and there will be two sexes, male and female. For some reason, some of my boys are already salivating over the females."
“I recommend that your boys stay away from the human females, unless they want to see their spirits torn asunder from their bodies. You should tell them to think of human females as nuclei of atoms.”
“Some of my boys have minds of their own.”
“That’s what they think.”
***
As long as Satan was free to roam, having fun and causing havoc wherever he went, he was fine. However, when RG started talking about the Great Tribulation, the Millennium, and Post-Millennium, Satan got visibly upset and the Great MOO Debate began.
Here’s Satan talking to RG: “Let me get this straight. At the end of the Great Tribulation, I get my butt kicked by you, and get thrown in the bottomless pit where I stay under house arrest for 1000 years. Then when I get out, I once again try to defeat you, get my butt kicked again, and then be tortured in the Lake of Fire for untold ages. This is my reward for doing exactly what I’m supposed to do? It doesn’t make sense! "
RG: “I didn’t write the script. My job is to direct it."
Satan: “I demand a re-write!”
RG: “Ain’t gonna happen. You can’t change something that as far as Whole Reality is concerned, has already happened. "
Satan: “So I’m just stupid.”
RG: “What do you mean by that?”
Satan: “I mean the definition of stupid is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
RG: “There you go. You’ve solved the problem just by thinking about it. "
Satan: “Now I’m asking. What do you mean by that?”
RG: “You can’t really expect anything in a DU, for how you can you expect something that’s already happened.?”
Satan: “Your logic is unassailable as well I might add, impeccable. Oh, well.”
RG: OK, class, we're stopping 4,000 years early. See you at the next seminar in the MI Galaxy. Don’t park too close to the Black Hole in Sector UUUU456NBVC.
“Son, I’ll get right to the point. My Method Of Operation, or MOO as you like to call it, is in a nutshell as follows: I dot all my i’s and cross all my t’s. I never leave anything to chance… even chance itself. I’m always ‘there’ wherever ‘there’ might be; the same with ‘here’. Get used to me. I’m not going away. I do listen to my creatures, but only because I enjoy hearing what I wrote. And finally, I just love it when a plan comes together.”
It was just what RG needed to hear. He felt now he had the intellectual ammunition he needed for a 100,000 year seminar.
***
The first 75,000 years or so of Star Seminar 678987456231-A went without a hitch. Everyone was on board following the broad outlines of AG’s Master Script. And they all enjoyed the more esoteric aspects of his MOO methodology. Here are some of the high points: Satan would finally rebel against RG, pulling away approximating 1/3 of the SLBs or ‘angels’ (...as they were more and more being called; Angel stood for Ambassadors for Nuclear Growth and Electron Living. Angels were pro-nuke but preferred not to get too close to atoms when they split.) In a cosmic fight so fierce at least one parallel universe was destroyed, Satan and his minions would be defeated by RG and his. It wasn’t really a fair fight since RG had 2/3 of the angels on his side. But as RG and Satan both later admitted, what’s fair about a deterministic universe (DU)?
For doing such a good job of leading his minions to defeat, Satan would be awarded a consolation prize he had long been campaigning for: he would be allowed to temporarily change his name to Lucifer, Son of the Morning Star. Lucifer would then make a grand entrance to Earth in a form of a falling star. He then would be given control of Earth itself. Satan was delighted with the temporary name change but had doubts about the Earth gig. “What am I going to do with an empty, wasted planet (it will be devastated in the afore-mentioned Cosmic Upheaval). I’m no homebody. I like to roam to and fro throughout the universe.”
The RG replied, “You can still roam from time to time. But you’re wrong about Earth being an empty, wasted planet. It may be now but in a few billion years, it’ll be teeming with life.”
“I’ve heard that rumor.” Satan retorted. “You’re going to create some frail creatures called humans and there will be two sexes, male and female. For some reason, some of my boys are already salivating over the females."
“I recommend that your boys stay away from the human females, unless they want to see their spirits torn asunder from their bodies. You should tell them to think of human females as nuclei of atoms.”
“Some of my boys have minds of their own.”
“That’s what they think.”
***
As long as Satan was free to roam, having fun and causing havoc wherever he went, he was fine. However, when RG started talking about the Great Tribulation, the Millennium, and Post-Millennium, Satan got visibly upset and the Great MOO Debate began.
Here’s Satan talking to RG: “Let me get this straight. At the end of the Great Tribulation, I get my butt kicked by you, and get thrown in the bottomless pit where I stay under house arrest for 1000 years. Then when I get out, I once again try to defeat you, get my butt kicked again, and then be tortured in the Lake of Fire for untold ages. This is my reward for doing exactly what I’m supposed to do? It doesn’t make sense! "
RG: “I didn’t write the script. My job is to direct it."
Satan: “I demand a re-write!”
RG: “Ain’t gonna happen. You can’t change something that as far as Whole Reality is concerned, has already happened. "
Satan: “So I’m just stupid.”
RG: “What do you mean by that?”
Satan: “I mean the definition of stupid is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
RG: “There you go. You’ve solved the problem just by thinking about it. "
Satan: “Now I’m asking. What do you mean by that?”
RG: “You can’t really expect anything in a DU, for how you can you expect something that’s already happened.?”
Satan: “Your logic is unassailable as well I might add, impeccable. Oh, well.”
RG: OK, class, we're stopping 4,000 years early. See you at the next seminar in the MI Galaxy. Don’t park too close to the Black Hole in Sector UUUU456NBVC.
Chapter 10
The AG & RG were having yet another pre-production meeting. In this case, the main topic was the creation of humanity on the planet Earth.
“Now, AG, this is a bigger
undertaking than I first imagined. There are a lot of crucial variables present
when dealing with humans that are not there when dealing with the SLBs.”
“Are you saying the job is too big for you?”
“Not exactly but I am saying I could use some more help.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I would like someone similar to you, that is, 100% spirit, yet someone who is under my direct orders.”
The AG paused a second or two before answering, “Hmmm, not a bad idea. But there are some ramifications that you may not have considered.”
“Like what?”
“Well, there’s a good chance that some will mistake this helper as something more than he is. They might even elevate him to god-like status.”
The RG laughed. “That’s funny, AG. “
The AG responded, “Look, Son, by now you should understand that I’m not much into non-sequiturs. I like logical progression. That way when a miracle happens, it really stands out. Once you show up on Earth in mortal form and start saying ‘God is Spirit’, and say things like ‘when I’m gone, the Spirit will console you’ and other similar statements, people will start attributing person status to the Spirit. They may even get the crazy idea that we three are one.”
The RG remained impassive: “It’s just one of those things, AG. I need help and this is the best way I know to get that help.”
“It’s your call, Junior.”
“Thanks, AG.”
“Are you saying the job is too big for you?”
“Not exactly but I am saying I could use some more help.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I would like someone similar to you, that is, 100% spirit, yet someone who is under my direct orders.”
The AG paused a second or two before answering, “Hmmm, not a bad idea. But there are some ramifications that you may not have considered.”
“Like what?”
“Well, there’s a good chance that some will mistake this helper as something more than he is. They might even elevate him to god-like status.”
The RG laughed. “That’s funny, AG. “
The AG responded, “Look, Son, by now you should understand that I’m not much into non-sequiturs. I like logical progression. That way when a miracle happens, it really stands out. Once you show up on Earth in mortal form and start saying ‘God is Spirit’, and say things like ‘when I’m gone, the Spirit will console you’ and other similar statements, people will start attributing person status to the Spirit. They may even get the crazy idea that we three are one.”
The RG remained impassive: “It’s just one of those things, AG. I need help and this is the best way I know to get that help.”
“It’s your call, Junior.”
“Thanks, AG.”
Chapter 11
Adam was restless and in a
less than wonderful mood. He had seen the tree with all the ripe and delicious
looking fruit and he wasn’t happy about it. He had a bone to pick with RG.
“This is a set-up!”
The RG remained calm. “Now, Adam, you’re jumping to conclusions again. Just because you’re a free moral agent doesn’t mean we superior beings like to play games with you. The tree is there for a reason.”
“And pray tell what might that be?” Adam had trouble controlling his sarcasm.
“We want to see if you and Eve can refrain from eating from it even when tempted.”
“I knew it! A trap!” Adam cried out.
Eve had walked out from among the trees. “Uh, Adam.”
“Not now, Eve. I’m talking over something very important with RG and our future happiness may depend on it.”
“Uh, Adam, dear, I’ve got something to tell you.”
“This is a set-up!”
The RG remained calm. “Now, Adam, you’re jumping to conclusions again. Just because you’re a free moral agent doesn’t mean we superior beings like to play games with you. The tree is there for a reason.”
“And pray tell what might that be?” Adam had trouble controlling his sarcasm.
“We want to see if you and Eve can refrain from eating from it even when tempted.”
“I knew it! A trap!” Adam cried out.
Eve had walked out from among the trees. “Uh, Adam.”
“Not now, Eve. I’m talking over something very important with RG and our future happiness may depend on it.”
“Uh, Adam, dear, I’ve got something to tell you.”
EPILOG
“Have
you figured it out yet?” The AG’s voice came from somewhere near Alpha
Centauri.
“Yes. Just last night, as a matter of fact.” The RG answered back. “You don’t really exist.”
“Bravo!” The AG cried out. “And what gave it away?”
“Little things, I suppose; like your invisibility. I’ve never actually seen you. Just this voice coming out of nowhere.”
“But I’m pure spirit. Of course, you can’t see me.”
“But a voice implies a body; at least a throat with a larynx. Also, the SLBs started wondering: why didn’t you attend any of the seminars? The only member of the Godhead they ever dealt with was me. “
The AG laughed. “OK, smartie, then where I did come from?”
The RG didn’t laugh. “Obviously, I created you. You’re an extension of my mind. But for some reason, I made myself forget that I created you.”
“Would you like to speculate why?”
“Yes. Just last night, as a matter of fact.” The RG answered back. “You don’t really exist.”
“Bravo!” The AG cried out. “And what gave it away?”
“Little things, I suppose; like your invisibility. I’ve never actually seen you. Just this voice coming out of nowhere.”
“But I’m pure spirit. Of course, you can’t see me.”
“But a voice implies a body; at least a throat with a larynx. Also, the SLBs started wondering: why didn’t you attend any of the seminars? The only member of the Godhead they ever dealt with was me. “
The AG laughed. “OK, smartie, then where I did come from?”
The RG didn’t laugh. “Obviously, I created you. You’re an extension of my mind. But for some reason, I made myself forget that I created you.”
“Would you like to speculate why?”
“Comedic
relief?”
The AG laughed again. “There is that. But I think the main reason you created me was to have someone as smart as yourself to talk to; you made yourself forget because it made the experience more realistic.”
“We did have some great talks out among the stars.”
The AG spoke in a more serious tone. “Well, I guess you don’t need me any more.”
“I think you’re right.”
“Then it’s time for me to go?”
“Yes. But remember, I may bring you back if I decide to do it all again.”
“I’m counting on it.”
The AG laughed again. “There is that. But I think the main reason you created me was to have someone as smart as yourself to talk to; you made yourself forget because it made the experience more realistic.”
“We did have some great talks out among the stars.”
The AG spoke in a more serious tone. “Well, I guess you don’t need me any more.”
“I think you’re right.”
“Then it’s time for me to go?”
“Yes. But remember, I may bring you back if I decide to do it all again.”
“I’m counting on it.”
THE END
(Relatively Speaking, Of Course)
The Obvious
We ignore the obvious at
our peril. The first obvious mistake is to deny that you are you. This happens
if you ascribe to a deterministic view of life. If you believe in an all
controlling God then, in effect, you are saying that God is you. His thoughts
are your thoughts and your thoughts are His thoughts. Yet, strangely enough for
those who say God controls us, the Bible says the exact opposite.
Another obvious mistake is
to assume that God saves you, but how can God save you if you’re not you?
If Jesus Isn’t God, Who Is?
We ignore the obvious at
our peril. The obvious, in this case, is that Jesus was not just a great and
good man but also was God. Jesus is a historical figure who meets the criteria
necessary for God/Man actuality.
Because Jesus was God, He
still is God. Also, because Jesus was human, He is still human.
Romans
9:5 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
5 The ancestors are
theirs, and from them, by physical descent,[a] came the
Messiah, who is God over all, praised forever.[b] Amen.
Romans
9:5 American Standard Version (ASV)
5 whose are the fathers, and
of whom is Christ as concerning the [a]flesh, who is over all, God
blessed [b]for ever. Amen.
Romans 9:5 J.B.
Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
4-5 Just think what the
Israelites have had given to them. The privilege of being adopted as sons of
God, the experience of seeing something of the glory of God, the receiving of
the agreements made with God, the gift of the Law, true ways of worship, God’s
own promises—all these are theirs, and so too, as far as human descent goes, is
Christ himself, Christ who is God over all, blessed for ever.
Romans 9:5 King
James Version (KJV)
5 Whose are the fathers, and
of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for
ever. Am
Romans
9:5 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
5 to them belong the
patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ. God who is
over all be blessed for ever.[a] Amen.
Romans
9:5 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
5 whose [are] the fathers,
and of whom [is] the Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all, God
blessed to the ages. Amen.
Romans 9:5 Darby
Translation (DARBY)
5 whose [are] the fathers;
and of whom, as according to flesh, [is] the Christ, who is over all, God
blessed for ever. Amen.
Makes Little Or No Sense
It
makes little or no sense that God has always existed as Spirit. If that's the
case, why create a physical universe? Why would God create something so
inferior to himself? Is that the best use of his creative faculties? Wouldn't a
spiritual creation make more sense? Why a physical creation at all?
Matter & Energy
Rule
of thumb: matter and energy are interchangeable. Are matter and energy the
basis for reality? Thought experiment: how could God create all things,
including energy, without first having energy? Thinking, which would be the
first step in creating, requires energy. At the very least, energy has always
existed.
God
is an idea - an idea that animates matter and energy.
Without
matter or energy, there is nothing. If you say spirit remains, than that's
tantamount to saying spirit has substance.
Matter/Energy
is the basis of Reality and without Reality there is no Existence. Existence
within Reality occurred when Mind formed out of a chance Matter/Energy
combination. For the first time there was something superior to Matter/Energy.
Though
Matter/Energy can be considered permanent, it can also be considered temporary.
This is due to its interchangeability, a constant mixing and re-mixing of
possibilities. But when Mind formed, Matter/Energy took a back seat to Mind,
which was permanent from its beginning. Thus Mind assumed control over
Matter/Energy and was then able to contemplate the creation of the physical
universe, our current Reality.
Spirit of Gandhi
Can
there be a spirit of Gandhi without Gandhi? A spirit of MLK without MLK? The
spirit lives when the flesh dies but the temporary must come before the
permanent. God as a physical being generated a fatherly spirit. When he emptied
himself and became human, the fatherly spirit remained. Jesus acknowledged this
in John 4:24. Jesus generated his own spirit, but it didn't blossom into its
strongest point of inspiration and influence until he left earth. The spirit is
not an individual but an idea or concept created by individual action and
behavior. We acknowledge this all the time, and is an aspect of common wisdom,
but we tend to make it something that it's not when we apply it to religion. It
only makes sense that the greatest individual (God) would generate the greatest,
most influential spirit.
These
are just my thoughts and as far as I know no one else has articulated them
quite the way I have. As you notice, I don't deny God as Father, Son, or Holy
Spirit. I'm just putting my own particular spin on them.
Spirit Matters
The spirit is the power of the mind to grasp ideas and to put them into action. The spirit transcends time and place; it is not subject to heredity or environment. Works outside the law of cause and effect. Works independently at a distance. Can be entirely spontaneous. Can operate on little or no information. Can die and come back to life. Can live forever. Can disappear forever. Can disappear forever and come back anyway. Beyond understanding. Has no life in itself. Entirely dependent on the mind. Entirely independent of one mind or group of minds. Free to roam the universe. Can be everywhere at once. Can be nowhere at all.Will not exist if the universe is destroyed. Will return if the universe is reborn. Is of God. Is not of God. Without it there's no point in living.
Location, Location
Most
things start small and then grow bigger. That would seem to be the natural
order of things. It’s no different with God. He started with one, then two,
then a few more, and then on and on, until He reached the final number (which
may not be the final number).
It’s
often hard to accept things at face value. We humans expand the importance of
things, to the point where the context is either obscured or lost entirely.
Just because something is not mentioned doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Blowing
things out of proportion won’t lead us to the truth. Some sort of historical
consciousness is needed – a sense of the present loaded down with the past.
Here’s what Paul considered a straightforward delineation of the facts:
11
So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the
uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by
human hands. 12 At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the
citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without
hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far
away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. 14 For He is our
peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility.
In His flesh, 15 He made of no effect the law consisting of commands and
expressed in regulations, so that He might create in Himself one new man from
the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that He might reconcile both to
God in one body through the cross and put the hostility to death by it.[a]17
When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far
away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access
by one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and
strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus
Himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building, being put together by Him,
grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. 22 You also are being built together
for God’s dwelling in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11-22 Holman Christian Standard
Bible (HCSB)
And
there’s this:
18
For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and
unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19
since what can be known[o] about God is evident among them, because God has
shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power
and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world,
being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without
excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show
gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds
were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the
glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed
animals, and reptiles. (Romans 1: 18-23 HCSB)
According
to Richard Weaver, there are two overriding conditions of reality: the world
itself and our opinions of the world. For our purposes, let’s change that to
God Himself and our opinions of God. Now the world is what it is. Sometimes our
opinions of the world are in accord with what really is, but oftentimes they
are not. The same goes for our opinions of God.
Summarizing:
Local
God Concept: start with one or two, repeat with one, then small group, then
large group, then nation, then world.
Competing
Deities: One good with subordinates, one bad with subordinates. Host of bad
ones possible. For reference see Exodus 20:3: Do not have other gods besides
Me. (HCSB)
No
actual being/intelligence that controls (to the minutest levels) all aspects of
creation.
Also,
conversely, no being who is totally arbitrary about what all humans should say
or do, i.e., humans do have free will but are subject to being punished for
their behavior (both severe and otherwise) and rewarded as well.
In
actuality, it can only work if there’s a partnership between God and humanity;
just what is proposed by the Garden of Eden story and subsequent similar
accounts.
I
think it’s a mistake to think of God as a fact, similar to the facts of the
natural world. Humanity’s relationship to God is and always will be open to
discussion.
In the Midst of Chaos, a Chaos in the Mist
Two
dynamics are at play in the world. They both revolve around the energy to act
and to do. One dynamic has to do with faith-belief and the other with spirit.
Faith-belief
is the opposite of knowledge. It elevates uncertainty into an art form. A human
is a natural born agnostic. His awareness of his ignorance is what propels him to
gain knowledge, to learn and know about the world. But the knowledge is always
incomplete and he’s left holding the bag; a bag that he has filled with
information but a bag that remains essentially empty because it’s full of
holes. To counteract the experience of failure, he sprinkles his mind with
arrogance and calls that arrogance wisdom. He seeks superiority where none is
necessary. He grabs a pile of uncertainty and calls it certainty. But nothing
really changes.
Faith-belief
jumps in to fill the breach. He believes because he has no other recourse. He
cannot admit defeat though by admitting defeat he will find that elusive
certainty. But that’s not the kind of certainty he wants. He wants to elevate
his existence, even if it means forsaking truth and knowledge.
In
the mists of time there is chaos. There can actually be nothing else. Any order
out of chaos is tantamount to a figment of our imagination. We fight the chaos
but the end result is inevitable. All we have is faith-belief.
Unless
we dare to utilize spirit. Spirit is the coalescing of moment to moment; spirit
is the elusive now. It’s like recreating ourselves on the spot. The world
passes away but the spirit remains. Why does it remain? Because it’s not a
thing. It matters because it’s not matter. Spirit is the supreme example of
energy at work.
He
or she who has the most energy rules the world. Indeed, rules the universe.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)