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Life, Jim, but not as we know it

Reader comment on item: Siege in Sydney
in response to reader comment: simple truths

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Jan 27, 2015 at 08:51

"Actually the 'name riddle' is no riddle at all. It's glaringly obvious..."

Hmm... Waza, I really AM dense. If I ever figure out your name, I will have to kick myself. The problem there is, I still haven't figured out how to kick myself! Now, is that dense? or is that dense? (I once could put both feet behind my neck, if that's any help; but nowadays, I have trouble tying my shoes!)

"..It is true, that we can't see the Kingdom of Heaven with our earthly eyes.." But Jesus did say both 'the Kingdom of Heaven' is within you' and 'seek and ye shall find' , no?

Luke.17
1.[20] And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

He said you can't see it with your eyes -- which makes sense, if it's inside you.

Was he lying or trying to send people on a wild goose chase? I think not. In fact, I know not. This kingdom actually shows itself when you are very here and now.

Now, that's something he didn't exactly say. Tanakh says,

Proverbs 27
[12] A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

He said we should watch and wait. That's being "here and now", to be sure; but also expectant. He also said a peculiar thing,

Jesus describes the Kingdom of God as something we receive, something we inherit and something we enter.

God is repeatedly called the "God of heaven"; and when we consider "heaven" as being everything above us (and "earth" being that which is below), we can see that it it goes on quite a ways -- some 15 billion light years, i've been told. That's the limit of what we can know scientifically -- which is to say, what we can learn by observation. Beyond that lies the unknown; and our own scientists say that once the Universe was very small, smaller than a grapefruit. As "Master of the Universe", as the Jews say, or "God of heaven", as the Bible says, we can imagine that God is and was greater than this. Paul said to the Athenians,

Acts 17
[28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

It's not hard, therefore, to conceive of God with our reasoning; and His existence is most reasonable. He lives beyond the heavens; He lived before the Universe existed; yet He has done a truly amazing thing: He can exist inside our minds! Not in the matter of our minds; because we can see that all the matter in the universe is smaller than Him; and not in the energy of our minds, because we know that matter and energy are different forms of the same substance. He exists (or I should say, ought to exist) in the realm not of ideas that we conjure up with firing neurons, but of the ideas themselves, which have an existence themselves, an eternal existence, even when they aren't resident in us.

These ideas can be expressed as words; and words themselves can be strung together into sentences, pages, books, into wisdom itself, to become one word, one thought: As John said,

John 1
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[2] The same was in the beginning with God.
[3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
[4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
[5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

We sing the song,

"By wisdom O Lord
Heaven's gates open up
With understanding You order the seasons
Creating day and night
Turning darkness into light
Arranging the stars to Your pleasing"

The song is adapted from the Psalms. It stresses that

Colossians 1:
[16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:

Note that I capitalized the "Him", to make it clear that we are talking about God here, not Messiah. This isn't religious, trinitarian gobbledegook; it's a straitforward statement of what we ought to know: We can see the universe. We can't see what or Who made it. But what we can see of the universe tells us something of its maker: Its maker was or had great wisdom, which we know as the laws of physics. From the singularity, it apparently flew apart with tremendous force, then coalesced as matter (as we know it and as we don't know it) and forces, dancing together as though led by a symphony. The greatest wisdom on earth cannot duplicate it.

So we know that the Master of the Universe is wise, and powerful. We also know that He (or a "Super-wise It???") is just; for there is balance and symmetry in the universe. As the Apostle Paul said,

Romans 1:
[20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools

Some scientists and mathematicians have been trying, over the years, to come up with a mathematical expression that connects the matter, forces and phenomena of the universe. Forces and matter, for instance, can be shown to be related to one another: They both have wave properties and particle properties at the same time; and we know that both waves and particles can be described mathematically. We also know that physics is different in different regimes: as one approaches the speed of light, we describe things with relitavistic physics; when dealing with the nano-scale, we use quantum physics. This, and other things, makes the math extremely complicated; and some briliant thinkers have come up with "string theory", to put it all together.

Underlying string theory, is the reasonable assumption that everything can be described mathematically. If you will, it can be described as "1"s and "0"s, the building blocks of the programs we a communicating with. These numbers are, in fact, alphanumeric "words"; and a string of all these words, arranged with infinite wisdom, are also a "word" -- the Word of Super-wise "It", if you will; but to those of us who love Him, the Word of God.

The Apostle John, then, and also Paul, thus anticipated the greatest minds of our time.

I haven't described God here, as though I had "seen" Him the way a person sees another person. I have described Him rudimentary fashion, according to what I see (and what our greatest minds have seen) in the world around us -- our vast universe which was, alas, brought forth from a very small beginning. I didn't see this God with my eyes; I saw Him within me, in my mind. At the time that I "saw" him this way, I appropriated Him by faith; and He showed Himself to me not as human understanding that would make Him a "thing", as something I could explain and control; but as a person: not as an abstract concept such as "love", something I could never fully understand, but as the One who loves me. I have submitted to Him as my King, and entered into His Kingdom. I did that in the middle of a forest, on a pitch-black night; and I have walked in His light ever since (Well, OK -- I step the other way sometimes).

Now, this fellow in Sydney -- did he walk in such a light? Did he have such a life? He had life, Jim, but not as we know it.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (92) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
2Dr. Pipes, what do you think of this as an approach to dealing with ISIS? [407 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Charles MartelJan 22, 2015 22:37220614
Eternally hen-pecked Jihadis [332 words]Michael SJan 24, 2015 05:26220614
Sorry, but... [38 words]AlanaFeb 22, 2015 16:09220614
Not the most effective way [107 words]EdmondMar 9, 2015 19:35220614
NO need... [95 words]JIMJFOXMar 10, 2015 03:14220614
1Terrorism Tax idea [83 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Charles MartelJan 9, 2015 11:47220195
3An add on -Mental Issue- [55 words]Michael Hanni MorcosDec 30, 2014 16:24220025
3From Sydney_Comment [134 words]Peter CunninghamDec 30, 2014 15:51220024
2Kudos to Ben Shapiro for exposing the hoax of the hashtag #ILLRIDEWITHYOU [90 words]dhimmi no moreDec 25, 2014 15:06219949
A sad event, but tragically very common [84 words]Michael SDec 19, 2014 20:30219858
2the list grows [342 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahDec 20, 2014 01:17219858
We're all on walkabout [385 words]Michael SDec 26, 2014 08:57219858
past times [549 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahDec 28, 2014 05:49219858
Arab leaders all have two faces. [817 words]Michael SDec 30, 2014 14:25219858
alliances [412 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 3, 2015 03:52219858
Fairweather friends, and fleeting realities. Also, the 12 state solution [310 words]Michael SJan 7, 2015 04:19219858
Islam was built on shed blood [466 words]Michael SJan 13, 2015 13:34219858
'moderates' regressing [396 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 15, 2015 04:04219858
islam and why we're here [390 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 15, 2015 04:23219858
Off the edge of the cliff [1449 words]Michael SJan 20, 2015 07:51219858
Leaping quanta, and other matters [737 words]Michael SJan 21, 2015 23:58219858
simple truths [280 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 23, 2015 21:52219858
cultural differences [519 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 23, 2015 23:08219858
Watching for cues [1059 words]Michael SJan 27, 2015 06:13219858
Life, Jim, but not as we know it [1370 words]Michael SJan 27, 2015 08:51219858
3Allah's identity -- probably Nimrod [615 words]Michael SJan 27, 2015 19:15219858
1great and wonderful things [599 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 2, 2015 00:31219858
OK, 50 years overly generous [414 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 2, 2015 00:55219858
the roots of their displeasure [202 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 2, 2015 03:14219858
Katoomba? Lithgow? Guadalcanal? [726 words]Michael SFeb 3, 2015 23:52219858
All in you mind... and mine... but not, it seems, in Man Monis [627 words]Michael SFeb 4, 2015 00:49219858
The Muslim mind: Spooky at a Distance? [637 words]Michael SFeb 4, 2015 08:24219858
being prepared [434 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 5, 2015 03:12219858
grades of illusion [1202 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 5, 2015 04:24219858
Different ways to die. [51 words]Michael SFeb 9, 2015 03:46219858
Some thoughts [1099 words]Michael SFeb 9, 2015 06:35219858
being in a straitjacket doesn't earn you merit. [922 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 10, 2015 00:52219858
moment to moment [351 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 12, 2015 01:00219858
Goldilocks, the Moebus War and flush toilets [459 words]Michael SFeb 12, 2015 06:02219858
The terrorist mind [729 words]Michael SFeb 13, 2015 14:31219858
Turkey always backs both sides until it sees a clear winner. [221 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 16, 2015 21:45219858
Nah -- uninteresting [83 words]Michael SFeb 17, 2015 17:12219858
Van Diemen's land [44 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 19, 2015 03:28219858
flat earth [46 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 20, 2015 21:29219858
The safest place in the world [96 words]Michael SFeb 22, 2015 23:47219858
Fitting the bill(s) [812 words]Michael SFeb 23, 2015 08:01219858
limits to infinity [169 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 25, 2015 22:01219858
Trouble connecting to pro-Israel websites. [134 words]Michael SFeb 26, 2015 18:18219858
bandwidth problem? [315 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 28, 2015 22:56219858
O tempora, o mores! [522 words]Michael SMar 5, 2015 18:11219858
I don't know [331 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahMar 9, 2015 00:33219858
1Thank You [82 words]A Seasoned HunterDec 14, 2020 04:44219858
1additional info [499 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahDec 19, 2014 07:15219854
You were right [45 words]Michael SJan 24, 2015 04:25219854
2Screening of all immigrants for mental health problems is the answer [120 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
dhimmi no moreDec 17, 2014 06:58219819
2about Illridewithyou [273 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahDec 19, 2014 00:51219819
4Nope, you are wrong. [227 words]Peter HallDec 19, 2014 20:47219819
1The case for screening for mental health problems [290 words]dhimmi no moreDec 20, 2014 10:17219819
1Real history v. wishful thinking [188 words]dhimmi no moreDec 20, 2014 10:45219819
To Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullah [111 words]Kepha HorDec 21, 2014 21:01219819
sentences to translate [152 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahDec 24, 2014 00:08219819
con job [346 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahDec 24, 2014 00:27219819
4The Arabic words فرج and زبيبته and Muhammad and al-Hussain [523 words]dhimmi no moreDec 25, 2014 08:21219819
1One more victim of the Sydney atrocity! Free speech on twitter! [257 words]dhimmi no moreDec 25, 2014 12:47219819
1Jihad Joe [389 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahDec 28, 2014 06:10219819
1The truth never goes away [96 words]dhimmi no moreDec 30, 2014 09:39219819
thanks [28 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 1, 2015 20:38219819
more questions [63 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 3, 2015 00:36219819
He who laughs last [316 words]dhimmi no moreJan 7, 2015 16:41219819
1Mental Health Screening [211 words]donJan 9, 2015 02:16219819
1usefulness of hadith [231 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 11, 2015 21:01219819
1Arabs atheists and twitter [70 words]dhimmi no moreJan 13, 2015 17:44219819
polygraph [38 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 15, 2015 04:25219819
Immigration and mental health disease [108 words]dhimmi no moreJan 15, 2015 07:17219819
3Murder those that insult Allah Muhammad and it is in the Qur'an and the rantings of Ibn Taymiyya [525 words]dhimmi no moreJan 17, 2015 09:21219819
blatant lies [166 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahJan 22, 2015 19:59219819
English translation of Q9:66 [500 words]Michael SJan 28, 2015 06:11219819
3we are all Ra'if Badawi [168 words]dhimmi no moreJan 28, 2015 13:35219819
Arabic texts and translations [97 words]dhimmi no moreFeb 1, 2015 09:02219819
1Muhammed the Pedophile? Yes and no. [468 words]Michael SFeb 1, 2015 20:07219819
past insight [508 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 1, 2015 23:23219819
2no excuse [65 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 3, 2015 20:41219819
Thanks again [221 words]Michael SFeb 3, 2015 23:03219819
Atheists in Saudi Arabia! [70 words]dhimmi no moreFeb 4, 2015 08:10219819
The Islamic literary sources [536 words]dhimmi no moreFeb 4, 2015 08:37219819
We have many Muhammeds among us, and they are not pedophiles [374 words]Michael SFeb 5, 2015 10:57219819
Pres Adams knew his stuff. Too bad we can't re-elect him [17 words]Michael SFeb 5, 2015 18:21219819
no comparison [299 words]Mohammed Waza Khiddif Id'ullahFeb 7, 2015 23:09219819
1It is not meant to be a poem! It is a Sura Like It [273 words]dhimmi no moreFeb 8, 2015 16:47219819
Islam for Arabs only? I never heard that before. [27 words]Michael SFeb 10, 2015 10:38219819
1The Qur'an says that Islam is the religion of the Arabs only [288 words]dhimmi no moreFeb 11, 2015 07:58219819
You're right [18 words]Michael SFeb 15, 2015 11:33219819

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