Foothills of the French Pyrenees, late December. Early morning, sun’s radiant ball peeks shyly over world’s horizon to kiss the earth hello. Gentle curve of cornfield, chill, dun-coloured, dormant, imperceptibly transfigured to golden hue by breath of warm life. My shadow forms from thin air, tall field sentinel.
Midday. Southern European latitude. Sun higher in the sky. Noon light heavy, flat, oppressive... Then towards day’s farewell, shadows lengthen, colours deepen, landscape is reclothed with intrigue, enticement. Distant rose-tipped peaks kiss the eye and awaken longing. Lilac cut-out mountain chain: outline of peak against sky, stark and jagged, a fairytale battlement, a playground for the children of giants.
Tea time, and a scene change, imperceptible and huge, on nature’s stage. Garish loud sun has sunk to slumber. Night: sleight of hand, thick, black, felt. Safe, daytime rhythms and murmurings cease… a vast hush. Chill cavern of darkness pricks nocturnal denizens to twitchy, saucer-eyed alertness. A fox‘s screechy bark. Owl‘s ghost call, warm, wise. From another world, preternatural, comforting: an echoing tunnel of ‘o’s, smoke rings of sound.
Stars. Beauty unimpeded by urban glare. Churning, boiling, nuclear engines hurtling through space; but to the human eye, winking, beckoning friends. Their array familiar and unchanging, across aeons. Mythic constellations, vast epistles delicately suspended. Eye rests, mind expands and contemplates. Earth, this sapphire gem, this wilting greenhouse: a speck of cosmic dust spinning in vast immensities. What ineffable power, what deep wisdom, holds together these two universes, starry vault and human mind, in this communion of awe?
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22 comments:
Sounds beautiful.
Just think how amazing it seems to those of us who don't see the hand of God behind it all.
:-)
What ineffable power, what deep wisdom, holds together these two universes, starry vault and human mind, in this communion of awe?
None! Physics works without the need for a god. Like I keep telling you, the human mind is purely physical or drugs and injury wouldn't affect personality.
The fact you exist is not evidence that your god exists - you surely must realise the inconsistency in the claim. God must also need a creator to keep the argument consistent.
P1: All things that exist need a cause
P2: God does not have a cause.
C: Therefore god does not exist.
This is why people call theology a non subject.
Anyway, I digress. Sounds nice
Um, I'm sure I've read an argument about God as the Uncaused Cause before.. but don't expect me to get drawn into that one..!
I'm glad you at least like the description - we're getting SOMEwhere then..
Um, I'm sure I've read an argument about God as the Uncaused Cause before.
It has no existential import and offers no chance of verification. It might as well be an internally consistant fairy tale (exept its not even internally consistant). Substitute universe for god and tell me what you think of that as an argument. It seems that theology offers excuses to believe in god. It does not derive his existence.
Consider this - two opposing views of the same god - god is simple or god is complex. What tools does theology have to choose between the two? (no doubt Rob thinks god is both :-) ).
Just think how amazing it seems to those of us who don't see the hand of God behind it all.
Having been there, I find the theist view of nature totally laclustre. Complex life needs no designer. Everywhere we look in an organism, we see evidence of its evolutionary history. Seeing it at the genetic level, where we see evidence of random mutations that the non random process of natural selection has acted on to produce a new function is totally amazing. All totally blind and natural. That really fills me with awe. The idea that a celestial Paul Daniels suddenly created every living species (or any) is a poor cop out. Ignorance or wilfull denial are the only ways to be a creationist in the face of mountains of evidence. And no, it is not a question of interpretation of the same evidence - evolution can be tested Creationism is an opinion based in ignorance. Anyone care to discuss?
Well, at least I've read the comments immediately this time, which is quite unusual for me..
"All totally blind and natural. That really fills me with awe."
Speaking for myself, I think I find picturesque views and nature to be more remarkable than I did when I was a believer. Of course, I've no doubt that this is due in no small part to my growing up over the last decade since I was "properly religious", but even so.
just finished a doing a bit of study on the brain - delightful to read bubbling prose bruce - a pleasure to find you right brain is alive and well.
I've heard right brain activity is going to be rationed shortly - apparently the chinese think very little of its commercial value - in the new world order im not sure of its long term viability - best to use it while we can.
Swim on brother fish...
Thanks Rob; when all's said and done I know I'm far more interested in this kind of writing, expressing something with a bit of originality; more rewarding for me than rehashing arguments about God that plenty of others have formulated and rehearsed for those interested in seeking that stuff out. (of course you can express that stuff with wit, originality and colourful language too, as you've often demonstrated). The calm receptive state of mind and open heart needed for this kind of writing also strikes me as far more amenable to receiving any truth and revelation from God that's there to be had (and I reckon there's plenty), than cold aggressive left-brained analysis.
So thanks for the encouragement, I intend to keep swimming.
The calm receptive state of mind and open heart needed for this kind of writing also strikes me as far more amenable to receiving any truth and revelation from God that's there to be had (and I reckon there's plenty), than cold aggressive left-brained analysis.
Just for your information, this is why people say there is no evidence for god. Clearly you are not really interested in the truth, but like the vast majority of christians are looking for some psychological crutch. I suspect that you would not be interested in examining your claim. How do you know you are communing with god? Again, I find your christian world view to be most self contradictory - you talk of truth, but you are unwilling to investigate.
It would be nice if you could realise that you dont need this stuff to live your life. Looking back, I found it much more trouble than its worth - atheism works. I challenge you to give it a go. Strange, fundies think there is something scary to non believers in christianity. I challenge you to throw away your crutch and walk brother Bruce. Go on - unless you are chicken.... :-)
Bruce,
I couldnt agree more - the arguments about god might enetertain but I am always left wondering at the end of them if i want to believe anything - belief can become such an idol - it is the unspeakable thing that comes out of the belief - the life of faith which is offers - the honey from the lions mouth so to speak - that allows me to appreciate the value of christian culture.
I was reading a lot of theology last year - but eventually - while reading a particular work "holistic catholicism" I think it was called - the author claimed that the language that expressed god best was the language of silence and love.
I immedietly put the book down and havent read one since !
all arguments it seems are fragments - moves and gestures in a cosmic dance of the mind ? of point and counter point - of breaking down and building up - of opposites interweaving.
How can you ever hope to describe the wholeness of this world - no matter the wholeness of god - its like trying to land leviathon with a hook as job says - and I think the mind and the person which percieves god has to somehow be like god - ineffable
whats the verse in johns gospel:
The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. That's the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit
I think about that a lot - I dont know if I have ever fully understood it - Im not sure I ever want too....
thats my 5 cents for tonight
night night
r.
Cheers Rob. I'll try and come back to you Billy.
Darn... I am sure I made a comment last night.
I must have mucked up - oh well.
Nice poem Bruce, but I don't understand your conclusions.
But you knew this
Lee
its all gone a bit quite bruce,
not giving up blogging for lent are you ? lent must be sometime soon - I can tell from the size of my belly. trust your well
r.
Hey Rob, how about giving up faith for lent :-)
How are the toon doing just now? Read an amusing quote by gazza recently: "I dont make predictions, and I never will"
Hey Bruce, Jonathan and Billy et al. Hope you're well!
You guys still chatting away about proof for God? Wowser. I'd have thought things would have moved on from now! Is it because of Bruce's stubbornness or have you just not been able to express an objectively convincing argument?
Sorry not to be engaged in the big long post-a-thons any more. On the upside, have managed to get a lot of stuff done, which has been really worthwhile (or pointless, depending on your overall viewpoint, I suppose).
Anyway, just breaking the debate-blog fast, tipping the hat after a late night gig to wish you all well.
PS I dare you all to swap sides for the duration of one blog post, and see if you can do each other's positions without inserting gratuitous over-simplification or irony.
Hi Beat,
Glad to hear that you have been productive.
Is it because of Bruce's stubbornness or have you just not been able to express an objectively convincing argument?
Nah, the burden of proof lies with the believers - education is a tough business :-)
PS I dare you all to swap sides for the duration of one blog post, and see if you can do each other's positions without inserting gratuitous over-simplification or irony.
Well Greg, you made yoyr first mistake there. There is no one version of christianity. You have the litreral inerrantists at one end and you have people like rob (and I wonder about bruce in this respect too) who dont necessarily hold that jesus is the only way to god - so, which is real. It seems you guys have no objective means at your disposal to answer that.
I have however asked Bruce to write a guest post in the past. So far he has not taken it up - think I even asked you.
Guest post? Where? Might take you up on that some time (although don't recall reading the request).
Education: LOL.
PS you can choose argue from any point along that line: whatever point you think you understand best :)
Hi Beat,
Long time not speak.
I dare you all to swap sides for the duration of one blog post, and see if you can do each other's positions without inserting gratuitous over-simplification or irony.
When I argue/debate/discuss matters, I like to have as much information as possible on the topic I am discussing. (Unless I might look more of an ignorant fool than I do)
I mean, if I was to debate and discuss the topic of “17th Century French painters and how they have influenced modern culture” – I would like to know
a) the name of a 17th Century French painter, and
b) know how they might have influenced modern culture.
My point is this – I’ve never been provided with a good argument FOR God (Big G, so I am talking about the Christian versions) so how am I to debate/argue FOR such a position? I don’t have the ‘tools’
Now, you could say this is due to my ignorance on the topic and that there are many proofs for God that I am not aware,good arguments that as yet I have not seen… well, I have been looking for such things for many a long year and if any Christian here wishes to present such proof, or provide evidence I am more than happy to steal it and us it in a debate FOR the Christian God the next time such an offer is presented.
Until then time… I still see no reason to believe in this Christian God, any more than 1,001 other gods you will agree mankind has invented... worse than that, any definition of God that has been provided to me has been shown logically flawed - this provides plenty of reason to doubt
But thanks for the offer :-)
Lee
Just to say, I'm taking a blog sabbatical just now. Will be back in due course.
Hi Beat,
Email me something, but I would prefer it if you would be able to spend some time defending your post
billy,
i did consider giving up going to church for lent - maybe next year - i could turn a corner of my attic into a replica of the judean wilderness
toon are doing bad but not quite bad enough - any supporter with a sense of humour - is now hoping for relegation - or at least a last game dog fight to get excited about
why is it strachan can be going for his 4th title in a row and still seem so unconvincing. Anyway the firesale at ibrox didnt amount to much did it ? papers huh....
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